Rescued breeding/hoarding dog refuses leash and will not walk with it on since very anxious.

[Doreen Cosgrove]

I adopted Willow, a nine pound, was told,  cavapoo over 3 months ago and at the time I brought her home she was considered shut down.  With time she has become a bet less anxious but would be considered an enigma. She will jump up on the side of the bed and let me pet her but most times will run away from me and sit on the stairs.  If I need to go upstairs she will run down and squeeze through the bannister to get down. She now will take a very favorite treat from my hand. But not food motivated. She has been going on wee-wee pads since I can’t get a leash on her to go outside.  She went outside a few times about a month ago and would just rest on the grass with her harness on as my other small dog walked around on a lead. She appeared to like being out.  I didn’t see anything that may have frightened her.  But I am now at a place that I don’t know if I try to catch her to take her out or would that do more harm than good.  I have not done that at all but she has recently started to pee on the living room rug.  Since she seems to hold it when she goes it’s a lot.   I would appreciate suggestions on what to do without getting her anymore anxious then she already is and she seems so anxious I feel so bad for her. I just want to do the best for her.  Thank you.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi Doreen, 

Welcome to the forums!

Poor girl, it sounds like she must have gone though a whole lot, being that she's coming from a hoarding situation. These dogs are neglected, haven't likely been socialized at all and possibly never walked. She likely doesn't know what a leash is. Do you have any idea of her age?

I am glad to hear though that she has become a bit less anxious! I think she likes sitting on the stairs because she feels safer knowing that she can observe you from a certain height, but she freaks out though when she sees you climbing up. Any chance to block access to the stairs, but provide her with some other elevated position where she can feel safe (like an elevated dog bed with stairs?). 

Have you noticed what triggers her to run away from you? Is it when you are standing and walking around? It sounds like she does better when you're sitting or lying down.

Many cases of dogs who are not food motivated is because they are stressed. If she's taking a very favorite treat from your hand though that's a great start!

The resting on the grass when wearing the harness may be a freeze response to not liking the feel of the harness. It can feel very restrictive to some dogs and they just freeze. We see this with dogs not used to wearing it from an early age.

I would remove the living room rug for now as she may think it's just another wee-wee pad. 

With anxious dogs as such, they need lots of baby steps and positive associations. 

When you got her from the rescue, how did they get her from the rescue to your car and then into your home? Was she wearing just a collar and leash? 

How did you manage to get her out last time? I hear she wore a harness, did you walk her with the leash attached to it? Did she do OK walking? How did you get her harness on?

Do you have access to a fenced yard?

Has she obtained a clean bill of health by a vet?

Sorry for so many questions, but they'll be extra helpful to get a deeper understanding.

Talk soon! And thank you for opening your heart and home to a rescue dog. 

Adrienne