# New Dog Owner Overwhelmed Help please



## Mango (Dec 24, 2011)

Hi, I'm not sure if this the right place to post and it is a quite long but please bear with me, I really appreciate the help.

I never owned a dog before, but I always wanted to own a dog my whole life for companionship (only child). Therefore, I like to read a lot of dog books and research a lot of dog faqs (i.e. training, general information, and info about different breeds). I came to a conclusion that I wanted a female, german shepherd (puppy) and would name her Eva, Fenris, or Isabelle. Specifically wanted a german shepherd because I read that they are easy to train and loyal (won't run off unlike Siberian husky from what i previously wanted). But this is was all just planning and I thought won't be happening anytime soon (because my mom doesn't want dog in the house but I want my dog to be in the house because I view dogs more as family than as pets). 

However, now that I am in college with my own house, I felt like I would be able to finally raise a dog of my own. And it just so happens that my mom was contacted by a friend of her from Taiwan who happens to take care of dogs from rescue shelters and has a 20 month old, male German Shepherd that needs to be rescued. I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with Taiwan but it is a clustered and is not suitable for a large dog such as a gsd. She sent photos of the dog and videos and I really liked the dog but am unable to see the dog because she lived in Taiwan and I'm from California.

Long story short, I decided to adopt the dog so my mom's friend and the dog flew over to my parent's house (which I am currently staying for winter break). However, this is where the problem starts. I really like the dog, and he looks magnificent, but I have no idea how to take care of him. I planned most of my life planning on how to specifically take care of female, GSD puppy but now with a male, adult? GSD who is bigger than I expected as well (female I heard are smaller than male GSD) and I am really overwhelmed and stress out.

Take note again that this is my first time owning a dog but some of the problems I am having right now is that he is not crate trained nor potty trained in addition to having difficulty obeying commands and challenging me and my parents to become the alpha dog. Also, it is really really hard to take him for a walk as he does not know how to heel. Now, I think I know how to solve these problems if the dog was a puppy but he is a full grown dog and I have no clue in what to do. In addition, he likes to put his people's hand in his mouth which I don't mind on me but it feels like if I ever socialize my dog people will think that it will try to bite them. 

Currently, I don't feel like the right owner for it and it seems like he can go to a better place. I am certain I am able to take him out to walk everyday but at the same time I'm not sure how to train an adult dog. It also makes me question if I should raise a dog again. I mean I LOVE dogs but right now it just feels extremely overwhelming and stressful and all the research I have done doesn't seem to help me right now.

Can anybody please give me input on how to deal with this situation. Right now the current owner is staying with my family to celebrate Christmas and the New Years but she will be going back to Taiwan after. However, she did say that if I am not ready she will be able to take the dog back but if I do I feel really bad because she flew the dog and herself to the USA and she paid it all herself and it is alot of money and I don't want to make her fly all the way back and pay for the dog flying back as well. I do like the GSD as well, he is really really good looking and really nice as well just has some obedience problems. Oh btw i forgot to mention his name is Arthur.

Thank you for taking your time in reading this, and please if possible reply ASAP. Thank you.


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## jang (May 1, 2011)

Hi Mango--Before we start let me say that I don't know Jack compared to the people on this board--but I do know I have found myself in deep water before and I am happy that you found this board for advise...All I can say is I hope you can give this more time--if you are connecting to this gsd.. If you aren't than perhaps rehoming the dog is the answer --but please not back to Tiawan--Whatever you do , give yourself enough time so that you know you have done all you can or care to do.. It is funny that I just posted about my gsd mouthing not 2 minutes before I read your post--Maybe this is easy thing to fix--I can only wait to hear from the board as to what to do --Which ever way this goes for you--follow your heart and be patient--It would appear this is not an easy breed to handle...Blessings..
Jan


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## jang (May 1, 2011)

I'm sorry--please let me add that sometimes our "heart dog" does not come in the form we expected...
Jan


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

even tho he is an adult, you would still train him as you would a puppy, since it' sounds like he doesn't 'know' anything about potty training, commands etc.

