Dutch Shepherd Forum

We recently (yesterday) adopted a dog from the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and though he has no papers and little background information, we believe he is a Dutch Shepherd.

He is energetic, friendly, smart, playful and he loves attention. We want him to get comfortable in the house but at this point, he won't stop moving. Any ideas or tips to get him to settle down? We've been walking him for miles and miles. He settles just fine in the crate... but let him out and he paces.

Our previous dog was a pit bull who passed away in June from cancer at age 12. She was so chill it was like having a cat in the house... we've forgotten what it's like to have a young dog around. lol

Rustin is 2 years old... or so.

a BIG WELCOME for someone who rescues a Dutch Shepherd - and he definitely is a DS! thanks for saving him. he is beautiful.

is he actually pacing? does he seem nervous or unhappy - or is it that he just never slows down that you are describing as pacing? could you describe more extensively? and also aside from walking him miles and miles every[???] day, what else are you doing with him?

he will be nothing like your pit, but he looks and sounds like he will be worth his weight in gold to you if he gets enough exercise - MENTAL and physical - and enough training and RESPECT. he will what i call settle-in, but don't count on what might be your version of settle-down. he needs LOTS of mental stimulation and excitement. your walks may provide some of this or if he is just being walked on a leash up and down a street with nothing particularly interesting to him, the walk does not count as mental stim. and walking miles and miles will not begin to tire him physically, especially at this age which looks to be very young.

he need lots of interaction with you - on his walks [ do not be on cell phone], in play, in training, around the house. talk to him and teach him language so you can communicate with him precisely. READ A LOT on the forun in sections like whatever, behavior, puppies, photos, to get a sense of what to expect of him, WHAT HE EXPECTS OF YOU, and how to mold him into a better dog than you could EVER have imagined existed before your experience with a DS.

good luck with him! and please write more and keep us informed of developments and progress with him. i think you will soon find that he is simply amazing.

Thank you for the warm welcome.

We have only had him for a day so really can't expect him to have in-house behaviour down pat yet. He is in the basement and crated when we are not with him because he's always looking for something to play/mess with. We had him upstairs in the living area and he trotted around, no doubt exploring, but with his long strides he covers a lot of ground. We got him to lay on his bed but moments later he's pop up and start roaming again. We put him in his crate in the living room and he was perfectly quiet but it seems that if he's not contained, he's on the move.

His walks contain a lot of "look", "sit", "come" and positive reinforcement for any good behaviour. Today we took him on a pretty long hike and he was great. Things that get him amped up are people walking by with things in their hands (he thinks they are toys and lunges at them), and dogs. He wants to meet them but I kept him moving and trying to distract him with treats. Once we passed them, he got all goofy and redirected his energy to picking sticks up and throwing them, or biting the leash.

When no one else was around, he was super calm.

Aw heck.. he's only 2 and he's been in a kennel these past few weeks and a stray before that. We are committed to working with him and appreciate any helpful tips you guys have.

Here are some pictures of today's hike.

Rustin looks truly spectacular. you lucked out.

he needs lots of companionship. so i hope he is not locked in basement all that much except when you are away. his ''pacing'' sounds to me like curiosity [ most curious breed you will ever know ] and pride in his new digs [ these dogs tend to TROT when they are proud and want to show off something]. reassure him and give him lots of respect and he will settle in nicely.

depends on you and the dog - the relationship you develop - but i have never when i leave the house had to crate any of the 6 DS i have had - not even as puppies after 1 week - except one foster who had such extreme separation anxiety that he was determined to break out of the house even if it meant going though a glass door. of course, when not satisfied with enough mental stimulation, thinking, etc, they will think up their own entertainment. but too much crate time separated in the basement can be damaging, just like solitary confinement for humans is psychologically devastating.

It's Thanksgiving here in Canada and Rustin is hanging out with us while I prepare the turkey. We're all just quietly sitting around and Rustin is starting to mellow out. He even lay down and shut his eyes for a moment. He's on his way!

oh, Happy Thanksgiving. Rustin has a lot to give thanks for.

Welcome. What a great looking dog! His curiosity behavior seems normal. My ds was very curious as a puppy. Your guy may be 2 and not a puppy but if his upbringing was poor he may not have been properly trained. My guy does not pace and isn't amped up like when he was a pup. But if he is laying down sound asleep if I get up he still pops up and is ready to go, no matter how tired he is. It's just how they are. My guy stays out when I'm gone. We started off slow, quick trips, and I have a camera to watch him when I'm gone. I can talk to him through the camera. I think you are on the right track. Lots of obedience work and give him some time to adjust. But don't ever expect him to just lay around all day. If he does he isn't a Dutch shepherd. He will jump up and be ready to go anytime you move, he will follow you everywhere, even to the bathroom. But he will be the greatest dog you've ever had.

I bet he's just amped up from having been confined at the shelter for an extended period. He's beautiful!

You might want to offer him some canned pumpkin with his meals, he's likely to have diarrhea from all the changes.