How to rehab a kennel dog to home life?

[dazedtrucker]

Originally Posted by anngie

Good luck and he is a beautiful dog. Congratulations.
I am watching this thread with great interest because we have adopted a 2 yr old rescue GSD 3 mos ago with no training, Abigail. She was a stray when animal control picked her up then she was rescued. Our biggest problem with her is that she has much anxiety and does not have a good reaction to our 3yr old grandchildren. She does not growl or snap but barks at them. The one time she was off leash with one of them she immediately knocked him down. We leashed her but she whined and barked at him. We keep her on leash or in her crate while they are here.
We are beginning obedience classes next week and the trainer came over to assess her. She also barks at joggers, other dogs and running children.
She does like our teen aged grandchildren, loves to play with them and seems friendly to all adults that she has met.
Please post your progress with your new guy.

Congrats Her behavior sounds alot like my 7 month old pup, he just gets wound up and wants to play, so he barks. And barks. children are WAAY more interesting than quieter, slower moving bigger people (that's what Im seeing anyway). Obedience is helping, being tired helps too. He is too rambunctious to be left loose with little kids he doesn't know, although he is fine around my 3 year old 90% of the time.
My rescue is doing VERY well here. He is no longer afraid of things when we go to the park, or on walks, although every once in a while he will get startled and jump a little (like someone running up behind him) - he isn't panicking anymore. He is a very calm dog, he really hasn't barked at anything but a cat outside. He does like barking at cats...
He's not terribly velcro, he does follow me from room to room alot during the day, but is content to stay with my teenagers when they're home also. (all GSDs I've known like to follow their owners, right? ) I'm not seeing much out of the ordinary with this. He is very well mannered with strangers. He is more affectionate than most, he loves attention, and brushing, but is not pushy about it. He will stay pushing up against me all day as long as I am petting him, but when I stop, will quietly go lay down. He clearly doesn't care much for grown men, not hostile, just avoids -not interested behavior.
He always has access to the ex-pen, and his crate, but he prefers behind the couch, or under my desk for his quiet time. He has really came along nicely, and I have given him all the space and time he needs. I think having my other dog has helped him see alot of things aren't so scary as well, and helped him relax in new situations as well. There is also alot of "traffic" at my house, having 2 teenagers and all their friends in and out. This doesn't bother him at all. I think it has actually helped. I don't know if he's ever going to be much of a watchdog...we'll see, LOL! He seems very happy. We've just taken things slow and gentle, and his response has been great.
Best luck to you all with you're new dogs!

[msvette2u]

For those going through this, we always recommend a "Two week shut down" for dogs coming into an adoptive home, and especially those who've suffered trauma or been kenneled for very long.

New Hope Pit Bull Rescue - Adoption - Lowcountry - South Carolina - Renting With Pit Bulls

[anngie]

msvette2u, how long do you think it takes a dog who has so much baggage to start feeling more confident?

[msvette2u]

If you do the "shut down" they are less exposed to things that muddy the waters and so we've found within that two week period, as they learn you are the leader, and to trust you, that's really about all it takes.
The reason it goes so quickly as opposed to simply leaving the dog loose to figure things out on it's own, is that you are totally in control and thus, in the dogs' eyes, become the leader very quickly.
Remember that the leader controls everything - space, food, water, affection, etc. and doles it out in a very routine, predictable manner.

[PaddyD]

So great that you adopted him. You did a nice job grooming him.
He doesn't look overweight to me.
Congratulations and many happy years together.