Hello, I’m here asking for help, suggestions, and/or advice!!! ❤️🐶

[firewraith]

Longish but hear me out please!!

My landlord wanted to get rid of his 7 1/2 yr old Great Pyrenees and by get rid I mean he had already made an appointment to put him down.
Fortunately for Wall-E and all of us, I was able to convince him to give me the dog and so I adopted him. There’s nothing wrong with him, he runs as much a dog for his size/age can, he plays a bit, and definitely was not ready to be put down. That’s the backstory, here’s why I’m really here.

He’s never really been a dog and sometimes he’ll play with a tennis ball if you throw it towards him but most times he doesn’t. I can tell that he’s playful but I feel like he just doesn’t know how to since no one ever really played with him? He’s very lovable though

He’s never been outside the yard (unless he accidentally got out) and we want to take him for walks and the beach but he’s SO AFRAID!!
Any advice on how to help him not be so nervous?? We got him out the gate but he just lays down and wouldn’t move cause he was so afraid. Should I start little by little with treats? Should I use calming treats to help him?

Another question is, what can I give to help him with his joints/ bones/ muscles? Any advice or suggestions for what’s worked for you and your loved ones? I started buying him joint health treats but I’m wondering if there’s anything better like some type of formula or diet?

One last question, how do I bathe a HUGE dog that is afraid of water and hasn’t been bathed since he was a puppy!?!? I’ve been brushing him lots and I can already make a whole new dog with all the hair I’ve brushed off. I also bought him dog wet wipes to wipe him but that can only do so much :/

My girl and I want to give Wall-E the best life we can and what he deserves but he’s very timid and shy (sometimes a scaredy-cat even tho he’s HUGE!) I’m open minded to your guys’ suggestions/ advice! Thank you for your time!

I’ll add a link with pics!
Wall-E and I

 

[patriarch28]

@firewraith For joints, glucosamine and chondroitin work wonders. A vet can help you with other pain meds if he needs them. Gabapentin gave my dog the freedom to act like a puppy.

You're going to want to get a positive method only trainer who specializes in desensitization and counter conditioning. Do as much reading on those two terms as you can.

It helps if you can never force him past a line he's drawing from being fearful, but instead reward him whenever he does face his fears.

You're a great person, best of luck with the big guy!

 

[firewraith]

@patriarch28 Thank you very much! I actually take gabapentin for my nerve damage. I did not know it could be prescribed to dogs, I will look into that. Thanks again!

 

[secretsis]

@firewraith You are wonderful for doing this. Poor boy lived his entire life with someone that just didn't care.

Please visit a veterinarian to make sure he is in good health, and to get him on a good food for large breed seniors.

Regarding the fearfulness, just be patient. He's had 7+ years of learning how to be a fixture. Now he needs your patience and reassurance that being a dog is safe. Do dog things with a gentle spirit and calm voice, and he will slowly learn what his new boundaries are.

 

[firewraith]

@secretsis As much as he wasn’t cared for, they were giving him his shots. My landlord ultimately just didn’t want to spend any more money on him and his only idea was to put him down :/ but he’s well and happy now! He even knows how to sit!

Yeah I figured I’m going to have to constantly reward him for making very tiny steps to help him understand that it’s okay to be happy! Thank you!

 

[ajharmon89]

@firewraith Your situation reminds me a bit of my own. I have a 2.5yr old Great Dane with severe anxiety issues. I would agree with the other response. Stick to positive reinforcement, and don’t try to force it. If Wall-E is food motivated, you may be able to use treats to get him to feel more comfortable in new situations. If he ends up much like my dog, and shuts down completely in those situations, then you will just need to be patient. My Dane came out of her shell after a few weeks. She is perfectly happy and playful in the home and backyard, but goes full meltdown when she leaves the front door. At this point, I have accepted that she isn’t going to be a social butterfly. I reward and praise her when she tries to be brave and try new things, but don’t force her into situations she’s not comfortable with. It may not be a life as exciting as some dogs, but it is full of love and she seems to enjoy that. . Hopefully Wall-E will also come out of his she with you and start showing his true colors.

As for bathing, that is always a two person job for me. I generally use my walk in shower to avoid killing anyone’s back. One person gently keeps them in place while the other bathes quickly. In your case, it may be worth consulting a groomer. They may be able to give some insights on how to deal with a giant marshmallow that doesn’t like baths.

