First off this is long, im sorry. I'll put a tldr at the end of the post.
In June I adopted a 5 mo old border collie mix from a rescue. I know what you're thinking, no her breed isn't the problem, my heart dog was a border collie.
A bit about her background, she was kept outside and away from people since she was born. She was very stand offish and afraid of people, I only got her to come near me with treats. When she gave me just that small amount of trust, I fell in love. Head over heels. How could I not?
It wasn't easy from the get go, but the actual issues were never HER. She was great. But she was sick, ended up having round worms and giardia and constant itching. Vet appointments all the time. So much money (this was only just finished beginning of this month). She got spayed when she was 6 months by the rescue, great, get to save some money on that…. not. She opens herself up due to constant itching and a 1k trip to the emergency vet later, she's better, but constant meds, cone, body suit. Can't be left alone.
Yes, this was taxing, but I love her and I wanted her to get better. Never did I complain except that I couldn't take her places/to meet people/socialize bc of the giardia.
Well, I've moved and it's like all the small issues we were going to work on when she could be around others are magnified and compounded.
We moved from a house without a fenced backyard, so still leash walks, nothing new there, to a apartment. its a complex and there are other people around. She's terrified of other people and other dogs (i think she actually likes the dogs but are afraid of the owners attached), she barks at them and lunges/pulls, doesn't listen to corrections at all. She doesn't bark any other time, except if she's in her kennel and has to potty.
She Immediately pulls to go back in the house after peeing only a little (all the time, with or without people). Its not a little pulling either, its lunging. When i try to tug her back she stands up like a prairie dog. Seriously. And it makes me more mad bc its actually hilarious and i don't want to laugh bc im mad 😭. When she's trying to run back inside she looks like a dog pulling a sled.
She has begun refusing to poop outside bc she doesn't want to be out there that long and is now going in her kennel when she was previously kennel trained. She just decided she doesn't mind it anymore.
I know the crux of all of these issues is fear. She's terrified, has her tail tucked as soon as another person is in view and is scared someone is going to show up when she's outside. She literally pooped herself in fear when I had people in the house just to drop off a couch (she was in her kennel, no she didnt get in trouble for that.)
She's has made some progress, cars don't freak her out as much, so there's that. But i need advice until I can afford a trainer. I love her, I can't keep cleaning up dog poop off her kennel and her everyday.
When I tell her "no no" for going in her kennel she just wags her tail. Like, how do I correct a behavior that she doesn't give a 💩 about? Before this she was SO good about being told no.
Im already going to buy fake grass for her to poop on the porch on. But idk what else to do besides that. She can't keep barking and lunging at people/dogs. Her leash manners are nonexistent existent. (Never had this issue before we moved, she just didnt pull)
Tldr: adopted a sick scared puppy at 5 mo, now at 8/9 mo after getting healthy and moving to an apartment complex, she's even more terrified of other ppl & probably dogs. Begun barking & lunging. Doesn't want to be outside at all, will reluctantly pee then pull like crazy to go back inside, but has started pooping in her kennel when she was previously kennel trained.
Please help, i literally cant let this reactivity get worse🙏 😭