Dutch Shepherd Forum

Do Dutch shepherds adapt well to a home environment if their first year has been in a kennel setting?

I know that a lot depends on the dogs temperament, but does anyone have experience? I always thought that the socialization period was so important in terms of training and defining "normal". (ie: riding in a car, seeing a stranger or child, meeting new dogs, cats etc.) But i know that some breeds roll with the changes better than others.

Not that I can answer your question, but are you referring to a trained working dog?

My first dog (a KNPV type) was a kennel dog. I think he was about 4 years old when I got him. He definitely didn't have regular socialization to typical suburbia. Everything scared him at first. Even me cooking in the kitchen - rattling pots, working with plastic bags and aluminium foil - scared him.

The first 6 months he spent sleeping on the carpet in the dining room, even though I had a dog bed for him. Eventually, he decided dog beds were comfy, and after a couple of years he realized that bed was the comfiest.

Took a long while, and some things he never got completely used to. The most scariest thing in the world for him was little girls. He wasn't a scaredy cat, he could do bitework, he was just out of his element.

He really was a good loyal obedient, and affectionate dog, even though he didn't seek out or appreciate physical contact. But remember, he spent years in a working dog kennels. While the first year is very important, I think you will be able to expose him to enough experiences while he is still young if he has a good temperament to begin with.

Any input to this comment:

A trainer once told me that, IHHO, that it's one thing to take a working-type breed, train and kennel it and then introduce it into a household/family setting and another to take a working-type breed and raise it in a household/family setting. His slant was that it was more difficult on the dog/family with the latter scenerio. He didn't specify any details, such as any sport involvement or lack of.

As I understand it this girl has had no training whatsoever. She is my girls' 1/2 sister and the man's wife who owns her got sick right after she was brought home. He has lots of dogs that he has trained and works, but she kind of fell through the cracks.

We are thinking of getting a pup, and I was wondering if this girl could fit in after a life of being cared for in a kennel. He said that she lost all of her drive because his daughter talked to her too much, but she is apparently VERY high energy. I have an e-mail into him. His Beaucherons are beautiful and very well mannered...

Lauren wrote: He said that she lost all of her drive because his daughter talked to her too much,

if you can talk a dog out of his drive, you might be able to talk it back into it too

Schlussdibusti wrote:

Lauren wrote: He said that she lost all of her drive because his daughter talked to her too much,

if you can talk a dog out of his drive, you might be able to talk it back into it too

What does that mean?? Talked the drive out??

When I got my very first Dutch, he was a 2 year old kennel dog. The issues that I ran into were not confidence based, he just learned that he could pee where he wanted, poop when he wanted and chew whatever he wanted. It took a good year to really get comfortable giving him any unsupervised crate time. One day, I just left him alone long enough to go to the bathroom. I came out and he was standing on top of my refrigerator. Another time, I left my down comforter a little too close to his crate and came home to a whirl wind of feathers. So I think raising a puppy with boundaries is much easier than trying to instill them into an adult dog.

I agree - talking drive out of a dog is ridiculous. I talk to my dogs, baby talk them even, and they still work like crazy. She either had it or she didn't.

If she didn't and it was because of lack of nerve, then I would worry about the lack of socialization. These are dogs who are bred to vent their frustrations through their mouths. Scary things can be frustrating and it is easy to make a nervous dog a fear biter. So I would evaluate the individual before making any decisions.

Christie M wrote: I came out and he was standing on top of my refrigerator. .

well, then. Thank you all. I think I have my answer!

Some of my personal favorites over the years have been dogs that came here from less than desirable beginnings, but were well worth the extra effort in the long run.
Look at some of the rescue dogs we have on the forum! Great dogs that someone else let go.
You do need to have the time to invest, and fixing problems they have can be ----definitely easier to start with a pup.

Not quite the same but similar.. I have had a few clients over the years with dogs who were puppy mill rescues. Obviously some more then others took more work and more time to get used to normal dog life but all were able to transition eventually. Dogs are amazing creatures and adapt very well.

It's hard to say but if you're willing to try to make it work, chances are that it will. For sure crate train (look up Susan Garrett's crate games, I would highly recommend that for a dog like her) and assume you're starting from scratch with a puppy who knows no manners and no house training. Don't rush into letting her be free in the house, too much freedom at once is not good, work on setting up boundaries and rules.

Regardless of how she turns out, it's a very rewarding feeling when you know you gave a dog a better life.

Talkedthe drive out of a dog?! Now that is a new one to me.

