Shutdown for Shelter Dog?
December 2, 2015 1:44 PM Subscribe
Has anyone else done a "two week shutdown" with their new shelter dog? Although our new pup (35 adorable pounds of dachsund and possible beagle) will whine at the gate to go on a walk, he definitely gets stressed out and intense while we're walking him, and the shutdown would mean that we only let him outside in the yard for the next couple weeks. Would that be too frustrating, or just the relief he needs?
After a roller-coaster first week, we've realized that when the shelter recommended "decompression time", they weren't just telling us to postpone any raucous house parties. He's been an affectionate and adorable champ in a lot of ways, but his leash behaviour has been erratic and escalating during the long walks we've been taking, and he's been reacting to things he would have ignored a week ago (regularly hyperfocusing on other dogs, but most recently, jumping up and nipping at the puffy coat sleeve of a kid walking by).
Another Metafilter comment brought the "Two Week Shutdown" to our attention, and it seems like it might not be too late to start that process and try to give him a better opportunity to de-stress and settle in.
Some proponents of the shutdown recommend keeping the dog on a leash even while in the house, and keeping it crated most other times. Although he's been really great at chilling in our bedroom with toys, he's not a fan of the crate we've kept in there. Is it going to negatively affect the shutdown if we let him keep hanging out in the bedroom, as well as roam freely in the house for an hour or two of dog time in the morning and evening? (Our roommate has two cats, so we're letting the animals split the house time until we think they're ready to be acclimated to each other.)
So far, we've tried to use positive reinforcement; we've taught him his name and encouraged him to sit for snacks, which he's been pretty good at. I read several of the recommended dog books (Patricia McConnell, Victoria Stilwell, Jean Donaldson), but they weren't about this introductory phase as much as they were about general behavior and training, so we might have already overdone it by trying to keep him busy when he really just wants to chill.
After a roller-coaster first week, we've realized that when the shelter recommended "decompression time", they weren't just telling us to postpone any raucous house parties. He's been an affectionate and adorable champ in a lot of ways, but his leash behaviour has been erratic and escalating during the long walks we've been taking, and he's been reacting to things he would have ignored a week ago (regularly hyperfocusing on other dogs, but most recently, jumping up and nipping at the puffy coat sleeve of a kid walking by).
Another Metafilter comment brought the "Two Week Shutdown" to our attention, and it seems like it might not be too late to start that process and try to give him a better opportunity to de-stress and settle in.
Some proponents of the shutdown recommend keeping the dog on a leash even while in the house, and keeping it crated most other times. Although he's been really great at chilling in our bedroom with toys, he's not a fan of the crate we've kept in there. Is it going to negatively affect the shutdown if we let him keep hanging out in the bedroom, as well as roam freely in the house for an hour or two of dog time in the morning and evening? (Our roommate has two cats, so we're letting the animals split the house time until we think they're ready to be acclimated to each other.)
So far, we've tried to use positive reinforcement; we've taught him his name and encouraged him to sit for snacks, which he's been pretty good at. I read several of the recommended dog books (Patricia McConnell, Victoria Stilwell, Jean Donaldson), but they weren't about this introductory phase as much as they were about general behavior and training, so we might have already overdone it by trying to keep him busy when he really just wants to chill.
We got a dog from a shelter a few months ago—we picked her because she seemed extremely calm and unreactive to the other dogs at the shelter. For about a week she was quiet, affectionate, and so creaky we thought she must have been older than the shelter had let on.
Then a switch flipped and she hated other dogs, people, etc., to where it became nearly impossible to walk her.
We went to a trainer who has, so far, been a miracle worker—he took the dog for two weeks, while we were out of the country, and we've continued the training stuff ever since. Now she's great.
The two things he's drilled into our heads:
1. "Go to place." Give the dog a bed or something—as opposed to a crate, where it doesn't have to focus on or see anything—and teach it to go there on command and stay there until you let her off. I don't know how he did the training—moving her over there himself manually until she got it, I think—but she loves it there and it gives her a place to go when things like visitors who would have overwhelmed her before come into her field of vision.
2. Quick, sharp, and small corrections. We were dragging the dog away after she'd started barking and hopping out of her leash at other dogs; now we pull up very quickly on her collar when we see her face change, or when she strays from our side during walks, etc. She knows exactly what her job is and even when she's overwhelmed it's clear she knows what she's supposed to do.
