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Alplily
Posts:16
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| 12/06/2012 8:24 PM |
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I brought Marley the GSP (1-2 years old) home on Tuesday morning for a trial run. It's been a bit rough. He's sweet and gentle, but a bit hard to handle when he's full of ya-yas or stubborn. Unlike what I was told about him, he is NOT crate trained, NOT housebroken (he's marked a few times), NOT leash trained, etc. I am working on the crate (going OK, unless he's alone in the house), basic commands, leash training. But while I was expecting an adult dog, I think I have a puppy in a full grown body (in terms of training, focus, etc.).It's more than I expected to have to handle. I have trouble getting him to focus.
BUT, the biggest concern is the cat. I introduced them as recommended by letting each know the other was there while one was confined, and then swapping. But Marley is obsessed with the cat. At first I thought he was just overly curious and wanted to play, but he sometimes shows pointing behavior.
I have divided the house with a good gate, and wore him out the best I could at the dog park, but every time Marley gets a glimpse of the cat, mayhem, whining, and even pointing ensues... it doesn't help that the cat is a shy sissy, and skulks about. It would probably be better if she stood her ground and hissed and whacked him.
Input welcome! Thanks! I am worn out.
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Rose
MH
Posts:362
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| 12/06/2012 9:51 PM |
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| We adopted ours at 1.5 years. Give it time. A move can be tough for a dog. |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1197
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| 12/06/2012 10:02 PM |
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You're spot on, probably, about having a puppy in an adult body. Adopting is great, but it does often take a bit of extra work as you don't have the blank canvas a puppy can offer. You often (not always) have a dog that has had no consistency, little training, little reinforcement if there has been training, that comes to you with a set of learned bad behaviors (or just a lack of positive behaviors and understanding of what is expected) and habits.
Crate training, at his age may take a lot of time and patience. Though he isn't a puppy, many of the same tactics mentioned in a recent thread might be quite helpful (the meet Lucy thread I believe).
OH the GSP and the cat  Bella is pretty obsessed with our cat but more so in a "PLEASE oh PLEASE be my friend" kind of way. Georgie is coming around with her, but when was a pup we took things quite slow. The main thing is never to allow Marley to chase after the cat if the cat is retreating. If he chases, he is more apt to see the cat as prey (even if it is unintentional). Always make sure your cat has an escape whether it's a room the dog isn't allowed, or a high perch somewhere. When Bella was a pup, I would sit with her and give her a treat whenever the cat was around that she did not focus on the cat. It was great for two things...it worked her focus on me, and taught her it was just as rewarding to NOT pay any attention to the cat as it was to notice him. As Georgie got more confident, we laxed a bit on controlling their interaction so much. She thinks the nose batting is the GREATEST game ever (he has no claws, but will go for a nose bite if he has absolutely enough). He even darted at her for the first time the other day attempting to initiate play, but quickly realized he wasn't quite ready for her to charge back yet and retreated to a perch where he could nose bat safely (I do think this is his way of playing with her now, he taunts her often).
Good luck in your with him, and maybe he'll turn right around for you. Do what feels right for you (I think remember you saying this would be a trial). I also wouldn't hesitate to let the shelter know that you are quite unimpressed with their evaluation of him. One thing I love about our local shelter is their honesty. Rather than attempting to get pets out as quickly as possible (they are completely no kill), they aim to NOT have the pets returned and to put them in a perfect fit the first time around. I lived in other places with shelters that seemed to have an opposite goal. |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 12/07/2012 6:56 AM |
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| I have heard it takes 1-2 months for a rescue to relax and fit in once in a new home... keep at things as far as teaching just like you have a puppy... set up a routine and stick to it... as far as the cat... just make sure the cat has a few areas it can get to and be alone... |
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Alplily
Posts:16
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| 12/07/2012 7:40 AM |
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Thanks all. As hungry and skinny as he is, he is much more interested in the cat this morning than his breakfast! He only just got a glimpse of her. *sigh* The pointing worries me. I will be able to work on this a bit more over the weekend.
In regards to his other "puppy in adult body" issues, I think most/all are workable with a lot of time. He is smart and really wants to please. But I chose an adult dog because I simply don't have the time to take on a puppy. I'm worried I won't have what it takes to do right by him. He probably needs someone who can be at home full time for now, and I cannot! But I will not rush it... I'll give him some time as best I can. He really is a sweetie! He's a total Man-Dog and loves my male coworkers to death. I suspect his perfect life is riding around in a truck with his man on a ranch all day, with lots of outdoor time.
Thanks for your support!!! |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 12/07/2012 8:02 AM |
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| with the cat issue... more obedience training will help... I don't hunt but I do know that even when hunting you need to be able to give commands and your dog needs to listen and at times I am sure you have to be able to call your dog off something... especially people that live where poisonous snakes are cuz dogs can point them and you need to be able to call them off... |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7856
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| 12/07/2012 8:45 AM |
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Obedience will help with the cat issue, especially a leave it command. However, remember these are hunting dogs and as such are small animal sharp, especially if they have not grown up around small animals. I have 4 shorthairs and 2 cats, but all my shorthairs have grown up around cats. Even so with two of them when they were young I used the leave it command extensively. If they cat runs, that only exacerbates the problem. What does your dog do after pointing the cat? The pointing is not necessarily bothersome if that is all it entails, but if he is showing intensity with hackles up then I would be worried. All of my 4 shorthairs will go after a strange cat, but they do leave their cats alone. One of the things you should work on is making sure the dog knows that the cat belongs to you. Pick the cat up and pet him, talk to the cat etc where the dog can see that you are ok with the cat and that will help. Even still, I would not trust the dog with the cat just yet.
As for the rest, time and settling in should go along way. The other thing that helps allot is a routine. Being away from the dog is not so much the issue as is getting into a routine so the dog knows what to expect. Right now he is probably very uncertain. The things you are experiencing are pretty common with adult rescues which is why getting an adult is sometimes harder than a puppy. I think however that you can overcome this part of the challenge with a little time, allot of love and that routine. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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Smylinacha
Connecticut
MH
Posts:1208
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| 12/08/2012 5:30 PM |
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| Windsor was great with our cat but Velvet wanted to kill it all the time so we had to rehome the cat. Felt bad because the cat would always be hiding once Velvet came along. But we lucked out - have a friend who took the cat. Velvet was pointing too and then CHARGE and we tried for months to no avail. I do miss the kitty but I don't miss the litter box |
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Alplily
Posts:16
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| 12/09/2012 9:11 AM |
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He is still obsessed with the cat, but we had a decent few minutes last night. The cat appeared and held her ground on the stairs and growled and hissed at Marley (in a "Hey, wait a minute! This is MY house!" way) while I had him on a short leash. I kept rewarding him when he showed any sign of relaxing or switching his focus to me. It seemed to me that he was more interested engaging her in play than trying to attack her.
Marley has relaxed ever so slightly in the last day, so I hope that will help! |
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smatulewicz
Michigan
MH
Posts:1197
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| 12/09/2012 11:03 AM |
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| Unless Bella is really tired/comfortable, and resting...whenever the cat comes around she is attempting to engage in play. So, you could say she is obsessed with the cat, but again, in a please be my friend. He retreats when he has had enough and she knows now she is not to chase after. She will take a few steps at most and then stop and go the other way. It all takes time, and the important thing (that you are already doing) is to determine if Marley is interested in play, or hunt/kill. When Bella is tired and sleeping, the cat will come up and sniff her and lay close. He wants to like her, but when she up and moving she is just too big, excited, and in his face for him lol. |
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