I got this GSD bitch about 6 months ago to do schutzhund with. When I went out to look at her for the first time she seemrd like the perfect dog, very confidant and obediant to her owner and we got along well when I handled her.I decided to get her and a week later she was brought to my house. She was fine till her owner left. Then she wouldn't let me touch her. She would just stand there and bark at me. I just gave her time and sat and talked to her and offered her treats. 2 weeks went by and she was still the same. Then one day she got out and headed for home at a dead run. I got in my car and followed her from a distance till she fell down exhausted. Taking her back home was the first time I'd touched her since I got her. Now she is very attached to me and shy and cautious of other people, so she wouldn't be good at schutzhund. I keep her because she is a nice pet.Can anybody tell me why she changed and will I ever get her confidance back.

Truth be known, she probably wasn't a confident dog to begin with. The reason she seemed that way with the previous owner was the bond they shared. You can build some confidence and a bond between you and your dog with obedience.

Shy/nervey dogs do better when they have been obedience trained because instead of walking around going "Oh my god, oh my god the sky is falling" they know what you want them to do (ie Sit fifi).

I know from the sound of things you go off to a lousy start. Is there something she really likes? Fetch? Frisbee? Food?

I hope she is past the point of barking at you from across the room...

Welcome aboard Tanya.

I do feel for GSDluver, she may never get back to the level of confidence that you saw with original owner, but with plenty of TLC she may be better then just a couch potatoe pet.

I had a cocky little bitch at about 18 week old, she would play tug of war with me and my then 16 month on male GSD. I thought she had a bright future but one day I was too hard on her in obedience training doing the down. She never was the same. I felt I had ruined her.

But she now at two years old she loves bite work (she very handler protective), excels in agility (climbs stairs better then my male), jumps out of the Cherokee and will jump back in through the window, swims better then the male and her Ob is at the proofing stage (continously). She not as impressive as the male you could see he had promise, but because I blow it, it took longer for the female to come around.

Usally a GSD is not a one owner dog, he/she will come around after you bond with them. When you get a chance, build a bond so you can walk her on lease feed her treats and practicing OB, this will build her confidence again. I would also suggest socailizing her. After bonding with OB get her around people and dogs that are doing what you want her to do, my female learned a lot from my male dog.

Continue to push gently into the direction that you want, if she has the right stuff it will began to show. By the way does she come from good/meduim stock?

A lot of apparently confident dogs turn out not so when they get away from familiar settings and people. She sounds like she is starting to bond to you. JUst take avantage of that and slowly get her used to strange people and places. As others have said start with positive obedience at home. Everything should be positive, positive,positive.

Thanks for the advice She is much better now but still a big baby when I ask her to do stuff. She just lays down and acts like I just beat her. If i try and work with her in the house she pee's everywhere. I have been taking her to many different places and now she thinks that everytime she's near a car she gets to go for a ride. She never barks anymore just looks then goes on about her business. I have a lab mix that acts like a GSD. When I play rough with him, my bitch will try and get between me and him like she's sort of protecting me but she won't do that with people. She is Kimon V. Dan Alhedy's Hoeve SchH3 on top and Bayron Vom Welpenheim on the bottom. I don't know much about these lines but I don't think I like them. Thanks again for all your kind advice.

GSDluver

Sounds like things are going well, she still a pup right now so don't expect much from her especially during this re-bonding stage. In her Ob make sure you praise her really good and give her treats when she comes really fast and sits at your feet. Make her think that she the greatest thing since peanut butter.

Going by her blood line she has a fair blood line, Sch 3 is not easy to acheive (I have not looked up their pedigree line via internet). But she doesn't sound like a Pet store pup. But you can't always go by whats on paper, I've had helpers tell me that some 1.5 year old GSD (with paper work that would cover a wall) ran behind their owner when appoarched in a threaten manner, I don't know about that I have seen a powerful look 1.5 - 2 yr old Dobie cower behind his owner when I was helping (he did it too fast, he didn't get to see me run away, and it didn't matter when he did, his fore head would wrinkle and thats' it. I couldn't help much back then, this dog was taught don't be a Dobie be a lap pup). Sorry about injecting some my own personal failures.

But when you get to this stage find a good helper, go by and see him work. See if he can turn someone else shy or frighten dog into a Cujo (and back again), there are so many loop holes that can make you fail be careful and wise. Make sure he not a breed specific helper, some want to sell you a dog.

It is important to watch him work with a new or young dog (new to the aspect of aggression that is) because an experinced dog can make anybody look good, (like a rag doll in a tornado).

Right now along with Ob start inject some play drills. Like in the back yard just you and her play fetch with the ball and tug of war (let her win), praise her for winning. In the end always let her keep the tug for a while.

Everything she does that different like swimming in swallow water and chasing frisbies helps her gain confidence and your approval. Pretty soon she will struting around the queen of walk, maybe.

My female is still afraid of Lawn mowers (While its running, she torn up my mower when I left it in the back yard once)and vaccuum cleaners. She will pop ballons after she notice the male popping them and is ok with gun shot if I'm close to her. I don't have a lot of free time so you will probably come out a lot better.

I think I forgot to mention she's almost 3. Will this have any effect on her retraining? thanks

GSDluver

At 3 yrs old she can start to come into her own, faster then if she was still a puppy. Though she seems to be acting like a puppy, she lacks confidence like you said.

I think its time for some tuff love, when she rolls over make her sit and stay if you training. Don't let her play victim while you are training her, snap your finger or clap your hand and say "Molly sit, stay". Now when she does praise her scracht her stomach then, and then back to training. The Dog (at 3 yrs. old) should not be shown pity, but you will get praised for the right actions and corrected for wrong action.

After Ob session break the stress, and Play ball with her, call her name and shake the ball up high and in front of her face and back up high.
If her tails wags and her back stays up high and head lowers. Or she starts jumping or prancing around you got her. GSD are so smart she may bring it right back to you, if not use the come command and before you take the ball out her mouth tell good girl and praise her up. Then say "Give it", as you gentle pry the ball out her mouth (with Male) the female may give it to you or place it at your feet. You select which is acceptable, let her know the way you want it and she will not depart from it.

At three once she know what you expect and that she can't laid down on you she should start to develope. Most GSD become a problem because they don't understand the Job, you want them to do. Once the understand they seem to enjoy doing it. Even just being a watch dog, you tell them good boy/girl they seem to have this look of pride on their mug.

If she starts to develope, buy some of Ed tapes on how to building prey drive and how to bring it out. The tapes are better then writtings because you can see what needs to be done, rather then trying envision it. Though a lot of dogs are Sch 1 or 2 titled at 3 yrs old, you may still have a chance I don't think a dog ever stops learning. You have set an high goal, I think any where close you would still be a success, even if she just turn out to be a good Obedience/Agile/protective pet.

There is some good stuff here to help.

Lesson learned, though. Best not to evaluate a potential working dog in his normal comfort zone.