Otis in Chicago

[DubyaT]

I wanted to start a new thread leading with the videos of Otis. See the previous thread of "Chicagoans in Need of Rescue" for more details. I appreciate everyone taking interest in Otis. Please share on the web for Otis's sake. Thanks.

Okay I'm finally getting around to posting some youtube clips of Otis. This might give people a better idea of his temperament. Once again, with proper handling I believe that Otis should be able to overcome the anxiety he experiences when encountering children or dogs. When fully exercised and content, he is typically indifferent towards other dogs and calm with children. The sense of urgency that I feel is that I believe that he has a lot of potential to make progress over the next few months with an experienced trainer, but that once he nears two years of age, he won't have that luxury.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emHbsyVh2xU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW4fJcgl4VY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLCrtaZeXNk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmVsn6BN9C4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzRPLAs3fug

I'm sharing this thread as widely as I can and would encourage those who are interested to share it on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social networking site. Thanks again!

[Christie M]

I hope that you are able to find a solution for Otis and your family. However, in the meantime, any interactions in your home that are self rewarding for these behaviors will just make it that much harder for someone to take him in. I have contacted several people in the Chicago area to see if we can get an honest evaluation of him for working purposes. But I would encourage you to seek professional help and at least give him the chance of making some changes while he waits for his new home.

[zazzles]

Do you still have Otis? We are looking for a male to join our household. We typically foster and adopt out shepherds but are looking for one to adopt and do search and rescue work. Please let me know if you still have him and need a home. Thanks!

-Laura

[DubyaT]

We do still have Otis for the moment. We had him evaluated by a behaviorist who is doing her best to find a home for him. If you, or anyone, is interested we could establish communication witht he behaviorist who could give an honest, professional opinion on his temperament and potential.

We are facing difficult decisions concerning Otis and cannot keep him much longer. We did feel the need to give him an honest chance at finding a new home.

He is a sweet little guy who just needs some experienced attention and patience. He possessses all of the traits that are appealing about DS's. He's just a little rough around the edges. Thanks to all and I can be reached at wyatt.steele@gmail.com for more information.

[GSDNanny]

Puppy prayers this may work for Otis.

[DubyaT]

We've received a couple of inquiries about Otis that we're hopeful about. We're doing our best for him and hope that something presents itself soon. We had an evaluation by a behaviorist which has been shared with an individual who showed some interest. I'd like to share this with the board below which might give anyone an honest, impartial and professional opinion of Otis's temperament and potential:

So for Otis... I saw him once here at my training facility. He's a handsome dog who seems very good with his family. He showed no resentment or issues with me approaching as a stranger, nor with me taking the leash handling him. That's a good thing, he is handleable, friendly enough but aloof to me, and not sharp. I handled him physically touching and then worked him on a prong, he showed no issues with it. When freed, he sniffed around and chomped on his ball a bit, seemingly to release mild stress of being in a new place. He may have some possessiveness with the ball while lying down chomping on it, but that can be trained or handled by outing him before reaching in.

He is reactive to other dogs, IMO a good part of that is rehearsed behavior and leash frustration. And when he reacts, lunging and barking, he's quite strong and sounds/looks very scary. So I can understand the concern with living in the city. As far as being loose with other dogs- I think it is definitely possible and would depend on the dog. He was very interested in the dogs I in the room, sniffing and soforth, then also reacting-- but with a little control and ob, I got him heeling past them, doing sit-stays, then down-stays on his own next to both a male and female dog. I think he could continue to work on this. I did not cut him loose with them as he came on very strong with interest and it was a bit intimidating to the other dogs. He might mellow out if he gets some time to socialize with other dogs more. Being working breed, probably watch him with males esp. in-tact males, although I didn't see this when I saw him.

As far as ball drive- I would not say he is super drivey for the ball, and not when brought into a new environment. You can also see that in the video "find it," he has 'interest' in the ball, but not as much as I'd like to see. For example, if I do this hiding a toy with my dog, she will search for it as if her life depends on it, almost frantically, and will not give up. That's not to say it couldn't be built up, it can through tug or ball drive-building sessions, flirt pole, etc. Here he showed some mild interest in his ball, but was distracted by his environment. Basically this: at this point, does he have more drive then "most dogs", yes... as much drive as I'd want to see in a working dog or DS, no. Also tried a tug and a ball on a rope. But like I said it can be built- The training he's had may have been contrary to drive-building, making him more suitable as an active pet, a trainers demo dog, someone interested in agility, maybe to dabble in protection sports, etc. I would not see him suitable as a detection dog or in a competitive home.

[Christie M]

Great evaluation! I hope that something comes from the inquiries. In the meantime, I hope that you are able to take advantage of this trainer's expertise and continue working with him to minimize his issues more and more. That will certainly help his chance of success.

[DynamicDogs]

Reading my "behavior evaluation" from back then first time I saw him, I feel it's still pretty accurate

Otis was re-named "Odin" because we have multiple clients dogs named Otis, and he did not notice the difference . While looking for a new family, he ended up on the long-term foster plan, LOL. He was really quite an angel for me, so he was also fostered for a month outside here in a home environment with other dogs to "proof" him on any issues. So I had him for a while, and that's fine with me because it takes the right fit, quality over quantity.

The good news is he's in a home, and I'm confident they will do good things with him and manage him well: http://www.dutchshepherdforum.com/viewt ... tis#p15921

And as of three days ago I have a new Dutchie foster pulled from euth. at Animal Control I will post a pic of him soon, he's a beauty.

[jjohnsice]

My dutch jsut passed two weeks ago, i might be interested in your foster, anymopre info availiable?

[LyonsFamily]

Both Otis and the new foster Jennifer posted about back in March have been adopted. I took Otis (now Odin) and the new foster (Atlas) went into a new home almost immediately. NADSR does have an older female in Chicago they just pulled that's currently in vet care, and will be heading into foster soon (I met her today, total sweetie), and they working on a male in the area soon.

Go to the NADSR website and fill out an application is you're interested in a rescue anytime in the future. There are constantly dogs available and having that application in early and preapproved will make it much easier to jump in on an available dog.