I don't think we could have taught her these behaviors ourselves, but now that she understands them she's a different dog—still full of energy, but much less anxious and aggressive.
posted by Polycarp at 2:41 PM on December 2, 2015 [4 favorites]
Then a switch flipped and she hated other dogs, people, etc., to where it became nearly impossible to walk her.
We went to a trainer who has, so far, been a miracle worker—he took the dog for two weeks, while we were out of the country, and we've continued the training stuff ever since. Now she's great.
The two things he's drilled into our heads:
1. "Go to place." Give the dog a bed or something—as opposed to a crate, where it doesn't have to focus on or see anything—and teach it to go there on command and stay there until you let her off. I don't know how he did the training—moving her over there himself manually until she got it, I think—but she loves it there and it gives her a place to go when things like visitors who would have overwhelmed her before come into her field of vision.
2. Quick, sharp, and small corrections. We were dragging the dog away after she'd started barking and hopping out of her leash at other dogs; now we pull up very quickly on her collar when we see her face change, or when she strays from our side during walks, etc. She knows exactly what her job is and even when she's overwhelmed it's clear she knows what she's supposed to do.
I don't think we could have taught her these behaviors ourselves, but now that she understands them she's a different dog—still full of energy, but much less anxious and aggressive.
posted by Polycarp at 2:41 PM on December 2, 2015 [4 favorites]
Dachshunds are notorious for being very, very stubborn. Most of the time you can't even get them to do the things they want to do. They are very loyal, loving dogs, though.
Feed your pup in the crate, and fill it with the best toys. Make it a positive place to be (you don't have to lock him up in the crate, just try to associate it with positive things).
Our vet also recommended teaching the dog the "settle" command (some trainers call it the "place" command) where the dog goes to particular place to settle down. This could be a crate, it could be a big comfy dog bed .... whatever works for you.
Also, dachshunds generally love to burrow and feel exposed and vulnerable when they can't burrow. Does your dog have a the ability to burrow? Like a big blanket or a snuggle bag? If not, you may want to set up a situation where he can burrow. Just don't let him get stuck in a sweater.
posted by Ostara at 2:48 PM on December 2, 2015
Feed your pup in the crate, and fill it with the best toys. Make it a positive place to be (you don't have to lock him up in the crate, just try to associate it with positive things).
Our vet also recommended teaching the dog the "settle" command (some trainers call it the "place" command) where the dog goes to particular place to settle down. This could be a crate, it could be a big comfy dog bed .... whatever works for you.
Also, dachshunds generally love to burrow and feel exposed and vulnerable when they can't burrow. Does your dog have a the ability to burrow? Like a big blanket or a snuggle bag? If not, you may want to set up a situation where he can burrow. Just don't let him get stuck in a sweater.
posted by Ostara at 2:48 PM on December 2, 2015
What kind of crate is it? Our half-Dachshund won't go into a regular plastic dog carrier no matter how much you push her, but we have a wire kennel to use as a crate and she considers it "home" and goes in just fine. I think the difference is that she can see through it.
posted by mmoncur at 3:06 PM on December 2, 2015
posted by mmoncur at 3:06 PM on December 2, 2015
Our recent adoption has a ton of anxiety, and the recommendation we got was to set her up in whatever safe space she chose; in our case, she spent most of her time in the bedroom, so we put her crate and all her stuff in there. We feed her in the crate and try to encourage it as a safe space, but we don't force her to stay in there except for overnight. We were also told that trying to keep her on the leash all the time could be counterproductive, but her problem was more that she was afraid of everything and wanted to get away from it.
We did stop taking her on walks because she just couldn't handle them, so we let her outside to do her business and she can spend as much time as she wants in the back yard. She seems happy with the situation as it is, and we were told not to push it too hard because it could end up backfiring, so we let her do her thing and she's slowly coming around.
posted by backseatpilot at 3:24 PM on December 2, 2015
We did stop taking her on walks because she just couldn't handle them, so we let her outside to do her business and she can spend as much time as she wants in the back yard. She seems happy with the situation as it is, and we were told not to push it too hard because it could end up backfiring, so we let her do her thing and she's slowly coming around.
posted by backseatpilot at 3:24 PM on December 2, 2015
Response by poster: So, it sounds like it's not going to permanently damage his psyche if he doesn't go on walks for a couple weeks? He's a burly little dude who definitely has energy, but we can work on getting him to play ball in the backyard and house in the meantime, if it would help.
