Recently Adopted GSD-Extreme Protectiveness

[msvette2u]

The "trainer" has no idea of which they speak. If they did, they would not refer to it as "isolation"; and they'd also not be paranoid about a dog learning that it can be left alone and survive.

[Castlemaid]

I like the "decompression period" or "settling in period" name better.

I find that some people are just more intuitively aware of what a dog needs, while, as pointed out, others do better with a step-by-step process to follow.

For example, I remember asking someone about their border collie at a dog park. We just got her today from the shelter!! They proudly explained. I just smiled and nodded, but in the back of my mind I was screaming at them:

"You just adopted her today, you don't know ANYTHING about this dog, and the first thing you do is bring her to a dog park and let her run loose? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING????"

Sorta trying to give people some guideline about starting off slow and low-key with their newly adopted dog is not a bad thing . . .

[bocron]

Originally Posted by Castlemaid

For example, I remember asking someone about their border collie at a dog park. We just got her today from the shelter!! They proudly explained. I just smiled and nodded, but in the back of my mind I was screaming at them:

"You just adopted her today, you don't know ANYTHING about this dog, and the first thing you do is bring her to a dog park and let her run loose? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING????"

Amazing self-control you have there . This is why I quit going to public dog parks, I found myself having to internalize all kinds of stuff and I would leave just wanting to explode!

[dOg]

"I agree that maybe the term "shutdown" is what sets some people off before they even read it, but that is a marketing issue beyond my pay grade ."

(made me laugh)


Yes there is the shutdown a dog will do itself if over commanded to point of confusion and after avoidance doesn't help clue the handler into "this ain't working!" (too much compulsion can cause this)...so reading 2 week shutdown does make one cringe if you remember old school ways from before new school ways existed.

It can easily take 3-4 weeks of "dating" before the newbie is confident his/her needs will be met and then the real character can shine through, and a honeymoon may not be the outcome one wished for, especially if not enough time was taken to sort the hierarchy of this pack, now in conflict as it absorbs the intruder. (Not all members may think this is a good thing)

Using a crate for management and quiet time, keeping it simple until some bond begins to grow, all these things sound sane to me.

There is a lot of prejudice in our society against our breed, and it can affect folks' reactions. Your vet hasn't ever owned one, I'll bet.

I understand your concerns, telling kids not to run isn't likely to work all the time, and it can trigger unwanted herding or worse in some and that is
worrisome. Taking it all slower might have prevented that altogether, but it happened, and so it's a worry, but if you back up, slow down and work on the bond, over time it can be overcome.

Employ a lot of praise whenever appropriate, you should see improvement rather quickly. If it's all too much, you'll have to punt, but you aren't there yet, or he'd already be gone.

[msvette2u]

Originally Posted by Castlemaid

I like the "decompression period" or "settling in period" name better.

I find that some people are just more intuitively aware of what a dog needs, while, as pointed out, others do better with a step-by-step process to follow.

For example, I remember asking someone about their border collie at a dog park. We just got her today from the shelter!! They proudly explained. I just smiled and nodded, but in the back of my mind I was screaming at them:

"You just adopted her today, you don't know ANYTHING about this dog, and the first thing you do is bring her to a dog park and let her run loose? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING????"

Sorta trying to give people some guideline about starting off slow and low-key with their newly adopted dog is not a bad thing . . .

I find this comes from humanizing dogs and forgetting they are animals and will do just fine if crated.
I'm sure you've run across plenty of folks who are totally anti-crate and I always wonder...what if you got sick or a family member passed and/or you had to fly somewhere with your dog? It would have to be crated, and likely will at some point in it's life. But we get plenty of dogs in foster who've never been intro'ed to a crate in their entire life.

We always recommend crating, to our adopters, too, because last thing I want is newly adopted Rover to chew an expensive pair of shoes and get returned over it.
At least lay the foundation...

I see the "decompression period" as laying the foundation for the rest of the dog's time in the home.

[shepherdmom]

I will take the word of two different trainers both experienced, well respected, good recomendations one from a trusted 501(c)3 rescue, the other from my vet.. over random internet people. When they both tell me isolating for two weeks is BAD then I feel the need to question that tool. I can see situations where it might be helpful but I can also see how it can be used wrong and could be harmful.

I hope the op and others who are following this thread go and talk to trusted experts before attempting a "shut down".

[msvette2u]

isolating for two weeks is BAD

Isolating IS bad! I totally agree!

Do you honestly think you stick the dog in a bedroom by itself for two weeks, SM? And never visit it? Or walk it? Or play with it?
That would be bad, indeed!! I'd never recommend that

For those reading, read the entire article, don't just pick out one sentence and think that's what you do it

[Cassidy's Mom]

It seems like some people are stuck on the word "isolate", even though that's not what anyone is suggesting. Since everyone is saying that isolating a dog for 2 weeks is bad, I'm not sure what the arguing is about - it sounds like complete agreement to me!

I did 2 DAYS of Social Isolation (from the K9deb website) with Cassidy before starting NILIF, and it totally turned her around. But she was never physically isolated, although she was crate trained, as all of my dogs since then have been. She was our oldest puppy, 20 weeks old when we got her.

[Sunflowers]

Originally Posted by shepherdmom

I will take the word of two different trainers both experienced, well respected, good recomendations one from a trusted 501(c)3 rescue, the other from my vet.. over random internet people. When they both tell me isolating for two weeks is BAD then I feel the need to question that tool. I can see situations where it might be helpful but I can also see how it can be used wrong and could be harmful.

I hope the op and others who are following this thread go and talk to trusted experts before attempting a "shut down".

Please explain, in your opinion, exactly what the 2 week "'shutdown" program involves.
I am not sure we are talking about the same thing.

[msvette2u]

Originally Posted by Sunflowers

Please explain, in your opinion, exactly what the 2 week "'shutdown" program involves.
I am not sure we are talking about the same thing.

I know we're not!