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my first gsd lab mix at 14 weeks and she is scared of everything.

2K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  Goose1 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Good morning,

Im happy this site is here because im a bit dumbfounded.

I just purchased a mix. The father was s purebred mother was a lab. I purchased her from an amish couple and the conditions were as follows.
a runner leading into a 12x8ft shed.
brother and mother were also in the runner.
here is the big issue. First she doesn't really even know what grass is so she is hesitant to walk on grass but dirt is ok.
she is afraid of everything. If I go outside and sit in my chair she will walk up and sit next to me. She wont come out of her crate so I have to pull her out. Sames goes for putting her back in. She doesn't seem to have the explosive energy my neighbor s do.
shes up to date on shots.
THIS IS ONLY THE 2ND DAY WE'VE HAD HER.
But I would like some advise and maybe a reason for her behavior/how/when I should work on it.
right now I am taking her out out of her crate. Leading her outside for 2 hrs and bring her back inside her crate for an hour. Then I do it all over again.Thus im trying to get her acclimated to going outside snd her safe zone(crate)
 
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#3 · (Edited)
How old is she?

You have only had her for 2 days, she needs to settle in and get to know you and her surroundings. Keep everything fun and pleasant, don't be too hard on her and don't expect too much from her right now.

IMO I think puppies should be out of their crates as much as possible. They should only be crated when you are not home, when you are sleeping or when you cannot watch them because you are busy. Puppies need to explore, play, socialize and they need to get their energy out.

Also, she is a mix so she will not be like a purbred GSD, she will not have the looks or temperment of a GSD. She could have both breeds temperments combined or she may not.
 
#4 ·
The Amish treat their pets like, uh, produce to make money out of. So they could care less about doing the appropriate health/temperament testing/ socializing that makes the best pets.

And there's a reason they a huge portion of the Puppy Mill supplying pet stores. Her not walking on the grass is a HUGE clue that she may have actually spent her life in a cage and not on the runner they said they were using.





That said, she is still a young pup and there is alot you can do to help. First of all, just allowing her time to settle in to a COMPLETELY new and overwhelming situation. Her life and all she knew just got ripped away from her and she had no say in the matter. The fact her life should be better is something you just need to start proving to her!!!

Calm, quiet, giving her time to watch and see what her new life will be like.

But also making her 'work' by possibly making her come out of her crate for food. Putting the crate in a central part of the house (but in the corner) with the door open so she can SEE everything but still feel safe.

She's probably not housebroken, so staying in the crate may be a good thing for you for now :)

Then I'd maybe start having 100% of the food come from a human's hand. You can carry kibble and treats in your pockets just doling them out all day/night long.

Helping The Shy or Fearful Dog « Homeward Trails Animal Rescue | Pet Adoption in VA, DC, MD

Life Outside the Cage: Helping Puppy Mill Dogs Adjust : The Humane Society of the United States

Help your shy/fearful dog adjust to your home - Dayton Pet Rescue | Examiner.com

How to Rehabilitate a Fearful Rescued Dog - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com

Good luck and can't wait to see pictures.
 
#7 ·
Update:
So my puppy (Taz) is showing slow signs of improvement. I keep a leash on her even inside. She doesn't come to me unless I kneel down for awhile and she checks me out. Se has SERIOUS trust issues. I'm almost done teaching her how to go up and down stairs,(a bit clumbsy). She wont go outside on her own, I have to lead her using her leash indoors to get her outside and she will fight the whole way until outside. She doesn't respond to treats but will eat out of my hand indoors. She lets me know when she wants me to pet her as she will come along side of me but I don't think she knows what affection is. She is scared of concrete big time.
What are my next steps or am I overwhelming her? Car rides? What kind of bonding things can we do together if she doesnt walk on a leash?
 
#8 · (Edited)
Good morning,

Im happy this site is here because im a bit dumbfounded.