The crate is wire and the ones they used at the shelter were plastic, but I've draped blankets over it and put a diggable thick blanket inside to encourage him to go in. The diggable blanket should smell like him. We haven't focused on crate training yet because we thought we should be working on leash stuff instead, but maybe we leave leashes and walks for later, and work on bonding and simple fun training for now?
He has a little sheepskin mat that he likes to curl up on and drag around, so we can work on training him to go there.
posted by redsparkler at 3:50 PM on December 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
The crate is wire and the ones they used at the shelter were plastic, but I've draped blankets over it and put a diggable thick blanket inside to encourage him to go in. The diggable blanket should smell like him. We haven't focused on crate training yet because we thought we should be working on leash stuff instead, but maybe we leave leashes and walks for later, and work on bonding and simple fun training for now?
He has a little sheepskin mat that he likes to curl up on and drag around, so we can work on training him to go there.
posted by redsparkler at 3:50 PM on December 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Oh, and he has three or four blankets to burrow in, and sometimes we play the adorable game where I drape a blanket over him and he prances around with it. The snuggle bag looks awesome, though.
posted by redsparkler at 3:51 PM on December 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by redsparkler at 3:51 PM on December 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
Qualifier: outside my professional life I've been rehoming and fostering animals, mostly dogs, since 1998.
I'm not a fan of crating, if that means closing the door on the crate. It has a weird reputation for successfully promoting behaviors that are only supported anecdotally. House training is usually what people say it's helping. Many dogs will,though, pee in their crate (desperation? social deprivation? fear? who knows, it just happens). The linked article suggests that crates give dogs a sense of having a safe space to go to, but... most people don't meanI see a good number of dogs through shelter rehoming that have very apparent anxieties about crates, which I tend to guess is a sign that they've been crated quite a bit more than they could handle.
That article suggests a crate with the door open in an otherwise baby-gated room, which is itself a much better situation: your dog can go to the crate if he chooses. In that case, though, a crate isn't providing anything special that's provided by the cozy blankets you mention he has.
Speaking very generally here, it may be good to keep in mind that sometimes dogs simply don't have the personality we had in mind for them. They develop in their own ways. The two-week shutdown, though, isn't something that I've come across before. I've never had a recommendation to keep a dog from taking walks, not from trainers or vets or foster associations. Our working premise is the opposite: control the raucous parties, yes, but give that dog as much walking and situational socializing as he's up for! ANd even then, you may simply have a dog who's jumpy around puffy jackets. Our 9 year old mutt still dislikes the sound of plastic tarps moving in the wind, even though she's been around those things quite a lot over the years. It's just her thing. Keeping her on a leash, indoors, without walks for several days or weeks wouldn't have changed that.
Your pup is adorable. Take the advice of strangers with a grain of salt--mine included--but especially if they have a catchy name or feel weird to you or leave you with questions about how the approach will work with your dog's idiosyncracies.
On a parting note, one thing that I think more people should consider: pay for your dog to go to doggy day care now and then, or to have a dog walker pick them up a couple times a month, or otherwise give them opportunities to socialize with other dogs and people without you around. Foster folks will tell you that some dogs get really protective of being around only their human guardians and no others (for instance), and that can make for problems down the road. But with dogs and their socializing, "more is more give me more!" is the best general rule.
Good luck!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 4:29 PM on December 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'm not a fan of crating, if that means closing the door on the crate. It has a weird reputation for successfully promoting behaviors that are only supported anecdotally. House training is usually what people say it's helping. Many dogs will,though, pee in their crate (desperation? social deprivation? fear? who knows, it just happens). The linked article suggests that crates give dogs a sense of having a safe space to go to, but... most people don't meanI see a good number of dogs through shelter rehoming that have very apparent anxieties about crates, which I tend to guess is a sign that they've been crated quite a bit more than they could handle.
That article suggests a crate with the door open in an otherwise baby-gated room, which is itself a much better situation: your dog can go to the crate if he chooses. In that case, though, a crate isn't providing anything special that's provided by the cozy blankets you mention he has.
Speaking very generally here, it may be good to keep in mind that sometimes dogs simply don't have the personality we had in mind for them. They develop in their own ways. The two-week shutdown, though, isn't something that I've come across before. I've never had a recommendation to keep a dog from taking walks, not from trainers or vets or foster associations. Our working premise is the opposite: control the raucous parties, yes, but give that dog as much walking and situational socializing as he's up for! ANd even then, you may simply have a dog who's jumpy around puffy jackets. Our 9 year old mutt still dislikes the sound of plastic tarps moving in the wind, even though she's been around those things quite a lot over the years. It's just her thing. Keeping her on a leash, indoors, without walks for several days or weeks wouldn't have changed that.
