New Dutch Shepherd Owner (Baltimore/DC area), HELP!!!

[Will]

Haha, Hi! I just adopted a Dutch Shepherd, and he is a crazy dude! I adopted him from an adoption agency, and not a whole lot is known about his past, we think he is between 1.5 and 2 years old. I know he spent a good chunk of that time just chillin in someone's back yard. After that he was adopted and then given back pretty quickly.
Now I have him, and he has bad separation anxiety, he rarely leaves my side, he follows me everywhere. He sits outside my bathroom when I shower, sleeps either at my feet or near my bed.
What really drives me NUTS is that he poops inside constantly! I take him outside, on runs and walks. However, my schedule is always really crazy because I work days sometimes, and nights sometimes.
What are some things that you all do with your dogs to keep them stimulated?
I try making an obstacle course with treats, but he acts kind of dumb and just sniffs around for a bit and I have to guide him to every treat. He has been able to learn sit and lay down, and I THINK he is learning stay.
He gets really distracted outside though, and pulls like crap on his leash and sniffs everything.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[Dutchringgirl]

Hey there !!!! Welcome to the crazy dutchie world! If he was just hanging out in the yard, then he has no idea about paying attention or learning or anything. He probably dosnt know to just poop outside. I would keep an eye on him and watch for him to start to poop then get him outside. Dont let him out of your side, but it sounds like he wont let you out of his site. Mine are the same about being attached, its like a train, Me, Thalie, Sadie. I try not to stop quick or ill get a pileup. They are in the bathroom with me, where ever I am , they are.
An obstacle course is great ! take it one obstacle at a time though so he can learn one thing instead of running around trying to hap hazardously put things together, that may frustrate both of you more. Take a step back and start at the beginning with him. He may be 2 but training wise, he is a pup.
"leave it" is a great training tool. When he sniffs something and not paying attention, get him to leave it and focus on you.

[LyonsFamily]

Great advice from Lisa. It looks like you just got yourself a velcro dog. Welcome to the DS world. Odin comes in the bathroom with me if I'm getting ready. If I shut the door and don't let him in, he'll throw his kong inside like a bomb as the door is closing. If he didn't make it in in time, he'll lay outside, bounce the kong off the door and slide his feet under so that I know he's there.

As for the bathroom schedule, if he has been in a shelter/many homes/in someone's backyard, he doesn't know any better. He's probably just used to going whenever and wherever. A consistent schedule is key. Since you work odd hours, hiring a dog walker or asking a neighbor to come over throughout the day may help create a schedule. You should also work on crate training. It may be difficult to do with SA, but it'll be for the better to help potty train and insure that he can handle being at a vet, groomer, etc.

For stimulation, Odin is rarely without his black kong. I stuff it with peanut butter or pumpkin or freeze it with ground beef inside and that distracts him for a while. He can't have it while I'm gone because he occasionally chews through them, so he gets antlers when we're away. Odin has an xpen in addition to his cage. The xpen is open the majority of the time and inside is a blanket, a bunch of toys, and a bowl of water. I close him it if I need some people time. He's also in it when company comes over until they and him are ready to be around each other.

For the kind of stimulation a DS needs, we practice of Agility mainly. I also do nosework and competitive obedience. I run him on the agility course 3 times a week and go to the park to do obedience and fetch routines nearly every day. As we get better at nosework, I'll be setting up hides at dog friendly places like TSC, Petsmart, and Lowes so that he gets to do different things sometimes. Since summer is coming, we'll also go swimming on weekends.

[Sugars Mom]

Congrats on your DS and welcome to the forum.

He gets really distracted outside though, and pulls like crap on his leash and sniffs everything.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Mine is super distracted outside too, and is such a sniffer outside as well. The smells are very distracting for her. Its like she is over stimulated, nose twitching away catching scents in the air, ears moving every which way, in different directions, trying to hear the multiple sounds outside....birds chirping, a car going by, kids playing, lawnmower, etc, all at the same time. Catching a ball, then dropping it 'casue something smells too darn good to resist.

I try to work on focus, but when she is in that state, there is no way. She is over her threshold of being able to pay attention to me, so it needs to be practiced in a quieter environment.

Obedience is the other thing I do with Sugar to help with the distractions. She LOVES doing her training (heel off leash, sit, down, stay, etc), and I've been doing it outside this spring and she is way better then she used to be. I can redirect her and get her to focus on me a lot more when she is in "training mode". I reward with treats, which is the BEST thing in the world to her!