I just purchased a mix. The father was s purebred mother was a lab. I purchased her from an amish couple and the conditions were as follows.
a runner leading into a 12x8ft shed.
brother and mother were also in the runner.
here is the big issue. First she doesn't really even know what grass is so she is hesitant to walk on grass but dirt is ok.
she is afraid of everything. If I go outside and sit in my chair she will walk up and sit next to me. She wont come out of her crate so I have to pull her out. Sames goes for putting her back in. She doesn't seem to have the explosive energy my neighbor s do.
shes up to date on shots.
THIS IS ONLY THE 2ND DAY WE'VE HAD HER.
But I would like some advise and maybe a reason for her behavior/how/when I should work on it.
right now I am taking her out out of her crate. Leading her outside for 2 hrs and bring her back inside her crate for an hour. Then I do it all over again.Thus im trying to get her acclimated to going outside snd her safe zone(crate)
Ok so.. this is purely my experience with my fearful pup.. in the beginning. I bought from a very reputable breeder and she was the pick puppy. Videos, temperment testing, etc all done and shared throughout the process, very great pup. She was shipped to me from Utah, and when I got her home, she was terrified of everything. I mean ran from Titan, 2 yrs at the time, didn't want out of her crate. Scare to go outside. When outside, jsut sat by me, etc. She ventually came around. Very similar to your puppy. Not that they are identical, but just similar in some cases.

My advice would be to chill out for a minute with her and just let her get used to things. You have had her for 2 days, she has no idea what to expect or what anything is. So just be positive with everything. If there are treats she loves, use those.. if she likes a certain toy, use that. let her sit in her crate if she is comfortable. She will come out eventually.. she will want to eat, explore, and play at some point.

With Athena, I had to let her come to on her own time. I just made it a really super fun place to be with me. I let her build her trust with me, so if I was in the yard, she knew she could be too. She learned from Titan as well, which wasa huge help. But it did take her a little bit.

She will come out of her shell. She jsut needs time to get used to the new environment. Don't FORCE her, she needs to learn to trust you, then she will be willing to do more things with you.
 
#9 ·
Just based on your update. Focus a lot on bonding with her before you start taking her places. She needs to believe in you 100% before you start introducing her to different environments she isn't sure of?

Does she like a toy? Have you tried different treats? Cut up hot dogs? cut up cheese? It took me a while to find a treat that Titan would go bonkers for... so maybe just try a few. I've rarely ever seen a dog not enthused about Natural Balance food rolls cut up into small pieces. Either way.. find something, toy or treat that she really enjoys and just keep playing with her, treating her when she with you. When she comes out of her crate "YAY!!" treat! When she goes in "YAY!" treat. When she walks outside, even with you bringing her out there "YAY!" treat.. everything for the next few weeks should be solely based on you bonding with her, and making you the best things she's ever seen. :)
 
#10 ·
Just skimming through after the 1st post. For starters, 2 days is NOTHING. You need weeks and months for gentle introductions to seep in. We took on a 2.5 yr old Lab(Heidi) years ago, scared of just about everything. She wouldn't even come in the house, hated the vacuum, even the frige turning on gave her the fits.

My wife actually asked if we would have to get rid of her. NO, was my answer, but we need baby steps to move towards improvement, and time.

We got her turned totally around, she became a GREAT dog. It all happened very slowly. She also went from running back to the house at the sight of a gun, to loving it when the gun came out and running towards gunfire(hunting environment). That's another thread, but the basics are lower impact introductions that are enjoyable for the dog. It may be as simple as the vacuum is being run 2 rooms away while another is with the dog providing an occasional treat.

I wouldn't throw in the towel, especially after just a few days or weeks.
 
#11 ·
The frass thing is not unusual. Our first Boxer had never seen grass. Parvo scare in the Bay Area CA.
She was raised indoors and on concrete.

Give her time to settle in, no dog parks no "I thought my dog was friendly folks" and look at the 'Who Pets my Puppy or dog" pretty much the same as the advise on the Fearful Dog blog.

My guy was "people aggressive" so I did the "Who pets..." thing he turned out fine. :)
 
#12 ·
Update. 1 week post adoption:
So she is becoming far more social. Shes playing with the other dogs I have and while im working on stuff outside, she stays by my side. She continues to circle everyone including me before petting may begin. She has mastered the stairs after one pack of cheese. Boy does this dog love cheese and ice cubes.
Things are improving and im very hopfull they continue this way. I have this pheremone collar and plug ins that have really helped as she no longer whines in the crate
 
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