For me, just strangers. I think my GSD would rather have my daughter pet him then me. I've become a big fan of fostering indifference to people in my dogs. The key for it has been distance in the beginning.

Have you ever heard of two-ball? Its a way of playing that wears your dog out with out too much effort on your end.

No I haven't heard of two-ball.

My Mali doesn't ever seem to get worn out, LOL. But right now I am trying to do the isolization and not play with her so she is especially frustrated with energy. She has played with my dad's GSDs for hours, and they are the first ones to quit, and days, and she is still ready to go. Although after a day or more of that, she will lay down to relax more willingly. If you get up and get the ball she is still ready to play.

I think this isolization part is especially hard on her because she cannot play. I also think that within one day of doing it, she has learned to hold her pee when I take her to "go pee". I usually take her outside after a meal or after a drink, and she goes right away. But today, she has ate and drank and I have taken her out, and she won't go. I'm pretty sure she has learned that she gets to come out when it's time to pee, so I have to take her out more if she doesn't go right away. (Since I don't want her to have an accident inside). I hope that makes sense. It's hard to explain...

Oh, I just thought of something. Will a muzzle make her whine less while in the cage? Or will it just piss her off more? If we could have a muzzle on her, we could put a blanket or pillows down in the cage to make it more comfortable with out her chewing it. Good idea or bad?

Thanks!

I am a big believer of the whole "social isolation" thing with adult dogs having issues. BUT she needs some serious exercise right now too with all of that anxious energy she is exhibiting.

A good form of little contact exercise is a bike ride. She just runs. Take her for a couple of miles and then put her back up tired. Do it twice a day if she can take it/needs it.

And I would say NO on the muzzle. It will likely stress her out more and if it is tight enough to keep her quiet, it is tight enough to not let her pant.

A bike ride would be great... if my bike had not been stolen before we moved... lol Maybe I can borrow one from someone... Thanks for the advice!

 Quote: jessicakromer

I am a big believer of the whole "social isolation" thing with adult dogs having issues. BUT she needs some serious exercise right now too with all of that anxious energy she is exhibiting. ... .... And I would say NO on the muzzle. It will likely stress her out more and if it is tight enough to keep her quiet, it is tight enough to not let her pant.

Ditto ditto ditto.

I know I keep repeating the exercise thing ad nauseum. In this situation, this is a top priority, IMHO.

"I usually take her outside after a meal or after a drink, and she goes right away. But today, she has ate and drank and I have taken her out, and she won't go."



I'd wait. Just wait her out, and make sure she really goes. You do not want or need another issue (accidents).

Remember that the dog is experiencing a traumatic life change, just as you are.

On top of that, she has new people who are afraid or anxious or otherwise negative around her.

I'd be spending a lot of time outside with the dog and me, with loads of exercise. This would be one of my top priorities.

In a nutshell, you throw 1, she brings it back, you throw the other one. Getting her to drop the first one can sometimes be a little tricky. With my Rott I kinda changed it a little and only used 1 ball and included some obedience.

I walk a straight line throwing the ball to the side. Sometimes I have him sit when he gets it, sometimes I down him when he gets it, then recall. It goes to the left and then the right and after a while he could pretty much hand it off to me as he ran by. The sprinting tires him physically and the ob keeps him thinking.

"I know we aren't in the best situation to be training, but it has to get done ASAP."



Training, yes. A new scary home filled with tension is maybe not the perfect place to start the social isolation phase right this second. There are higher priorities. JMHO, and not everyone will agree.

NILIF and pack leadership and tiring the dog and keeping her on lead and keeping her at a comfortable distance from the new housemates who are afraid of her (or vice versa) for now ... those would probably be my priorities at the moment.