Just found this sub forum, didn't know it was here
Zeke bump.
OP don't put him down, please.

Double tap.

Hi guys,

I dont have any clarification, BLKVooDoo left it very open ended. I am under the assumption it will not be happening, though.

Zeke will not be put down. He (and I) are adjusting well to his new life as the “outside” dog. He lives in my 4 car garage which is also my home office 2-3 days a week, so we still get plenty of time together. That alone has had a noticeable impact on his behavior. He has always been easy to control but he is extra obedient since staying out there. He gets exercised minimum 3 times a day and the rest of his routine is pretty much the same, he just doesn’t get to lounge around the house.

I am currently working with a local rescue and working through personal contacts. I am not interested in having him fostered because he and my family are both safe and comfortable in this configuration at the moment. I love Zeke and feel a great personal responsibility to him and if he’s going somewhere I have to know it will be successful for him and the new owners. I am ok with going slow if it means getting it right.

In the meantime I have begun fencing in my 2 acres so I can let him (or future dogs) roam the yard without supervision. I might be in denial but he is my best friend and I have some optimism, albeit small, that it can work for him here. I have every intention of re-homing him but I need to know that home can offer him at least the quality of life he has had with me, if not better. I don’t know if that will ever present itself, so I have started preparations incase not.  

When this thread got moved here I was admittedly pretty annoyed because it murdered the traffic. Nobody knows this subforum exists, but I think everything happens for a reason and after taking the time to remind myself of that all my resentment has faded and I’m happy to say I have no hard feelings.

Thank you again to all the quality members and staff here for your support and concern. You guys are amazing.

OP - I'm going to call this update good news and hope for the best for you, Zeke and your family.

If anything changes don't hesitate to raise a flag for help.

I'm not a fan of the new sub-forum either but I know imperfectlyperfect3 and kitties-with-sigs will do their best. I'm going to be cross posting fiend in order to help the pups and their owners.

Keep us updated!

We are still here, and ready to help however we can. Hang in there.

Will be standing by to help Zeke any way I can.

Checking in on Zeke! How are you guys holding up? Any progress with the Rescue?

Thanks AZ.

Weve made no progress with the rescue.

We made some progress fencing in the backyard, albeit small (pics below). A few posts and a livestock gate are installed. Hopeful to finish this section this weekend.

We went back to our trainer who gave a lot of good feedback. He will be coming to our house to resume training in the meantime. He has 20 years in animal control and another 20 training all breeds with a focus on GSDs and has only ever owned GSDs himself. He personally does not believe Zeke needs to be re-homed but we’ll see. The guy is a riot, if a dog could have a humans body it would be this guy. When he talks he talks as if a dog could talk.

We go to a invite only “dog social” at our trainers once a week. Only dogs who have completed his training and are behaved can come. Its usually anywhere from 12-30 dogs and as usual Zeke is the life of the party. Our trainer has always had an affinity for Zeke and its not just a GSD thing. There are typically 50% GSDs there but Zeke has always garnered some special attention from him. Its very hard to describe - Zeke just has a hilarious and likable attitude and demeanor.  His confidence and personality just draws attention.

Thanks for the update OP.

please keep us updated and if zeke needs to be re-homed let us know.

Rooting for you and Zeke! He looks like a great boy, and I hope you work it out.

Mine was too. Such great animals.

How are you guys doing OP?

We’re doing ok, AZ, thanks for asking.

My hand/wrist are about 90%, still can’t put a ton of weight on my wrist when my hand is flexed upwards. Seems he caught a tendon with the puncture of the topside of my wrist but I think I’ll be 100% in another week or so.

The backyard is 75% fenced in. Theres a 200’ stretch across the woods at the back of the property that isn’t done but he doesn’t venture that way unless I go first. That has been great. He WANTS to be in the fenced in backyard which I find funny. When I open the gate going from back to front he doesn’t try to get out. And when we come back from walks or getting the mail he doesnt want to spend any time in the front at all, even off leash, he just goes to the gate to get in the backyard. Its really funny to me because he used to ALWAYS make his way to the front yard. Laying on the front porch was his spot.

