New collie used to sleeping in shed

Clampdown

Today I had to move home to my mother's house due to a combination of circumstances. I brought my 3 year old spayed female collie with me, she was adopted from a rescue, was very skittish at first but has become much more social and only gets scared at loud noises or very busy areas like town. She was locked in a shed with her litter mates as a pup and the farmer who had them died and they were basically wild when they were found. She has always slept inside since we took her, after her evening walk she will just lie in the bed totally settled, she took to being inside straight away.

Today, when I moved back, my mother mentioned that her father, a sheep farmer who is now in the hospital with a terminal illness, has a collie which is in a similar situation, left in a shed, and my uncles had been going to the farm to feed it, and one uncle actually brought it to his house to keep, as he has dogs, but the dog kept roaming/running away so he brought it back to the shed on the farm.

So we decided to go get the dog. I hate the idea of a dog left in a shed. I know my grandfather was a bit heavy handed when it comes to training dogs and so she is very much like my other dog was, very shy, cowers, but once she knows you are gentle she looks for pets and attention all the time. She's lovely and she is getting very attached to me already. But because she was out in the shed so much (and in the fieldsa woth the sheep, etc), she bolts for the sitting room door any time you open it and bolts for the back door anytime it is open as well. She only lies down if she is totally ignored for awhile, just isn't very settled while inside.

My mother's shed is nicer than the one on the farm. It's made of cement so is not too cold, the floor is not dirty and is raised up, and we have 2 mats and a thick blanket for her to lay on. I had her inside most of the evening but because she wouldn't settle and was impossible to keep in the sitting room, I finally put her in the shed and she seems to think that is where she should go.

My mum wants us to rehome her as she doesn't want 2 dogs (understandable, one dog and an adult child landing into her small terracced house is plenty, in fairness). And I was thinking that the more she becomes comfortable as an inside dog, the better chance we have of a family taking her and having a nicer home. But from my own experience with collies, I've found that some behaviors tend to be very difficult to change, they might improve to a point but that's it.

So, should I just let her sleep in the shed? She would still be inside with us for feeding, and for some socialization/attention for a portion of the day, still get walks at the same time as my other dog (she is still learning the lead but is not too bad with it). It's just she won't settle inside and will push past you any time you are coming in or out the door, so it's seems like there's no point hassling her to stay in if she doesn't want to, as it is only causing us stress as well to try and stop her bolting out past you every time you go in or out.

She's totally house trained as well and doesn't soil the shed. If she clearly prefers the shed should I just let her stay there, or should I make more of an effort to make her an inside dog so she can be rehomed as such? I don't want to rehome her as a dog that is left in a shed as I fear she will be neglected again, and it's cold at night. I am hoping to socialize her as much as possible. Poor thing doesn't know how to play with toys or chase a ball, doesn't even know what to do with a dental stick. But is trying to force her to sleep inside not necessarily a good thing?

hardCopy

Clampdown wrote: »

Today I had to move home to my mother's house due to a combination of circumstances. I brought my 3 year old spayed female collie with me, she was adopted from a rescue, was very skittish at first but has become much more social and only gets scared at loud noises or very busy areas like town. She was locked in a shed with her litter mates as a pup and the farmer who had them died and they were basically wild when they were found. She has always slept inside since we took her, after her evening walk she will just lie in the bed totally settled, she took to being inside straight away.

Today, when I moved back, my mother mentioned that her father, a sheep farmer who is now in the hospital with a terminal illness, has a collie which is in a similar situation, left in a shed, and my uncles had been going to the farm to feed it, and one uncle actually brought it to his house to keep, as he has dogs, but the dog kept roaming/running away so he brought it back to the shed on the farm.

So we decided to go get the dog. I hate the idea of a dog left in a shed. I know my grandfather was a bit heavy handed when it comes to training dogs and so she is very much like my other dog was, very shy, cowers, but once she knows you are gentle she looks for pets and attention all the time. She's lovely and she is getting very attached to me already. But because she was out in the shed so much (and in the fieldsa woth the sheep, etc), she bolts for the sitting room door any time you open it and bolts for the back door anytime it is open as well. She only lies down if she is totally ignored for awhile, just isn't very settled while inside.

My mother's shed is nicer than the one on the farm. It's made of cement so is not too cold, the floor is not dirty and is raised up, and we have 2 mats and a thick blanket for her to lay on. I had her inside most of the evening but because she wouldn't settle and was impossible to keep in the sitting room, I finally put her in the shed and she seems to think that is where she should go.

My mum wants us to rehome her as she doesn't want 2 dogs (understandable, one dog and an adult child landing into her small terracced house is plenty, in fairness). And I was thinking that the more she becomes comfortable as an inside dog, the better chance we have of a family taking her and having a nicer home. But from my own experience with collies, I've found that some behaviors tend to be very difficult to change, they might improve to a point but that's it.

So, should I just let her sleep in the shed? She would still be inside with us for feeding, and for some socialization/attention for a portion of the day, still get walks at the same time as my other dog (she is still learning the lead but is not too bad with it). It's just she won't settle inside and will push past you any time you are coming in or out the door, so it's seems like there's no point hassling her to stay in if she doesn't want to, as it is only causing us stress as well to try and stop her bolting out past you every time you go in or out.

She's totally house trained as well and doesn't soil the shed. If she clearly prefers the shed should I just let her stay there, or should I make more of an effort to make her an inside dog so she can be rehomed as such? I don't want to rehome her as a dog that is left in a shed as I fear she will be neglected again, and it's cold at night. I am hoping to socialize her as much as possible. Poor thing doesn't know how to play with toys or chase a ball, doesn't even know what to do with a dental stick. But is trying to force her to sleep inside not necessarily a good thing?

