[Curiouscat44]

Hi guys, just hoping for some words of encouragement. My 6 month old girl goes to daycare 2x per week, has for a few months. Sje used to be hesitant to leave me in the morning and super excited to see me when I picked her up. She's losing a lot of her puppy anxiety so she's been way more excited about going to daycare lately, which is great.

But it's making me sad because when I'm waiting for them to bring her out I see all these other dogs bolting for their owners and so excited to see them. Misa has started running to everyone else but me and when I start to lead her outside for the car she lunges to stay inside and go back to the play area. She's always very grumpy until she's been home for a couple hours ans accepts she's here for awhile.

She used to be so, so happy to see me and now she doesnt even care I'm there when I pick her up and fights to stay there. I know daycare is more fun than home so that could explain her pulling me back but it's like I'm a fly on the wall.

 

[Dunkirk]

Your previous post was "When will my GSD stop needing constant attention?" What is your daily routine, and how and when do you engage with her in your normal day to day living?

 

[Sunflowers]

Do you make yourself the most interesting thing in the world to her?
All good things should come from you.
Have a high value treat for her, or a toy that she only sees when you pick her up.
Dogs do what is good for dogs, so now she has figured out that playing with other canines is more fun than whatever happens after daycare. It’s up to you to change that.

 

[LuvShepherds]

Your dog is telling you she needs time to transition. Dunkirk is right, you posted before that your dog needed too much attention. You are very lucky she likes daycare. Mine never did, they bonded to people rather than other animals and eventually I stopped using it. I switched mine to a day care for a while that had a constant feed where I could watch them online. I saw they almost never stopped moving. Other dogs would sleep half the time, but mine were always alert and always going somewhere. They came home exhausted. Your dog is only six months old. She is getting more exercise there than she does at home. She is bombarded with stimulation all day long. She probably just wants to lie down and have some quiet time. Be happy that you found something that works for her. Most German Shepherds don’t do as well in a cageless kennel.

 

[Curiouscat44]

Do you make yourself the most interesting thing in the world to her?
All good things should come from you.
Have a high value treat for her, or a toy that she only sees when you pick her up.
Dogs do what is good for dogs, so now she has figured out that playing with other canines is more fun than whatever happens after daycare. It’s up to you to change that.

She used to get very overwhelmed when we left home and wouldn't even acknowledge treats or toys existed. She was to anxious to pay attention to them. Now, a lot of that anxiety is gone and I think she'll go for a nice high value treat when I pick her up

She also isn't too fond of the car, so for her it's "stay here and play" or "get in the evil car" so that could be part of it too

 

[Curiouscat44]

Your previous post was "When will my GSD stop needing constant attention?" What is your daily routine, and how and when do you engage with her in your normal day to day living?

On daycare days, we wake up and she goes there until 6:30 p.m. Those nights are pretty calm afterwards because she's tired. Some fetch, a bone to chew on, then she passes out.

On other days we wake up and I work from home so she's in my office with me self-entertaining a lot and napping, interspersed with some tennis ball fetch outside or a short-ish run around playtime in the house. After work I usually hardcore play with her a few times before bed (lots of tennis ball fetch outside in a huge yard, hide and seek in the house, fetch up and down the stairs, etc.) for about 30 minutes each. She also trains for about 20 minutes right before meal time. While we eat dinner she has a bone or Kong to entertain her. She usually starts winding down herself around 9:30 and goes to her kennel officially at 11. Of course there are mini sessions of tug and fetch throughout the day and night as well.

So in the end she's had about 2 hardcore hours of exercise a day, usually with a 3rd hour of not so hardcore play built up throughout the day.

 

[Thecowboysgirl]

Your previous post was "When will my GSD stop needing constant attention?" What is your daily routine, and how and when do you engage with her in your normal day to day living?

On daycare days, we wake up and she goes there until 6:30 p.m. Those nights are pretty calm afterwards because she's tired. Some fetch, a bone to chew on, then she passes out.

On other days we wake up and I work from home so she's in my office with me self-entertaining a lot and napping, interspersed with some tennis ball fetch outside or a short-ish run around playtime in the house. After work I usually hardcore play with her a few times before bed (lots of tennis ball fetch outside in a huge yard, hide and seek in the house, fetch up and down the stairs, etc.) for about 30 minutes each. She also trains for about 20 minutes right before meal time. While we eat dinner she has a bone or Kong to entertain her. She usually starts winding down herself around 9:30 and goes to her kennel officially at 11. Of course there are mini sessions of tug and fetch throughout the day and night as well.

So in the end she's had about 2 hardcore hours of exercise a day, usually with a 3rd hour of not so hardcore play built up throughout the day.

Did you say she hates rhe car? I have a boarder who tries not to go home with his parents, tries to run back inside. He gets carsick. He likes his parents fine, and he isn't one who absolutely LOVES it here. He just hates the car.

Maybe I am a slacker but I dont play wih my dogs this much! They get a substantial offleash walk almost every
day.

My shepherd then trains probably 2-3 days a week either obedience or tracking which involves ball/tug reward.

Off days he might get a bully stick...or I might throw the ball for 5 minutes. They run around their yard a lot and run around the property doing stuff with me. Saturdays he usually follows his dad around all day doing boy stuff.

Every couple weeks we spend a weekend at a competition and sometimes he sleeps for a day or two after that.

 

[Moonshayde]

Our situations are a bit different but when I read your post I immediately could relate.

I also have a pup that was in daycare twice a week. He used to go from 6-11 months old.

Every time I picked him up I would get so upset because he would bolt out to the lobby area and run up enthusiastically to any other person but me. I could have been anyone taking his leash by the way he acknowledged me. I would have to almost drag him out past people to leave. In my case he was not trying to go back in but I remember thinking "what on earth is the point? This is MY dog right?" People often commented on it in the lobby with me. It was embarrassing. I didn't exist. He was happy enough to get in the car and was pretty normal back home, always begging to play, so that part is different.

In my case, things did change a bit. After a few months he did acknowledge my presence more when I picked him up. Low key still but I got a nose bump or a quick lick. He seemed to get more comfortable at daycare too, not as frantic from the stimulation and I noticed when he came out he would often seem nice and mellow versus in the beginning he was all hyped. I still lose to any interesting person or dog in the lobby but I know he is attached to me now. Sometimes when i drop him off, if he is feeling particularly needy that day, he won't follow the staff member immediately, he stares hard at me while I leave. I can't turn around or he will cry for me. And I know he loves daycare. We also have a slight issue if I leave the house momentarily to grab mail or lock my car he practically screams (we are working on this).

So maybe as she grows up you will notice some changes like I did. And even though she may not be acknowledging you at daycare, I am sure she is showing it in other ways. They are so weird sometimes. I just tried to stop getting upset by it but it was hard :/ I am a very needy, jealous and possessive person so I have had to keep an open mind when trying to interpret my dog, like his dislike to being cuddled, and the way he shows affection vs the way I WANT him to show affection, it's very hard.