He actually seems somewhat better with our new arrangement. Less stressed for sure and more obedient which was unexpected  - he was already really good in that regard to begin with. He spends less time with us (like the lounging around the house time) which might be harder on me than on him - but the upside of that has been the time I do spend with him is of much higher quality- taking walks, doing drills, playing ball, brushing etc. Its made me much more motivated to make the time spent with him meaningful.

Im optimistic at the moment.

That is really awesome news! I'm really glad it's worked out this way.

So far.

There is a clear challenge ahead - winter. The garage isnt heated or insulated and my wife does not trust him to be in the house with the kids (neither do I really).

Next step is to get our trainer over here to do training on our property (we always used to go to his facility). I mentioned before that our trainer really has an affinity for Zeke, and when he heard whats going on he offered to come to us instead to see if he can help.

If we make it to winter my current idea is if we can get Zeke tuned up enough he can come inside over night when the kids go go bed and Ill just gate off the upstairs. And when I come down in the morning Ill send him back outside or into the garage.

Its one thing to recognize and understand a dogs behavior but its a totally different thing to be able to think like a dog - which I am learning I am really not good at.

I run everything past our trainer right now. In his words Zekes behavioral change is because “we are reigning him in”. Allowing Zeke to roam the whole property gave him “power” over his own role. Whether I know it or not he is getting opportunities all the time to call his own shots. “Do I chase that squirrel? Should I bark at that passing car? etc” To compare to us, it would be like doing a good job at work for months with no boss - when the boss finally comes in and tells you to do something their way we would naturally be like, “Im doing fine, thanks. I got this.”.

The problems were made worse by our “house pet” attitude toward him and all that “meaningless” time with him. If we dont give him a job he will sculpt his own. Now that more of the time we spend together is doing drills and on-leash, and he isn’t responsible for the front of the house or inside, he is getting a clear purpose and idea of OUR idea of his role and also who is in charge and where he is in the hierarchy.

And those are the big things. Theres a million small things I could probably do better.

Zegermanznew - glad to hear that things are progressing.

It's interesting what you said about boundaries and thinking like a dog. I commend you on your efforts and working on giving Zeke a home.

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread an just know you've got a lot of people behind you willing to support however you need.

Definitely a challenge to overcome. When I read what you post now I hear you talking solutions and not just problems. What you've accomplished since that 1st post is miraculous.

Never forget we are here, ready to help however we can.

Today is Zekes 7th birthday. Earlier this week I walked outside to see how he was doing and I found him conked out (pic below). Hes getting comfortable in the fenced in yard because he NEVER used to sleep outside, and certainly not laid out on his side. He was always too high strung and “on alert”.

One of my next projects is to build him a comfortable and insulated “crate” for the garage.

That's a happy dog!

Great update OP!

Look forward to many more!

I'm sorry but if I had to contemplate the fate of a dog vs the safety of my small children. That dog would be GONE! Without hesitation.
I would never be able to trust that dog around the kids. Turn your back one time and suffer a lifetime of regret. Not worth it to me.
I hope all works out well for you OP.

Fair enough, but that’s not what’s happening here.
OP , through his hard work and devotion to family and dog, is is investing in both.

He has chosen the difficult path as expected from a man of stout character.
I have spoken at length with OP and he strikes me as a fiercely loyal family man who is supremely capable of finding a path forward that secures his children while working towards regaining trust with his dog.

This will work out over time and all concerned parties will be better for it.

Duke

That read so much better than my response.

LOL..

That was my second draft.
With age comes prudence…

I seem to be getting sassier.

Then you would have loved my first draft.

I still have my moments.

I was annoyed at something unrelated while writing it and it was a Magnum Opus , equal parts scorn and derision.

Kinda glad I didn’t hit submit…

Mine was a movie line. Sarcasm and mockery. Read like a 3rd grader saying "I know you are, but what am I?"

These things happen.

@zegermanznew

Just checking in to see how things are going with Zeke and the family.

Thanks, chaas, and thanks for the kind words, Duke.

I would say things are going pretty well. Zeke has a small tear on the bottom of his paw so he’s confined to leash time outside until it heals up. He’s not stoked about it and energy is building up but he’s on the mend. A few more days and he can run free again. I believe he got it going a little too hard playing ball, but I have a suspension living on dry concrete played a role so Ive started applying a moisturizer to his paw pads.

