Lovely advice here.

Kathy, It might help if you make a list of things to do with your dog to help socialise her.

You can then tick of those things off the list and it will show you what you have achieved. Sucess is a great motivator.

You can even make a list of the things you do each day , for example
e.g morning walk
evening walk
grooming
Picking up paws etc etc

Read it back in the evening and think I have done all this .

Training doesn't happen over night and sometimes you make mistakes , dont dwell on them or let them get you down .

Depression is a horrible illness, and I think it's different for every person. But you can and will beat it. You have acknowledged it, you have named the beast and I hope you are getting some help because it's hard to go it alone.

When I was depressed Cookie was my life line, he's the reason I kept going. He needed me and I needed him. For some people having something to latch onto is great, for others the added pressure and responsibility of another life depending on you is too much.
You are the only one who can decide if your illness is going to be helped or hindered by this pup, or if it's not going to make a blind bit of difference. And of course even if she's helping you still need to help yourself, no good latching onto anyone else for your emotional well being because if they get ill or pass away you're back to square one.

I can't really add much to what others have said, but there are many studies that suggest that exercise helps beat depression. My understanding of depression is that the brain doesn't release the feel good chemical, so I urge you to go out of your way to make yourself happy, if this pup makes you laugh and skip around the park, then that is super. If this pup makes you stressed, dread getting up in the morning and pull your hair out then maybe now isn't the best time for a pup.

Please, please, please though, if you do decided this pup is better off somewhere else, inform the breeder. If the breeder doesn't want the pup back get in touch with a GSD rescue. There will be loads of people out there waiting for a bundle of fluff to take home and mold into an amazing dog. And don't feel guilty, if you aren't committed to her and she's stressing you too much out it's best to part ways sooner rather than later. I'm not telling you to give her up, just advising on if you feel that's best to do it the right way.
I would love to know what you decide, and some pictures always go over well.

Great post SarahJade,good for you.

Thank you
Always nice to know other think I'm on the right track!

Thank you to everyone for your replies. They all help and really mean a lot x

Kathy , if you need to chat there is a registered members section that is more private then this open part of the forum.

Its hard for you because you are so young and you dont know your real self yet. In this sort of situation you have to ask yourself if this is the depression talking .

Alison

Very good advice and please do NOT sell your dog, even at 18 you must have learned there are nasty people out there, ones who will offer you a few quid and then go on to resell the poor dog for a much higher price thereby making a fool of you and likely putting the poor dog into an even worse position.

I repeat DO NOT SELL YOUR DOG TO ANYBODY.

It can't be hard to find the GSD rescue people, these are the good guys in this rotten world, they will help you and they will try to find a new home for your dog.

I agree with Alison about your depression. I suffer a lot with depression always have. But then I am a dog person and could never live without one. My baby gives me reason to get up in the morning and to go on through each day. As Alison says this may not be the same for you. But as Losos says you must be extremely careful how you rehome your poor lass it is not her fault and she needs a loving home not being sold for profit or used to breed indiscrimantly etc......do be careful and go back to the breeder or to a GSD rescue centre. I hope you feel better soon.

kathy, I don't know which part of London you live in , if you are north of the River , there is the Mayhew Animal home in North London.

You can a list of breed rescues and rehoming centres at

http://www.dogpages.org.uk/

Lots of breed rescues and some rehoming centres foster puppies so she wont havr to stay in a kennel. They check the adopters home and interview them to make sure they are suitable (or at least they should do ) so you can be reassured she will have a suitable home.

Best wishes, Alison

Is the censorship automatic.?
The weblink itself isnt too a dog forum though it does have a link to a forum on it .