Reactive sheltie needs help!!

[JessicaR]

That being said: I will always bless my breeder for preparing Bacca before I brought him home.

First thing she did was to start crate training him away from mom and siblings.
Second, knowing that Bacca was going to be going from country to the suburbs, she took Bacca out on the front lawn every day by himself and "taught" him about cars. I don't know what technique specifically, but I'm sure it involved alot of treats and praise.

When I brought him home at 8 weeks, he slept through the night and has never shied from a car since.

I live on a busy state route. All kinds of semi trucks, the school bus stop is only about 20 feet from my house, railroad tracks about 100 yards away. My puppies were exposed to all kinds of different stuff when they were babies and never had any fear or reaction at all to anything. They even went to school with me to pick up the kids. (2 at a time) They were crate trained, almost completely housebroken, started on walking on a leash, and knew how to sit and shake when they went to their new homes! None of the other puppies have this problem. They are all well adjusted happy dogs.

She is not following anyones advise on exercising him, they have stopped walking him all togather! He gets to go out to go potty and thats it. This behavior didnt start until he was 4-5 months old and has just slowly got worse. Which is about the time she went back to work. (When they got him she wasnt working)

 

[mcemily]

I would have to agree with the steadily growing chorus of "get Bailey back!"

I've been reading this thread as a first-time, relatively inexperienced Sheltie owner. I can sympathize with this couple's reluctance to give up Bailey because they luuuuuuuuurve him. But my sympathy pretty much ended at the point where you said that they had gone to the trouble of hiring behaviorists, but refuse to follow through on what the behaviorists told them. They are repeatedly coming to you, whining for your help, but refuse to do what you tell them, which, incidentally, is the same thing the behaviorists told them to do. How many professionals do they have to consult? How many "second opnions" are they going to need before they understand that the solution is more exercise and attention?

She is not following anyones advise on exercising him, they have stopped walking him all togather! He gets to go out to go potty and thats it. This behavior didnt start until he was 4-5 months old and has just slowly got worse. Which is about the time she went back to work. (When they got him she wasnt working)

It seems very telling to me that the problems cropped up when she went back to work, and you'd think they'd make the connection, but apparently not. These people just do not have time, or will not MAKE time, for a young dog right now. This doesn't necessarily make them bad people, and doesn't mean that under other circumstances, they might not make great Sheltie owners. But this is not that time or those circumstances, and as things are now, everybody is suffering. The kindest thing for ALL parties involved--Bailey, you, and this couple--would be for them to return Bailey to you to allow you to rehabilitate him and place him in a more suitable home, and--as someone else suggested--for them to get a cat. Preferrably an adult cat (like, 4+ years old), as I think a kitten would be too much for them at this point.

So, yeah... I sympathize with them not wanting to give up the dog they've grown to love, but if they are unable or unwilling to do what is necessary to keep this dog happy and solve the issues bothering them, then it is time for them to return him. If they are unable or unwilling to do what's necessary to keep this dog happy and sane, then how much do they really love him anyway? Sheesh. I am a lazy person. LAZY. We don't do agility or herding with our dog, and he doesn't have a job, but I manage to walk my puppy, and play with him, until he is panting and collapsed in a happy heap of exhaustion. On days when this isn't possible, he is a little restless and And if he was going crazy like that in my house, I'd be EXTREMELY motivated to burn off that energy.

Honestly, what is WRONG with these people?

 

[k9kreationz]

I have suggested daycare and dog walkers none of that advise was followed.


If the problem was just his behavior outside they probably would be ok with it. unfortunatly he does this in the house. Which to me most of it sounds like normal adolecent behavior; the zoomies, trying to get stuff off the counter. The rest is boredom and frustration.

Ugh. Honestly, it sounds like they just want the dog to stop w/o any effort on their part. All I can say is good luck!

They should have adopted an older well-trained/mannered dog. So sad.

 

[BarbV]

I'm sorry but I can't help but think we're all being too judgemental.

Let's be real here....the reason why folk like us spend hours a day on this and other forums is that we are dog fanatics. But we are not the average dog owner. We just happen to better educated about dogs and our breed.

I would like to see us spending all this energy informing the uninformed rather than beat up on them for not knowing any better.

My tuppence worth!

 

[Meldor]

I would like to see us spending all this energy informing the uninformed rather than beat up on them for not knowing any better.

Barb, I understand your point of view but honestly, if you re-read the whole thread you will see that lots of energy has been spent trying to inform and help these owners.

Some of us have offered suggestions, JessicaR has offered plenty of suggestions to the owners (without mentioning she will have the pup at her home for a week) and behaviorists have been paid to help the owners yet, they do not want to listen to these suggestions.

From what JessicaR wrote, the bottom line is they know the puppy needs more exercise yet the owners only walk him once a week. To me, that is just plain unhealthy for the puppy.

 

[Danny's mommy]

Crating a young dog for 8-10 hours will make it act nuts to begin with. I hope the poor pup is put in a dog savvy environment where it can get the attention and exercise it needs. They just do not have the time for him now. I hope they will realize they will be doing the dog good by returning him now when somebody else can train him in this important stage of it's development. I'll say it again - they should get a cat. Cats make great pets for busy people.