Dutch Shepherd Forum

My wife and I have had Lindsey for just over 3 weeks now. She is a Dutch Shepherd brought over from Germany for Police work. She flunked out of Police training because she wasn't aggressive or driven enough for that environment. That being said, she is now 14 months old and has spent the majority of her life kenneled except when out for training. She hasn't been around a lot of people. She was used to going to the bathroom on concrete. She is not used to much of anything.

Her trainer brought her to our house on a Saturday afternoon. I am a mechanic and I also build race engines. Some of my work can be seen in Popular Hot Rodding and also Hot Rod magazine as I compete in the "Engine Master's Challenge". In any case, when Lindsey was brought to us we met her in the shop. She had 2 potty accidents right away, even after being outside for a lengthy time. By Sunday afternoon she would go to the door and ask to go out for potty. Also on Sunday she went #2 on the shop floor. On Monday there were no potty issues, she asked every time but I did catch her going #2 in the shop. She got in trouble. The next time she went #2 was outside and I threw the biggest party for her she'd ever had with lots of praise and treats. SHE HAS NOT GONE INSIDE SINCE.

I also had to teach her how to go up and down stairs, she had never done that before. She learned how to "stay" in one day (they hadn't taught her that one for some reason). She knows the difference between her "green stick", her "ball", her "squeeker", her "bone" and her "kong" and will bring whichever one you ask for. I don't think she has had toys before this so it's really impressive to me (the first thing she does when we get home is to check all of her toys one by one). She went to her first "party" on Saturday night, a friend of mine had the Rhonda Rousey (sp?) fight on and we were invited over for the fight and food. There were about 7 other people, lots of food, noise, distractions and she did very well with all of it.

As I'm self-employed she gets to come to work with me every day. This keeps her busy and keeps me non-productive but whatever. She likes to steal bolts and nuts from me and hide them in her kennel which is funny until you need that nut or bolt. I put a gate up separating the customer area from the shop and she learned really fast where she was supposed to be.

I have a few things to work on yet. She likes to jump up when she gets excited or meets new people and while she listens to me very well when it's just us, as soon as she sees someone new she turns deaf for a while. I'm working on it. Seeing as how she's in a completely new environment with all new people and new everything I think she's doing fantastic.

Here she is with her "green stick". I carpeted the "office area" of my shop to give her something other than concrete to lay on.


Here she is "but dad, I just want to meet everyone and put paw prints on their clothes"

She is beautiful. It sounds like you have found a wonderful furry friend. These guys learn fast so I'm sure you will have no problem fixing the jumping issue. My guy was bad about jumping as well. I always asked company to ignore him and no eye contact until he settled. Only when he was quiet and sitting would they give him attention. I also make him sit and stay when people approach him in public. It took several times but he figured it out.

karenz wrote:She is beautiful. It sounds like you have found a wonderful furry friend. These guys learn fast so I'm sure you will have no problem fixing the jumping issue. My guy was bad about jumping as well. I always asked company to ignore him and no eye contact until he settled. Only when he was quiet and sitting would they give him attention. I also make him sit and stay when people approach him in public. It took several times but he figured it out.

I have already found it to be most effective to just simply turn my back on her when she's jumping. She doen't like to be left out, not one bit!

I find this all really quite amazing. The odds were so against this, based on her history. How wonderful for you both!

That green Kong...my guy has one. (He knows it by Greenie.) I stuff a hunk of carrot, bell pepper, etc. in the center as a thank you for doing a job or to just flat-out get him off my back for a minute. He's like my Siamese twin.

You will be astonished by all the things these dogs can do. Don't be surprised, though, should a moment here or there come--when the honeymoon is over--that she might get a bit stubborn. Not saying it will happen, just that it might...and most commonly does.

Awesome start. So glad you two found each other.