Congrats handymac! Boy, is Molly lucky you, or I should say Max, found her!
Got any pics?!

Max on alert

Molly

Awesome!

'My point is this. Dogs, like people, sometimes have bad experiences. We humans are still exploring ways to help people overcome bad experiences. Dogs have that covered.'

That is so true, our rescue dogs show us that they can usually recover from bad treatment, we need to listen to them more. And I'm sure you sleep better at night, knowing you're safe from buses, garbage trucks, and bikes!

what a great story!!! max and molly were lucky to find you and each other.

swee' pea, my second dane rescue girl, we extremely fearful when i got her although not nearly to molly's degree. ignoring her for the first few days worked for me as well as having my senior dane girl show her the ropes.

it's amazing how these creatures can recover from some deplorable conditions to thrive in the proper home!

Great story, love the pics .. Max looks like a bruiser!

I'm glad there are people like you that can and will take the time with these dogs that need the most help.

My female rescue Lily, after 5 years here, is still scared of certain sounds ... mostly rustling plastic bags. I just ignore her when she reacts. She's much better than she was when I got her at 8 mos old.

Max and Molly are both gorgeous dogs. Who couldn't love Max's face! What a sweetie. Likely his issues were fear related as well. Most 'aggression' is fear and dogs - just like other species - respond to fear with different behaviors - fight (Max) or flight/can't get away (Molly). Most behavioral issues aren't related to abuse - it's usually genetics and that's much harder to overcome, so kudos to you for your work with both dogs.

Actually, cynthia, Max's issues were inborn aggression. He is an extremely aggressive and dominant dog that has to be the boss. Once I established I was tougher than he---all done mostly by using body language and grunts meaning NO!---he became a controllable dog.

I am his boss---he is first an employee and second a pack member who gets people attention. Example; ever watch an dog nibble on another dog's neck/head? Like biting a flea? That is dog behavior for "I am your better". Max actually now comes to me daily for that 'nibble'---I use fingers and roughly approximate the act. I say nothing and he goes and lays down afterward. If I am gone for a day or longer, I have to do that almost immediately on return, or he is more aggressive.

He and I play Tennis Ball Keep Away. I throw the ball and he chases and grabs it. Part of the time I 'chase' him and he avoids me---and will come close if I 'ignore' him, and even drop the ball. If I reach for it, he grabs it and prances off, to do it all again. Now and then, I take control, just to remind him I am still the boss---DROP IT and move into the dominant body position. He resists briefly and then drops the ball---respecting my authority.

Now and then, he decides to test my authority. Totally normal for pack members to do that. He might even growl(seldom now) and not cooperate briefly. Twenty seconds later---back to being plain ol Max.

That behavior is inborn. He is only scared of storms---when the barometer falls or there is thunder/lightening. He has shown no other fears---noises/people/dogs/cars---nothing.

The original family from whom I got him had no idea how to control him---he was much more dominant than they were. He was one of those dogs Cesar Millan calls Red Zone. He would have bitten me had I not known how to handle him.

I have never hit him at all. All my training/rehabilitation was done by actions and voice. I never relaxed around him for the first six months. Other folks could play/etc., but I was a rival---I made him obey.

So, now that we have the routine established, I can have affection for him and he returns it---and could do a much better job of rehabilitating Molly than I early on in her stay here.

But, due to his extremely dominant nature---I always make sure he knows I am the boss. That is pack leadership.

Sounds corny and trite, but it is absolutely imperative.

Max looks nothing like I imagined but he's a great looking dog! Do I see Rottie in him?

Molly is as I pictured.......but was surprised to see the fluffy tail. :~)

Might be some Rott. The GSD is easy, and he has a partially black tongue for the chow(we think).

That is his 'game' face. The face just before he bites---if you are an unwelcome intruder.

I say game face because that is him waiting for me to spray a short burst from the hose---he chases the short burst of water. We have no idea where that came from. The original owners never played with him at all---too scared of him.

But, the two times he has acted to protect, that was the face.

The neighbor all marvel at his training. In the fence(yard) he will bark and attack if an arm is on/over the fence(if I am not there). He never relaxes with someone at the fence. I can order him down and he lies down---tensed and ready to defend.

Same person can come through the front door, stand for inspection(no contact/talk) while Max 'inspects' them. After 10 seconds, that person can pet Max and he will roll over for belly rubs. That same person goes back outside---on the other side of the fence---Max is on guard again.

I put the leash on him, walk through the gate, and that person he would just have bitten if necessary can now pet him---as long as they make no aggressive movements towards me.

I take him and Molly to PetSmart and people pet him without incident. I put him in the van---and do not come close to a door.

Molly is around during all this---and is the total opposite---begs for attention, is submissive and quiet.

Except for those bad school buses and trash trucks.

Beautiful dogs, & what a wonderful story!

Max reminds me of an Akita I once knew:

I can't remember the dog's name, but his owners had gotten him as a family pet when he was just a puppy, & he was the gentlest thing with the kids.

The last child (a surprise) was a little pistol;
at two years old, he could climb onto the kitchen cabinet top to open the cabinets where Mom hid the graham crackers, & he could climb onto the back of the couch to open the streetside door.
He was totally busy except when he was asleep, & he was the dog's special charge:

You know how kids learn to walk by pulling themselves up around a coffee table or some such?
This kid learned to walk by pulling himself up on the dog;
he'd grab a great big hunk of fur & lever himself up.
He slept with the dog, & he occasionally chewed him a little bit (the kid chewed the dog, not vice versa; I think he was teething.)

& as you say, the dog was eternally patient, affectionate, & protective.

One day I got a little too animated when I was talking to the dad, & the dog walked between us, putting his body crossways in front of the "leader of the pack".
& he looked me in the eye.
& I understood him completely & immediately & shut my mouth & put my hands to my sides & looked at the ground.

It was exactly the same look as your Max's "game face"!

Bless you a million times handymac for making a difference. What a great story.

Handyman, I so liked your story. It reminded me so much of Ginger-the-drain-hugger.

Lately, Rusty is on his last leg and Mocha is gone now too. Ginger was always a dog's dog. She loves dogs, but not humans so much. She also worships Rusty.

Right now we are worrying about what she will do without an alpha when Rusty goes (NO, WE ARE THE ALPHAS).

We are thinking another male to go with her (fixed of course). Its a true delima.