Behavioural Topic - Anxious Dogs

In this latest behavioural article from our resident expert Lisa Hird she describes one of her case studies. You can learn more about her work on her website: https://www.dogbehaviourclinic.co.uk/

Lisa will also host a monthly Q&A session in our new Friends of GSD Welfare group - you can find out how to join our group here: https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/become-friend-of-gsd-welfare.html

Anxious Dogs

Dogs that are anxious or worried are sadly often labelled as "stupid". But unless a dog is relaxed, she won't be able to learn.

Freya would usually follow me around the house as soon as I moved. In the early days of adoption, she found it difficult to not follow me and it could have easily escalated into separation distress! 

We practised, one step at a time, me moving away while she didn’t move! We used a simple hand signal and literally took one step each time, slowly building up the distance, setting her up to succeed. I was able to ask her to “stay” while we were outside, using just the hand signal we had been practising inside.

Unless we tackle the underlying anxieties and stress, dogs are not able to learn. We no longer teach obedience, we teach life skills, and being relaxed and staying where she is, is very much a life skill for Freya.

Suzanne Clothier (https://suzanneclothier.com/) tells us to ask the elemental questions. 

If your dog is unable to do what is asked of him, check the following:

How is this for you? 

Can you?

May I?

Can we?

Above all, be patient and set him up to succeed.

Discover more useful articles including health, behaviour and general care topics in our archive here: https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

Elda's Progress - Six Weeks

This is the last of the catch-up progress videos, so future updates on Elda's progress should be more timely!

Elda has been here 6 weeks today and she is coming on nicely. The changes in her behaviour and confidence are noticeable improvements. She interacts more, with toys, the environment around her, and with me. She's also starting to show glimpses of quite a character hidden underneath, just waiting to come out. I am still not touching her. I open the gate to the run and she comes running out and really makes the most of her playtime. ❤️❤️

Debbie Hill

Puppy Care - Clicker Training

We highly recommend clicker training.

Clicker training uses a distinct and consistent signal to mark a desired behaviour and then follows that signal with a motivating reward.

Click = treat.

The click pinpoints the desired behaviour precisely so your puppy will learn desirable behaviour amazingly quickly—often from two or three clicks.

The clicker provides a consistent, non-emotional marker so your puppy always receives the same information, no matter who is holding the clicker.

Clicker training is used to teach/learn new behaviours. Once the behavior is learned, the clicker is not needed any more for that behaviour—although praise and treats can still be used.

Whenever you want to train a new behaviour, or fine-tune an old one, use the clicker.

For now, you will be clicking and treating every single repetition. Clicker training can be used to “capture” a desired behaviour.

If you see your puppy sit down, click and treat. Repeat each time and then add the cue – Sit. No need to use luring or repeated requests for the behaviour.

If you find it difficult to manage a clicker, treats and watch your puppy, a word or hand signal can be used instead of the clicker.

A thumbs up sign can work well for some dogs – just use it instead of the clicker.

My marker word (and one used by many trainers) is “YES!.” So, when my dog does something I would like to see more of, I just use the word “YES”. You can use any word you wish if you are consistent.

Discover other useful care and training articles in our archive: https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

GSD Welfare Fund Bumper Stickers

You can now share your support for the German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund to the world with these two bold and eye-catching designs. All profits from their sale are donated to help fund our mission to rescue, protect and rehome vulnerable German Shepherds throughout the mainland UK.

The bumper stickers measure 29 x 9 cm. Postage is £1 within the mainland UK, please contact us if you want to deliver to a different region.

If you have any queries then please email gsdwfonline@gmail.com

GSD Welfare Fund Bumper Sticker - 10 GBPRescue GSD Onboard Bumper Sticker - 10 GBPBoth Bumper Stickers - 20 GBP

Dickie's Diary - Mr. Snuffleupagus

Hi there my fellow pupstars! Dickie Hill back and I'm happy to report that it's all wonders and marvellous toys for me at the moment. Look at this new toy mom gave me today. She laid it out, calling it a 'snuffle mat' - something to explore with my nose apparently. I didn't find much - just a few treats. 

That was way to easy to be what it was really for. And then I realised how it was supposed to be played with - it was for running with. So off I zoomed, and ran a tour of the garden with my brilliant new toy.

Thanks Mum! 🐾🐾🐾

My bearded chronicler says that my diary entries are now being archived on a special blog page - you can find them, and other interesting posts here:  https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

Appeal for Brodie's Ear Surgery

Meet Brodie, he's a six year old male German Shepherd who's suffered persistent ear infections since he was taken into Welfare after his owners could no longer care for him.  

Despite repeated attempts from vets to heal and prevent the infections, nothing has been successful. His quality of life from the constant pain was such that euthanasia was his remaining option.

The opportunity for drastic ear surgery at the Christchurch vets in Ipswich are his last remaining chance for a life without constant pain. The operation was completed this week, and Brodie is recovering well, and we're hopeful that it will improve his life as we'd hoped.

Such operations are expensive, and while we never want to worry about price for a dog's health and happiness, the vet's bill still needs paying. To help pay for this we have created an appeal to raise the £3200 needed. We hope that you can help raise this money, and any donation - big or small is greatly appreciated.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/brodiesearsurgery

Tia's Pupdates - Gotcha Day Tomorrow!

Hello everypawdy! Tia here with a really exciting pupdate. Can you believe that tomorrow is my first gotcha day? I will have been with Welfare for one year tomorrow. It seems such a long time ago that I ran loose in farmers' fields before the hooman trapped me, but in many ways, I remember the fear so vividly that it could have been yesterday. Anything could have happened to me, and even when I was trapped, I remained afraid, but this time of the unknown.

I needn’t have worried because I've settled really well here, and I've even made friends. Rodney is my best friend - although we don’t physically mix, we are neighbours and I cannot wait to get back to my kennel to be next to him. I did wonder why the hooman didn’t let us run together, but she said that it’s because she cannot put a collar or lead on Rodney yet, so if he tried to hurt me (although she thinks he is as besotted with me as I am with him) she would not be able to stop him without a lead.

She said it is called erring on the side of caution. It’s a shame she doesn’t err on the side of caution a bit more often as she is always getting things wrong!

I am still not too happy around people but the hooman says it takes as long as it takes. She said given the trauma I have been through she is not surprised.

To celebrate my gotcha day, I will be doing a live in the new Friends of GSD Welfare group. I am not sure what I am supposed to do, and strangely, the hooman looks a little bit uncomfortable with the idea as she said she never knows what I am going to do next. I don’t know why she doesn’t have faith in me. She said that I might possibly get some treats so I shall really look forward to that. Although, I have to tell you, she is one of those that breaks a treat in two and thinks I've been fooled into believing they're two treats. How stupid does she really think I am. She has promised me this won’t happen tomorrow though.

I really look forward to seeing you in my live tomorrow if you are a Friend of Welfare. Bye for now …. Rodney is calling me. Love Tia ❤❤❤

Discover how to become a Friend of GSD Welfare for only £3 per month  here: https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/become-friend-of-gsd-welfare.html