[dbailey]

hello, I just joined this forum, looks like a great place for friends/advise!! I dont know if this is in the right forum section, so forgive me if it is not ! !
Anyway.....
Last night I brought home 2 rescue gsd girls, 7 months old. We are adopting one and fostering the other (they are siblings). The rescue group wanted them to stay together for now, since they are extremely shy and co-dependent on each other. They were dumped by a breeder at a local shelter because he had new litters to take care of and wanted "rid" of these 2 older girls and wanted the city to dispose of them. Anyway, I am looking for advise on socializing these two VERY shy and totally unmannered girls, they are very unruly and have had zero training whatsoever. I guess their whole lifes so far have consisted of sitting in a pen in a room of a house, they have never been outside before now.... We have a little Yorkie, which at first they tried to play with and chase, but that is getting a little better, but have to keep a very close eye on them when the yorkie is in the same room, they dont mean any harm, but I am afraid they will hurt her. They are not aggressive, just playful... Also we have 3 pet chickens in the back yard (we live out in the country, lol). My question is what is the best way to adjust these girls to the small dog and the chickens, and diminish their first response to chase them?

 

[tracyc]

Welcome! You'll get lots of help here on everything GSD-related.

Raising littermates can be really tough. Most breeders won't even place littermates in the same home. The reason being that they tend to bond more closely with each other than to the people--making them difficult to socialize and train.

Separating them and training them independently, 1 on 1, will be the way to go.

You might also seriously consider rehoming one of the girls into a home where she can get undivided attention, and you can focus on the other. It might seem mean to separate them after being together for this long, but the "co-dependence" you've noticed may only get worse.

I'm not saying it's impossible to make these sisters into well-behaved dogs. It'll just be more than twice as difficult.

Best of luck.

 

[dbailey]

thanks for your response... we adopted one of the girls, the other one is only a foster until she can find a home.. and yes so far they are far more interested in each other than anything else, I can see that will become a problem. We are hoping the other gets adopted soon, or maybe even have the rescue group get someone else to foster her.

 

[tibvixie101]

Hi and Welcome! Bless your heart for taking these girlies in! I'd have to agree with Tracy here in saying that you should train them seperatley. Allow them to have time together but also encourage them to play seperatley, so once you find a home for the foster, the girls wont be so sad to leave each other.

 

[dbailey]

thanks Ailyn, we are discussing with the rescue group possibly someone else fostering her, so we can focus on our new girl, they are so wrapped up in each other, they avoid us and run away from you and play and run together and you have to run and chase them down LOL... they have absolutely no training so they dont know any better.... I really think they need separated, and now reading your responses, I feel better about that being the right thing to do.

Anyhow, any advise on how to adjust her to small dogs/animals?
We also have cats, but one "slap" from one of the cats was all it took for them to avoid them the rest of the night (we've only had them 2 days now) I am thinking of having her leashed in the yard and reprimanding her when she tries to dart after the chickens or small dogs until she realizes that is a no-no ...

 

[tracyc]

Quote: I am thinking of having her leashed in the yard and reprimanding her when she tries to dart after the chickens or small dogs until she realizes that is a no-no ...

Yes, keep her on a leash so that you can control her. But include as much positive reinforcement as possible too. Every time you catch her doing something right use that as an opportunity to praise and treat. Even if you just stand and feed treats to her (treat dispenser!) while a chicken is in the yard--that's an accomplishment, because she's focused on you, and not the chicken. If she breaks her attention on you and looks at the chicken, correct verbally--and immediately try to get her attention back--whistle, say her name, anything--and the returned focus becomes another opportunity to praise and treat. Eventually, she'll learn that ignoring chickens earns treats---rather than learning that bothering chickens earns a scolding or a leash pop. Both will work, but she'll likely be more motivated to earn the positive reinforcment.

 

[dbailey]

Thank you so much Tracy... I will try those things tonight... (hm guess I need to make a walmart trip at lunch for doggie treats, LOL!) We talked to the rescue group and I think she might take the other one and maybe even foster her herself.

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Here is a good article about the first two weeks after adoption:
http://www.brightstargsd.org/mainpages/adviseforowners.html

Good luck! Take it slow. Set them/her up for success-this means don't give any opportunity to misbehave. Think of it like a kindergarten teacher. The great ones structure EVERYTHING (even if it doesn't look like it) and the kids really do well that way. Your new dog is the new kid, the Yorkie is the tiny kid who knows the ropes-protect them both from each other!

NILIF is another thing you could check out. http://www.k9deb.com/nilif.htm

I'd have a hard time with chickens and my dogs at first, I know that!

What rescue are you with? WELCOME!

 

[dbailey]

Thanks, I will read those links you gave.
Well I am in kansas, but the rescue group is Missouri German Shepherd Rescue (MOGS), a lady here at work is the wichita contact for the group.