# really need help badly!!!!



## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

well as some of you may know i had been in a search for the perfect pet for my family. i about a week ago got a rescue lab from this woman locally and fell in love with this boy. he is the greatest dog ever. and he is so wonderfull with the children. i mean, i absolutely love him with the kids.
then...
just a little while ago i went to give him his food and put his bowl down. made him sit and wait and then gave him the good boy o.k. to realease him to get his food. keep in mind i did plenty of carefull watching of him and his habits and personality. i had already tested him with being food aggressive. i just switched his food yesterday and he scarfs it down in 2 minutes tops like always. well anyways my little girl(human) walked next to him while eating and he growled... i immediately went over and gave hima stern correction. we had just come in from out side so he still had on his choke collar, i corrected him and gave him a loud no. he backed off and flattened his ears, posture change...etc.... let him go for a sec and stood there watching.....my little girl(shes 2 by the way) then walked somewhat close to the bowl and he growled again.another correction. this time i lifted his front paws off the floor sternly and calmly telling him NO... anothe posture change. attention definately on me and submitting ....

he then a couple minutes later did this again when she just came close to him. i removed him after a corection and put him in the room. then put him in his crate.

after feeling so comfortable with this boy. growing quick attatchment to him, ABSOLUTELY LOVING the way he was with my children.....now i feel so uncomfortable with him and the kids. this just happened and i don't know what to do now. please help...please


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

I have a question. After he growled the FIRST time, why didn't you KEEP THE CHILD AWAY FROM HIM while he was eating?

I don't have any suggestions other than the above. I have never had a food aggressive dog. 

I will say though, I would be carefull correcting him for growling as a growl is a warning, correct them for "warning" and they are likely to STOP growling and just go straight to biting with NO warning. The third time he growled, was he still eating?


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## Betty (Aug 11, 2002)

Feed the dog in his crate.


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## LUV_GSDs (Oct 22, 2006)

If you use the nothing in life is free method you might break the food issue. ALL food is earned. So I always bring a new dog into the house and hand feed all food for at least a month. It is a bit timely but it works. I suggest putting the dogs daily quantity of food in a dish and everytime the dog does something to earn the food hand feed him some; the dish will go suprisingly fast over whole day. If he is really good then add something high value like meat or cheese as a reward.
I agree you can teach the dog to stop growling and that is really bad.


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

PLEASE DO NOT CORRECT A DOG FOR SHOWING FOOD AGGRESSION OR RESOURCE GUARDING!!!

The end result is no warning... just action. This is one of the reasons that people say "my dog just attacked my child out of the blue!"

With that being said, you didn't know and are looking for advice which is good.

Hand feeding is excellent. Working obedience while feeding is excellent. Once you do that for a week or two, then move to putting the food little by little in the bowl while working obedience. Then, move to putting all the food in the bowl and walking up to add better treats. Then trading the bowl for better treats. Then, once his mind is in the right place (he works for his food, you control the resources but are a fair, calm and fun leader that will not steal his food and mean him no harm) involve the children in all of these steps again starting with hand feeding from the children. Food is a very powerful thing to a dog, and he who controls it fairly and consistently controls the dog.


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## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

well. after he growled i was shocked and i got a hold of him, corrected him, and then i felt like i needed to see what exactly happened. i had him on a short leash to where he could not get to her but i needed to see what he was growling at...


and as an update i have kept him on a leash with prong collar. i did bring him around her, not close, but around her, in another room, away from food. and he gave a short growl at her. 

i'm definately going to start hand feeding. and he is not getting anywhere near my children in close proximity. i already make him sit and down for food. and train for some of his food portion. but the hand feeding is the next step. what else though... how can i have a dog who grwols at my 2 year old. i feel so uneasy right now. sorry


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## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

oh and no correction for his growling because then he will show no warning.... i got it.

well what then. when she walks past and he growls,,,,then what ???


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

She doesn't walk past. 

He's new. 

They need to be safe from each other. 

He can eat in a crate in a room by himself until he is sure he won't have to protect his food and that he is protected. Or with you. 

No kids around-can you imagine being an animal and having to eat around a huge family of kids running around while you are trying to do that? Not very relaxing! Think about where you would rather eat if you could choose- a nice restaurant or the school cafeteria?









