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Typical rescue dog behaviour?


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I was wondering if this was typical rescue dog behaviour or just typical of bc in general:

 

Bear follows me everywhere he can or is allowed to go and plops himself right at my feet (sometimes right on my feet). If I get up or move around he's right there, just like a shadow. After awhile he will move to the tile floor (must be cooler) but as soon as I make any noise or give attention to my cats he's right back over, head in my lap or pawing at me. Most of the time it isn't bothersome (except the pawing, that's gets an "off"), but sometimes I can't even get my shoes on without him wanting to help out. He was in rescue about 3 months and I don't know how many foster homes he was in before I got him.

 

He also snores pretty loudly! Is this normal? Sometimes I nudge him a tad and call his name if he gets really loud or starts barking in his sleep.

 

Thanks for your input,

 

Kimberley

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My dog is usually in the room with me, and even when he falls asleep, he'll leap right up to follow me if I move into another room. For the first few months, he always came upstairs to bed with me, but after a while he mellowed a bit and would stay in his own downstairs bed if he was in a sound sleep. He will eventually come up to bed, though, and is always with me when I wake up in the a.m.

 

Luckily, Buddy is happy to be in the same room, and doesn't need to be touched all the time like my sister's dog!

 

Mary

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My Katie was a rescue and I had her for eight years. She was ALWAYS right by my side. It never stopped, but I found it comforting. She also did the snoring and barking in her sleep, everynight. I would just say her name and she stopped. I don't know if this is any help to you, but I think Bear will be ok, he'll just be a lover.

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Having had both rescue and non-rescue BCs, I think this is just typical BC behavior. It is unusual for any of my three dogs not to be in the same room I am in, but I do remember that it took me awhile to get used to having first one, then two, and now three shadows! :D Now, though, I think it's weird when I visit family and friends whose dogs voluntarily leave their people...or who stay snoozing in one room when the people move to another one. Before you know it, you'll just take Bear's constant presence for granted! :rolleyes:

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During the last year or so, Kessie has finally decided that I'm not going to disappear on her. Maybe she just grew up, or maybe having a tasmanian devil little sister has made her appreciate peace and quiet :D. I've not grown up though :D , I miss her when I do something at the computer and she's not sleeping behind me like she used to!

Kyla still likes to have at least one human in her sight, but by now she likes sleeping on the living room couch when we're in the kitchen. Maybe age (or time spent in a home) is a factor?

 

But, of course, as soon as I get up and do something, Kessie has to be there. I don't think there's any rescue-related anxiety in there. The only thing I detect is impatience ("Are you finally going to do something interesting now????") - she's just a BC! :rolleyes::D

 

ETA they're both rescues. Kessie has been here for almost three years now, Kyla for one year.

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My Katie was a rescue and I had her for eight years. She was ALWAYS right by my side. It never stopped, but I found it comforting. She also did the snoring and barking in her sleep, everynight. I would just say her name and she stopped. I don't know if this is any help to you, but I think Bear will be ok, he'll just be a lover.

 

All the feedback is reasuring. It is comforting to have him by my side. I suppose it could be worse and he doesn't want anything to do with me or won't hang out by my side.

 

Bear is a love and he does seem so glad to see me when I get home, or scratch his head, or give hugs & treats or...

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one time when ben was about 3 months old we went up to a friends house

he found a nice cozy bit and fell asleep

it was the 1st time ever I got up to leave the room and he didnt follow - he was soooo sound asleep

but when I came back into the room he got up - gave me such a "bad mum" look and sat back down with his head on my feet

"you aint sneaking off without me again!"

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Cheyenne (a sheltieX?) sleeps or stays where she darn well pleases. Miss Lucy usually stays in my bathroom. Coolest place in the house and no younguns(4) or other BCs (3) running over her! The other 3 BCs, 1 foster, 2 raised by me from pups, are ALWAYS where I am. I think they get a lot of their exercise when I clean house and do laundry. I do the dishes with dogs around my feet. The only time I can go to the bathroom alone is when I am not home! When I just had Cheyenne, I would have to call her or hunt her up if I wanted to pet on a dog. Now, I just reach my hand out in any direction. I usually find fur!

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You could have one or two different things going on.

 

Many rescues have separation anxiety and want to be as close as possible because they are still insecure from being in their previous situation - shelter trauma or neglect/abuse by the previous owner. This happened with my rescue Bouvier Finn McCool, and he gradually became more comfortable in his home situation and didn't always need to be in the same room or touching us.

 

The other thing that could be happening is that Bear has chosen you as his person. This happened with my first BC Meg. We have had her for three years, and though she is polite to everyone and loves Kathy, I am her focus. She doesn't always have to be in the same room anymore, but when we are she watches me constantly and comes to me for pets and gives kisses many times per day. She recently started sleeping in bed with me instead of on a pad on the floor, and it has made her less jealous and more certain of our bond. She spends the night pressed up against my back or legs. Frankly, I didn't believe that dogs chose one particular person to bond with, but that's what happened!

 

Steward Robbins

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