Your pup is adorable. Take the advice of strangers with a grain of salt--mine included--but especially if they have a catchy name or feel weird to you or leave you with questions about how the approach will work with your dog's idiosyncracies.
On a parting note, one thing that I think more people should consider: pay for your dog to go to doggy day care now and then, or to have a dog walker pick them up a couple times a month, or otherwise give them opportunities to socialize with other dogs and people without you around. Foster folks will tell you that some dogs get really protective of being around only their human guardians and no others (for instance), and that can make for problems down the road. But with dogs and their socializing, "more is more give me more!" is the best general rule.
Good luck!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 4:29 PM on December 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: give that dog as much walking and situational socializing as he's up for!
My concern is that he's overstimulated and can't manage his excitement yet, and doesn't know us enough to listen or be comforted by our presence, no matter how many treats or happy words we try and give him. We took him on a road trip down to California just a couple days after bringing him home from the shelter, and although he seemed to enjoy his sniff-filled country walks, now that we're back in the city every walk seems much more stressful for him and us. He'll fixate on figures that look just a little bit different (sitting at a bus stop, wearing a puffy coat, carrying a bag), and has started lunging up at them more than he did last week. I'm wondering if getting him that excited every single day can possibly be healthy for his little dog brain right now, especially since he probably hasn't had a stable place to live for at least the last month.
If corrected sharply or physically redirected (lifting him up and pointing him in another direction), he tends to freeze and move in slow motion for the next couple moments afterwards, which seems similar to the behavior shown here.
posted by redsparkler at 4:59 PM on December 2, 2015
My concern is that he's overstimulated and can't manage his excitement yet, and doesn't know us enough to listen or be comforted by our presence, no matter how many treats or happy words we try and give him. We took him on a road trip down to California just a couple days after bringing him home from the shelter, and although he seemed to enjoy his sniff-filled country walks, now that we're back in the city every walk seems much more stressful for him and us. He'll fixate on figures that look just a little bit different (sitting at a bus stop, wearing a puffy coat, carrying a bag), and has started lunging up at them more than he did last week. I'm wondering if getting him that excited every single day can possibly be healthy for his little dog brain right now, especially since he probably hasn't had a stable place to live for at least the last month.
If corrected sharply or physically redirected (lifting him up and pointing him in another direction), he tends to freeze and move in slow motion for the next couple moments afterwards, which seems similar to the behavior shown here.
posted by redsparkler at 4:59 PM on December 2, 2015
Hi, I'm the person who recommended the two week shutdown in an earlier thread. I don't think you need to keep your dog crated the whole time, though, especially if he's not already crate trained. Besides being a comforting place (which will come with time), the crate is intended to solve a few different problems - housetraining issues, destructive behavior, barking/whining/pacing, getting into garbage or other things, etc. It prevents your dog from making bad choices, so your dog doesn't get rewarded for them and so that you don't have to correct your dog.
For me, a few weeks after I got my dog, I thought it would be OK for me to walk out the front door to the driveway to get something out of my car without crating her. Dog flipped out, jumped over the baby gate, and threw herself into the window (destroying my blinds) wanting to know where I was. Crating was an absolute necessity because my dog would otherwise go crazy with separation anxiety. Or when visiting other people, my dog seemed happy and energetic, but was actually just an anxious wreck and wouldn't stop pacing (I don't think she would sit or lie down at all until the fourth or fifth visit). Crating her gave her a chance to calm down and stop moving when she didn't understand how to calm herself down.
But if your dog's comfortable in the bedroom and isn't having acidents or destroying anything, great! Keep the crate, and feed your dog his meals in it so he likes it more, and try giving him awesome snacks like frozen kongs in his crate, but if the bedroom is already his den, there's no need to force the crate.
I think the leash thing can vary. For my dog, it causes an immediate shutdown exactly like that video you posted. She finds being on a leash inside extremely punishing, I think because it's too much pressure. It would work well for dogs who are always wandering and getting into stuff, or having accidents in the house.