BRB with a link for you-this is from Lauri on resource guarding- http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=68798&page=1#Post68798 There is also a book called MINE! by Jean Donaldson.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

I know it was scary but this is pretty common and the good news is that he did growl, not snap. People have a tendency to think "but he could have bitten my child!" which is exactly correct - "_could have_" but _didn't_.









Jean Donaldson's got a good book called "MINE" about resource guarding. It is not always about dominance, sometimes it's just about a dog who isn't sure if he's going to get to keep his food. If a dog is already nervous, harsh corrections can actually exacerbate the problem because now he's doubly scared about what happens when he's eating and your daughter comes along. 

Feeding in the crate is a good suggestion as is hand feeding. He is still feeling his way and finding his place. I know it's unnerving but I really do think this is fixable and I'm glad you're asking questions and looking for help.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

Dang it Jean, you're quicker on the draw!







But it's such a good book, I guess it's okay to recommend it twice!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I second that book. And feeding your dog separately from anyone so that he feels safe. My 13 yo dog eats in the corner, away from my other dog and away from all people so that she feels safe. I do not let any children anywhere near here when she's eating, ever. 

And you need to do a lot of reading yourself. I'm sure I recommended clicker trainer when you had that other dog but I'll recommend it again. What you have just done (the harsher and harsher corrections) is tell your dog that your daughter is scary. He sees her, growls and then you act like a crazy unpredictable person and try to hurt him. So she becomes something scary because she has caused you to act in this way towards him. You can CREATE very serious resource guarding issues like this. 

Sign yourselves up for a class at Purrfect Paws. The woman who owns it is a behaviorist and you will learn positive reinforcement and clicker training. 

http://www.purrfectpawsabc.com/


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: gsd&mal crazy1 how can i have a dog who grwols at my 2 year old. i feel so uneasy right now. sorry


I think he growls at your daughter now because the association was created in his head (especially that you gave him HARSH correction with lifting his legs in the air) that your daughter means disappearance of food and also beating into submission no matter in what place he sees her.


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## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

o.k. i have not even read all posts yet,,, but i have to post this. he growled at her again, away from the food. why would he start this now all of o sudden after being so good.?


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## GSDOwner2008 (Jan 19, 2008)

I'm pretty sure everyone is saying that your dog is growling at your daughter because of the association that you have created with her. When the dog sees your daughter he associates that with no food, and be harshly corrected. Please keep your daughter away from him, the dog is warning you that it's gonna bite.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: gsd&mal crazy1o.k. i have not even read all posts yet,,, but i have to post this. he growled at her again, away from the food. why would he start this now all of o sudden after being so good.?


 Because you have set him up to this, and continue to do so. Please read all the above posts, there is important advice given to you there. I also hope that you haven't corrected your dog again for this growl.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: gsd&mal crazy1o.k. i have not even read all posts yet,,, but i have to post this. he growled at her again, away from the food. why would he start this now all of o sudden after being so good.?


As the previous poster said, he saw your daughter, then he was corrected a few times in a row. Now he sees her as a bad thing becaus he is getting corrected whenever she is around. I would imaging he associates the correction with your DAUGHTER rather than with the act of growling.

Also you just recently got this dog. Most dogs will be "on their best behaviour" at first. After they have been in the home for a while, they get more comfortable and start testing the limits, trying to see what they can get away with and what they can't.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Be careful with the prong, it can in some cases intensify aggression. You may have a dominant puppy, who has a tendency to rule the roost for the weaker packmembers. How about getting a behaviorist on board to evaluate the pup and see what is behind this? If it is anxiety, positive training methods are ideal! However, if it is dominance, purely positive food-based(clicker/treat training) methods can get you in deeper trouble with a pushy-by-nature dog as he sees you as a food machine that he controls. A great behaviorist can evaluate this puppy and situation for you and provide guidance.

Do not allow this child to stroll by this pup, pet this pup, sit near this pup, play with this pup. Teach the toddler, because the pup cannot be crated during all of the child's waking hours. The child does not need to fear the dog-- only respect the dog's space and for now especially, not interact with it.

Let us know how it goes with a good behaviorist!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Please don't assume that you have a pushy pup who has a dominance agenda. No offense, Patty, but this is a rehomed pup who has just landed in a large, active family. He is not being treated fairly! 

