Hi Folks,
I just adopted a miniature poodle from dogs trust. I have called him Freddie. He had been abandoned at the side of a road in Ireland with 10 other dogs and was rescued by dogs trust. He is about 10 yrs old, blind in one eye and has a heart murmur. He had to have some teeth taken out and this revealed a hole between his jaw bone and nasal cavity. Dogs Trust repaired this last Thursday and he had his check up today and is healing nicely.
The reason for such a detailed start is to explain why Freddie is traumatised. I brought him home two weeks ago and have got him eating well especially since he's out of such horrific pain and he is gaining much needed weight. He will now happily stroll around both the back and front gardens and has really bonded with my toy poodle Daisy who is also a dogs trust girl.
I would really appreciate any help on how to get Freddie to leave the garden and go outside bearing in mind that he is still very frightened of the great unknown. He happily sits in the car e.g. to get to dogs trust for check up etc  but will not leave the safety of the garden. When coming home in the car he happily walks from the car ,through the gate  and into the garden. He will follow me around the garden and his house training is coming on leaps and bounds. He will let me put his harness on and attach his lead I even tried the lead onto his collar but it didn't make a difference.
I know that it will take time to reassure him. I just wondered if anyone has had the same experience and if so how you overcome it.
Freddie is my 6 th poodle ( I've had a nervous springer spaniel who was a rescue too ) but never a dog so very badly traumatised. He used to simply freeze whenever someone spoke to him but now will ask to sit on my knee for a cuddle.
Any thoughts or tips greatly appreciated,
Ethel

Hello Ethel
First of all well done on giving Freddie such a wonderful home. The poor boy must have had an appalling life until you found each other.
I am no expert in these matters but my gut feeling is that given the trauma Freddie has hitherto suffered and his ongoing health issues perhaps it is not necessary for him to have to face the challenges of the world outside. If you have a garden with space for him to run around and sniff about them that could be enough for him, especially since you have another dog that he is comfortable with

I am sure others on the forum can also advise.
BTW- welcome to the forum

> perhaps it is not necessary for him to have to face the challenges of the world outside

I'm inclined to agree with this.  We adopted Mo back in January - not from a traumatic background, but one where I suspect he didn't have much, if any, socialising as a pup.  He was almost 8 when coming to us.  There are still a couple of things I haven't been able to have him overcome.  One, the crate - despite my trying what I think was everything, he slammed on the anchors and would have nothing to do with that.  So Frankie's old big crate is now collapsed and in the garage. 

The next is the car.    I can't not have him go in there (if only for vet visits!) and he's too big for either of us, or both, to lift.  The last time I had to get him in there, he did, finally manage to go up the ramp but it was a struggle. 

What I'm trying to say is what your boy isn't happy doing may just have to be something he doesn't do, unless it's vital.   Eventually once trust is there, you may find Freddie accepts challenges but why push it, if it doesn't really matter.  Oh and Mo obviously hadn't been walked on a lead much, if at all, when he came to us but that's one thing he has managed to get used to, much as if there's a loud noise when he's out off the property, he reacts badly.  And he never walks out with his tail up.  Would that he'd come to us when Teazel was around for longer, and able to walk with him.

Well done for being able to rescue Freddie from Dogs Trust.

I agree for now and now many be a long time let him be reassure by what he is comfortable doing . If that's not leaving the house amd garden so be it. Walks arnt necessary for him  you can concentrate on building abond with you amd learning visitors are fine .also lots of short training and fun games you can okay with him.  Pushing him could result in him becoming worse or feeling he has to defend himself

Poor little love has had a rough time and is now safe . He will learn that in his time not by being forced into going outside the garden

If he is happy to go in the car why not take him to a quiet area ie field/moor and let him have a mooch around some new territory/smells. Probably best to keep him on a long training line in case he spooks and runs off. If his doggy sister is with him this will help.  Gradually you can introduce him to the wider world by parking your car a few  metres away when you take him back home so he gets to walk a bit further outside his comfort zone.

Take it slowly and if this doesnt solve the problem then I am sure he will be just as happy playing in your garden!

Best wishes.