 

[auxiron]

@ajharmon89 Check out the other comment I left in regards to the part about CBD because you may find it useful!

 

[firewraith]

@auxiron Hello! I can see you commented on my post through your profile but it won’t show up on my post, could you repost it or perhaps message me what you said? I’ve been wanting to look into CBD oils, I just don’t know much about it yet, I’d really appreciate it! Thank you for your time!

 

[auxiron]

@firewraith Here is the link to my comment, sorry it was giving you trouble!

 

[firewraith]

@ajharmon89 Thank you for your advice! Will start trying this today!

 

[soupy2209]

@firewraith I've had my Pyr boy since puppy-hood. He's 3 now. I took him to town to socialize him as a puppy, gave him baths, took him for walks and he is still fearful. I've never struck him. I've scolded him at times and it hurts his feelings. He is just a really really good boy. He is afraid of stainless steel bowls, afraid of white bowls, afraid of any kind of threshold / doorway. At thanksgiving I put turkey in a bowl, but forgot he wouldn't go near stainless steel. He just won't. He's so scared of the bathroom where we give him baths. He has a good life though - it's not all fear. He runs around the yard being silly, chasing the cats but being kind to them. We go on walks. I sit on the floor and he plops himself on me and he won't let me stop petting him. Here's what works for me, but we're still working on things. On a hike once, the caretakers had sawed through a fallen log to clear a path. Henry wouldn't go through it without much coaxing. That's when I learned that if I go first, he'll follow. When I open the door at home, and he walks out, I give him plenty of time to surveil the area. If I go someplace first, he will walk out to be with me. If I get into the car, he will get into the car. If I walk through a doorway and he is too afraid, I will sit past the doorway and he will feel better. After each little bit, his comfort level is increased. I've recently started giving him loads of treats going further into the bathroom. I had someone hold a spoonful of peanut butter while bathing him and he's getting better at not hating the bathroom and baths. I also got him a little plastic swimming pool. He wouldn't go near it at first but I left it alone and didn't force him. Then the next day I put water in it. He wandered near it. Then I sat in it and he came near. The next day I splashed water not in his direction. He's ok now with coming up to the pool and sticking a paw in. By the end of summer my hope is that he will get in. For play I got a light blue soccer ball and kick it away from him and he runs after it. I also got a rope toy - that is his favorite. He won't play tug of war, but he'll now take the rope toy and run and run away from me and then I'll take it and he'll run after me until he sees a blade of grass or a bug or whatever to distract him. I'm so glad you rescued Wall-E. I can't imagine putting down such a majestic creature for no reason. They're just pure love.

 

[firewraith]

@soupy2209 Oh man, my boy sounds just like your boy! I will try this with getting out of the gate, it sucks because people are still lighting up fireworks at night and he’s so afraid of them. I also got him a rope toy, he’ll also just run away with it but if I’m really lucky, he’ll actually play a little tug of war with me. He does love food and I taught him how to sit before giving him a treat, now every time I go outside he looks at me and sits by himself because he knows he’ll get a treat that way! He’s hustling me now! Thank you!

 

[shroom]

@firewraith You might try looking into a thunder shirt (or similar) or an adaptil collar to help him relax. My boy is storm phobic and is on-leash dog aggressive, and between his daily meds (trazodone and gabapentin), his thunder shirt during storms (the compression around their bodies can help them relax), and our newest tool, our adaptil collar (releases a scent that mimics the hormone mama dogs give out to help them relax a bit), my boy is able to be more like himself.

As for not playing, not all dogs do. Every now and then my boy will be feeling froggy and grab his toy, but the vast majority of the time, he just wants walks, naps, and pets and is totally uninterested in playing.

I hope something in here helps! You did a great thing for him

 

[firewraith]

@shroom Thank you so much! I was wondering if one of those jackets could work, I’ll try it out. He’s a big boy so I gotta see which one could fit him the best. I’m having a hard time finding harnesses, XLs around here aren’t as XL as they should be, and forget anything bigger than that. I’ll have to go online, also I didn’t know about that scent collar, thanks so much for suggesting it, I’m interested!

 

[shroom]

@firewraith Sure thing, I hope it helps! None of those have been a perfect fix for us, but in combination, my boy seems a lot more relaxed and happy without being a zombie. Most of the vests will have a size chart and I know the adaptil collars do (you can also trim them to size if they're too big, but I don't think you'll have that issue!). They also make wall plug in diffusers that you can use as an alternative to the collar, but the reviews said they get super hot and I have OCD, so I couldn't handle the thought of leaving it plugged in and hot while I was out of the house.

