# Rescued a female WGSD



## Judahsmom (Mar 2, 2011)

First let me say that I know this is posted in the wrong section...I looked everywhere to find out how to post a new thread and only found this. If someone knows where this should go, please move it or let me know. Thanks.

This thread is about a White German Shepherd Dog I am adopting after fostering her this past weekend. She was picked up by a shelter and she only had 1 day left. She is very skiddish and frightened. A friend helped get her moved to a non-kill shelter but before she was to go there they sent her to the vets. Well, it happened to be the vets where I take Judah. So, I started to visit her and then took her home this past weekend. I could see progress just over the weekend but she has a ways to go. Don't have any history on her. I told my husband I would probably have a definite yes or no about her after the weekend...but I didn't...until we pulled in the parking lot of the vets to return her and she climbs over the seat and slides down in front of my legs and sticks her head on my lap and proceeds to fall asleep. Tears well up in my eyes as I think this is the first time I've seen her peaceful and secure. She adjusts herself and repositions her head in my hands and I continue to pet her head and she continues napping....she really never got that close before. I couldn't stand the thought of her being in a shelter forever for how skiddish of a dog she is. My husband and I talked and we ...actually, he said, guess we have nother WGSD. She's now had her shots and been spayed and we pick her up this Friday. Judah did very well with her over the weekend...his only frustration was that he wanted to play more...he even found a way to unlock her crate to let her out LOL!
I am open to any comments about what I can expect in the first 2 weeks or so as she adjusts. We did see her go from wild and jumping when trying to walk her to pretty calm and loose leash. It's hard to know if she once was in a family and just dropped outside to live for a while or if she ever was with a family. Oh, she also ate out of my hand by Sunday...ate her whole lunch. She is very thin. Anyway, I would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks! Oh, they guessed she about 1.5 to 2 years old.


----------



## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

First of all I must say "Congrats and Good on you!"

The biggest mistake people make with new rescues especially undersocialized/fearful ones is overwhelming the dog with new experiences too fast. 
I would just hang out and let her adjust the first two weeks.
Learn the house rules so to speak. People tend to forget that it's on the dog's time not on our time.
Good luck and I really liked how your other dog tried to "free" her to play....


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Two week shut down for sure!


If I could stress one of the biggest errors people make with new dogs and foster dogs it is rushing the dog into the new world so fast . This shut down gives the dog a chance to say “ahhh” take a breath and restart into its new world.

From people I have helped I hear;
"I introduced her to 15 people the first day I had her!" ;" he was a bit leery but seems to like my other 3 dogs" ; "she went everywhere with me "
All in the first few days of the new home..... (!!!)

two weeks later we hear;
" I think we will have to rehome the new dog" "the new dog barked and nipped at my kid" - "we had a dog fight" ; “the new dog barked at me for moving him off the couch”

Ok, folks, here it comes, some feel this is extreme, why? I really do not know.
But when bringing in a new dog, post finding, adoption, buying, etc, Give it time to adjust to you and your family and the dogs in the new environment.
Just as if it were a new baby or puppy, we wouldn’t think of rushing out with a baby or puppy, yet with older pups and dogs we just expect them to take our lives in all at once!

TWO WEEKS - "shut down"
For the first two weeks, (sometimes even longer) a dog takes in the new environment, who is the top person, or animal, who ARE these people!? By pushing a dog too fast, and throwing too much at the dog we look like we are not the leaders,and the dog can feel it MUST defend itself , as the leader is surely no one he has met so far!

We coo , coodle, drag the dog to home to home to person to person, and the dog has NO idea who we are. We correct for things it doesn’t understand, we talk in a new human language using words he does not know.

A key thing to remember is "this is the dating period NOT the honeymoon"
When you first met your "spouse or significant other”, you were on your best behavior, you were not relaxed enough to be all of yourself, were you?
Just think of the things you do physically once you get to KNOW a person,
you wouldn’t run up to a stranger and hug them and squeeze them!
Imagine, if on the first date, this new person, was all over you touching you and having their friends hug you and pat you on the head, and jostle your shoulders, looked in your mouth then he whisked you off to another strangers home and they did the same thing.

Would you think this person normal and SAFE? Wouldn’t you feel invaded and begin to get a bit snarky or defensive yourself? Wouldn’t you think to push these people away for obviously your date is out of their mind, as they aren’t going to save you from these weirdoes!!
Yet we do this very thing to our dogs, and then get upset or worried that they aren’t relaxed and accepting of EVERYTHING instantly!