Sorry to hear about the pooping thing...hopefully it will pass soon. Do you think its a training thing (or lack there of) or a anxiety thing?

[Ted Summers]

First thing's first; crate train that boy. Go get a BIG ASS crate, the sturdier the better. At the same time, get over to ebay and buy the 10 pack of clickers for $15, watch some youtube vids of clicker training, better yet enroll yourself in a basic OB class once a week or find a clicker trainer in your area. You'll have homeboy paying attention, sitting and downing in a week.

after you (both) establish how the clicker works (you give a command, he performs, you click, he gets a treat) you're ready to move onto the 'name game.' Simply say his name and when he looks at you click and treat him. easy. Also once this is established, you can make him 'work' for his meals. Make his look at you, sit, down, heel, touch, whatever you're working on. Keep it simple for the first few months.

back to the crate. If he has seperation anx feed him his meal in the crate by simply putting his bowl in there and leave the door open. Increase the demand by giving him the 'kennel' command and click him when he goes in. If he goes in, or even makes a move towards the crate click it and treat him. You're trying to associate the kennel with calm, relaxed, safe feelings/energy/fung shu whatever. You may have to start slow. When he goes in readily after the command (a few weeks) just wait for a few minutes and them click him and give him a handful of treats. Next try the door, close but latch it. if you can close and open it real quick, click him. Ultimately, the crate will become his safe place and he'll just go in there to sleep while you're home. It helps solve the indoor pooping too.

On the pooping. Take the clicker and when he poops or pees outside, click and treat.

click and treat ANY behavior you LIKE and ignore the ones you don't. I mean IGNORE. if he jumps on you ( I know he does) push him down say "off" and don't look at him. He's jumping to get a reaction out of you, don't give him one.

Leash? Same story. He needs to lean to yield to leash pressure (you pulling and he goes the way YOU want). There are a few ways to do it. Since he's a high drive boy I'm an advocate of the pinch collar (no one shot me) AND the clicker. The pinch works really well. I do this with adolescent high drive dogs. CORRECTLY size the pinch collar, make sure it's on the dead ring, and be somewhere he's familiar with (home?). VERY, VERY, very lightly pull on the lead AT HIS SHOULDER LEVEL (NOT UP, NOT DOWN, NOT BACK) to the left or the right in a straight line perpendicular to the ground. The moment he leans or move toward/with the direction of pull click and treat and drop the lead. Reset and do it again, and again, and again. Keep the sessions short 5-10 min at first. After a few sessions he'll have the idea. Now you can go outside. If he pulls, just stop walking, don't yank on the lead, just hold pressure, he'll learn that if he stops pulling, he stops the pressure AND he gets a treat. No conflict, no hurt dog, or hurt feelings. Remember, DON'T YANK (CORRECT) him with the pinch on.

the short of the long, get yourself to a trainer in the area. Congrats on the dog, I have a Malinois AND a Dutchie. They are a handful.

[Dutchringgirl]

Well Said Ted ! HA, I made a rhyme. My gun is in the holster. I am pro prong. Sadie needs one, with out, she yanks the crap out of me, but with one, she is a dream, yes, I said dream LOL, no sadie soup. Once one learns how to use it properly, it is your best friend, well, best friend next to your doggie.

[LyonsFamily]

Well Said Ted ! HA, I made a rhyme. My gun is in the holster. I am pro prong. Sadie needs one, with out, she yanks the crap out of me, but with one, she is a dream, yes, I said dream LOL, no sadie soup. Once one learns how to use it properly, it is your best friend, well, best friend next to your doggie.

Upon first reading your post, I didn't realize the rhyme was said and Ted. I thought it would start at "My gun is in the holster..." I was preparing for a rap about Sadie, prongs, and soup. I actually reread your post a few times trying to find the rhythm.

[Will]

Okay, so thank you all for your suggestions! I have a lot to think about. I realize that he is probably a little stressed out still, I've only had him a week and a few days. He really is a sweet dog, I think he just didn't really get to be a puppy, so he needs to learn a lot still. Maybe I have been too hard on him thinking he needs to be a saint after only a few days.

What are some absolute essentials that everyone commonly does with their dogs? I haven't had a dog in 10 years, and even then my parents took care of her and, honestly, not very well. I love my little guy, and want him to be happy!