Got my now 6 yr old DS when she was 7-8 mos old. She lived with a family with small children (3) as a pup. Quickly was put in a kennel in the back yard until she went to a trainer, then another trainer and then to me, all by the time she was 7 mos old. From what I am told, the children tormented her and to this day she dispises children. I have tried everything to get her passed this and with children I particularly take no chances with any dog but with Zip, children at totally off-limits with her. She adapted very quickly to the house rules and also to car riding, etc.

Lauren wrote:As I understand it this girl has had no training whatsoever. She is my girls' 1/2 sister ...We are thinking of getting a pup, and I was wondering if this girl could fit in after a life of being cared for in a kennel. He said that she lost all of her drive because his daughter talked to her too much, but she is apparently VERY high energy. I have an e-mail into him. His Beaucherons are beautiful and very well mannered...

First, have you considered the issue of having two girl pups? If I were going to get a second dog, it'd be opposite sex, most likely.

Next, while the issues you'd have to deal with that would've arisen from the kenneling (housetraining, etc.) are definitely surmountable, don't confuse any of that with temperament and personality issues. If she has any of those, that's a whole different kettle of fish (or perhaps I should say, kennel of dogs )

I've never heard of a dog being talked out of a drive! If this "experienced" guy believes this kind of hogwash, you've gotta suspect anything else he says about her and how she got however she is.

The owner has not responded to my inquiry anyway.

Leih, the two female dogs was my biggest beef too (before i found out about the refrigerator surfing ).

In fact when he mentioned her to me and that he was looking to place her I told him right away, "No thanks, we would have to have a male." He actually got this girl because she wa the highest drive of the litter. He went down to look at a male pup and While they were playing, this female grabbed the bigger male and threw him off of the bite toy.


When I told the daughter that she ought to bring her to the next herding clinic her eyes got all wide like I was unleashing a nuclear bomb. "Oh, No!" she said "She is 3 times wilder than your dog!" I have to say if you only know Xena at a herding clinic...that is pretty wild.

Of course if I leave Xena in her crate for 4 hours she is crazy for the rest of the day. I can't imagine if she was kenneled for the most of her life!

I am not sure how you talk drive out of a dog either as i have talked till I am blue in the face with my Xena and she is still quite impressively driven (whether I like it or not).

I hope she ends up in a good place some day. I mentioned NADSR...

We place sometimes dogs in a household when the dog hasnt have enough ( anymore)for breeding or sport. 2 of them went to a household and were kenneldogs, they adapt (with crate time in the beginning). They both were fully pottytrained but have to learn that the fastest way, over the table, isn t allowed, that tables arent chewing toys etc. But yhey transisted pretty soon.

In our former house, FIL didnt live with us and no kids yet, theolder dogs were transisted from kennel to house. 1 really didnt want it, half our on the couch and he wanted to go back to his kennel, the other loved it, she stayed in our house till she died.

When my FIL isnt in this world any more and the kids a bit older there sure is going to be another old dog in the house.

Selena wrote:...but have to learn that the fastest way, over the table, isn t allowed, that tables arent chewing toys etc.

laruen, you probably already know this, but lots of sport folks keep their dogs kenneled so they're more driven when they do come out to work/play. So, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if a half sister of your pup gets nutso when she finally gets to come out and play

leih merigian wrote:

Selena wrote:...but have to learn that the fastest way, over the table, isn t allowed, that tables arent chewing toys etc.

Really all the dogs i know from our bloodline did it.... Also dining table isnt the place to lie down, or the couch isnt the perfect place to over see your teritory

One of our girls is moving to a household next month, she will be a pet, ppd and will be trained to be "hulphond" ( helping her new, physically challenged , owner to pick up stuff, turn light switches etc.).

It was so cool to see her with the woman walking, very gently, no pulling, looking at the steps of the physically challenged woman and walking with her parents, pulling around (didnt get a volgen command) like she normally would.

Selena wrote:One of our girls is moving to a household next month, she will be a pet, ppd and will be trained to be "hulphond" ( helping her new, physically challenged , owner to pick up stuff, turn light switches etc.).

It was so cool to see her with the woman walking, very gently, no pulling, looking at the steps of the physically challenged woman and walking with her parents, pulling around (didnt get a volgen command) like she normally would.

That's so sweet!

Selena wrote:One of our girls is moving to a household next month, she will be a pet, ppd and will be trained to be "hulphond" ( helping her new, physically challenged , owner to pick up stuff, turn light switches etc.).

It was so cool to see her with the woman walking, very gently, no pulling, looking at the steps of the physically challenged woman and walking with her parents, pulling around (didnt get a volgen command) like she normally would.

A Van Leeuwen as service dog? Did the lady see the Wibo videos on youtube?