Recently decided to take in this female great dane. The problems im having is training.?

Question

I already own a male great dane we got him when he was about a year no problems in training him. This female started hanging around our house a few months back and i live in a small middle of nowhere town and only option we have is to call a dog catcher and no resources for animal rescue. When i noticed she was starting to loose weight i gave in figuring she wasn't going home took her in. She is a very loving dog to me and my kids but shows a great fear around men. She is very hand shy which makes any simple training difficult as well as you can not go near her with any leash or she freaks out and tries anyway to get away from you. To me this shows past signs of abuse. I had taken her to the vet and she is a little over a year old had never had her nails clipped and with the way she responded to bathing and being dipped at the vets we wonder if she had ever had a bath. Any one have ideas on how to train her?!?

Answer 1

Good for you for taking her in.  Hopefully you can get her turned around.  I'd suggest going slow with her.  First you've got to gain her trust, then she'll be your best friend forever.

I'd suggest watching Animal Planet/  It's Me Or the Dog, and Good Dog U shows.  Take tiny steps with her.  First just get her used to being touched, and reinforce that all good things come from mommy.  

I'd even hand feed her for the first few weeks.  It's a powerful message and very important to the next steps and will more quickly help her want to be touched.  

Nothing in life is Free.   Remember it, live it.  Start today with her, don't let her get away with stuff or else you'll undermine yourself and she'll see you as something other than the alpha.

If she's good with the kids and the other dogs, once she's a little more comfortable abd self-confident, let daddy do every other hand feeding.   It shows her he's above her in the pack, and she'll get used to him more quickly too.  But don't push her, she's got to WANT to do it or she'll just be more afraid.

Have fun and enjoy her!

Answer 2

Before spending too much time on the training etc.  Post flyers all around saying "found dog"  etc.  This may be someones beloved pet, even tho her nails were not clipped and so forth.  

In the meantime since you have adopted her for now, spend time quietly gently training.  A little at a time.  she needs to learn to trust.  You are probably just the one to do this  since you are compassionate enough to take her in from the streets.

Did the vet give vaccines and rabies?  If not you will have to decide to keep her and do all of this for her as you do not know if it has been done.

Answer 3

i have seen plenty of dogs that have had bad owners before

its all about trust

most dogs will never fully recover from their fears and will always be that way inclined

at the moment just get her trust up before you worry about training

dont make any suddent movements and always move nice and slowly. talk to her while your patting her in a calm controlled voice and she will eventually begin to realise your a friend

remember for them its the equivalent of trusting another person after your only dealing with someone has been a relationship of abuse

at the moment she probably isnt aware that humans have a nice side to them as well