Here is a great behaviorist, please give her a call: http://www.purrfectpawsabc.com/component/option,com_ifportfolio/Itemid,47/


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## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

well wht i did was i had Doser on leash and i had my daughter feed him his food. he did good with this. ....well i willl call the behaviorist because some are saying positive reinforcements and have daughter feed him.. others saying no contact......

i will be doing lots of reading tonight!

"he's not being treated fairly"
we have been beign great to Doser. he has been very happy. i corrected him because of prior reading on this subject. mostly from the leerburg site. i am going to get a very rounded view on this subject from reading lots of resources. i hate for it to be said that he is not being treated fairly because i have been doing everything i know how to makae him happy and comfy. and he had been until the growl. even with that i thougth i had to correct him so he would know growlng at her was sooo off limits. any aggression is off limits as far as i'm concerned. 

i feel like i can work through this. right now i'm down because i thougth things were looking up after all the hard work searching for a good pet for our family only to run into a road block like this. the one thing i did not want, aggression....but in this little time i have grown to adore this boy and so has my family. so i will work through this and hopefully we can get to a better place. so people please lend your support. I AM OPEN TO ALL ADVICE.....so dont' bash me. all i'm asking.
thankyou


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

I'm glad you're asking questions and open to advice. Just keep in mind the different areas of expertise out there. 

If you were seeing thie behavior out of a working lines GSD that you had had since puppyhood, I think the diagnosis of "pushy puppy" would be a much more likely than when you're seeing this behavior in a recently adopted Labrador. As your dog is the latter, I think the diagnosis that the dog is unsure about the rules and how to behave, growled at your daughter, and now associates her with things that are scary is much more likely to be correct. This sounds very fear based and if so, harsh corrections, prong collar etc is just going to make the situation worse. NILIF on the other hand is a good program for both fear and dominance issues and isn't going to hurt anything. 

Hopefully you'll be able to talk to Ruth's behaviorist and she can give you some good input seeing the dog first hand.


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

Please don't 'test' this pup with your daughter.

Probably a good dog, but the dog is going through a lot of adjustment. No telling how or what caused resource guarding, but it's there.

It's just too much to expect a the dog to adjust so quickly.

Limit you daughter's exposure to this dog and limit it to positive association only. IE - sight of children means good things, not corrections.

No two year old should be allowed to walk up to a dog while eating... never, no matter what dog. Babies move differently and know no limits.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

> Quote:even with that i thougth i had to correct him so he would know growlng at her was sooo off limits. any aggression is off limits as far as i'm concerned


I think a different way to think about it might be that the aggression in this case is a manifestation of fear and fear is an emotion. You can't really make fear off limits because it is what it is. If it shows up, it's there. What you can do is show him that your daughter is not something to be afraid of, and on a larger scale, that you are in charge and will protect him at which point he can learn that growling is unnecessary and unacceptable. 

I don't think anyone was questioning that you're trying to give him a good life, it's just that your expectations may be a bit high for him with everything he's trying to take in and learn so quickly. 

Melody had a good analogy on another thread - she said something like "if you were taken from your home and sent to live with a family in China, in xx number of months would you have learned the language and all the customs?" I think it's like that for dogs. Our ways are strange and new to them and it's a lot to take in. They make some misteps and we've got to get them back on track. 

Sounds like Doser is a good dog who made a mistep and it sounds like you understand that and want to work with him, so I think you'll get there. MINE! is a good book and a good behaviorist could be a lifesaver here. Clear rules and limits and positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior are going to be your most useful tools to deal with this type of behavior. Alpha rolls, harsh corrections, showing whose boss, will all set you back because they confirm the dog's fears that this stuff is scary and he's got to protect himself.


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## Cooper&me (Dec 18, 2007)

You are expecting WAY WAY TOO much from this boy WAY WAY too soon. 

There is not a relationship of trust yet so corrections should not be in the picture.

Always set him up to exceed. Isn't possible to feed him in peace? Especially away from an unpredictable toddler. The best dog would find it stressful being with a toddler. 

Do you even know his history? Maybe he has every ligitimate reason to gaurd his food.

In my opinion a dog that wants to eat in peace, especially considering you all are practical strangers, does not need a behaviorist, he needs TIM, LOVE, PATIENCE.