I am sure if your friend brought him from taiwan he was crated on the way over..So, get a BIG crate, start there, feed him his meals IN the crate,,in fact feed him his meals BY HAND,,works on bonding..Also sign up for an obedience class, maybe take a couple private classes first, to have him evaluated and get some input on how to proceed. 

As for pottying, outside ALOT, after eating, after waking up, every few hours..PRAISE for good pottying outside..treat him even.

In the end, train him as you would a BIG puppy,,

This dog has traveled a long long way, and it was extremely nice of the woman to bring him over here, so instead of stressing about it, just start in by doing the basics.


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## dfwren (Oct 14, 2011)

Be patient with him GSD's love people and want to be with their people and are very loyal. Spend as much time with him as possible. My male was emotionally hurt when I got him and I thought it would never heal but he has and is a loving animal. I had to just love on him and be patient. It will come.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

It also sounds like the dog is walking all over you, that is, not taking you seriously as a leader. The cure for that is NILIF. Nothing in life is free. Here is one of many websites explaining. Nothing in Life is Free

You may not have to do it for long. I adopted an older dog as my first dog. I'm glad I did. While he looked to me for safety, he didn't take me very seriously. He got better every day and turned out to be a great dog. I'm sure you will be saying the same thing as time goes on. And you will laugh at your beginnings.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I would suggest getting one (or more!) of these books:

"DO OVER DOGS - GIVE YOUR DOG A SECOND CHANCE FOR A FIRST CLASS LIFE"
Welcome to Dogwise.com


"LOVE HAS NO AGE LIMIT - WELCOMING AN ADOPTED DOG INTO YOUR HOME"







http://www.amazon.com/Love-Limit-Welcoming-Adopted-into-Your/dp/1891767143/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324776293&sr=8-1


"THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL HANDBOOK OF DOG AND PUPPY CARE AND TRAINING"
http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB979


I'd also suggest talking to a trainer, and see if you can either get into classes or get a few one-on-one sessions (or possibly both-- one on one first, then classes, if your dog is not ready for classes right away.)


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

Mango, I FEEL THE EXACT SAME WAY. I've also wanted a GSD since I was younger, researched a ton, and am now in university with my own housing. I just got my puppy 9 days ago, and let me tell you that what you're feeling isn't unique to owning big old adult dog. I got a female GSD puppy at a little under 4 months, and sometimes feel the exact same thing. My puppy came like yours, not house-broken, mouthing slightly, and not leash broken. No mount of research seems to help me. So, if you're serious about wanting a dog, getting a smaller and younger dog will still present you with the same problems. I guess what I'm trying to say is, really evaluate whether or not you want to make the changes to your life to accommodate a dog. Don't pass his difficulties and challenges off as "a big dog" problems, they're new dog problems. If you are serious about wanting a dog, work on it with him for a bit, give him and yourself some time. But know that there is nothing wrong in deciding that you can't manage a dog in your life right now, and admitting that you didn't think the situation through. 

I feel like sometimes we want something so dearly, research it so thoroughly, we fabricate an image for ourselves of what it would be like. Real dogs, and real dog ownership may or may not be how we imagined. Don't feel bad in saying you aren't ready, but do give yourself and him both some time.


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## Gracie's My Girl (May 27, 2011)

I think we can all be thrown out of our comfort zones when we raise a challenging dog like a GSD. 

I would not over stress this, but instead take it one day at a time. Enroll him in a class and get some hands on help. Focus on training him just like you would a young dog. Lots of praise. Lots of treats. Lots of patience. Lots of love. Give him consistency. Before you know it, he will be responding positively to you and learning new things right and left. My best advice is...stick with it!


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## Mango (Dec 24, 2011)

Thank you all for the replies, I will continue to "work" with him. In addition, I don't know much about trainers but I was wondering if petsmart or petco training is any good since I live approximately 5 min away from both of them (apparently they are literally right next to each other i don't know why). Also, Arthur doesn't seem to be eating much from what I'm guessing he's not used to the food (I got him Blue Buffalo salmon). 



marshies said:


> I feel like sometimes we want something so dearly, research it so thoroughly, we fabricate an image for ourselves of what it would be like. Real dogs, and real dog ownership may or may not be how we imagined. Don't feel bad in saying you aren't ready, but do give yourself and him both some time.