Hi Folks, Thank you for all the replies
You have confirmed what I felt myself, that Freddie is just looking for a safe retirement home.
My garden is a haven for him and he's happy to potter about in it. I really don't think that he will need to go on walks as he'll get enough exercise just going round the garden. I just needed to be sure that I wasn't depriving him of anything like the enjoyment of a walk.
He saw the dogs trust vet on Thursday and they were happy with his progress.
He has been brave enough to venture out into the front garden too , my neighbours know what he's been through and speak gently to him as they pass by, he's becoming less afraid and doesn't rush back into the house when he see's them. My neighbour across the road had the lawn mower out . Daisy was happily sunning herself and didn't bat an eyelid at the noise so Freddie just snuggled into her and stayed in the garden. I think he was super brave. He gets a lot of confidence from her.
He's also met my daughters dog Qwircle. he's a dogs trust boy too. A cross between a brown lab and a lurcher. Since Freddie is happy to go in the car he's been to Qwircle's garden and again, was happy to potter about. He does get a lot of confidence from other dogs
Thank you for the reassurance that he's not missing out by not going for walks. I think the stress of trying to do that would be far to much for him and undo the fabulous progress he's made so far.
As I said I really just wanted to check I was doing the right thing
Many thanks, Ethel

you sound like a lovely caring owner and are doing all the right things.   I agree with the others, let him be home dog.  he doesn't need walks with his age and history.

He is moving forwards so well and sounds like you are doing the right thing for him too

Hi Folks,
Just wanted to give a wee update on Freddie's progress.
Physically he has come on leaps and bounds. He's a much healthier weight. His mouth has healed up beautifully , so much so, he will now let me softly brush his few remaining teeth using just plain water and a soft baby's " milk teeth " toothbrush. He has watched Daisy having her face washed and teeth brushed every day and now really enjoys having his face  ( eyes ) washed. He seems to find having his eyes done really soothing.

He loves a nice bath and his coat is all one length now . I just  gently introduced him to the clippers noise til he was comfortable with having a little clip all over to even up his coat as the bald bits grew in. His coat has turned much softer ---maybe due to having proper food and he just loves to be brushed---I think it's the attention and physical contact he's enjoying. He lets me shave his feet and take the hair from between his pads. His feet were in an awful mess and he's enjoying being able to feel the ground with his pads. I still help him eat his diner . He's got no front teeth so struggles to pick up his food but again, helping him with it has strengthened the bond between us. He even lets me keep his ears hair free !

In the house and gardens it's as if he's always lived here. He no longer freezes if there's a loud noise from my neighbours building work and has made friends with my neighbours when they stop to speak to him at the garden fence.
He is very gentle with Daisy and behaves like a perfect gentleman with her. They have started to play with toys together. One at each end and play tug of war. She is so much smaller than him so it's easy for him to win. If she has to let go , he puts the toy down and waits for her to pick her side up again and the game resumes.
I found some " firework noises " on You Tube and began playing these quietly in the back ground while doing my house work gradually increasing the volume ( not massively loud though ) and he now snoozes happily through it all so I am hoping it'll stand us in good stead when bonfire night rears it's ugly head.

He's completely housetrained now and both he and Daisy are happy to stay at home together when I go for groceries etc.
He still hasn't  been brave enough to go for a walk outside on the pavement. He will leave the garden now though and since he has learnt the command " sit " he's happy to sit outside the garden and watch the world go by. If cars etc pass, he's fine. He even greets passing neighbours with a tail wag !

I know we have a long way to go with the walking outside but, weather permitting , we go out the gate and he and Daisy will sit quite happily where before he really was so frightened. He's happy to actually go out the gate now and onto the pavement. Now he knows " sit " I can tell them to sit, open the gate and tell them to " wait " . For the last few days he hasn't tried to hurry back inside the open gate , he has sat with Daisy till I say " heel" which I think takes a lot for him but ,he's not displaying any signs of distress with the gate open and being told to wait. Once we get inside they sit again til I make sure the gate is secure then it's leads off and lots of praise.
Do you think that learning these very basic commands will give him a bit more confidence which will help him understand what's expected of him when he feels ready to walk outside ( meaning a few steps and sit again etc) ?

He's happy to go out in the car to my daughters house and will play in her garden with Daisy and her dog, He will walk from and to the car both to her house and when he come home. I think that he's still afraid that, if he goes out for a walk, he will be abandoned again
Sorry this has become such a long email, just wanted to let you know we are still following all your helpful advice and tips
Thank you again for all your help and support

I dont know who has done the best. u for having the patience to go in tiny steps as he wanted or him for learning how to trust . Well done and thank you for.the update

well done! he is a very lucky boy to have such a kind and sensitive owner

> Do you think that learning these very basic commands will give him a bit more confidence which will help him understand what's expected of him when he feels ready to walk outside

Definitely!

What a lovely update, you're doing an amazing job with him, it can take a year or more for rescue dogs to unpack all their baggage so small, positive steps in the right direction are wonderful.

Thank you all for your lovely comments.
It's really reassuring to know how willing to help with advice you all are

Ditto here to all above.
You're doing a great job with him.

What a lovely update. Happy days to all