Someone abused MY Thor!?!

[momto3k9s]

Well today we tried to play with Thor a little in the backyard with the ball. We've been trying to keep him low key since he is HW+ but after speaking with the rescue lady today she said she didn't want us keeping him too mellow because his HW+ was really low. The only time he needs to be kept calm is the day of the week we give him a certain type of med for his HW. But other than that she said to treat him like any other dog.

So we went out in the back and got the new balls out of the package. I went to put my arm back and the poor dog put his ears back, tail between his legs and ran out of there sooooo fast! I thought maybe his reaction was like that because I was big - but then I had my 5 year old throw the ball across the yard a little bit and when my son did it Thor did the same thing. .... So sad to "see" the abuse this poor dog must have suffered. So I, ever so gentle, tossed the underhand a little bit - not too far from him and he started to go after it and bring it back. He's learning very quickly.

He is so good with the kids, very calm, not food aggressive at all. I put my hands in there and he's fine. I have always pet my dogs when they were eating - even Zeus and Belle - at the age of 11/12, I always pet their heads when they started to eat. I had a really bad experience with a food aggressive dog once and I do my best so they aren't food aggressive anymore.

Anyway - it was just so upsetting to see the tremendous amount of fear in my little guy. We are working with him though. Little baby steps and he will be OK. I feel so bad for everything he went through - HW+, yesterday the vet said he has tapeworms, scars on his muzzle, beaten...poor guy.

[Gsdldy]

Thats so sad, but at least he's in a good place now! I would love to see someone give the people that abuse the dogs the same treatment, they need to be locked up.

[janisinsc]

I rescued a dalmation once. We were out with her in the back yard one of the first days and we were just going to relax, let her adjust to us and to new surroundings. My husband opened a beer can and as soon as she heard the sound, she ran and hid. All I can figure is that the people who had her would drink and throw cans at her for fun. She eventually adjusted but it does break your heart to see that reaction.

[JakodaCD OA]

awww poor guy,,but as one said,,he is in a wonderful place now and I know you guys will help him overcome the trauma he's faced)

He sounds like such a great dog !

[AgileGSD]

Behavior like cowering when someone raises their hand or yells or at certain sounds doesn't necessarily mean the dog was abused. I know a dog who is afraid of things being carried towards her or moved above her head - to the point where sometimes she has hit her head on things trying to get away. Once she ran away from a chicken sandwich. Was she beated with various objects while someone ate a chicken sandwich? Nope, I've known her since she was a puppy and she's just weird. She has sight and sound sensitivity issues and several of her relatives have similar problems. But it sure makes her act in a way that would make people sure she must have been abused if they didn't know her background. My GSD had a phase were she became very afraid of kitchen tongs, to the point where she would cower, run and hide from them. Dogs are just weird sometimes

[LaRen616]

When my brother and I were younger he was hitting a baseball with his bat and the ball bounced off the ground and popped up and hit our GSD/Husky mix Kota right in the nose. She screamed at the top of her lungs and ran under the treehouse while heavily bleeding from her nose. She absolutely hates any type of ball and will duck for cover if someone throws a ball. It was an accident. I was outside with him when it happened and he wasn't aiming for her or anything. We would never abuse Kota, she's like our little sister. She is a great dog.

Maybe Thor got hurt accidently and never forgot it

[Jax08]

We fostered a doberman a couple of years ago. She was 37 lbs when brought into the HS as a "stray" (actually by the owners who had named her Baby and then starved her). She was terrified of the bathroom. We think she was locked in there and starved.

Some people are truly un-evolved beasts.

[bianca]

Poor Thor, I am so pleased you now have him and he can be a happy pup surrounded by love. I personally think that it should be an eye for an eye where animal cruelty is the case.

[momto3k9s]

We are going to do our very best to make him as comfortable as possible. He's coming around slowly - we made some changes and throw underhand to him. He was doing well with that - so I started to throw the regular away again - slowly - and he didn't seem as bothered. Baby steps. :-) We'll get there.

[Basil2010]

we know God loves him but people can be so bad...it's sad...I am that he found you.