Quote: Amy VandeWeerd

He circles me over and over again. When we are walking, he doesn't whine (but circles)

Hey Amy, Vince was very much like this when he first came to us. Just add crawling up and no leash required. He was bursting with energy and he too had just been neutered, never would have known it.

On our first remote mountain hike, I thought a dog like him, who’d been in a small urban back yard for the first 10 months of his life, would be in his glory, exploring the new terrain and all the wonderful smells. Nope - all he did was crawl up and dance around me – not fun and left a few bruises.

My other boys were out there busy being dogs and it quickly dawned on me, this dog face wasn’t going anywhere near the ground. He didn’t know how to be a dog, more specifically, use his nose. He seemed to be conditioned to humans only (not in a good way with him).

Had I noticed this earlier, I would have started with some nose games before we ever went on a hike like this. We might as well have been walking around my back yard and OMG was it irritating.

We started hiding his meals (he’s never been a treat guy). A chicken thigh out in the open but slightly under a bush, behind a piece of wood, under the stairs. He would give me the strangest looks and even use his feet to touch it first. It was a foreign concept to him to actually put his nose down to the ground and explore something.

I'd never experienced this before and we often don’t know much about the past of these rescues. Stuff we assume and take for granted, things that should have been a natural part of development, sometimes haven’t entered the picture.

I wonder if some stimulating nose games might be something that Dieks could benefit from too along with all the other great suggestions you’ve got.

CJ, that is Dieks too! He doesn't smell at all. Nose games are a really fun idea. We will try a few little games this afternoon.
I think you hit it right on the head with

 Quote: CJ Barrett

I'd never experienced this before and we often don’t know much about the past of these rescues. Stuff we assume and take for granted, things that should have been a natural part of development, sometimes haven’t entered the picture.

I have to remember that even though he is fairly well balanced for living his life on a chain in the yard, there is going to be a LOT he is just learning about.

Just be careful once it kicks in – Vince is a sniffin’ machine now. And there’s a balance you’re looking for.

But yes, it was a big step in introducing him to his new life and opened up a whole new world for him.

I chickened out on biking today But I did let Dieks out of my grip to play fetch and I found he prefers a rolling ball much more than a thrown ball. He actually ran after it hard! I hid a few venison sticks around the yard and casually strolled by them and boy was he excited when he found them He even sniffed AND peed on 2 light poles tonight! He's still a bit whiney, but seems a little better. Short training sessions have begun as well. He's a quick study and we are having lots of fun so far. Lets hope the whining decreases as the training continues.