Thank you, this is reassuring, I thought it was just me. This is exactly how I feel.

And once again thanks to those that replied.


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

Mango said:


> Thank you all for the replies, I will continue to "work" with him. In addition, I don't know much about trainers but I was wondering if petsmart or petco training is any good since I live approximately 5 min away from both of them (apparently they are literally right next to each other i don't know why). Also, Arthur doesn't seem to be eating much from what I'm guessing he's not used to the food (I got him Blue Buffalo salmon).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I thought it was just me too!! 

If he's not eating, my advice would be to take his bowl away after 15-20 minutes, and try again next meal. You don't want him to have the attitude that he can eat whenever he wants...that'll make him too picky. I know, I'm going through the same thing with my pup.

For house-training, I don't know how your house is set up, but for carpets I would go to the hardware store and buy tarp to cover any area that he would go over. That way, if he does have an accident, your frustration is pretty minimal. Get some diluted bleach and enzyme cleaner. It should go really quickly though, since he's much older and has bladder control. My girl still has accidents, but they're mostly my fault. It's been 9 days, and she knows to notify me when she wants to go.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Mango said:


> Thank you all for the replies, I will continue to "work" with him. In addition, I don't know much about trainers but I was wondering if petsmart or petco training is any good since I live approximately 5 min away from both of them (apparently they are literally right next to each other i don't know why).


The trainers at Petco/Petsmart are fine for basic stuff but can be hit or miss for anything other than that. It varies. They have their own course that trainers have to go through to become a trainer for them but it is pretty minimal. Sometimes you can get really good trainers who work there but I think it depends on how much experience/training they've had beyond the Petco/Petsmart course. If they are near your house I would suggest visiting and talking with the trainers, maybe see if you can let them meet your dog and see how they are with him.

Keep in mind everything is most likely new and strange to him, a strange new place, strange living arrangements, plus the stress of travel. He will need some time to get used to everything.


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## MountainGSDs (Jul 25, 2011)

Before your friend leaves get to a qualified trainer and work with them. Dog training is more about training the dog owner then training the dog.
I know you were into females BUT after almost a half century of shepherds let me say I'd take 10 males to 1 female. Why do you think they call them bitches? LOL They tend to be sharp and independent. 
That isn't 100% but I've found it to be like that.


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## pigeon man (Feb 17, 2010)

*patience*

you have to give it some time - i myself was looking to get rid of SALEEN but all on here convinced me to give it more time now almost 800 days later i`m happy i did you and he have to bond but i know all on here will help you stan


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

For walks, get a prong collar. Since he is big and strong, and you are a novice dog handler, it will be a big help as the dog will "correct" himself when he pulls. Make sure you get it fitted right, it should be snug and high on the neck, behind the ears.

As the others said, get a big crate, and if he's hesitant to go in, throw treats in there to entice him inside. Make it a game. Say "Crate!" or whatever command you want, then throw a treat in. Also let him eat his meals in there. 

It's not uncommon for a dog to be a picky eater once in a new environment, with new people, etc. Don't fret too much over it, dogs don't willingly allow themselves to starve to death.  It's a good idea to give him the same diet he's used to, to minimize stomach upset. 

As for training, I'm not a big fan of corporate chain "obedience" classes, but since they are close and convenient to you, I don't think it will hurt to go there for some basic training and pointers. But ideally, I would ask your vet for a recommendation as far as a trainer/behaviorist.

When you say he has "difficulty obeying commands and challenging me and my parents to become the alpha dog", what specific behaviors are you seeing?


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## vhowell7 (Jul 4, 2011)

I would definatly get some private obedience lessons with a qualified dog trainer. We did 12 weeks of that as soon as we got Shadow (female GSD) and it really helped. I have also done classes with her, but didnt find them as helpful as sometimes we would spend a whole class period working on something another dog needed, but Shadow didn't need instruction on. Private lessons are pricey, but they come to your environment and can help with behavioral problems as well as just basic obedience issues.