Taking n obedience (positive based) class is never a waste of time or money.

Best of luck with your boy. Soud like just a minor bump in the road.


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## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

yes i do want to work through this. i am just so shaky and feeling bad right now. i feel very insecure right now. i need to get myself together and realx, breathe, read, read, read. 

i now realize correcting him was not good. so what should i have done in that moment. just removed him until i could place him with his food in a safe quiet place? and by the way my children know it's a no no to touch the dog when eating. she was not touching his food. i just have his bowls in a place to where you have to walk past them in order to get into the next room. my fault. but i did test him out with food aggression and he was fine. i dont know what happened. i switched his food yesterday. i saw some one else post about changing food and then agression. not that i think that now because he has growled without being next to any food.

is frustrating.i'm going to read as much as possible tonight. i feel like i'm letting so many down. i feel horrible. thanks to those trying to sincerelyl help.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

It takes a while for dogs to adjust to a new home. You can do lots of tests and still see new behaviors as a dog settles in. What I meant by fairness is that a dog looks to you for leadership. When corrected in such a harsh manner he will not understand what's going on. His growl was his signal that he was nervous. It is totally understandable that he's nervous in a new situation. 

I know you tried to find the perfect dog but all dogs are different in different situations. You can expect a lot of issues in the first few weeks as a dog is settling in. 

Here's some great info: http://brightstargsd.org/mainpages/adviseforowners.html

Also be sure that he has some time just to himself and as regular a schedule as possible. I am sure he is feeling very overwhelmed as you are right now!


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## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: BowWowMeowIt takes a while for dogs to adjust to a new home. You can do lots of tests and still see new behaviors as a dog settles in. What I meant by fairness is that a dog looks to you for leadership. When corrected in such a harsh manner he will not understand what's going on. His growl was his signal that he was nervous. It is totally understandable that he's nervous in a new situation.
> 
> I know you tried to find the perfect dog but all dogs are different in different situations. You can expect a lot of issues in the first few weeks as a dog is settling in.
> 
> ...


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## cgarrity (Apr 22, 2008)

Why was this dog in a Rescue facility? What was his history with small children? Was he brought to rescue because of aggression issues? He may have had bad experiences with young children in his life that may affect his behavior towards young kids. I would recommend calling the person in charge of the rescue facility to see if she has any meaningful background informaiton on this dog.


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

Take a deep breath, and start over. It is unlikely that this dog is dominant or aggressive. If you are at all unsure about that, enlist the aid of a behavioralist. Understand that the growling is about fear, not dominance. If the dog was dominant he would be walking up to the child and putting his head over them with tail up and trying to dominate them. He is simply worried about losing his food, and since the child has caused him to have nothing but negative experiences he is associating her as something to be worried about. Start over, feed him by hand and go through the whole progression on your own without the children, and when he is in a good place mentally incorporate the children into this process. When you're all done with that, just feed him in a place he can be left alone.


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## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: ZeusGSDTake a deep breath, and start over. It is unlikely that this dog is dominant or aggressive. If you are at all unsure about that, enlist the aid of a behavioralist. Understand that the growling is about fear, not dominance. If the dog was dominant he would be walking up to the child and putting his head over them with tail up and trying to dominate them. He is simply worried about losing his food, and since the child has caused him to have nothing but negative experiences he is associating her as something to be worried about. Start over, feed him by hand and go through the whole progression on your own without the children, and when he is in a good place mentally incorporate the children into this process. When you're all done with that, just feed him in a place he can be left alone.


thankyou i truly believe i needed to hear that. i have been looking at him like he is a muder convict. i have not been treating him bad but just having this thing in my gut that i have to watch his every move and he may attack ay moment......whew....
i still need to incorporate several things into our interactions.....
NILF...hand feeding,,,,,obed. tethering,,,,etc....

i just went to pet him a minute ago and looked in his eyes and he is still the dog i fell in love with. he is not a monster ready to attack. i need to keep a well close eye on him but keep in mind he's not a different dog. same dog, minor-major issue. lots of work,,,,,very rewarding..........
thanks.
ps. hopefully this woman trainer will call me back from purrfect paws. she seems to be very busy.
i'll keep you all updated.


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## Cooper&me (Dec 18, 2007)

I really do not think he has food aggression. I think he was uncomfortable. 