How long have you been trying to get him inside? I can't offer much advice but my in-laws got a 3 or 4 year old collie from an old farmer who had never been inside a house.

At first he wouldn't come in the door but over the last six months they've convinced him to eat his dinner inside and nap in the kitchen during the evening. He still likes to get out at night but I'd say with enough time he could be convinced to stay in.

Clampdown

hardCopy wrote: »

How long have you been trying to get him inside? I can't offer much advice but my in-laws got a 3 or 4 year old collie from an old farmer who had never been inside a house.

At first he wouldn't come in the door but over the last six months they've convinced him to eat his dinner inside and nap in the kitchen during the evening. He still likes to get out at night but I'd say with enough time he could be convinced to stay in.

She will come inside no bother. She will sit next to you for pets and to lick your hand. But she keeps going for the doors to the sitting room when you open them and is determined to get by you any way she can. Everyone else is away to bed now though and she has settled herself and laid down under the coffee table. She won't go onto the bed we made for her, wherever I put the blanket she goes somewhere else! I bathed her today so she doesn't smell so much any more and I am gonna leave her to sleep in the sitting room tonight, it's freezing out there.

My mum has put an ad out to rehome her, I'm kinda hoping if she settles more in the house that mum will keep her though, I'm getting attached already I love collies so much! And while I'm here it's no problem for me to walk/feed her along with my dog. Or at least if she gets used to being inside she can be an inside dog with her new family. I don't think dogs should be left out in sheds or on chains, isolated in the cold. Even though her and my dog seem to just ignore each other she at least has some company.

hardCopy

Clampdown wrote: »

She will come inside no bother. She will sit next to you for pets and to lick your hand. But she keeps going for the doors to the sitting room when you open them and is determined to get by you any way she can. Everyone else is away to bed now though and she has settled herself and laid down under the coffee table. She won't go onto the bed we made for her, wherever I put the blanket she goes somewhere else! I bathed her today so she doesn't smell so much any more and I am gonna leave her to sleep in the sitting room tonight, it's freezing out there.

My mum has put an ad out to rehome her, I'm kinda hoping if she settles more in the house that mum will keep her though, I'm getting attached already I love collies so much! And while I'm here it's no problem for me to walk/feed her along with my dog. Or at least if she gets used to being inside she can be an inside dog with her new family. I don't think dogs should be left out in sheds or on chains, isolated in the cold. Even though her and my dog seem to just ignore each other she at least has some company.

The bed could be too warm for him if he's used to the outside. My in laws dog sleeps across the bottom of the kitchen door where he's in a draft.

He's funny to watch as he still tries to dog a hole in the tiles before he lies down.

maggiepip

Collies are very sensitive, borderline neurotic sometimes, they're my favourite breed too!

Have you a "safe" corner or area she seems to like for her to retreat to while she's getting used to indoors? You mentioned she was under the coffee table, maybe thats where she feels safer at the moment. We took in a very nervous collie years ago and let her have the run of the house, she often used to go upstairs behind the bed by herself, where we had made a space for her with a bed for her, when she was feeling overwhelmed and needed some quiet space. She would reappear in her own time. We also had a space made for her behind the couch in the living room where she'd go to as well if feeling scared.

Collies are very sound sensitive too and "jumpier" than most breeds, they dont like loud noises or raised voices, there would be more noise going on indoors that she'd need time to get used to. A "safe" place helps a lot with these things.

I'd definitely leave her indoors at night because it would give her a chance to adjust to her surroundings when its quieter and time for sleep. Could you give her things like a stuffed kong or the like when shes inside, its distracting and would help her relax.

I'd keep working on her to get her used to inside as its where the human interaction and company is, and most probably where she really wants to be , but just finds it all a bit overwhelming at the moment. Good luck, you're very kind to be trying to help her!

Clampdown

maggiepip wrote: »

Collies are very sensitive, borderline neurotic sometimes, they're my favourite breed too!

Have you a "safe" corner or area she seems to like for her to retreat to while she's getting used to indoors? You mentioned she was under the coffee table, maybe thats where she feels safer at the moment. We took in a very nervous collie years ago and let her have the run of the house, she often used to go upstairs behind the bed by herself, where we had made a space for her with a bed for her, when she was feeling overwhelmed and needed some quiet space. She would reappear in her own time. We also had a space made for her behind the couch in the living room where she'd go to as well if feeling scared.

Collies are very sound sensitive too and "jumpier" than most breeds, they dont like loud noises or raised voices, there would be more noise going on indoors that she'd need time to get used to. A "safe" place helps a lot with these things.

I'd definitely leave her indoors at night because it would give her a chance to adjust to her surroundings when its quieter and time for sleep. Could you give her things like a stuffed kong or the like when shes inside, its distracting and would help her relax.

I'd keep working on her to get her used to inside as its where the human interaction and company is, and most probably where she really wants to be , but just finds it all a bit overwhelming at the moment. Good luck, you're very kind to be trying to help her!

Yes, my collie that I brought with me will run a mile if she hears a loud noise and she is wary of anyone with a deep or loud voice.

My Mum got a few calls about the ad already from some people, one has a farm but there is kids there as well (she is good with kids, has been around my niece many times). Might be suitable as she will have some of what she is used to and some home comforts as well.

I would like to keep her a bit longer to get acclimated to being inside with the people more but it's my Mum's house and her call really. I'd say she feels like one dog and one adult child is enough, and is afraid of getting too attached to her (I already am). Whatever happens she'll be better off than she was by far, and she is already becoming looking more lively and ougoing.