Some things you can do if you're worried about exercise, that are low-pressure for your dog:
- Scatter his meal around the room and let them search for it. I would crate my dog while scattering the food, and then let her out, so she knew it was a game we were playing, but I wouldn't stare at her or pressure her to get the food. I just let her do her own thing. Later I would point out food she had missed and now she thinks I'm magic and I can get her to sniff at any random spot on the ground if I say "look" and point.
- If your dog is reacting fearfully to new objects outdoors (plastic bag in the yard that wasn't there before, statue, etc.), you can set up practice situations. Let your dog out of the bedroom and have something new on the kitchen floor. Let him approach at their own pace, and reward him every time he approaches. You can do the same thing outside in the yard. You can also do this with having you put on a hat or a puffy coat or whatever else is bothering him, but act totally neutral. Don't look at or talk to the dog, but reward if he approaches.
- Go through the protocol for relaxation. This teaches a dog that no matter what weird thing is going on around him (knocking on door, you jumping around like a maniac, random people running by), sitting or lying down is a great option and always rewarded. You can do it on a mat or bed too.
- Any other clicker training, food puzzle toys, scent detection games, etc.
He's adorable, btw! If it makes you feel better, a lot of shelter dogs are heartworm positive and have to have their exercise severely limited for months after they're adopted.
posted by autolykos at 6:07 PM on December 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
For me, a few weeks after I got my dog, I thought it would be OK for me to walk out the front door to the driveway to get something out of my car without crating her. Dog flipped out, jumped over the baby gate, and threw herself into the window (destroying my blinds) wanting to know where I was. Crating was an absolute necessity because my dog would otherwise go crazy with separation anxiety. Or when visiting other people, my dog seemed happy and energetic, but was actually just an anxious wreck and wouldn't stop pacing (I don't think she would sit or lie down at all until the fourth or fifth visit). Crating her gave her a chance to calm down and stop moving when she didn't understand how to calm herself down.
But if your dog's comfortable in the bedroom and isn't having acidents or destroying anything, great! Keep the crate, and feed your dog his meals in it so he likes it more, and try giving him awesome snacks like frozen kongs in his crate, but if the bedroom is already his den, there's no need to force the crate.
I think the leash thing can vary. For my dog, it causes an immediate shutdown exactly like that video you posted. She finds being on a leash inside extremely punishing, I think because it's too much pressure. It would work well for dogs who are always wandering and getting into stuff, or having accidents in the house.
Some things you can do if you're worried about exercise, that are low-pressure for your dog:
- Scatter his meal around the room and let them search for it. I would crate my dog while scattering the food, and then let her out, so she knew it was a game we were playing, but I wouldn't stare at her or pressure her to get the food. I just let her do her own thing. Later I would point out food she had missed and now she thinks I'm magic and I can get her to sniff at any random spot on the ground if I say "look" and point.
- If your dog is reacting fearfully to new objects outdoors (plastic bag in the yard that wasn't there before, statue, etc.), you can set up practice situations. Let your dog out of the bedroom and have something new on the kitchen floor. Let him approach at their own pace, and reward him every time he approaches. You can do the same thing outside in the yard. You can also do this with having you put on a hat or a puffy coat or whatever else is bothering him, but act totally neutral. Don't look at or talk to the dog, but reward if he approaches.
- Go through the protocol for relaxation. This teaches a dog that no matter what weird thing is going on around him (knocking on door, you jumping around like a maniac, random people running by), sitting or lying down is a great option and always rewarded. You can do it on a mat or bed too.
- Any other clicker training, food puzzle toys, scent detection games, etc.
He's adorable, btw! If it makes you feel better, a lot of shelter dogs are heartworm positive and have to have their exercise severely limited for months after they're adopted.
posted by autolykos at 6:07 PM on December 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
Um, I really wouldn't crate a new dog for two weeks with no walks. WTF? Exercise releases endorphins and reduces anxiety and generally tires them out.
There's a learning curve to every new furry addition and the first few weeks are kinda hard while you're figuring it all out and stressed with the thought of making things worse. You're not going to solve everything today, tomorrow, this week, or this month.
But I do think you should enroll in a very good local positive behavior class (NOT PETCO OR PETSMART OR ANOTHER BIG BOX LOCATION) and have the trainer do an assessment and a few private sessions. It'll boost your confidence, help you learn each other's language and know that you're on the right track. Really, it'll be money very well spent if you do your research on the trainer and class method.
posted by barnone at 12:46 AM on December 3, 2015
There's a learning curve to every new furry addition and the first few weeks are kinda hard while you're figuring it all out and stressed with the thought of making things worse. You're not going to solve everything today, tomorrow, this week, or this month.