By shutting down the dog, it gives the dog TIME to see you , meet YOU, hear and take in the new sounds and smells of your home and all the people in it. In the 1st two weeks;
.
Crate the dog in a room by itself if possible.(Believe me, dogs are sensory animals, they know more than you think without seeing it).
Leash the dog (so I don’t have to correct it ..you don’t have that right yet!), give it exercise time in the yard on lunge line or in fenced yard..but other than that.. LEASH , (yes..leash in the house too.)
Do no training at all, just fun exercise and maybe throw some toys for fun, leash the dog if you don’t have a fence outside. But DO NOT leave the yard, AT ALL.

No car rides, no other dogs, (unless crated beside them), no pet stores, no WALKS even, nothing but you and household family, your home, your yard. (Unless of course the dog needs to go to the vetinarian)
Believe me dogs can live two weeks without walks. Walks are stressful for there is so much coming at you and your dog! And the dog has no clue who you are yet. The dog may react to something and we start correcting it with the leash and we just installed a VERY STRESSFUL moment to the dog in what should be a fun and learning walk.

TEACH the dog by doing the shut down, that YOU are the one to look to, that you are now here for the dog! He can trust in you and look to you for guidance. Then you can venture out into new situations one at a time, the dog knows he can trust in his new humans and can relax under the fair guidance of his new leaders!

In the house take the dog out only for about 20-30 minute intervals , post excercise/yard times.,and ALWAYS on a leash when in the house or in an unfenced yard. Exercise is important! Running and free time are stress relievers, but don’t set your dog up for failure, make exercise and yard time fun and relaxing and tiring!

Then PUT THE DOG AWAY. let it absorb and think and relax. Ignore crying or barking, just like a new born baby, he must find security when you are not right there, and if you run to him each time he will think barking and crying will get your attention.

I do not introduce resident dogs for these two weeks, they can be side by side in the crates, (not nose to nose for they can feel defensive) . Some dogs will bond instantly with the other dogs if we don’t bond FIRST with the dog, and this can lead to some other issues, as the dog will look to the other dog(s) for guidance and not YOU!

Literally in two weeks you will see a change in the dog and begin to see its honest and true personality. Just like a house guest.. they are well behaved and literally shut down and “polite” themselves these first few weeks, then post this time, they relax and the true personality begins to shine thru.

So, please,, if nothing else for your new dog, give it the time to LEARN YOU as you are learning who they are! This method works on shy dogs,confident dogs, abuse cases, chained dogs that come in, rowdy dogs, all temperaments!


----------



## kbella999 (Jan 6, 2012)

Congratulations and what a good hubby you have.


----------



## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

Thank you msvette2u, that is what I was too lazy to re-post. It's my favorite of all times on advice with a new rescue.


----------



## Judahsmom (Mar 2, 2011)

thanks all for the input. It's good to have a plan going in and knowing how I'm suppose to handle this.


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Thanks for taking this dog in. She sounds pretty special. 

I think the 2 week shut down advice needs to be adapted to individual dogs. I've taken in fosters and adopted dogs who would not have been able to handle aspects of that program (for example: isolation). 

I've also found that walking is a great bonding exercise and also gives the dog a chance to burn off some of the nervous energy. 

For the record, although I don't have tons of experience (fostered and adopted and/or cared for a total of probably 30 or so dogs in the past 25 years) I have taken in several extremely fearful and/or reactive dogs (as in other people weren't interested in or able to handle them) and successfully rehabbed them.


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

The more "messed up" a dog is, as a rule, the more they need the two weeks.
We take in and adopt out roughly 150 dogs a year, the two week thing (yes modified per each dog) is a miracle worker. 
I didn't make it up (it was found on the 'net) but we've been doing it since we started rescue and before we knew it was a "method" LOL 
We do recommend it to most our adopters as well. 
Puppies are easy - rarely need this - but getting up to and past 6-8mos., it's critical in many cases.


----------



## Judahsmom (Mar 2, 2011)

Ruth et all - thanks again for commenting. I feel better now about last weekend which I would describe as a "modified" program...without even knowing it, I tethered Gia [my new girl's name] mostly because I have no idea [nor information] about whether she's house trained, ever been with a family, etc. She went from being very skiddish about everything to just standing...and not twitching at all. I will definitely keep checking this for all input. I visited her last night and she seemed really happy to see me. I just sat at the edge of kennel sideways while she was in the back of kennel sitting. She came up to me, tail wagging and she licked my hands. When she went to the back of her kennel, I left.


----------



## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

First of all, congrats to you on your girl Gia! Love her name  Thank you for giving her a place to call home!

I have always liked the two week shut down, modified as needed. It is the basics of what I did when I adopted my girl, although I had never read it before, and admittedly, I probably made a few mistakes along the way. That said, adopting - compiled with the daily improvements and successes along the way and with all we learn through the process has to be the most rewarding feeling ever. 

Looking forward to following your story and seeing pics too!!


----------



## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Gia sounds like a sweetheart! I agree that the less input and stimulation she has to take and react to the better and will help her build the confidence she needs. One small step at a time.


----------

