# Bonding with my resuce (moved to general rescue)



## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

Does any one have any tips on how to create a bond with a older rescue dog?
I feed him, leash walk him...i have read that they should look back at you during the walk but he does not..he does check up on me during off leash goes tho. I would like him to feel secure and happy. I worry that he may have lost that ability to truly bond bc of being bounced around. He is not very snuggly but that is probably just him, i snuggle him tho and he loves the tummy rubs.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Seems to me from what you said that he is doing great, and is secure and happy. He loves his tummy rubs and checks back on you when he is off leash. I don't know how long you have had him, but that is how my Sting is and I have had him from a puppy on.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

About a month! It feels like forever tho because he is quiet, picked up on routines quick and blends in well! 

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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Since he's new to you, most of the bonding stuff we do with puppies would also be ideal for you...

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...191183-top-training-expectations-puppies.html

Particularly if you are able to start up clicker training.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

Oddly enough tyson is fully clicker trained lol I need to get myself a clicker..so much he knows that I am learning about! I just worry about him and how he feels. 

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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Enroll in a class!!! Doesn't matter what he knows or you know, it's about the experience of doing it together, having homework exercises you do together every night, milestones to set -- even it if it turns out to just be polishing what he knows, you'll get to work on your timing, and communicating with him.

I think great classes are incredible bonding opportunities!


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

Magwart said:


> Enroll in a class!!! Doesn't matter what he knows or you know, it's about the experience of doing it together, having homework exercises you do together every night, milestones to set -- even it if it turns out to just be polishing what he knows, you'll get to work on your timing, and communicating with him.
> 
> I think great classes are incredible bonding opportunities!


I am totally looking forward to my class that starts in feb!!!! lol from what little i know, i do know that the lady who had him before loved his pants off and spent alot of time with him.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

misslesleedavis1 said:


> I am totally looking forward to my class that starts in feb!!!! lol from what little i know, i do know that the lady who had him before loved his pants off and spent alot of time with him.


Ah, now I understand what may be concerning you,his "ex owner". Give him time to adjust to you. It has just been a month and he is on his best behavior with you. He is trying real hard to please you because he wants to stay. As time goes by and he begins to relax in his forever home, then his behavior may slip a bit - that will be a sign he has bonded  And you will need the classes!


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

She was very good to him and he would still be with her if it was not for his little accident, but he did spend alot of time in the pound before he landed with us, lol ..he is here for good! had a little speed bump with him though, and i had a shameful moment of "was he a good choice" but we got thru it and he is going to a trainer in feb. I actually foster for a rescue, he was at the pound a day away from being destroyed , they asked us if we could step up and take him for a short period of time while they worked on getting him into a perm foster home (they knew we had been booked to foster a cozumel puppy)..so, we had explained to the rescue that we could only take on 1 foster at a time which is fair, well Tyson did very well here and they had gone ahead and moved our little cozumel pup to a family that wanted to foster to adopt him @ this point he was still in mexico and his plane landed dec 8th. Well i offcourse just totally fell in love with tyson, and went ahead and adopted him myself.


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## Jelpy (Nov 8, 2009)

I'm sorry. I cannot possibly give you any meaningful advice without pictures of the handsome boy. 

Jelpy


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

Lol my boy 

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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

I adopted a senior GSD boy that had lived for about ten years on a chain. It did take him some time to bond with me, but it came with time. He had to adjust to an entirely new life inside a house and with other dogs. I pulled this boy and then foster failed - like you. I have had him for seven months and he is very much my dog now. 

Give it time, it will happen.


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## Jelpy (Nov 8, 2009)

Oh, He's a looker! Well, when I rescued Sweep, I let her settle in with the other dogs for a good long time. Their backgrounds are not similar, however. Sweep seems to have been abused and was terrified of everyone and everything where as your guys apparently had a loving human at some point. Frankly, The quickest way to a doggie's heart is thru the stomach in my experience. If you really want to work that angle you can feed all meals by hand. Just walking around with him may do a lot to hasten the bond that's developing. Dog's act in their own time and make up their mind at different speeds. 

Handsome there will come around. 

Jelpy


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## Kaimeju (Feb 2, 2013)

My partner's mom rescues cats and she said for the feral ones, having little rituals every day that you do exactly the same way and only the two of you share can be very good for building a bond. I think this is true of my rescue as well. Our trainer says it usually takes about 6 months for a dog to really feel at home. It sounds like you are doing a fantastic job!


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