But I do think you should enroll in a very good local positive behavior class (NOT PETCO OR PETSMART OR ANOTHER BIG BOX LOCATION) and have the trainer do an assessment and a few private sessions. It'll boost your confidence, help you learn each other's language and know that you're on the right track. Really, it'll be money very well spent if you do your research on the trainer and class method.
posted by barnone at 12:46 AM on December 3, 2015
Our 2-year old rescue rat terrier mix gets destructive if he doesn't get A LOT of exercise. I thought 2-4 miles leash walks were good enough until I took him to a big dog park, where he runs at top speed almost constantly and otherwise loves meeting and playing with other dogs. He comes home exhausted--and happy--and well-behaved.
When we get home, he likes to spend an hour or two in one of his self-chosen, go-to places, to be alone and perhaps reflect on his adventure. And nap. (We don't have a crate.)
Our older border collie hated encountering other dogs on walks--and was once rejected by a doggie day care for being too miserably anti-social--but the dog park has really improved her socialization. Mostly now she simply ignores other dogs rather than stressing out, though occasionally she'll approach one that for whatever reason she's decided she likes. Which is a big change for her.
So... google around and see if there's a dog park in your area. It's made a huge, positive difference for both our dogs.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 5:28 AM on December 3, 2015
When we get home, he likes to spend an hour or two in one of his self-chosen, go-to places, to be alone and perhaps reflect on his adventure. And nap. (We don't have a crate.)
Our older border collie hated encountering other dogs on walks--and was once rejected by a doggie day care for being too miserably anti-social--but the dog park has really improved her socialization. Mostly now she simply ignores other dogs rather than stressing out, though occasionally she'll approach one that for whatever reason she's decided she likes. Which is a big change for her.
So... google around and see if there's a dog park in your area. It's made a huge, positive difference for both our dogs.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 5:28 AM on December 3, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks, folks! We've scheduled a dog trainer to come by the house on Saturday to do a two hour assessment and help us strategize. I'd love to be able to let him run around at a dog park, but he grabbed onto another dog's ear while on a walk earlier this week, so I don't feel comfortable letting him out with a bunch of other dogs yet. It seems so easy for a situation to switch from "okay" to "not okay", and I'd hate to be responsible for anybody getting injured.
posted by redsparkler at 9:49 AM on December 3, 2015
posted by redsparkler at 9:49 AM on December 3, 2015
Great! There is a MAJOR difference between "calm and controlled walks on a leash with you" and "local dog parks" which often have their own issues. Walking on a leash (and learning loose-leash walking) is a great way to work their minds AND muscles!
In the meantime - look up Sophia Yin's videos. She was an incredible (and beloved) animal behaviorist and vet, and has posted many videos on how to get started.
posted by barnone at 12:24 PM on December 3, 2015
In the meantime - look up Sophia Yin's videos. She was an incredible (and beloved) animal behaviorist and vet, and has posted many videos on how to get started.
posted by barnone at 12:24 PM on December 3, 2015
Response by poster: Update: Looking back on this, I think it would have behooved us to drastically limit our dog's interactions with the outside world for the first couple weeks. Leash reactivity is super common for shelter dogs, and although we had some "positive" interactions on walks in the first week, his behavior quickly escalated.
Unfortunately, we didn't know him well enough at first to recognize the warning signs of his discomfort, so by the time we got the advice to walk him only in secluded areas, he had already developed a pattern of getting freaked out on walks, and it looks like it's going to be a long process to chill him out. That might have happened anyway, but it would have probably been a better idea to take it easy the first few weeks. We were overwhelmed by the million and one things to do with a new dog, so it was hard for us to recognize the real priorities for our specific dog.
posted by redsparkler at 12:46 PM on February 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
Unfortunately, we didn't know him well enough at first to recognize the warning signs of his discomfort, so by the time we got the advice to walk him only in secluded areas, he had already developed a pattern of getting freaked out on walks, and it looks like it's going to be a long process to chill him out. That might have happened anyway, but it would have probably been a better idea to take it easy the first few weeks. We were overwhelmed by the million and one things to do with a new dog, so it was hard for us to recognize the real priorities for our specific dog.
posted by redsparkler at 12:46 PM on February 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by COD at 2:13 PM on December 2, 2015