pollylolly Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Jed is 10 months old, he is a GSD X - rescue reckoned wolfhound but no one can see that ?? he is not huge and looks very GS but it quite streamlined on his body, no shoulders really. After a couple of days out with a lovely lady and her collies he is now able to, and loves going, off lead. Last week we had a friend to stay, her son is autistic and it did not go well, poor Jed did not know what to do so reluctantly we put him in kennels for two nights, he seemed fine and kennel owner said he had eaten well and he came back looking great. Tonight at training he was really bad to start with, baying at the other dogs, an occasional growl but barely nothing major - and he looked and acted REALLY stressed, the trainer thought he looked stresed and had lost weight. I must admit to seeing that now she has pointed it out. and the shine is missing off his coat She also said he should NOT be running with other dogs until he is at least a year old. So lots of questions here, is he ok to run with other dogs ? we are thinking of a second dog as he really loves doggy company and this is the most unfriendly dog area in the country. Would he still be showing stress from a week ago, I picked him up from kennels on Friday and we spent a lovely afternoon in the park with the kids and he had been fine at home. the stress incidentally from the time spent with the lovely lad who squeals and flaps all the time NOT the kennels lol He is eating ok, if anything he is leaving a few bits of kibble and he is due worming in a week or two - so its not that that is causing him to loose weight. I wil pop into the vets and get him checked out but any advice on the stress, walking and another dog would be very much appreciated Plan for tomorrow is a huge bowl of his fave pasta and sardines and on from there ! Thanks for reading Linda xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redditchlady Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Firstly how long have you had Jed for?? I read he was a rescue GSD X. Sorry to be blunt, but if ever these friends stay over again do NOT kennel your dog. The first thing you are teaching your dog is that he takes second best, and visitors are a threat and he has to go away. You should try to teach Jed and reassure him that ALL visitors that you let in are nice. You should also educate your visitors to sit down and let Jed come to them in his own time. It's not easy taking on a rescue dog. And the fact that the one visitors is Autistic is a lot for Jed to take in. However I have a cousin that is Autistic and Max, my almost 12 year old learnt to cope with Jonathan. Jonathan makes a lot of strange noises, rocks a lot back and forth etc. Max was only 6 months old when he met Jonathan, but plenty of treats and praise does the world of good. It is a trait of GSD's to bow and have a bark/growl. Regarding his coat, have you changed his diet at all recently?? He may be just "throwing" a moult. I think your trainer is worried about Jed's joints regarding the running with other dogs. GSD's and a lot of other large breeds should not be over exercised at an early age. They are renowned (sp) for HD, and CDRM. I have been brought up with GSD's and have 2 now. Yes I must be mad. I hope I have helped a little bit. I would certainly take Jed to the vets for a check up if you are in the slightest bit worried about him. It just says it all that you are a caring Mum. If nothing else the vet will reassure you. Let us know how you get on. Piccies wouldn't go amiss either. Kazz xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pollylolly Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Thanks , we have had him for 2 months and he is a poppet, but still at the mouthing stage - and normally their is no way I would evict a family pet for a visitor however the visit was arranged long before we got Jed and we thought it would be fine as the wee lad coped ok with our cocker lad (whom we lost recently at a very young age - thus getting Jed ). As far as I'm aware he has not been in kennels before - and we used our homecheckers kennels ( who recommended this board to me) and he came home from there fine. There has been no change in diet - he is on CSJ with odd bits added like cheese, or oily fish and he seems happy enough on it. At times he will walk away and leave a bit of kibble in the bowl so I'm sure he is not being underfed. He seems a lot happier today - I'm wondering if training class triggered thoughts of last week when as you say he probably felt pushed out ? he is a great dog, still a pup in every way but adores other dogs and there is NO ONE around here that we meet that is willing/able to walk even occasionally. Thanks for the help - I need to go to the vets with the kitten so will take him with me and get him weighed and a quick check but he seems much better today - I do wonder if the sumer hols are over stimulating him with all the kids off as he is happy as Larry when its just me and him lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Sorry to be blunt, but if ever these friends stay over again do NOT kennel your dog. The first thing you are teaching your dog is that he takes second best, and visitors are a threat and he has to go away. The dog won't think anything of the sort. They don't think that way, and how would he know that visitors were coming? He may not settle in kennels, which is a different issue, and it is perhaps a little soon for seperation, but there are times when compromises have to be made between the interests of human beings and animals. We rarely have family round since we have got the dogs, but when they all come, the dogs go into kennels, which is best for all concerned for various reasons, and I would seriously resent anyone telling me my dogs take second place, given the attention they get for 99.99% of the time. Sometimes people have to come first. Pam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redditchlady Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 The dog won't think anything of the sort. They don't think that way, and how would he know that visitors were coming? He may not settle in kennels, which is a different issue, and it is perhaps a little soon for seperation, but there are times when compromises have to be made between the interests of human beings and animals. We rarely have family round since we have got the dogs, but when they all come, the dogs go into kennels, which is best for all concerned for various reasons, and I would seriously resent anyone telling me my dogs take second place, given the attention they get for 99.99% of the time. Sometimes people have to come first. Pam Ok I will agree to disagree with you on this one. If there is a single dog in the home, it is so much easier to "work around" people visiting, than have to use kennels. Back on track, plenty of praise and treating when Jed meets new people. Jed sounds a lovely lad, and it is early days since adopting him. Please let us know how you get on. Kazz x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pollylolly Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Pam thanks for that, I felt so guilty any ways. But the fact is that even someone who HAS an autistic child only really has an insight into any other autie child and this one is severly A bless him he is a lovely lad but we were scared that Jed would nip in play but that with the sceaming and flapping it would be so much worse. he is a lovely pup, big and full of life and there are times when we are going to have to use kennels - hopefully next year when they return he will be older, calmer and better trained lol and we can then 'work around it' all thanks for the advice off to make him more pasta ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlmckay Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 Pam thanks for that, I felt so guilty any ways. But the fact is that even someone who HAS an autistic child only really has an insight into any other autie child and this one is severly A bless him he is a lovely lad but we were scared that Jed would nip in play but that with the sceaming and flapping it would be so much worse. I actually think it was quite sensible of you to kennel Jed. An unknown dog and an unpredictable child? It's what I would have done. Um, I wonder about the not running with other dogs until a year old? Perhaps not 10 mile hikes up Ben Nevis, but I don't think the odd romp in the park will hurt. I know that dogs' joints don't fully firm up until they're around 18months but I never heard of one doing damage through just running?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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