Adult Rescue Challenges
The biggest challenge with a developing adult rescue dog concerns aggression. You will feel significantly less comfortable with the dog than if you'd raised him from an eight-week-old puppy. This is mostly because when you bring a rescue dog into your house, you haven't had time to know how this shepherd will react in all situations. In essence, you can't trust him. You will be able to trust him in the future, but he must earn that trust over a period of months.
Likewise, you must earn the trust of your shepherd. He must know that you aren't going to take everything away from him, so he doesn't need to guard his treasures. He needs to be able to trust that you won't put him in any frightening situations with other dogs to overcome any fear-related dog aggression. Most important, for him to accept you as his leader, he must respect you.
Behaviorists working with adopted adult dogs warn about the “honeymoon period.” Some dogs appear to be perfect companions for four to six weeks, and then something changes. It's as if once they get the lay of the land and feel comfortable in their new homes, they start pushing limits — testing your leadership skills and challenging your authority.
Working with a rescued adult shepherd can be a challenge. Self-confident people who are very in tune with dog nuances and body language will have a much easier time if the adopted dog presents any problems. Often, the shepherd that is up for adoption has already passed through his “difficult” period. In this case, what you see is what you get.
