Reply #39: I volunteer for a breed rescue also, and the puppy mill dogs that come in are just a sad story

[MiniMe]

Most of them are not well socialized with people. That is both the adult "breeders" and the pups. The Amish puppy mills are the worst. My 2 year old spent the first 6 months of his life in a puppy mill in a crate, never getting out. It took a while to housetrain him because he was just clueless. I got him to foster at about 8 months after he and his brother had spent a bit of tie with another foster. I had no intention of keeping him, but my older dog had other ideas. So I kept him. He is a great dog, I love him to death, but he still has his moments and he spooks easily at certain things. He is a waggy boy and loves people, if you give him a chance, but he doesn't trust people who want to get to know him too quickly.

Here he is from a few weeks ago.