Introducing...

"Vana
von
Glaeserhaus"

My Little Diamond In The Rough

Little did I know that my efforts to find the breeder or a home for this gal would lead me to adopting her myself!  A member of one of my German Shepherd e-mail lists notified me about a year and a half old long haired German Shepherd, named Vana, at one of the city's shelters.  I went to visit the dog and get to know her in hopes to know more what to tell potential adopters.  That was when Vana slipped into my heart.

Coming from a home that adored her but that had a dramatic lifestyle change, Vana was confused and lonely.   She was used to going to work with her owner, living in the home, being fed a special diet, and playing with the family child.  After the previous owner's changes in work, she was now left alone for long hours of the day and she became destructive.   This, like for so many dogs, caused her to end up in the shelter.

Any dog can be upset after the dramatic change of home life or knowing and loving an owner, and then being left in a cold cement run at a loud shelter with so many smells and sounds.  However, it sometimes seems to take an even more dramatic effect on breeds such as the German Shepherd who bond strongly with their people and are not used to being independent from them.  Vana was a perfect example.

She sat solemnly at the gate of her run when I arrived at the shelter.  Her eyes were searching and sad as she watched all of the people come and go.  She must have been looking for her owner, or for a shelter worker that she may have been bonding with.  She was definitely "looking" for someone.  Someone that would love her again and exercise her and release her from her new confines.

I crouched sideways next to the gate and quietly spoke to her.  Though aloof as many GSDs will be with strangers, she offered a quick lick on my cheek through the fence.  Then, she continued her watch of all of the people coming and going in the shelter.   That was when I noticed the tattoo (HBOBIV5) in her ear.  It was hard to read then, but it was a chance!  There was hope!  Maybe her breeder would come and release her!

Well, after desperate searches and inquiries for her breeder, nothing was happening.  I was told that she was from Germany by one shelter worker (which ended up being untrue).  Another shelter supervisor told us that it was not a tattoo, but a smudge in her ear.  I knew a tattoo when I saw one and persisted.

Vana had developed negative behaviors while in the shelter for that month.  She began biting/mouthing the shelter workers that entered her dog run.  She was crying out for attention and wanted to be OUT!  Also, she was adopted out once and returned for chasing the house's cat.  Disappointment again for Vana, and a label on her kennel that said "no cats please".

Desparate to release her from the shelter, I attempted to adopt her.  This consisted of multiple visits including myself, my family, and both of my other dogs (thankfully, not my two cats, too).   Also, a behaviorist/trainer on the site had to meet with me and discuss Vana's issues.  After a three hour last visit, Vana was coming home with us!

Well, months later, Vana has proven herself to be an excellent housedog, an excellent family guardian and playmate, an excellent dog around the cats (see photo below), a perfect "hostess" to visiting friends and relatives and on top of that..............I found her breeder!  The tattoo matches and her breeder is even someone I have met.   Also, what a nice pedigree Vana has along with her wonderful personality and beauty!  Her breeder has told me that the mouthing is very characteristic of Vana's mother and litter brother, who she still owns.  Now, Vana only mouths with tongue and no teeth when she is contented.  Usually, it is when she is getting her tummy rubbed!  
~ She is my little diamond in the rough. ~

Like many rescues, Vana does suffer from mild Separation Anxiety. 

Separation anxiety: A dog is a social animal. It wants to be with the family and being alone is not an entirely natural situation. Some dogs can not adjust to this situation without help. As a puppy, a dog learns that making sounds brings its mother to it. So barking, whining and crying are natural reactions when the dog wants to be reunited with its family. It may also consider digging, scratching at the door or window and other behavior designed to allow it to escape the house and rejoin its family to be "normal". Dogs may become so anxious that they tear up objects indiscriminately, defecate or urinate without control. If a dog is punished for these actions, the resulting increase in anxiety can make the whole situation worse. It is best just to ignore the destruction if at all possible. In order to treat the disorder, it is necessary to set aside some time to figure out exactly what is happening and to help your dog adjust to separation.

1) The first thing you need to do is spy on your dog to figure out how long he or she waits before tearing up stuff in your absence. Some dogs literally start in one minute or less. Others wait a half hour or an hour or whatever. Once you have an idea of this you can work on the problem. It is also necessary to teach your dog at least to "sit" and hopefully to "stay" prior to working on the actual behavioral problem.

2) A dog that is so nervous that it must be in the same room with you all the time requires working with sit and stay until it can tolerate you being out of the room -- then start to work on leaving the house. It can help a great deal with steps 2 and 3 in this process to use an anti-anxiety medication, such as amitriptylline (Elavil Rx) or buspirone (Buspar Rx). Talk to your vet about this. It is also very helpful to consider asking about referral to a certified veterinary or animal behaviorist for assistance.

3) Leave for short periods and come right back -- sometimes all you can do is stand outside the door for a few seconds. Don't stay away long enough for your dog to get upset. The idea is to lengthen the time gradually. It may help to vary the time some so your dog can't keep track of a "routine". Keep this up until your dog is comfortable with you gone for a reasonable length of time. Don't make a big deal over coming back in -- it is best to greet the dog quietly or ignore it.

4) Once your dog can tolerate you being gone for an hour or two, it will probably be possible to make the jump to longer durations without much problem. Usually, about the time your dog is very comfortable with being left alone, it is best to begin a slow taper off of any behavioral medications used to help in the treatment of the separation anxiety. Abruptly stopping the medications can lead to a relapse, so take a little time to wean your dog off according to your veterinarian's directions.

Associated signs that are usually observed in a dog with separation anxiety include the following:

• The dog remains close to the owner.
• The dog becomes distressed with increasing distance from the owner, such as a trip to the mailbox or taking out the trash.
• The dog shows signs of restlessness or depression as the owner prepares to leave.
• The dog greets the owner excessively upon his or her return home.
• The dog may not eat when the owner is absent and may only eat in the presence of the owner.

 
Here are some helpful links on the subject:

Wag 'n' Train - Separation Anxiety

Canines.com - Separation Anxiety

Doggie Door - Separation Anxiety

Applied Ethology - Separation Anxiety

A Breed Apart - Separation Anxiety

Adopt A Greyhound - Separation Anxiety