This is the second day of ownership of our rescue GSD. Thus far he has ZERO interest in balls, kongs, sticks, anything. He doesn't want to play whatsoever. Furthermore, I took him for a walk last night, and he was lagging behind pretty quick. He USED to be quite overweight. He is no longer, although he could stand to lose a few pounds.

The rescue society claims he's about five, but I highly doubt that, judging by the grey in his muzzle, and his severely worn teeth. I will take him to my vet on Monday to get his take.

Is it possible the dog is just plain old, or is he suffering from a lack of an active previous lifestyle?

RELAX.

Give the poor dog a chance to settle in. Imagine YOU just landed in a new country; the last thing you want to do is go on a whirlwhind tour of everything with your new best friend, that you met, like, yesterday.

If, 4-6 wks after you have settled him in, bonded with him, shown him the ropes a bit, and he still doesn't have any desire to interact, then question his drives. Till then, get to know each other, do some positive work with focus, and socialize. And crate training.

He doesn't even know you yet. He is a rescue. Give him a little time and slack. He'll brighten up. Could be he doesn't know how to play, and it can be something you can show him....later, after he settles in.

Congrats on the new arrival <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

QUOTE: Could be he doesn't know how to play, and it can be something you can show him....later, after he settles in END

Great comments!!! My present rescue was 100% everything Melissa is saying (except he's young), and he was almost a lapdog for a couple of WEEKS. Maybe it was even three weeks.

As the good diet kicked in, and the regular exercise, not to mention the "work" of learning general obedience and being rewarded (and any dog can be a working dog in that sense.....a dog with a job! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />......well, he became a different dog. The regular routine, learning that he had a pack leader, having his health looked after -- these things are immeasurable.

I have also had two past rescues who were WAY older than five ("seniors") who had been given up because of health issues. Those guys too, despite their age, looked better and had more energy and focus two years after they came than they had when they were two years younger.

Nothing special here..........just what everyone on this board provides: discipline, affection, the best food and care, exercise........the things that rescue dogs often have never had.

Oh -- and the correct weight can make for big changes, too. Aching joints feel better; respiration improves; energy goes up.......

Sorry this is a little long. People who rescue deserve all the encouragment they can get (and it's all true, too).

Congratulations, btw!

I got my last dog wjen he was 6. He had been kept in a small kennel since he was 9 months old. The first time I walked him he laid down after 1.5 blocks and didn't move for 5 minutes. He was so accustomed to being in a small space that he had no stamina. Also my dog didn't know how to play with toys. He later understood the concept but still had no interest. I'd slowly increase ativity and work on building interest with food. Good luck!

WTH? I typed this LOOOOOOONG reply . . . and . . . it evaporated. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />


So, what I was saying (in a nutshell), was that I may be overreacting due to some mistrust of the rescue society. They've said & done some things that have not quite sat well with me. I suppose I'm letting that jumpiness spill over into my current attitude.


The dog is healthy, and fairly well behaved. He's growled at my kid, and chased by cat, so there IS work to do, but it's work I look forward to.


I've been reading the articles here for roughly 4-5 years off and on, so you'll probably see a good deal of me now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Ah . . . that's what happened. Preview post. Ack. By the way, thank you for all of the feedback thus far, it's helping to settle my nerves a bit. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

 Quote:

So, what I was saying (in a nutshell), was that I may be overreacting due to some mistrust of the rescue society. They've said & done some things that have not quite sat well with me. I suppose I'm letting that jumpiness spill over into my current attitude. .......
I've been reading the articles here for roughly 4-5 years off and on, so you'll probably see a good deal of me now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Well, you've picked the right place! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'd try to put the rescue society behind me. If you're committed to this dog, then he is what he is, and whatever the rescue society did or said is over. (If you're not committed, and considering whether or not this decision is final -- whole 'nother story.) So now! No matter what his age, he's new to you, and that (for me) means starting with the basics. With every rescue, I start from the long first walk (the establishing-who's-the-pack-leader walk) and I go through every basic obedience routine. You'll see what can be skimmed through and what needs more work. I really do recommend assuming that the dog has had no good training and starting from there -- there will probably be pleasant surprises, but this way minimizes the UNpleasant ones.

Yup, you're right: It's good work. And as the relationship is established and the daily training goes on, THEN his energy, play drive, etc., can be assessed. Melissa and Pamela made all good and true comments. Rescue has been 90% of my dog experience, and most of the dogs have been at their absolute worst in the first few days and weeks, steadily improving over time.

I have been with rescue now for 2 years, and have fostered approx. 8 dogs, each one being sooooo different. The one thing that I have noticed is it take a minimum of 3 weeks before the poor soals settle into a new home. As far as the teeth go, they can throw you off if the diet was bad, and the poor guy didn't recieve proper care, it can be very difficult to judge the age. The grey muzzle can also happen early in life. One female that I rescued also has a grey muzzle, but she is about 4 to 5 years old to the best of knowledge.

I can completely understand a rescue pissing you off, it has me on quite a few occations. I guess for me I just keep thinking I want to save the breed, and so many of these wonderful dogs are given a short end of the stick. People just don't know what they are getting when they adopt a GSD, most are trying to be cool..... I have one rescue here that was surrended to a vets office, he is a petstore pup.... The person that bought him didn't know he was going to get so big. I got him at 11 weeks old, the vet was threatening to put him to sleep..... After two years in rescue, and seeing what rescues can do good and bad, I have decided to work on my own. I figure it this way, there are so many dogs that need help, the rescue I work for prides themself on saving NY dogs, when in the past month I have seen 3 GSD from NY get put to sleep because no one was saving them. Yet I see this rescue is getting younger dogs from other states. Rescue is hard work, and takes alot of time and energy, and yes you get pissed off.

Congratulations and good luck with your new GSD.... And thanks for saving one of these wonderful dogs.

 Quote:

..... I have one rescue here that was surrended to a vets office, he is a petstore pup.... The person that bought him didn't know he was going to get so big. I got him at 11 weeks old, the vet was threatening to put him to sleep..... After two years in rescue, and seeing what rescues can do good and bad, I have decided to work on my own. I figure it this way, there are so many dogs that need help,

Kay, he was never in danger of being put to sleep. It's all right here: 11 Week Old Pup NYC I guess you forgot.

Aaron, you may want to give your new dog time to settle in. I adopted a totally unsocialized male about 2 years ago and when I first got him he was so terrified on walks he wouldn't go to the end of a 6 foot leash. He didn't know anything about playing with toys. I took him to the park many evenings to play ball and ended up throwing the ball and then going and getting it myself while he watched. It must have been quite a sight! Eventually he caught on and loves to play now. The female I adopted last year has a lot of gray in her muzzle but was only about one. Sometimes it's hard to tell how old they are.