[degooseman]

Hello,

Well, just picked up a 9 month old neglected White German Shepherd Dog from my neighbor. They received numerous complaints of leaving the dog outside and couldn't care for it anymore so he asked if I would keep/take care of him. He weighs 55lbs, you can see and feel his ribs, I grew up with GSD's as a kid, I don't recall them being this light. I currently own 2 other dogs, a black/tan beagle mix and a shitz zhu/Chihuahua mix. My WGSD has been with us for three days now, in the beginning he was panting alot and seemed very restless, but since then he is starting to come around and calm down a bit. He is constantly being walked/run twice a day, this is actually the first time he has walked the neighborhood. The previous owner never once walked or committed any exercise routine. My question is when will he settle in, and if you have any tips for the next coming months, please let me know. Any information will help, oh by the way my two other dogs are neutered but my new WGSD isn't. This is a great website, and found alot of great information. His name is Stone, very friendly; great with kids; has not shown any aggression; during the introduction of the two dogs and my 4 children. The only issue I have is he seems a bit skittish, constantly walks back and fourth, hyperactive even after a hour walk and run. I take him on about a 7 mile bike run, but still has a ton of energy nd wont settle down. He sleeps fine through the night and don't have any issue with that. Thanks again.
GOOSE

 

[Wolfiesmom]

It's only been a few days. I think he just needs time to settle in and get used to his new home and routine. Good luck!

 

[onyx'girl]

Even though the neighbors weren't great caretakers, I'm surprised Stone doesn't try to go back 'home'...probably the reason for his pacing and anxiousness.
The marathon biking is not good for a puppy, please don't make him run for that length of time! If you want to exercise him, play fetch and track him, it will build your bond while you praise his great abilities!
I agree, give him some time and once he is on a good diet, feels secure with your pack, he'll learn to relax. Get him vetted and into some obedience classes to build your bond with him. I thank you for stepping up and I hope the neighbors don't replace him with another!

 

[katieliz]

lots for him to adjust to. has he been to the vet for a clean bill of health? that should happen right away. also i'd be very careful with him and your other dogs, there is a "honeymoon" period where the new dog is unsure of himself/herself, but as time passes and the dog becomes comfortable you may have issues. always better to be safe than sorry. and, of course, neuter plans are in the works, right???

and welcome to the board, lots of knowledge here...stone is a great name. are you in the states? what part of the country are you in?

 

[Stosh]

Welcome and thanks for giving him a loving home! I agree with the others--it's been a recent move, he's close to 'home' but not there and he needs time to adjust and become comfortable in his new home. I also agree that 7 miles a day is way too much for a pup his age. My vet is a chiropractor and she recommends keeping it about a mile at the most so the hips and growth plates aren't damaged. He may look like he needs the exercise but most likely it's just nervousness. Give him some time to settle in, he's had a lot to adjust to and he's still very young. I would suggest you get a crate and when he's showing signs of restlessness, pop him in the crate with something to chew so he can relax and have a place of his own where he's away from all the stimulation of dogs, kids, etc. He sounds like a great dog!

 

[degooseman]

Wow! Thanks for all the great information, 7 miles is a bit rough, thanks I will check on that. We plan on seeing the Vet tomorrow, since it was closed this weekend, they don't have any papers, I am planning on neutering him soon but I have read somewhere on this forum that it may be too soon. My wife says the scheduled vet may take a month or two due to a busy schedule. So far, he is doing really well in the crate, but it is a bit of struggle getting him in.

 

[Stosh]

I would try to get him to vet sooner than that since his previous owners didn't care for him very well, just to check for parasites, do blood work, etc. As far as getting him in the crate, I'd take his most favorite treat and only give it to him when it's time to go in. Stosh's favorite thing in the world is home made chicken jerky and even though I don't crate him at night any more, he still hops in there when he sees the bag.

 

[kazar]

The last post got me to thinking about ways to help him calm down and still keep him busy. We give our dogs old bones stuffed with peanut butter or kong and other toys stuffed with treats or kibble. They have to work at getting the goodies, which keeps them focused on the food rather than other things.

 

[WarrantsWifey]

Can you post a pic? I have a white GSD male who was really skinny when we got him. We put good weight on him, it took a long time though. Atleast a year to get him up to normal weight.

 

[FG167]

Sometimes dogs that are chained or have a small space to live in with no mental stimulation will pace - it is muscle memory for what they are used to. It takes time to get rid of that behavior - I also recommend crate training to help.