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## Mango (Dec 24, 2011)

Thanks for all the help and advice, they are really helpful.



Freestep said:


> When you say he has "difficulty obeying commands and challenging me and my parents to become the alpha dog", what specific behaviors are you seeing?


Now that I think of it I'm not so sure it's the alpha dog "symptom" but currently he just rarely listen to commands that he knows such as sit and he always tries to rush indoors before everybody else. Now that I recall he probably just needs a lot of training.

Also, I think I will invest in a prong collar they look so scary though. Currently, the dog came with a choke collar but I don't really like the idea of a choke collar since it could hurt the dog.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Mango said:


> Also, I think I will invest in a prong collar they look so scary though. Currently, the dog came with a choke collar but I don't really like the idea of a choke collar since it could hurt the dog.


Prong collars look a lot worse than they are. In fact, they are much safer and more humane than choke collars! You don't need to worry about giving corrections, because the dog corrects himself. You just have to hold onto the other end of the leash, and the dog learns not to pull. It's like power steering. With a big, powerful dog that wants to go where he wants, it's much safer and more pleasant to have power steering. 

When you begin obedience classes, you will learn how to teach the dog to heel without a prong collar. But until then, the dog still needs to be walked, and the prong will be very helpful for you.

As far as reinforcing obedience commands like "sit", all you need is some high-value treats and a little patience, and the dog will learn that it's in his best interest to respond to the commands he already knows. Once you form a bond with him, he will become more and more willing to work with you. Clicker training can be very useful for things like this, hopefully you will be able to find a trainer to give you some pointers on that.


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## KentuckyGSDLover (Nov 17, 2011)

Mango, I won't tell you it's not going to be a lot of work but it can be done. A puppy will be just as much work, maybe more because it takes them about two years before they settle down much. This is my third German shepherd and I'm in your shoes right now. I brought home a 17-month-old female (my other two were males), who knew "sit" and that was it. Well, she* is* potty-trained. But "stay" is not in her vocabulary yet and she only sits for a second. haha She almost pulled me down the porch steps (that's improved immensely now), still runs until her prong collar chokes her on walks, barked at EVERYTHING - a rock in my yard, the air vents in the house from the furnace, my TV. But she is slowly but surely learning "drop it," "wait," and "no bites" (for chewing inappropriately). I was a bit intimidated since she's almost grown and hyper, but I did have to take a tougher stance with her. Funny, I taught her the "lay" command and now she thinks any time she lays she's supposed to get a treat and even smacks my foot with her paw to make sure I see she's laying. But she doesn't get a treat until I TELL HER to lay. When she pulls that stunt, I'll change what's she's doing to a command and say 'sit" so she has to follow my command to get the treat. So I'm getting through her beady little tasmanian devil brain that it's about what *I* want her to do and when I tell her to do it. Listen to them on the NILIF philosophy. It does make a difference and I have to really think hard sometimes (like not petting her when she's anxious to reassure her, which may instead be reinforcing the anxious reaction). She simply does not know yet what it is she is supposed to be doing and I have to teach her everything, just like she was a young puppy. I have to be patient, but so far baby steps, *strict consistency* and time is paying off with her. 

If you get a prong collar, make sure you have someone show you how to properly use it and how it should fit. I never had to use prongs on my other shepherds and a girl who shows her dogs at 4H that works in the farm supply store showed me how to use it. We've graduated to a light snap for corrections with "no bites" for chewing on me, my other dog, my rugs, etc. and it is working. I've watched her go to chew on my hand a few times, then stop herself and give it a small lick.  A crate is your best friend right now. I crated her away for almost a week, taking her out only for food and potty break walks (5 a day) until she quit panicking over all the changes of a new home, new people and a new dog. Make sure you get a decent-sized water bowl to attach to the crate door. I found about an 6" x 4" stainless one that screws on the door at Tractor Supply, and I keep a pitcher of water near the crate for easy refills when I take her out. People here will help you.


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