He does not know what your kids do or do not know. Kids are loud, move fast and unsteady and unpredictable at that age.

I would totallly see it as a oops me bad moment and move forward.

POSITIVE POSITIVE POSITIVE for several months at the very least so he can build a strond bond and TRUST with you and your family.


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## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

mjb03,
thankyu for the advice...well taken.

by the way i still have not heard from the trainer. or the other trainer i called.


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## Strana1 (Feb 9, 2008)

Sorry this is long but it is an article written by my trainer that gives great insight & advice on bringing the new dog home. I couldn't find the link so I copied it here.

THE BEHAVIORAL BENDS
By: Julia V. McDonough
Copyright 2003 Dobermind Press

Well, he’s home. Whether he was a long planned “perfect match” decided in advance by you and the Adoption Coordinator, or he was the winning contestant in a long lineup of four-legged orphans, he’s your baby now. 
The adoption process was very involved. You had to sign things, learn about his diet, his training and his veterinary history, and you had a ton of questions. You were gently prepared for some things and sternly warned against others. Your head was swimming with information and your heart was bursting with joy. As you and your new best friend drove away from the shelter, watching it grow smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, it started to dawn on you: it’s you and him now. With every tick of the odometer, “Axel” is becoming less of that face-in-a-crowd, that never-changing portrait on the shelter website, that abstract future houseguest, and is becoming YOUR dog. All of the stuff they said to you in the Get Acquainted room is starting to fade. All of the generalities and rules and hints...you trust in the shelter staff’s experience, but you know it will work out. It was, after all, meant to be. 

There. Did you sense it? That thought, that conviction you felt in your gut that “it will work out” because it was “meant to be”...that is the first hint that you and your adopted dog may be about to suffer from a case of The Behavioral Bends.

THE BEHAVIORAL WHAT?
Bends. In human deep sea divers, the bends are a consequence of ascending from one depth and amount of pressure to another without sufficient acclimatization. A person pulled back up to the surface too quickly after being deep in the ocean can lose his life because of the bends. The effect of the Behavioral Bends on a dog can be just as grave.

When Axel first moves into your home, he may have one or two accidents. He may be unclear about the rules regarding furniture or barking. He may rough it up with your other dog once or twice. But with your help, he’ll start to figure things out. For a few weeks, things are looking good. This is when we get the wonderful e-mail or note telling us how easily Axel has fit into his new life, how he seems as if he’s always lived there. And sometimes, that’s just what happens. If “happily-ever-after” didn’t occur every once in awhile, none of us would be able to do rescue work at all! However, there’s a much more common phone call or e-mail we get shortly after this honeymoon. It seems that Axel has suddenly developed an attitude problem! 

The episodes which prompt this phone call are usually characterized by their apparently random nature, are often directed at a victim who is relatively known to the dog, and are accompanied by the owner’s total shock and disappointment at what seems to be a newly uncovered “mean streak”. According to the extensive records at the agency where I train, these regressions tend to take place within a fairly uniform time frame, normally between the dog’s third to sixth week in the new home, and well after what most pet owners would consider an ample readjustment period. 
Over time, I’ve heard this phenomenon described as “the end of the honeymoon”, “the Test”, and one friend refers to it as “Heeeeere’s Johnny!” after Jack Nicholson’s metamorphosis in The Shining.
I call it The Behavioral Bends.

BUT WHY? DOESN’T HE KNOW HE’S SAFE?

The emergence of The Behavioral Bends doesn’t mean that your new dog dislikes you or his new surroundings. If anything, it is a sure sign that he really does feel right at home. In his first few weeks, Axel is a little bit off balance: everything has changed in his life. Even though most of these changes are for the better, they represent a whole new set of habits, rules and expectations to which Axel must adjust. In the same way that a new employee is on his best, if most guarded behavior during his early days at his new company, Axel is getting a feel for things. As that new employee becomes more familiar with his new workplace culture and the individual personalities of his colleagues, he may start to let his hair down a little bit. If he is by nature a bully, he may find the office milquetoast and push him around. If he is a defensive person, he will get more comfortable snapping at criticism from his co-workers. If he is a jokester, he may tell inappropriate stories around the water cooler until he is reprimanded by a more sensitive person who doesn’t share his sense of humor.