I'll definitely be doing many of the things you guys suggested, clicker training sounds really good. There is just so much, it's a little overwhelming!

Again, thanks everyone for your suggestions!

[Will]

Hey Ted, I am originally from Tulsa! Small world...

[johninny]

welcome and thanks for taking in a DS that someone thought was difficult.
don't have much if anything of substance to add; more in the way of conceptual framework. it sounds like this is your first DS or Mal; they can be very different from other dogs.
for your situation, one very important thing was already said above that i wish to emphasize - to praise/reward what you like and ignore what you don't.
the praising should be done in the extreme - about the smallest things - all the time. your dog is very, very smart but is feeling very insecure about his situation and uncertain of how to behave/what is expected of him. that uncertainty may exist 24hrs a day for him - not just when you are focused on him or trying to train him. so if he is being good in any detail any time, tell him that. tell him good dog as much as you possibly can [ supplement voice with loving touch when convenient]. DS are very detail and precision oriented so they are much more interested in whether every detail of their approach or behavior is correct -- and he is in a foreign world; so help him learn because that IS what he wants. it will relax him, make him more secure [ which might make the sep anxiety better and indoor BM cease ], and generally allow an enthusiasm for learning to replace constant fear.
with a recent DS rescue of mine that was almost feral, i have had to train him to look at me; he does not get dinner or a treat until he looks me in the eyes for a bit. i say focus/ look at me and point to my eyes. once looking, if he looks away, i gently say wrong; he looks back, i say ''good look at me.'' now he is much better at focusing on my face and figuring out what i want and learns much faster. beyond any regular dog but not yet up to DS standards but he will get there soon enough and the progress to date [on focus on me] has made everything else so much easier than it had been. i don't think you have a problem of the same scale, but still he may need a little friendly practice in staring at your face in return for dinner. if not. you can use the dinner bowl for some other low stress, but essential learning component.
finally, DS need to be treated with the respect normally accorded a co-worker or family member you like. lacking respect and consideration [ and treating like most people treat pets ] will result in a rather recalcitrant animal with neither of you happy. it sounds like that is not an issue, but still one needs to be careful in this regard, especially when the relationship is new and in flux and a bit chaotic for both of you: it is too easy to slip into you're the pet and i'm the master mode.
giving proper respect is an essential part in commanding the respect from your canine partner that will be essential to your happiness and him being a good citizen.
good luck. and BTW, i am shocked no one has yet to demand pictures of your new housemate. everyone here is addicted to photographs of DS and the more we get the nicer we are.

[johninny]

oh, w/r/t training, christi m suggested a service called bowwowflix.com that operates like netflix's dvd mail service, but offers dvd rental of dog-training videos. the dvd's are not theirs - they are 3rd party and at least some are among the best. investigating this site further will provide clues as to which trainers' dvd's are to be cherished.

[Will]

finally, DS need to be treated with the respect normally accorded a co-worker or family member you like. lacking respect and consideration [ and treating like most people treat pets ] will result in a rather recalcitrant animal with neither of you happy.

Hahaha family member you like? This may be the most mentally helpful thing yet. You hear that you need to set your dog in its place, make it known that you are the master, all the time. That really hasn't helped much, he reacts much better to kindness and praise.

I realize he is a dog, but I don't think Dutch Shepards are like normal dogs, they are very smart, needy, and in my case, goofy. I can see how people get fanatical over these guys though, he is so sweet and cute its stupid.

[Sugars Mom]

Hahaha family member you like? This may be the most mentally helpful thing yet. You hear that you need to set your dog in its place, make it known that you are the master, all the time. That really hasn't helped much, he reacts much better to kindness and praise.

I realize he is a dog, but I don't think Dutch Shepards are like normal dogs, they are very smart, needy, and in my case, goofy. I can see how people get fanatical over these guys though, he is so sweet and cute its stupid.

Bingo!!

[kilatash1]

adopted ds with massive seperation issues, Isteped outside gate she freaked ,she had been left 10hrs day from a new pup, but i waffle. the way I overcame this was to start at basic stepping outside counting 10 returning, make no fuss of dog when returning for a bit, kept at this till she was comfortable,increased by half min at first,and so on (dont rush it) 2/3times day. 4 months later she can be left for 50mins I am still working at it and am sure will get there in the end. we were joined at the hip for those months I nerer went anywhere without her only hanging about outside. keep at it its worth it when you get resualts,good luck with the training