This guys story is all over the place. He was someones dog, then he went to someone else.Then he was dumped at the NYCACC, the NYCs municipal kill shelter.

He was ready to be euthanized but an amazing foster stepped up to save his life. He needs an experienced GSD handler to step up and provide a forever home for this gorgeous boy ASAP!

Duo Duo/Odins STATS:
Approximate age: We think he’s closer to the 1yr 6 months than the 3 years
Approximate weight: 65 lbs but putting weight back on!
Breed: German Shepherd
Spayed or neutered? Scheduled for 10/17
Good with kids? Surrender Family indicated he was great with their 14-Year-old.
Currently, wouldn’t recommend without significant training and proper controlled introduction.
Strangers? Current challenge. It’s fairly evident he’s been trained in protection,
and he has not been socialized. He is loose with a wagging tail but will not calm.
Other dogs? Also, unknown. Currently working on introduction with foster’s pups,
but similar to strangers, Odin will bark and not calm
Cats? Unknown
On leash? Incredible with no stimuli. When presented with a stranger or other
pet, will focus and pull to them.
Housetrained? Yes
Crate trained? Yes
Paper trained? Yes

Hi everyone, I’m Odin! My prior family left me with a whole bunch of strangers at a kill shelter and those people labeled me as reactive and unable to be handled. I was really scared and sad, wouldn’t eat or drink, and wouldn’t let anyone near me. What most people don’t understand is my whole existence has been to protect my family and without one, I didn’t understand what my job was.

Since Megan and Scott let me stay at their house, I’ve started eating a ton and feeling more like myself, but I still don’t trust others and fear they’ll take me back to that horrible place. It took me a few days to even relax and lay down voluntarily. I would fall asleep standing up!! I only began to trust Megan and Scott because I was so sick when I met them, and they honestly saved me and
gave me a purpose. All I want is to be around people I can trust. I really don’t like being alone, but for some reason my prior family didn’t need me like I needed them. I’m just glad I’m still here to eat chicken and get belly rubs! I listen really good, and love cuddles as long as I’m with Megan or Scott.

I’ve started voluntarily sleeping in my crate at night. When Megan or Scott is nearby, I feel peaceful and play with my toys or nap near their feet. They tell me I must have been very well trained and that I learn and calm easily with them, but they don’t think my prior family ever exposed me to other people or animals and trained me for protection. I really like Megan. I don’t like it when she’s not around. I think I can tell she’s carrying a baby too. I think I may need an alpha to form a bond and have a purpose that would allow me to leave Megan. I’m not very food or toy motivated, but I’m obviously from a working line.

From the foster’s perspective:
When Odin arrived here in NH, it was evident that his spirit had nearly been broken. It was devastating to see how much his family leaving him at a kill shelter hurt him. They were all he knew.

On top of that, it was evident he didn’t really understand English. We devised over time that he was from a Chinese family and started working him through English and our commands. He picked up

with ease and started to trust. From not eating or drinking and being very ill, he immediately did 180 here and he’s gaining back his weight and is doing great as long as he’s solo or with my husband and I!!! The shelter had experienced him as unable to be handled and reactive to other animals and strangers. We believe that had more to do with his training than the dog, but that he definitely had limited to no exposure to strangers or other animals. He’s proven over the last weeks that he loves fiercely and will lock on to “His family”. The concern being that he’s now decided my husband and I, who are currently expecting our first child and have many other animals, are his family and his job is fiercely to protect and track us… Hes become extremely attached to myself and it’s fairly evident he can tell I’m pregnant. Given his challenges, he will need an experienced alpha to transition this focus, which neither of us is. We have his neuter scheduled for 10/17, and are hopefully that could assist with a bit of his drive, but it wont solve this level of protection training.
Odin has the typical German shepherd focus and drive which means he’ll do best with proper
exercise and tasking. He is above all things, a protector of his people. He doesn’t like being alone and wants to be where they are. If you’re looking for a partner and a shadow, he’s your guy!!! He is calm when he knows where you are. It’s amazing to see! We’ve tried a few meet and greets with interested parties and he wasn’t having it. He remains loose with a wagging tail, but aggressively
barks and wont calm in time. When people turn and he no longer sees their eyes, he will sit and start to calm, but as soon as they move, he starts again. It’s all these reasons that make it evident he’ll need an alpha/experienced GSD handler.

We can tell that he has been through training and learns incredibly fast. He won’t play with things unless they’re placed into his mouth. He is incredibly easy with food and play. It’s incredible!!! No food or toy aggression at all, but also, limited motivation. He hasn’t damaged a single thing and proved when he first arrived that he can hit a pee pad every time! He’s magic! All of this leads us to believe that all of his behaviors are the result of significant training and that he most likely was left in an apartment in NYC for protection. We feel like there might be a word or trigger that allows him to accept others or relax, but we don’t know what it is.

The main issue for this dog is that he was never properly socialized. He’s fearful of anything new and would protect his family above all else which can come off as a lack of integrating and could be a risk to others or himself. He needs time to decompress and trust to learn that he’s safe. He needs a patient owner that wants to spend the time socializing him and showing him he’s safe and finally
home. He needs his person. We’ve grown concerned that the more time spent imprinting on the fosters will repeat the cycle of downgrading as well. Could you be that? Do you have experienced with misunderstood and challenging pups? Odin will love you fiercely and always be there! He so badly wants to have purpose and structure!
If you think so or you think you could be a rehabilitating foster, please apply with the awesome people at https://www.poundhoundsresq.org! They’re the ones that enabled Megan and Scott to save Odin’s life! He’s up in Southern NH on the Manchester/Bedford border waiting to meet you!