And Now Some Good News

[Velobambina]

What a lovely boy! Those eyes--you can just see the intelligence in them. He sounds quite spirited. Bet he's a real character. You're gonna have some good tales to tell about this boy, I suspect. Give him a big smooch for me! He looks like the perfect addition to your family.

I don't dig the dog whisperer, although some folks swear by him. I think he's a meanie! LOL. Tamar Gellar's book, "The Loved Dog," has given me some helpful advice in teaching my very active 7-year old golden, Maeve, some manners. Tamar's approach is love, positive reinforcement, etc.

[Python]

We're just back from the vet. Our vet thinks Max is still a puppy! She said he's not fully grown yet. She also says he's 100% German Shepherd

We noticed last night that Max was sneezing quite a lot and had a bit of discharge from one nostril. Our vet thinks he's got a slight infection in his nose so gave him an antibiotic injection (he cried like a baby) and a course of antibiotic pills. As soon as the infection is cleared up he's going back to get vaccinated. As we're unsure if he has been or not we're going to get the vaccinations just to be on the safe side.

My reasoning (and our vets) is as he was abandoned by such uncaring owners, then the chances of him being vaccinated are very remote.

He is also booked in for castration on the 5th October. This will give him time to get over this infection, the vaccinations and allow him more time to settle in.

Poor dog. He looked really worried at the vets and was very subdued on the way home. No wonder. The last time he was at the vets, he got taken to kennels His eyes lit up when we got home. You could see the relief in them. He's such a gentle, loving dog I can not for the life of me understand the mentallity of his previous owners abandoning the way they did

However, I am a great believer in what goes around, comes around and they'll be punished for what they've done to him As my late mother used to say "There's always a higher hand".

[rij73]

I'm glad Max is so young! What a lucky boy to have you.

For what it's worth, most dog trainers do not like Cesar Millan. I personally am not fond of how he handles dogs. I find him a bit cruel.

I highly recommend the books: My Smart Puppy and also Bones Would Rain From the Sky

Those two books together give some great training ideas as well as a wonderful perspective on dogs.

[Python]

We been given the name of a dog training centre who our vet has used for his own dogs and they're very good. I'm going to telephone and speak with them shortly.

I prefer to train a dog with the reward system. I do not, and never have, believed in using force to train any animal. Max is highly intelligent and although we've only had him for two days, already he has learned different commands. One is, and it's a very important one, is to sit at the kerb and wait until we tell him to cross the road. We make him do this at every kerb we come to, varying the times we make him sit and wait. At first he didn't really know what we wanted but when we took him out for his bedtime walk last night, Graham told him to sit and he did. He's a very quick learner and I think he will enjoy dog training classes.

Of course, in our house the other thing he has to learn is not to chase the cats. He's getting much better now and I don't think it'll be long before the cats are curled up with him

[sundial]

Python, congrats on your new furkid. He's very handsome and regal. You'll learn just how responsive, cunning and attuned these dogs can be.

I myself am active in gsd rescue and transport and I am always touched by the people who adopt a dog that was abandoned, neglected, or worse, abused. These dogs are so resilient and so willing to trust that many do work through their issues.

I found that rescues are usually in a *honeymoon* period for about 2-3 weeks. They are usually a little more docile and won't show their true colors until later. If you don't already, you might want to purchase a crate to give him a den to feel safe. (I use a collapsible wire crate with a slide-out tray.) It will also help him stay out of trouble when you aren't around. You might want to line it with one of your tee-shirts or sweatshirts so that he can bond with your scent quicker. A good safe chew, like a Nylabone, will help him direct his energy in an appropriate way.

If you can find a reputable trainer who uses positive reinforcement, it will help build his confidence and establish you as the alpha. It is also an excellent way to socialize with other dogs in a safe and controlled environment.

I hope you have many, many good years together. Thank you for considering a rescue.

[Python]

Fortunately Max won't be left on his own for too long. My husband doesn't usually start work until the afternoon (he works mostly afternoons and evenings) and I only work mornings. My son is in most days except 3 afternoons per week when he goes for his dialysis. On the rare occasion that there would be nobody home, Max can come to work with me. He came to work with me for a couple of hours last week. He just lay down by my desk and was as good as gold. My boss loves dogs and has a Boxer pup (he last dog was also a Boxer and died of pretty much the same thing as Sadie had).

We have left Max on his own in the house while we were working in the garden. He stayed in his favourite spot and was no problem. He's got some endearing ways about him. In the morning he doesn't move even when our alarms go off. However, as soon as one of us speaks he comes up on the bed and licks first me, then Graham. On Sunday he also licked the cat to her disgust

We have found out he is very protective (typical GSD). We took Max for his bedtime walk. First a drunk young man passed us in the same direction. As he went past he kept saying "Sorry mate". For some reason he was walking down the road with his hands on his head Max growled at him. Not long after that we bumped into someone we know so stood chatting for a while. Max just sat patiently waiting. As our acquaintance turned to go, he raised his arm in a wave. Max jumped up with a growl and grabbed his sleeve That worried me considerably on one hand, but on the other I know no-one will dare raise a hand to any of us when Max is around. I spoke to my vet's dog trainer and she said that GSDs go into guard mode at night and she reckoned he'd misinterpreted the raised arm and thought our acquaintance was going to hit one of us.

Max is getting on well with the cats now. None of them run away from him any more and he has struck up a friendship with Blue and also our old cat Lucy. Blue winds himself round Max's legs. Max just wags his tail and tries to lick Blue.