Hello to everyone and thank you for the thorough information and experience that is shared.
I have been reading the various topics of this forum for the past week and I was able to refresh some issues and learn others.
I have some dog training from the previous years I have owned dogs mostly GSD's, some where wit and others where thick, but we always got along and loved each and every one of them, quite recently I was relocated to the middle east (United Arab Emirates) everyone mostly knows it as Dubai, I adopted an 8 year old golden retriever, she was house trained and wonderful dog, however sadly she was dognaped while she was in the yard. After giving up on finding her I went to the shelter and decided on a GSD/Saluki mix 5months pup (grumpy), he is great looking, fun loving, affectionate dog, he got along with my kids immediately and he is showered with love.
Although he was born and raised in the kennel with the rest of the sad dogs, it didn’t take me much time to train him for the very basics as far as basic commands, and walking without a leash, no jumping and others all that was done in few months with a lot of concentration and dedication and huge amount of love, sometime he depended on me to protect him from traffic sounds or dark area's, music or tv sounds but he got through them great all that without any treats believe it or not he just doesn’t like them, although I tried all what is available in this market, however his best treat that he adores BBQ ribs, which I cannot have for him everyday
Anyway I have a harley bike with loud mufflers, and riding season just started here in this parts of the world, one week back I went home with my bike and grumpy just freaked and pissed himself and kept shaking for an hour after I shut it off and hiding in his house, since that time I have started the training procedure all over again but without any results all what was taught to him seems to got erased from his memory. Now he poops in his house which he never did before, maybe once or twice when we first got him, when he sees me he drops his ears, tail between his legs and shakes, I took my bike away and kept it at a friends house, but still the same, any sound now startles him, I took him to the vet for any illness but nothing is there. the worst thing is now he is afraid of anything that moves all he does is howl at night and hide the rest of the day, he hides between my wife's legs and behind my kids all of the time any one of us is with him, he still wags his tail when he sees me and heels when I get close to him and walks nicely on a leash only but scared of everything ears down and tail between the legs.
2 days ago my neighbor had some laborers coming in and out doing some renovation to his place, to my surprise one of the laborers was riding my daughter's bike which was next to grumpy's house and two others where trying to pet him and get him out of his house all that and nothing from grumpy but shaking and hiding at the furthest corner of his house which is a big house, although when I am there or any part of my family he growls and barks at strangers, but only when we are sitting next to him or he is on the patio with us, I called the police and they came to handle the laborers situation, but now I am sure that grumpy will be dognapped too sooner or later, because he cannot even protect himself, he is an outside dog although does get into the house every now and then and acts very nicely but he hates being inside, my yard is a huge yard, his house is just next to the patio, but he has a full view of who is coming in and out of my property, there is only myself and my neighbor in that complex, but that last incident just drove me crazy, is there anything I did wrong and is there anything I can do now before it is too late, or should I be prepared to go home from work one day and find him gone with other things laying in the yard. Dog napping is common here

Welcome to the Board Moe....

Is there any reason why you can't kennel him inside while you and your family are away during the day? Granted this may be something he doesn't care for, probably because he spent most of his young life "caged up" but if it is for his own safety and welfare couldn't you make an exception?

BTW, welcome to the board!

 Quote: robbinmann

Is there any reason why you can't kennel him inside while you and your family are away during the day? Granted this may be something he doesn't care for, probably because he spent most of his young life "caged up" but if it is for his own safety and welfare couldn't you make an exception?

BTW, welcome to the board!

That was my thought too. He has been traumatized and I'd probably want him not subject to people and events completely outside my control while I worked with his confidence.

hi there and thanks a lot for the advice, i had him in an unused room in the house, and that seemed to be a disaster

he is more scared now of me and the family, the room is full pee and poop, and he is drooling, the guy must be trrified, should i keep him like that or get him back out again, afterall he was more confortable outside, what i am seeing i realy feel bad in taking him back to the kennel again, so i will keep trying to work on his confidence by excersising if it works that would be great and if not so be it, there is nothing i can do more, i have to accept him as he is

thanks, i will keep you posted

 Quote: Moe Malhas

2 days ago my neighbor had some laborers coming in and out doing some renovation to his place, to my surprise one of the laborers was riding my daughter's bike which was next to grumpy's house and two others where trying to pet him and get him out of his house all that and nothing from grumpy but shaking and hiding at the furthest corner of his house which is a big house, although when I am there or any part of my family he growls and barks at strangers, but only when we are sitting next to him or he is on the patio with us, I called the police and they came to handle the laborers situation, but now I am sure that grumpy will be dognapped too sooner or later, because he cannot even protect himself, he is an outside dog although does get into the house every now and then and acts very nicely but he hates being inside, my yard is a huge yard, his house is just next to the patio, but he has a full view of who is coming in and out of my property, there is only myself and my neighbor in that complex, but that last incident just drove me crazy, is there anything I did wrong and is there anything I can do now before it is too late, or should I be prepared to go home from work one day and find him gone with other things laying in the yard. Dog napping is common here

It seems to me someone (the laborers) did something to him that terrified and/or hurt him. I can't help on how to undo the damage but if it were my dog, I'd keep him indoors and never let him out without me.

Good luck; having dognapping as a common occurence is just awful.

I'm sure all the other posters can help on how to rehabilitate Grumpy.

 Quote: Moe Malhas

hi there and thanks a lot for the advice, i had him in an unused room in the house, and that seemed to be a disaster

he is more scared now of me and the family, the room is full pee and poop, and he is drooling, the guy must be trrified, should i keep him like that or get him back out again, afterall he was more confortable outside, what i am seeing i realy feel bad in taking him back to the kennel again, so i will keep trying to work on his confidence by excersising if it works that would be great and if not so be it, there is nothing i can do more, i have to accept him as he is

thanks, i will keep you posted

Are you doing any kind of upbeat basic obedience training? How does the dog spend his day?

The best confidence builder I know for a dog who has reverted to fear of everything is structure and frequent short sessions of marker training with rewards..... always upbeat. Are you familiar with marker training?

In my opinion this dog needs a covered crate (not a room) inside your house where he can not only BE safe from harm and other things outside your control, but can also FEEL safe.

Don't leave your dog where he can be stolen or teased.

I have found obedience training to be wonderful for a dog's confidence, and agility is also great - like the others have said.

 Quote: Angela Burrell

In my opinion this dog needs a covered crate (not a room) inside your house

Angela, that's a great catch there. 100% in agreement.

mod delete


Edited by Connie Sutherland (12/13/2007 08:59 PM)
Edit reason: hijack