 

[auxiron]

@firewraith Also wanted to add that if you know he is dog friendly, having a confident and social companion can work absolute wonders on helping a shy/fearful dog come out of their shell. So if you find he has any dog friends that could ever accompany you on outings, that would likely be a huge help for him

 

[firewraith]

@auxiron He is GREAT with other dogs, the cottage is being rent out and the guy living there has a medium size male dog named Bear and they’re friends. Bear is the opposite of wall-E, he goes for walks, can be off the leash, isn’t shy, and loves the beach. One day I hope we can all go together to the beach.

My friend once brought her female dog over and Wall-E didn’t try anything with her either, he just sniffed her and minded his business. I can tell he doesn’t like to bother other dogs or really care to start anything.

They’ve had other dogs before and again, no problem so maybe I’m thinking once he’s slightly more comfortable getting outside the gate, it won’t be too difficult when we encounter other dogs. I’m open to having some lil dates for him, thank you!

 

[ora]

@firewraith when i need to get my very nervous pup to acclimate to a new environment, we play Find It. i just toss treats in a random pattern (on leash or off) and let her search/ sniff them out. depending on the environment and your pup's proficiency, you can switch treats based on difficulty of color and smell "camouflage." it gets her moving around, settling in, snacking away. pretty soon, she's like, what was i nervous about?

 

[marybeee]

@firewraith Kudos to you for adopting Wall-E! He is so handsome! Great Pyrenees are amazing dogs. They are working dogs and I suggest you read up a little bit about the breed and it's characteristics. They are known for being very loyal and lovable. Since they are working dogs they like to have a job. When I leave my dog by himself I always tell him "It's your job to take care of the house". If I'm working on my computer I'll say "It's your job to hang here and keep me company". I don't know how much he understands but intuitively I feel he gets the gist of what I am saying. Regarding getting him to go outside the yard, I would start really slowly and use high-value treats. Just going outside the gate could be your first goal. If you can get your neighbor's dog that Wall-E likes to come over and go outside the gate with you that could be very helpful. If he sees the neighbor's dog go outside the gate and be comfortable this can help build his confidence. Baby steps! and heavily reward him. Go at his pace rather than try to force anything. It's scary for him because it's unknown. Once you have small victories with him, it will both increase his trust in you and help him to build his confidence. Do the same with a bath. You could try having a bucket of warm water outside and just bath one leg to start with. Again help him build his confidence. Regarding toys you could try a rope toy and see if he likes that. I buy my dog used stuffed animals at goodwill (he shreds everything so this way I have a big supply and don't spend too much $).

In regards to his joints/bones/muscles, I give my dog WagWorthy Naturals Advanced Formula Hip + Joint supplement for dogs. I buy it on Amazon and it really helps my dog (he's 6) stay active and mobile. It has glucosamine, chondroitin, msm and natural ingredients that help nourish and support joints. I think of it like good nutrition for joints. I'd start with this supplement before giving him any pain meds that just mask the pain but don't make the joints healthier and that helps prevent and delay the onset of arthritis. It's all natural and high quality.

I also recommend you have a dog trainer come over to the house for a session. They can give you lots of great info and tips and suggestions and show you how to work with him. Ask around at the local pet stores for a recommendation. Ask for a trainer that uses positive reinforcement (very important for a shy or nervous dog!)

Good luck and keep us posted!!

 

[firewraith]

@marybeee Thank you so much for this information! This is very informative and I feel a bit more confident after reading your response.
I’ll look up wagworthy right now, I’ve been giving him what I can find here in my area but only if they have good reviews. He seems way happier and he has mastered how to sit. I’d like to get him a harness that actually fits (he has one that’s a tiny bit too small) because I feel like that also makes him nervous. I’m also looking to buy one of those stress jackets but I gotta wait a bit until I get paid cause stuff his size it’s like doubled in price and he needs like XXL or even XXXL huge boy. I actually just called a vet and left a message to see if she can come over and get him his shots because he’s due for rabies and it’ll be a while until he can actually get in the car.
After all that is settled I’ll definitely be looking for a dog trainer and a groomer, I want to spoil him once he’s more comfortable. And of course I’ll be reading more about his breed and their characteristics! Thank you so much again! Truly appreciate it!