Just adopted an Australian Shepherd dog....with past abuse issues. Please help me!!?

Curtis, who got a thumbs down for absolutely no reason that I can see, is absolutely correct.

Many of the herding breeds react this way when they are poorly bred with unstable temperaments. This is the shame that bybs should have about breeding these dogs.

You are great for taking one of these poor things on, and your bf does need to have more patience with this dog. However, the three of you enrolling in an obedience class would actually help here. The dog will learn to trust someone of authority who is not threatening, if all the interaction is paired up with a positive or pleasant sensation. This is a common method to help these fearful dogs cope with their fears. It conditions them to relate all new things with good thoughts because they only get good rewards. Treats are good, play time is better for a herding breed. You could couple 15-20 minutes of sit/stay with the reward of a game of tug toy at the end of the session.

To coddle these dogs is not the right thing either. By coddle ,I mean calling attention to the fearful behavior and rewarding it by paying more attention to the dog. The dog then learns to associate this behavior with treats and attention and it gets worse instead of better.

You may want to do some research on fearful herding breeds-you will be amazed at what you discover! I am still learning a year later.

The dog probably was never abused...Many dogs with weak nerves aka fearful dogs are most afraid of men. We're bigger, more imposing, and have deeper voices. A lot of people (who have absolutely no idea what they're talking about nearly 100% of the time) at the shelters assume "Oh he's been abuuuuuuuuuused! Probably by a maaaaaaaaaaan. Poor babbbbbyyyyyyyyyyy!" and regard the story as fact and keep on with it. Now if the dog WAS abused by a man? So what? Is your boyfriend that man? If a woman abuses a dog is it afraid of all women but okay with men? No. This is simply a case with a fearful dog, who thinks men are scarier than women (and probably thinks women are pretty scary too). Your boyfriend should put the dog on a leash and regular collar. He should sit on the couch, leash in hand, and a bag of treats while watching TV or something of the like. Whenever he thinks about it, he should give the dog a treat and a "Good boy". Your boyfriend should bring up the most happy thoughts and memories a dog could imagine. After a while he'll warm up to your boyfriend but what about other guys? Now this part requires more discipline than love and treats. The dog has gone through obedience so it knows what sit means. When another guy comes over, put the dog in a "Sit" position and have the guy walk past. If the dog moves, give a leash correction with a choke collar, say "NO" and put him in the sit position again. Do it until he sits, and stays, even when the strange guy walks right past him. When he does right, give him a treat. If he won't accept the treat (which he might because he'll be afraid) give him praise. You can NOT take the fear out of a dog. But you can train a fearful dog, and you can become a respected pack leader to the dog. Most of the time the confidence of knowing who's boss, and what's expected of him, is enough to make a dog come out of it's shell....if not, at least now he'll tolerate visitors after you do the drill with the strange guy walking past him because he's fully obedience trained! If you have any questions or concerns feel free to e-mail me.

Your BF needs to be patient and not force the dog to interact with him. This means no petting, don't look at the dog, don't talk to the dog. He can try sitting on the floor with his back to the dog and some really tasty treats (preferably when you are not in the house, or the dog will preferentially follow you rather than interacting with him). He should toss him treats, slowly reducing the distance between him and the dog, and not reaching towards the dog, looking at it, or talking to it. Once the dog will eat treats out of his hand, he can try to pet it, gently, on the shoulder. This is the most non-threatening place to touch a dog. With time, he will be able to interact with the dog in other ways, but for now he needs to concentrate on being as non-threatening as possible. He needs to have patience and realize this could take a while, if he rushes the process the dog may never warm up to him.

properly i don't be attentive to approximately getting her a doggy, it is going to likely be too energetic and he or she won't have the time/capability to manage it if her hubby is ill. you're able to take a seat and check together with her as to what she expects interior the dogs. If she needs a dogs to be her different dogs... she is probable nevertheless mourning for the different one. She would have unrealistic expectancies for the hot dogs. She what she plans to do with it. Will she walk the dogs? play with it? prepare it? i might purely help her seek for one IF she supplies to take it to a preparation type. If she would not decide to coach it then i would not do it. however if she would desire to provided it with a loving domicile, if human beings round her think of the dogs is impolite they'd generalize to all Aussies or all canines are the comparable way. i might additionally clarify to her in case you do rescue a dogs that it will fee slightly extra then 30 although that's saving a existence. maximum shelters the fee of the adoption is tax deductible too. i think of many shelters (a minimum of around here) canines at the instant are not over 2 hundred, until they're fostered in a house. whats up there is an theory for you. See if there is an Aussie rescue group she would be able to foster for. final analysis: make optimistic she has lifelike expectancies for the dogs. She would not in basic terms desire the hot dogs to be the previous dogs. make optimistic she plans to a minimum of take it to a preparation type and supply it applicable workout. have faith your intestine. in case you do not think of it would be a stable concern for the dogs, then politly refuse.

I too have an aussie. Remeber aussies are naturally reserved with people-and this can become more obvious in situations like this. Don't force the interaction-as other posts have said it would be a good thing for your BF to feed your new boy, walk him, treat him, ball throw for him-play tuggy if he can etc. Don't forget to ensure that your aussie does not become too fixated on you-another aussie trait-they are not called velcro dogs for nothing, ensure that you greet your BF before you greet your dog for instance. Good luck with him though they are a great breed!

It should get better in time. You may want to try having he and your husband spend time together... not necessarily playing, etc... because I'm willing to bet he won't play with him just yet. But just put them in a room together and leave them. Your husband can even sit there and read or something. Just something so that the dog can get used to be around him in a calm situation... realize that it's alright. Gradually, your husband can go from just being in the same room as the dog, to giving him a light pat on the head from time to time, to petting, to cuddling, etc... Basically, take it one step at a time, and once he feels comfortable with one situation, then up it a bit. You may also want to try being in the room with your husband at times, so in order for him to be around you he has to be around your husband. And when he sees you trust him, he'll be more likely to trust him too.

You have the right idea, connecting your bf to good things is important. He should carry treats with him all the time and give them lavishly. I would have your bf take over all feeding also. Dogs are naturally loyal to their food source. If you can arrange it I would have your bf spend time alone with the dog so that the dog can't just go to you and ignore him.

Don't worry, dear.

your dog will eventually trust your BF someday when your BF shows that he's trustable. He should begin spending more time with the dog.

It'll all work out in the end.

=]

Take care.

You're right, you dog just needs time to adjust to your boyfriend and learn to trust him.

Both of you need to relax and give the dog some time for him to warm up to your boyfriend.

The dog is sensing your boyfriends frustration and that isn't helping him warm up to him.

My oldest sister had a German Shepherd/Collie mix that lived to be atleast 15 years old and he hated men all of his life.

When her and her husband first met, Hobo couldn't stand her husband (he actually urinated on his leg once). Hobo eventually came around and when it came time for her to make the decision to let Hobo go because he was blind and full of tumors, it was her husband that held him as he took his last breath.

Your dog isn't going to warm up to your boyfriend over night, but it will happen.

Instead of trying to bribe him with treats, why don't you have your boyfriend take him for walks or, if your dog likes them, rides in the car.

Maybe your dog will warm up to him more if he associates the fun stuff with him.

Congratulations on the newest member of your family and good on you for going with adoption!

Good Luck!