Recently Adopted GSD-Extreme Protectiveness

[shepherdmom]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

?? What is this if not an attack?

It is what the two week shut down tells you to do.

"In the house I have the dog out only for about 20 minutes post exercise/yard times.
And, ALWAYS on a leash.
Then PUT THE DOG AWAY. Let it absorb and think.
I do not introduce the dogs for these two weeks

And that's the vein in which you have referred to the two week shut down every time you discuss it. All your comment tells me is you still don't understand what it's about, or how it works.
I posted the photos to show you that it's not about isolation, far far from it. I'm sad you still refer to it as such, and, again, it's totally inaccurate for you to do so.

How would you have me refer to it if not isolation? What do you call keeping the dog away from the pack? I would like to point you to again the response the expert gave after reading the two week shutdown.

"I have seen a protocol called a "two week shutdown" several websites promote. Some rescues insist on it for all adopters. There seems to be some debate over it's worth. Some people swear by it, some people swear at it.
I don't see the benefit in any form of isolation, the feeling of abandonment and separation from the pack is probably in my view one of the most painful and emotionally punishing ways to distress a dog, a pack animal.
Apparently I am not the only one who is thinks it is isolation. Look arguing about this is getting us nowhere. Please understand I am not attacking you. As Sunflower said two or three pages ago...

"We can probably go around and around on this. I remember similar discussions on parenting boards by people who advocated attachment parenting and those who felt it was important for the child to learn to self soothe.

No one budged on their POV there, either "

Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend. I am going to bed it is way past my bedtime.

[mebully21]

the 2 week shutdown is just basically an adjustment period from rescue/shelter to new home... dogs do get overwhelmed.. take a dog out of a shelter into a home and the dog needs to de stress from shelter life to a home life instead of concrete floors and 24/7 barking... its just a way to let the dog see how the house works , and just gives the dog time to adjust to the new home. i dont do it with puppies, but i do do it with any dog i bring here, i might not do the entire 2 week, it all depends on the dog... some dogs need this, especially to learn who is in charge- you dont want the dog in charge as that can turn out bad..

and for every trainer that agrees with this method you will find those that dont. two trainers can always agree the third isnt doiing training right lol...

you dont put the dog in a crate and lock him in there, you just give him a safe place to go should he be stressed so he can relax and watch what is going on...

[katieliz]

sm, the way to stop an argument is to just stop arguing. just sayin', imho.

[Freestep]

Originally Posted by shepherdmom

You know that I had a bad experience,

What was your bad experience, and how does it relate to the "shutdown"? I must have missed that thread.

As a rescue yourself, you know the dogs you place and the people you are placing them with. Wouldn't you rather have them call you, than ask for help from random people on the internet who were not involved in the situation and might not have all the facts?

It's interesting that when someone has a question or concern, they come here in hopes of finding knowledgable and experienced answers. But when they disagree with something, we're just "random people on the internet".

[msvette2u]

I don't see the benefit in any form of isolation, the feeling of abandonment and separation from the pack is probably in my view one of the most painful and emotionally punishing ways to distress a dog, a pack animal.

This is so funny...because 1) you/your dogs are not the new dog's pack yet. That's the whole point; and 2) what do you do when you leave? As in...go shopping...go to work...??
Do you leave the brand new dog, straight from the shelter, with your own dogs? Do you leave that dog you've had a mere day, or days, out loose in the house, when you don't even know it, or how it will react to you being gone? Ask Pachon how that went!

That's what crating a dog and leaving for work (like millions of us do) does! Separates the new dog from the "pack".

** comments removed by Admin. Sarcasm does nothing to further a discussion. **

[RebelGSD]

We also recommend a form of the two week shutdown to transition dogs into their new homes. There are a few dogs that don't need it, but the majority do. The adoption contract even specifies that the dogs should be exposed to new situations gradually. The adjustment usually goes smoothly when people follow the advice.

Problems usually occur when people insist on dumping everything on the dog during the first week, family, guests, training, Petsmart, bath, vet... The dog is stressed out and overstimulated: chewing something up, accidents or a nip and the dog goes back to rescue because he/she is not as perfect as the dog they had for 10+ years.
The other problem class is people who refuse crating. While there is a dog here and there who will be safe in the home from the get go, most benefit from crating during the adjustment period. The opponents of crating are the first to return the dog for the first mistake.

[Debbieg]

Originally Posted by Freestep

It's interesting that when someone has a question or concern, they come here in hopes of finding knowledgeable and experienced answers. But when they disagree with something, we're just "random people on the internet".

Among these "random people" on the internet are many experienced knowledgeable trainers, breeders, rescue people willing to share their advice. Because of them I learned to question my vet and eventually find a new one; learned that Benny at 15 months was not dominant , dangerous, and a ticking time bomb, like the positive only trainer had said; found a balanced trainer who help me train Benny to be a great companion, go almost everywhere dog; and have good ideas about what to look for in a breeder when it comes to getting my next pup.

[Jax08]

There are a thousand different ways to train a dog. What works for one person and one dog may not work for another and nobody needs to have something they don't believe in shoved down their throats and then insulted when they don't want to follow it. This is why people don't ask for advice on here anymore. The thread was about the OP's dog, possible fear reactivity and aggression at the vet

...instead it's pages and pages of trying to make Shepherdmom believe in one particular training method and insulting her because she doesn't.

So...does anyone actually have advice for the OP? Who I'm sure has left the board in frustration.

[Jax08]

Originally Posted by Jax08

T

So...does anyone actually have advice for the OP? Who I'm sure has left the board in frustration.

Anyone?

[msvette2u]

Um...we gave our advice.
Most of us were on board with giving the dog plenty of downtime. Which is what this dog needs if it's going to survive in the OPs home.