In the case of an adult dog taken out of a shelter, you are dealing with an animal who may have had little prior experience dealing with the type of environment you provide for him in a normal home. No matter how comfortable and accommodating his shelter housing was, it has little in common with a normal pet owner’s household. As the days and weeks pass by, Axel feels more and more comfortable asserting himself. If he started out as a shy or aloof dog, you may see that he starts to come out of his shell and begin to bond with his new family. But if he started out as a normal, outgoing animal, you may find yourself wondering exactly what happened when he first shows you the less rosy of his true colors. Unfortunately, we often make things worse for the new arrival by mistakenly assuming that pampering will be rewarded with gratitude. After all, our instinct as dog lovers is to take all of the pressure off of a dog who has come out of a shelter or kennel environment. But that pressure must be decreased gradually, and sometimes even increased if we are to protect the dog we just rescued from needing rescue again!

To truly do justice to your newly adopted friend, you must accept that dogs really do not live in their pasts. Trying to “make up” to Axel for any real or imagined injustice in his prior life may make you feel grand, but it usually only serves to confuse Axel, who would benefit most from cheerful consistency rather than overwhelming pity. A better use of your emotional energy is to think about his most recent life in the shelter. If you are dealing with a modern, well-run organization with a clean, comfortable facility, you’ll have to admit that you really aren’t breaking Axel out of the Doggy Gulag. If anything, his time in the shelter may have been the first good thing that’s happened to him, in Dog terms. To really get this, make a side-by-side list of the differences between life with his shelter caretakers and life in your home. You’ll see that with its regular meal and exercise times, familiar faces, and consistent training (if provided), shelter life is calm and predictable. Try to remember that dogs are creatures of habit to the extreme. Because of this trait, the regimented structure of the kennel can give many dogs a sense of security, as long as it is balanced with generous individual attention from the shelter staff. Compared to the freeform existence that awaits him in your home, where he will have more room, days when he sleeps in or stays up late, special treats, trips in the car, and as many visitors and friends as you have, you’ll see where the problems can arise.

Going from that relatively uneventful shelter life into the new one is like traveling up from the peace of the ocean’s bottom and surfacing at a Jimmy Buffet concert.

Many adopters want to take a few days off to acclimate their new dog to this new life. But this isn’t necessarily the answer. As long as you aren’t gone for ten hours a day, you can usually jump him into this new schedule without major repercussions. That will be the easiest new change for him to conquer. When you start adding in the new people and places, you begin to court the Behavioral Bends if you don’t undertake these introductions conservatively.

None of this is a treatise advocating the hiding away of your new dog or twenty-four hour kenneling. Often, this type of “management” is worse for the dog than his previous life in the shelter, where at least he was getting worked with every day! Nor should anyone from the shelter or rescue group encourage you to bring your new dog everywhere immediately in an attempt to “socialize” him before he even gets to know you. New adopters are often confused by the seemingly contrary advice they get: a behaviorist might prescribe the “dog in the plastic bubble” approach while the local obedience instructor tells you that your brand- new, untrained dog should thoroughly enjoy the unsolicited attention of everything on two legs or four. There is a happy medium for you and Axel which will result in his adaptation into your home. Think of it as a program of decompression: the safest way to avoid the Behavioral Bends.

LET HIM EARN HIS TERRITORY

Most dog experts agree that the proper use of a crate is instrumental in helping a dog adapt to a new situation. There is a lot to be said for restricting your new dog’s territory during his first weeks with you. Not only is this the best way to prevent accidents and inappropriate chewing or destruction, it also gives him a clear idea that you are the person who determines the property rights in the home. 

As he learns your daily routines, start allowing him a bit more supervised leeway, gradually including all of the territory you wish to share with him. Stay away from the notion that he can have some parts of the house now but not when Aunt Edna comes to visit, or not when you install the new carpets in a couple of weeks. You expect him to be consistent in his good behavior. That means you should be consistent in how you enforce your expectations.

At the first sign of any backsliding (marking things, soiling, destruction or possessive behavior) take back some of the real estate. Waiting for time alone to cure these problems will only result in their becoming long-standing habits rather than momentary mistakes. 

