After a long summer, I hope all of you are doing fine, we have been renovating here, so have had zero time for myself! But we have come a few strides with Jazz, tho I doubt he will ever accept a house as a home!
So far he still will eat his poo, when peeved, and he still stands in a show stance constantly, but let's loose more times than stancing as long as too much isn't going on!
He is sitting and laying down with hand signals almost 100%, my voice or any female for that matter, throws him off, but I do add my voice with the signal, just so he realizes I still said so!
He still refuses treats and food til late at night, and will chug water only once in the morning, I do not allow water after 11, which is when he wants it most, as I want him to eventually see it is available all day, so his loss if he chose not to have any un til then.
He has seperation anxiety, so we do crate him still, as he tends to pull things off the window sill if left alone, so now is always crated when we leave, and when we cannot take him outside with us.
We have had a few run in's with bears, he has zero guard mentality, so stays leashed on walks so when I see one, he can't block my escape again! (Was biking, and he blocked my tire when I tried to turn back)
All in all, he has not really relaxed as of yet, but he has only been here 9ish months, and has had a lot to accustom too, we can take him out cutting wood leash free, he just has yet to learn that he does not need to be up my rear everywhere we go..all in all, with a lot of discipline on myself, and patience, he has been great to work with, it is just too bad he has not really let loose yet! Hope you all are enjoying your fall! We finally got to -20 windchill here, so I finally am getting my winter!
Edited for spelling! Cut my nails. I was born with fat thumbs!

Hi Becky. I was re-reading the first thread you started here back in April of this year, just to refresh my memory. I'm glad to hear you are making progress, albeit slowly.

There was discussion in your April thread about Jazz's many broken teeth, and some of our board members felt that may be a big reason for his reluctance to eat. I know you had to fly him to a vet for the puncture wound emergency, and that vet said there were indeed several teeth broken or worn down to pulp, and you mentioned taking him back in July. I'm just curious if anything was ever done about his bad teeth.

Thanks for the update. Stay warm. I can't imagine going through winter in your part of the world. You are very courageous!

Oh I love the weather nothing better than a nice winter!
After a few diff vet visits, we found his reluctance to eat was due to him being accustomed to eating so late, he absolutely refuses to break his 11pm habit, so does go a few days a month without eating, but he has gained 10lbs, so we are not worried. Two vets stated as long as he is eating, his teeth should be left alone, as when checked they said he was not suffering from any apparent pain, and the gums still looked really healthy, and that his eating issues was more behavioral rather than a physical issue.

Another vet said she wouldn't pull them, but would do root canals on them, to which I declined. I check his mouth weekly, and will be keeping a close eye on him.
Does anyone have any clue on how to train him to give us space? Is he ever going to get more doggy? He still doesn't get that he can wander and sniff, and is constantly just standing behind me.

I guess he will be stuck with that on the job attitude? I am thinking since life was nothing but shows and crates, that he just refuses to go beyond that mentality. It has made marker training come to a stop, I only just ask the basic sit, settle down and potty words, I hope I am doing right by just letting him learn to examine his surroundings before starting to work with him!

If the upper canines are broken below the gum line it can create serious sinus infections but I'm guessing your vet knows that.

None are up to the gums, they checked each one, there are 4 I want to come out, but we have to wait until we fly down next, I had requested them but he ended up getting a sandfly bite in his nostril, and it took almost a month to clear up so we ended up having to cancel.
The vet who comes here refuses to touch his teeth, they claim the machine they need can't plug into our walls here, so I won't waste my time with them. I do know he has teeth that have to go, but if you saw him after 11pm every night, you can see he is just so stuck on the routine he lived with, that he is having trouble accepting that this is what he gets now.
He will eat and drink fine now if we leave the room, I don't think he is accustomed to having anyone around. But we now have it so we can walk in and out after he starts eating, we pay no attention to him, and just putter around, it has worked, and he now just looks to see what we want, and than continues with his meal. We have to feed him in the porch right now as it is the quietest area, but hope to have him in the kitchen once the reno's are done. On a high note he is not noise sensitive, and as long as strangers do not make eye contact initially, welcomes new faces. I so far do not let anyone touch him, unless supervised, as he dislikes the annoying baby voices people make..but than again so do I!

BoB, everytime we have a chance to talk about his teeth, they end up refusing treatment, so far this year he has had a foot infection, nose infection from bug bites, and than he ran onto a bear board..he is not the sharpest tool in the shed for sure, but he has his days when it is just him andthe problem with the vets I have taken him to, is they don't want to remove that many teeth. I see 9, they see oh, well he is healthy looking now so why make him go through with the removal. They prodded his teeth and he made no move to show discomfort, so they write it off as the horse ain't broke yet.

On a high note he has realized sitting is allowed now he sits before the leash goes on, may take a few seconds, but does it on his own, and knows he only leaves the pen when he sits, we still have him dragging a lead, as he is not used to the leash dragging.
From what we received, to what he has accomplished so far, I myself think he s learning a lot, accepting, and more than before, let's himself go a bit, to just be a dog..I damn those who put such a dog through such seclusion tho, nothing should start their life at 7!
We even accomplishe d a few leg lifting pee's this weekend now if only he would try that in my yard ( we were out cutting wood, loves to pee on the 4wheeler trails, but is screwed in his own yard, I blame it on the neighbors dogs that keep coming here all hours of the night to crap and piss!)

If the vets are ok with his teeth and you don't see a reaction when they prod the teeth then I'm guessing they are ok.

If the dog seems uncomfortable or you see sores in its' mouth or any teeth are broken below the gum line I say he's ok.

If you have access to another vet then that might help your worries.

On the leg lifting pee. Is the dog neutered? That can inhibit some dogs from doing the leg lift but usually not unless they are neutered young.

Bob, I had him neutered when we agreed to take him, so he was 6 1/2.
I am still looking for a vet we are comfortable with, after 4 opinions being the same, I am going to be looking for his best interest/ who he is comfortable with. He seems to dislike them touching him, I make him know he has to deal with it by holding his head area, but most here, if they can't make a quick buck, write you off.
We in the end want him to be doggy. I know he will never save my butt, protect my kids, or even run from a house fire, we all just want him to be himself..or learn he can be a dog. Tho he does a damn good job when I off trail it and he stops and physically says eh, I ain't walking through that snow lmao

Work with markers on having him stand still when strangers put their hands on him.

It's just a matter of working up to it.

Mark and reward for staying calm with a stranger close to him.

In time, let them get closer and eventually work up to where you mark and reward for hands on from a stranger touching his ears or whatever.

We did this with my brothers Presa. He got the dog at 3yrs old and was told nobody could do the dogs nails with out hog tying him.

Vets wouldn't do it and neither would a number of different groomers.

He would just go into a rage and got to where he wouldn't even allow anyone to touch his feet at anytime.

With marker training it was a matter of a couple of weeks till the dog was laying on his side relaxed while we did his nails.

I seriously believe that with markers you can get a dog to happily accept whatever behavior you want form them.