Abused Shar Pei handling?

Blue_pup

Hey guys, I know a shar pei isn't a JP breed, but I figured you guys would know more about them then others on another forum. Okay, I work at a boarding kennel/vacation housing place and we just recently got a shar pei in. He's a rescue dog that was seized from his old owner after it was found out how he was being abused. The poor pup is about 2 years old. I know he's reactive - but he isn't afraid of us, he's okay with me and another person and we can handle him fine. The problem is my bosses daughter (22) who also works part time at the kennel - the dog (Trauman) - is kinda scared of her, it's not that he's cowering tails between his legs, he's just throwing all kinds of calming signals. She on the other hand thinks because he's been abused you have to be very slow, can't do nothing - I can't touch him, nothing like that. So this morning we came in from outside and he wouldn't go in his run so I walked up to him, rubbed his wrinkly cheeks and put a leash on him - and then she flipped shit! Like, she was going on "NO no no you'l scare him, his been abused you can't do that!!!!" and so obviously she's yelling and poor Trauman goes into shutdown mode. After that she made me leave and she shood him into his run! Like seriously! She comes in "see you have to leave him alone". I don't know... I can't tell her off since she's my bosses daughter and both her and my boss treat dogs like they understand us, you know "Bad Maya, bad peepee inside, go oustide - she knows it's bad to go inside" you know... anyway... I was there when his owner (a vet) came in with him, I was rubbing his cheeks then too - and she said he was really going to like me. Is it bad for me to handle Trauman like that? Or should I not interact with him at all?

sukoshi_mom

My suggestion: Have the vet write up a description of how to handle the dog. Post it on the dog's kennel door. Maybe have the vet do a quick run-down w/ staff about Trauman's behavior and how to handle him. Sounds like you were getting along OK with the dog.

Blue_pup

Okay, will do so when she picks him up for the next time around.

sukoshi_mom

Hope this idea works for you. For Trauman's sake, it's important that everyone be pretty much on the same page as to how to handle him.

ayk

I hope that it'll at least stop the yelling.

tsukitsune

handling an abused dog is like handling any dog - it should be done with consideration, patience and respect. Its unfortunate that they are treating him like a disease!

Many of the dogs we foster show signs of abuse in many ways (cowering, wincing eyes, hand shyness, whining or looking to hide when there is chaos) and we just take lots of time with them. The more positive interaction the better. Maybe the vet can talk to them when they come get their dog - about how they handle him - so your boss knows for the next time that not all abused dogs should be quarantined based on their unfortunate past.

Crispy

As said above (because something similar has happened at my place of work), I'd get the owner to go over/write down how to handle him (and making sure everyone knows his owner is a vet might help out some, aesthetically). I can't really say for certain because I don't see how the dog acts or how the people act with him, but it sounds like what your coworker is doing is unhealthy for Trauman's emotional state (hands-off/herding a dog into and out of his kennel, am I getting that right?). If asking the owner to write something up or write Trauman's behavior/instructions down doesn't work on its own, I'd set up a meeting with the boss and voice your concerns without being too accusatory. I'd hope the boss would understand even if it IS the daughter causing the problem.

We have some hard to handle, abused, shy, or just plain picky dogs at work and while it's hard when only one person is able to handle a certain dog *well*, in this sort of work we should always be looking out for the dogs' best interest - a boarding/day care/kennel environment can already be stressful or overstimulating enough without adding handler-related stress to the poor pooch.