KEEP HIM TO YOURSELF AT FIRST

The pride and joy you’ll feel when bringing home your new dog is hard to keep quiet. Like many adopters, you may want to celebrate the new arrival by introducing him to everyone in your social circle, taking him for an inaugural spin through the neighborhood, crashing the local puppy playgroup...but hold up for a second. Throwing all of this at your new rescue can turn into a disaster if you undertake it too lightly.

Our hearts can lead us down some tricky roads when it comes to dealing with animals. There is something profound that occurs when we look into those deep brown eyes. We speak of “bonds” between us. We designate the dog as our best friend. And it’s all true. The catch is that it isn’t all true all at once.

This is especially important to remember if you have adopted a member of a breed which can be suspicious of strangers. But even if you find yourself signing the papers on a cheerful mixed breed who introduced himself with a barrage of dog kisses, remember that even you are a stranger to this new dog, and probably will be for longer than you think. It is a wise and considerate adopter who spends a lot of quality one-on-one time with his new friend before bringing him around to meet the neighbors. Let your dog get to know you and your immediate household members. These are the people who he needs to look to for leadership and reinforcement. The security of the pack is one of a dog’s greatest pleasures in life, and it’s up to you to make sure that your two-legged pack is well-defined in your dog’s eyes. Because a dog is such a physical being, it’s also important that he learns all about your tone of voice, your body language, and your level of tolerance for certain things. As this develops, he will trust your judgment and better defer to your direction when you put him in social situations.

It goes both ways: get to know him, too. The writeup on the shelter website only scratches the surface. Axel has much to tell you if you’ll only listen and watch. What are his habits, his likes and dislikes? What is his threshold for handling, for pressure, for activity? When does he seem to run out of gas? You can’t change or improve any of these things until you know what they look like, when they’ll occur, and how he’ll communicate them to you. We call this “reading the dog”. When you can read your dog, you can predict your dog. When you can predict your dog, you can control him. When you can control him, you can meet the responsibility of letting him meet new people. If he is obedient and responsive, he will make a great impression.

EXPLAINING THROUGH TRAINING

Most shelters and rescue groups place strong emphasis on obedience training for the dogs and adopters involved with their agencies. The fact is that most dogs find themselves in the shelter or rescue system due to “behavior problems” in their last home. Good dogs are made, not born, and most of the “hyper”, obnoxious, young adult dogs barking and bouncing behind the kennel gates are good dogs in the rough who are literally crying out for direction. The greatest mistake made by well-meaning adopters is the assumption that their new dog will naturally adapt and understand the rules, and simply settle in as time passes. Opting against formal training because you feel badly for the “rescued” dog is a big step in the wrong direction. In my practice I have seen many adopted dogs whose owners are so indulgent and permissive that the dogs are nearly incorrigible; months and sometimes years have passed as the owners make excuses and wait for the dog to “settle down”. For these dogs, the Behavioral Bends never ended: they live in the murk of an indecisive, inconsistent pack, and never realize their true potential. They are held under by the resistance of their well-meaning owners to structure and leadership. If good training is introduced and maintained, the relationship can be salvaged. If not, the owners are cursed with an uncontrollable embarrassment of a dog, and the dog is cursed with never knowing his role in the pack. 

It’s important to remember that a dog learns whether you teach him or not. The problem is that the untrained dog learns that you are an ineffective leader, and that when you open your mouth, nothing of import comes out. As his threshold for your repeated, increasingly desperate-sounding commands increases, your tolerance for his misbehavior decreases. If this goes on long enough, you will find yourself in the same frustrating standoff that probably landed Axel in the shelter in the first place.

Good, results-oriented obedience training as coached by an experienced, balanced trainer is the hands-down best chance for success. By building your relationship on a common training language, you are accomplishing two important goals. First, you are giving Axel a clear picture of your firm, fair leadership: a necessity in his life as a pack animal. Second, you are learning a system of prevention and control that will have you better prepared for any turbulence in the early stages of your ownership. 


BE HUMBLE
This is the hardest part. But it is just as important as any other component of your new relationship with your adopted dog. Some of the most disappointing experiences involving a dog’s failure in either his original home or his adopted home are those which occur due to the owner’s belief that he knows better than anyone what he needs to do with his new dog. And while the subjective knowledge you can gain about a dog’s individual habits and personality is certainly important, it is only half of the equation: the other half is understanding how to deal with those habits or personality traits when they become problematic. This is when the help of a more experienced trainer will help you. But to the stubborn owner who “doesn’t need help”, there is nothing that he could learn from an outsider.