Zeke, myself and my two year old interact daily. My 2 year old comes out to feed him breakfast everyday and having him put the food in his bowl passively reinforces his place over Zeke in the hierarchy. We’re “outside” people so were often outside with Zeke during the day and we take Zeke on walks in the woods regularly. Very often my 2yo’s idea which makes me a proud pop. “Daddy, we go in woods with Zeke now?” Zeke is much more in tune than I am and I love having him in the woods with us. We go all the time with no issue but last Sunday as we got a few hundred yards in Zeke was visibly concerned about something - constantly stopping to look around, trying to double back etc. I just kept an eye on him and at one point another hundred or so yards down trail Zeke just froze up and refused to go further.  He had done this once before years ago, so we turned back and went home. My take is he knows theres something around he wants nothing to do with. Its probably just a bobcat or something but I take the hint and we go home rather than take a chance with my kid.

Zeke and Jack on “the big rock” he likes to visit in our woods.



My wife has started acknowledging Zeke exists again which is nice. She’ll bring leftover chicken etc from dinner into the garage and do a couple drills with him.

Zeke is CLEARLY much less stressed out. The opportunity for incidents is much less now but we have had no growling incidents or anything like when were outside with him.


The big update, Zekes new “crate” is just about done. 1.5” rigid insulation sandwiched between 3/4” and 1/4” sanded plywood. I installed a 40w brooder heater for chickens to keep it warm. Ordered an inline thermostat so it doesn’t run non-stop, but it works very well. At the moment I just drape a moving blanket over the entrance to keep the heat in but Ill make a proper curtain door soon. He seems to like it.








Just for ha-ha’s this picture from last week sums up Zeke perfectly. Many Fridays or Saturdays we have some neighbors and their kids over for smores and drinks. This captures Zekes personality in that he wants to be right next to you, he just doesn’t want you to acknowledge him. In this pic he’s sitting directly behind my wife and newborn with a keen eye on the woods. My neighbors are on the bench and the blob of light beyond the bench is our kids cruising around in a Powerwheels with flashlights.

My GSD Hans was very similar. Loved reading the update and cannot tell you how big a smile I have right now, both for you, and the memory of my dog.

Thanks, guys. Updated the thread title and added a short update at the beginning of the OP.

Excellent news. Your wife's slow reengagement with Zeke is a very positive development.

That house you built is fantastic.
Just a thought but might be a fun art project for the little one to paint a mural on the side to personalize Zeke's new home.

You really stepped up to the plate here.

Duke

She's right you know..

Something like this should do nicely.

Attached File

Great point!

My oldest son is too young to keep his attention span long enough to properly paint or color anything. He did get ahold of a pencil while we were building this thing, though. His signature is on the bottom.




Anyways, his crate is 100% done, complete with temp control.





Took Kitties advice and got a rug, too.

Dog Cave, with minor accommodations for OP!

All my updates have seemingly been good so I should include some “bad”.

The bottom of one of Zekes paws is cut up pretty good and weve been nursing it. Yesterday I sat down with him to bandage it as Ive done 2-3 times a day for the past week or so. Well I took the old bandage off and Zeke wanted to lick/clean his paw but I was trying to get out the door for work so I kept pushing the issue and nudging his head away from his paw so I could work on it.

Zeke took offense to it and growled at me real good, showed teeth etc. It was the first bad growl incident we’ve had since the bite. Historically I am impatient and short tempered and I would have grabbed his collar and “threw” him in his crate or something. But with the bite incident fresh in my mind I have to admit I got pretty damn nervous about what was about to transpire.

I stayed calm, sat back and evaluated the situation, recognized he’s in pain and thought to myself, “Ill give him a few minutes”. So’s not to concede to him and give him any status I just said “go to bed” - he got right up and walked himself to his crate where I left him to tend to himself. I went inside and got the kids ready, filled the wood stove and got everything else ready to leave for the day.

When I came back out to the garage in ten minutes I went and sat on the rug and called him over - he walked right over, laid down, rolled over on his side and pushed his paws out toward me to let me do my thing without me saying anything other than “come here”.  We got him bandaged up, he got a treat and the day went on.

The challenges of Zeke.