He's old, needs to be brushed and bathed. I don't think he's had any shots and he doesn't know us. What can I do to gain his trust and try to take care of him or should I even try? Aren't chows kind of mean?
--S.M.

ANSWERS:

Danica P., age 18: I used to work at a vet’s office, and I saw a lot of different breeds of dogs come in. Chows were definitely one of the breeds on the caution list. It seemed that, unlike breeds like pit bulls or rottwiellers, who can be trained to be mean, Chows had a likely disposition to be snappy. They weren’t necessarily evil or prone to hate everyone, but they were simply being protective of what they figured to be their territory, be it the family, or in this case, maybe the home.

I think what you should do is slowly try to befriend the dog. Leave food out for him and maybe buy a couple treats that he might like. If he is wary of coming near you, leave the treats for him in a place where he can see you doing it. This might take a long time to do, but it’s really important that you gain his trust, because he needs to go to the vet as soon as possible to make sure he doesn’t have heartworms or other serious problems. Keep in mind that he is 12 years old, so if something is wrong with him, it might not be beneficial to him to treat him. And, if you try to lure him close enough too early in the process simply so you can take him to the vet, you might lose any possibility of gaining his trust, since going to the vet can be extremely traumatizing for some dogs, and it’s possible he will always connect you to his bad experience.

In other words, just try to take things one day at a time and make sure he knows that you would never do anything to hurt him. I think what you’re trying to do is a very commendable task!

Courtney, age 13: For some reason people have sort of stereotyped Chows as being aggressive dogs, but no Chow that I've ever come across has been the least bit hostile, including my stepmother's Chow that has never even growled at us. As far as getting the dog used to you, try and take it slowly. My family and I have been taking in strays (dogs, cats, birds) all of our lives, and I've found what works best with dogs is to first get them used to being in your presence by sitting in a room with them. Start by simply holding your hand out to the dog, then after it is used to the smell of you, start petting, brushing, etc. (Doggie treats also work well in getting the dog to like you!) As far as his health is concerned, you should probably call a local veterinarians office and schedule an appointment.

Marlee, age 12: This all depends on whether or not you want the responsibility of caring for a dog. Trust me, its hard work. But if you're committed, it's a great idea. Obviously this dog has been neglected. He seems fragile, but he can definitely soften up with some good love and atention. If you choose to keep this dog, you have to walk him every day or two, feed him two to three times a day, play with him for at least an hour every day, and train him properly if he isn't already. A dog is a lot like a baby. They both are sensitive, need tons of care, love, and attention, and you have to have a lot of patience. But this is also a very fun idea. To have the oppurtunity to care for a dog is a blessing. So good luck!

Rachel, age 16: It pays to be careful around Chows that haven't been well-trained or socialized because they can be unpredictable. Dogs learn by association, so it's a good start if you haven't done anything to scare or hurt him. The next part is to associate yourself with something every dog likes - food! If anyone else in the neighborhood has been putting food out for him, this won't work, so try to arrange it so you're the only one feeding him. Canned dog food is more enticing than dry food, and there's even type meant to be irresistable even to "anorexic" dogs (Science Diet a/d - only available through vets). Since the dog hasn't exactly been pampered, I bet the food will be a treat, and he'll be willing to quickly get over his mistrust in order to get to it. The problem here though is that you'll be serving up meat products. That will have to be a judgment call for you.

Establish a feeding schedule and go out at the same time each day. When you set out the food, call his name if you know it (if you don't, use whatever you will be calling him). When you first start, put his bowl maybe 50 yards away from you for each feeding time. Stand still in the same spot each time and talk to him quietly while he eats. Gradually move it closer as he starts coming to the bowl with less hesitation. Eventually you may be able to get him close enough so you can hold the bowl while he eats. If you do this, crouch down to his level and hold it up to him. Don't move too much and DON'T try to take it away until he's done. Also, resist the temptation to pet him (or any dog for that matter) while he eats. Some dogs can be food-agressive. Soon enough he'll come up to you even if you don't have food, but its probably a good idea to carry biscuits with you anyway!

Its a slow process, but you don't want to rush a dog you don't know very well. This technique is used for strays. Since he is not a stray, skip steps if you feel you can do so safely. Calling up a vet can give you some other ideas on how to apporach him. Until he totally learns to trust you, anything else you do with him (like loading him into the car to go to the vet) should also be in baby-steps.

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