It happens too much in rescue. The owner of a dog with a problem calls to arrange surrender or return due to the dog’s apparently insurmountable behavior problems. Any suggestions by the shelter staff are countered with claims of experience, a tally of the numbers of dogs owned, or the long and impressive history of the last dog that lived with them. Older owners won’t be instructed by someone their junior. Younger owners “don’t believe in” the advice from an elder. A sensitive owner finds the suggestions too harsh, a less patient owner doesn’t want to spend the time trying them in the first place. Regardless of the reasons for the owner’s resistance to advice, the end result is uniform: pride, stubbornness or just plain old ego get in the way and a dog is put into a situation which he can’t handle. 

Think of all the people who give up a dog for chewing things in their house but who “don’t believe in” crates. Or the people who have owned four Labrador Retrievers and refuse to believe that their adult adopted stray male Doberman is going to be a wonderful playmate for their neighbor’s male German Shepherd. Or the people who think it’s “inhumane” to train a dog using anything but cookies but have no problem bringing the dog back to the shelter when the cookies lose their appeal in the face of a more tempting reward (like the kid on the bicycle or the neighbor’s miniature Poodle). These are not dog problems, but human problems. How sad that it’s the dog who ultimately pays the price.

No matter how many dogs you have known in your life, you are a beginner with this dog. Your past experience has not conferred instant control and expertise in his handling. If you are one to counter the suggestions offered to you by a professional trainer with a claim that you’ve owned ten dogs, that means that you ascribe some importance to numbers as proof of experience. Then think of this: the person who is trying to help you has probably put their hands on hundreds and hundreds of dogs and is still learning from them. They are not giving you empty information, or just telling you these things so that they can hear themselves talk. They are genuinely trying to help you and your dog find the shortest, safest route to success, as learned from the dogs themselves. This is a belief subscribed to by the most successful professional trainers who have handled thousands of dogs in their careers. Each one is a new experience and is as much a teacher as a student. The best dog trainers have been humbled many times by dogs who tested and found fault with our opinions about the generalities of behavior. Sometimes these are hard lessons, but learning them makes it possible for us to help more dogs than ever succeed. As the adopter of a shelter dog, it is your job to help just one of them. Try to open your mind as well as your heart when it comes to understanding and addressing any problems that arise during his adaptation period. 

The Behavioral Bends don’t have to be a disaster. Being prepared by understanding and preventing them is more than half the battle. Your new dog has probably gone through much in his life before getting to the happy day you chose him to be yours. With your patience and common sense, perhaps the Bends will be the last crisis he experiences. Then both of you can enjoy the smooth sailing that awaits!


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## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

thankyou very much. i am trying to soak up as i can from reading,,so thankyou for the long post. much appreciated and much needed.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

hey gsd&mal, I have nothing to add only to support what others have suggested. I know it is scary to think of your child being hurt, but the good news is he gave warning he was nervous. I have dealt with resource guarding with a foster before. It was not immediate but after a few weeks. It was with my own dog and all I did was keep myself between the foster and my own while he ate. He learned to relax because I took control and kept what he perceived as a threat away. I also tossed nice tidbits into his bowl when my dog walked by. It did not take long, a couple of weeks, and while he watched my dog carefully at meal time, instead of growling, he instead looked at me, as if to ask for my help in keeping his food safe. All fears can be overcome with trust and faith.


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## gsd&mal crazy1 (May 22, 2008)

Betsy, thankyou for that comforting advice. right now i have just been feeding him in another room all by himself. that gets rid of all that. the thing i worried the most about is the growl after that that happened. about 10 minutes after the kitchen growl he growled at her in the living room. i had him on leash at the time. i am just hoping it was just some left over anxiety he had from her in the kitchen about his food. i am hoping that is what the case was. there has been nothing of the sorts since. but i'm still being extra cautious. he's had some other issues as far as aggression( dog aggression, people aggression with strangers outside and company that comes to the house) i am also hoping thta the advice i got that this si not aggression i'm seeing in him. only anxiety from wanting to get at the other dogs to play and that sort of thing. wish us well, and much luck.


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