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MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - If you're thinking of adopting a "rescue" dog and are worried whether you will cope after it has been mistreated and traumatised, there is hope. 

A Mossel Bay couple have told how the freaked-out, constantly barking, biting canine they acquired, turned into a lovable, obedient companion after careful training by an expert. 

They are publicity shy and do not wish to be named, but they give all the credit to local animal behaviourist and dog trainer Steven Montgomery, calling him skat and sweetheart.

The pooch, called Dogsie, was rescued by Odin (Oudtshoorn Dogs in Need) from a puppy "mill". 

Breeding

This is a name for inhumane breeding facilities in which bitches and dogs are kept in a cage, just to breed. 

Often it is tiny and over crowded, the dogs are never let outside and they live in their own urine and faeces. 

Expensive, small dog breeds are often the victims of these mills. 

The one where Dogsie was found, was labelled the House of Horrors, it was so dire. 

Parlour 

Before the couple acquired Dogsie - a long-legged, wirehaired terrier and Jack Russel cross - he was taken to a dog parlour because his coat was matted and he was covered in sores and fleas. 

Unfortunately this traumatised him further. 

A visit to a vet after that made things worse. 

He had to be handled with thick gloves because he was in attack mode.

Another visit to the vet, to be castrated, was the final straw for nerve-wrecked Dogsie. 

Recommended

It was recommended the couple take him to Montgomery, who has a good name as a trainer.

Speaking about puppy mills, Montgomery says: "Even with registered dogs, you can't always be sure where they are from." 

He said cruel breeders were only interested in making a quick buck, pointing out that they sold puppies for R5 000 to R7 000 each. 

Pretoria

"In Pretoria I helped people to bust a puppy mill. There were 67 chihuahuas in one room. Some of their eyes had popped out." 

The situation was horrific, he says. 

Dogsie was rescued and adopted when he was about two and a half to three years old, in June last year. 

Montgomery says: "For two years he was locked in a room. In dog years, two years are 22 years. 

Socialised 

"At six months, puppies should be socialised and introduced to the outside environment but because Dogsie was locked in a room, the world outside was overwhelming to him. 

"He had no idea what a tree was or a lawn." 

He barked non-stop, almost 24/7 because of the unknown. 

Montgomery notes: "He wanted to attack. To protect himself, he was constantly on the alert, to attack everything. For the first two lessons, we did nothing. I told the couple we must have class every day, not once a week. 

"For four months, I gave Dogsie free classes. I was more concerned about the dog's welfare than anything else. In the beginning all we did was sit, having a friendly conversation in the dog's presence. 

Barked 

"We just wanted him to process what was going on. He barked from beginning to end. After seven days, the barking lessened. 

Then I started training him, saying ‘sit’ and ‘down’, to build up his confidence. 

"Although at that stage you feel you are not achieving anything physically, there's a lot more happening than you realise." 

Montgomery says: "I am a force-free trainer. I don't use any force. Some trainers use a shock collar, but I just give dogs time to process things." 

He went further, to teach the dog, "stay", "heel". 

This built Dogsie's self confidence, because it was necessary for him to interact with Montgomery and obey, to get a tasty treat. 

Communicate 

Montgomery said: "This gave us tools to communicate. When you're telling him, 'sit' and 'down', he focuses on you and forgets his environment." 

Dogsie and his owners were given homework every day. Three months into training Dogsie was taken to sit at The Point for socialisation. 

He barked constantly, then another three months later, he did not bark at The Point. 

His owners could not put a leash or harness on him when they first got him. He bit them, but after the training, when he was told, "step", he stepped into the harness himself. The training took seven months in total.

Here is a video of the reformed, obedient Dogsie:

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