Accepting a new master/loss of owner - Page 2

I have imported many dogs and transferred them on new owners during my "handler's course'. One thing which is important, besides what I have already mentioned comes to my mind. I call it "solid point in the space".  Find  something which  she did with her former owner and enjoyed it and do it  as they used to. The way it is like passing relay stick form one owner to another. I always enjoy to see the flash of light of recognition in the eyes of the dog when something familiar from the  former owner is done by the new owner. It is as if the dog would be saying. "OOOH I know what this is . I know this!!!!" Be it a visiting familiar palace and play there the way she is used to, play of fetch or familiar word of praise in familiar tone  and pith of voice or use of familiar  training toy in familiar way. It is like passing a relay stick. 

 Give me a solid point in the universe and I will lift whole Earth. 

 Archimedes. 

Prager Hans

My current  ASL CH GSD had 7 homes in 3 1/2 years. We are her 8th and she has been with us for 3 years. Maybe it was because she had so many changes in her life that she moved right in as if she'd been with us forever. She climbed into our car and never looked back when we took her from her 7th home.

I think it depends on the dog how long it takes it to feel comfortable in new surroundings. You may want to consider enrolling her in an OB/BH class or rally or agilty so you can do something as a team. The first things we did with our dog was train her for her BH, CD, RN, and AD. It worked out well for us.

Good luck.

PS: I also gave a home to an almost 10 year old retired GSL Sch3. She also moved right in as if she'd been here forever. At 10 years, 3 months she earned her CGC, her TCI and 2 legs for her RN.

the first transfer is the hardest. 

I agree with Prager, to hold off on obedience training.  However, the other suggestions to do some kind of organized activity/sport with other dogs is also a good idea, but I would say obedience is definitely not a good first choice for a dog behaving like this and trying to adjust to very different living conditions. 

I would recommend doing some kind of sport/activity where the dog is the lead and the human is learning to read the dog.  Nosework/Scentwork and/or Tracking come to mind.  In both, the dog gets to go out to a new place, learns to work together with its human, doesn't have orders barked at it, typically no corrections are given, mostly positive training environment and exposure to other well behaved dogs.  You have many choices of venue too.  The AKC has tracking and the AWDF/USCA/FCI has the FH- Faehrtenhund (note I am not recommending the schutzhund style TR / FPr tracking test).  On the scentwork side you have NACSW nosework, UKC Nosework and the AWDF/USCA/FCI has StP -Stöberprüfung (Random Search Test).  You can also try putting some time into the herding certificate from either the AKC or AHBA or something really, really simple like Barnhunt, Dock Diving or Lure Coursing. 

After you have done something like the above together for a little while, forming the foundation of a true training bond, then you can start real obedience with that dog, which will now trust you.

The FH is Schutzhund "style" tracking.  The FH is also very difficult and not the place to start a dog or person out on for their first tracking title.  The TR1 is a much better team builder.

@bzcz, not exactly, the dogs casting off the track is more lenient in the FH, its not judged the same as it would be in the TR / FPr. Plus some clubs treat the TR /FPr practice day like they would obedience.  Its tough to train in that manner and then later be successful in the FH, after doing it TR / FPr style.  They are quite different, contrary to popular belief.  I say train for the FH, not the TR / FPr, even if this particular dog may never title in it. 

The reason being, an FH trained dog without a BH can move over to AKC tracking without a hitch and later do the BH followed up by the FH, however, I personally feel a TR/FPr trained dog will have a VERY tough going on the longer length and more aged AKC tracks.  In fact I've never seen a dog make that kind of transition very easily, but I have seen AKC tracking dogs go on to title in the FH with ease.

I must ask, have you titled in both? 

An OB/Rally/BH/nosework/whatever class can be as much fun as the owner makes it. It doesn't  necessarily need to be formal or geared toward earning a degree; it's all about establishing an opportunity to work as a team that will build the dog/owner relationship. Most dogs I've owed would retreive a ball for a stranger; I wouldn't consider than a relationship builder. Tracking would probably be good for some dogs, not all. Is it really rocket science to expose a dog to different "confidence builders" to decide which he or she enjoy the most?

I totally disagee that the first transfer is the hardest; not always. IMO once again it depends on the dog and the new owner/s.

Maybe I don´t make friends by saying this, but don´t beg for her sympathy. Try to live your "normal" life, do some easy obedience with her, let her be part of your family, just don´t beg - you and your husband are the leaders...

The adult dogs coming over here for training do have less than one week for acclimatation before training starts. Almost all of them bond very fast without problems. Dogs are used to "pack orders", and they are used to adjust.

The more "structure" ( without pressure ) the better.

@Momosgarage.

Since you asked, I've titled multiple Hot Dogs to SchIII , multiple Regional Champions, multiple V rated tracks(96+pts) including one100 pt.

One of my HOT SchHIII Regional Champions was  a FH Regional Champion (99pts) and I also competed at the USCA FH Championships.

Again, the tracking is taught the same.  What you are discussing is how it is judged.  It is judged with more leniency because the track is 2 - 3 times as long as a SchHIII track.  It has to be more lenient for casting and off the track (non track sure) behavior because the legs (the straight portion) of the tracks are worth less. The corners are also judged easier because there are 2 more of them in a FH.

There are 5 legs in a SchHIII track and 7 in a FH but yet both have a total of 100 points.  SchHIII has 3 articles, FH has 4.  Again each article in the FH is worth less points because there are more of them. 

In addition to training tracking dogs, I have been the tracking coordinator for multiple regional and national championships as well as last year's world championship.

I know tracking and the FH difficulty is high.  The techniques used to train for both is the same, they are the same style.  Train for the TR1 and have fun with your dog.  You'll have more fun when you train for something that is attainable rather than starting at the most difficult level and maybe you'll have success.