Very shy and timid pup......HELP

[Diane Heller-Vaccaro]

I think Tracyd pretty much answered the question. If the dog is genetically unsound it has been my experience you can never rely on training or socializing to fix a fearful dog. Socializing is what you do to give your puppy the experience to be around new and different people and places. Socializing will not fix a dog that is fearful unless the reason is lack of socialization.

[nsgoddess]

I am in Yarmouth........

[Ilovemypuppy]

Originally Posted by nsgoddess

I am in Yarmouth........

I'll see what I can find out and get back to you as soon as possible.

[brunie's mom]

This does not give me a good feeling. She is not your typical Rottweiler puppy...she should be happy and bouncy and ready to meet people.

When you have her at the vet's door can you just keep feeding her bits of treats to kind of lure her in? Are you starting to get tense and upset??

You really need to get help with your pup. I have been to Yarmouth...for sure you have someone that does dog training around. Our closest small ,tiny town has a few trainers within a 30 minute drive.

Have you asked your vet or the people at the petfood stores?
Even if there is no Puppy K classes going on right now, it would be great to get some one-on-one advise from an instructor.

This behaviour is not going to get better...only worse with time.

Gina

[Ilovemypuppy]

Originally Posted by brunie's mom

This behaviour is not going to get better...only worse with time.

Gina

While I agree, this behaviour doesn't sound normal..it's been my experience, as a trainer, that very often the behaviour that people explain to me , is happening with their pup/dog (over the phone)..is all too often NOT what I eventually see when they bring the pup/dog in to be evaluated.

It could be any number of things besides a temperament problem..again, only a trainer can access that in person.

We can all only speculate from here.


I have asked on the Maritime Dog Show list for info regarding a trainer in the Yarmouth area and should hear back soon.

[nsgoddess]

Once she gets over the inital fear and is use to the person she is very loving and friendly, its just that inital meeting.....I will gladly take help from anyone who knows what they are doing......even the people she was initially scared of at first said she has a great temperment above and beyond her fear.

[brunie's mom]

What else could it be for a 12 week old puppy to be growling at people? The only thing it could be is temperment at that age. She was so terrified at going through the vet's door that she had to be carried and almost bit the owner!!!

I agree...long distance diagnosing is hard....but we have already had a few members post having the same experiences with their pup's as this one at the same young age.

Alot can be read at a young age about a pups temperment...this is why it is so important to buy a puppy from a good breeder.

I worked at a vet's office for many years as a A.H.T.....and in all honesty..the pups that were growling, snapping, scared and carrying on when they came in for their series of vaccinations....grew up to be the same as adult dogs.

I do hope she finds the help she needs and have my fingers crossed that things get better.

Gina

[winniecnm]

Originally Posted by Ilovemypuppy

While I agree, this behaviour doesn't sound normal..it's been my experience, as a trainer, that very often the behaviour that people explain to me , is happening with their pup/dog (over the phone)..is all too often NOT what I eventually see when they bring the pup/dog in to be evaluated.

It could be any number of things besides a temperament problem..again, only a trainer can access that in person.

We can all only speculate from here.

I have to agree with this. Often times when you have a novice dog owner they misinterpret behavior. What may seem to be a fearful dog to one person could actually just be a bratty playful obnoxious pup or even showing some mild agression. It is impossible to know without seeing the body language and see the actual scenario playing out.

I would just HATE to label this dog so early in life unless it was done by a well respected trainer. There is too much to explore here with socialization and training to know yet what the finished product is going to be like.

[Tracyd]

nsgoddess, please read "Help, Fear Aggression" thread. It is my story, and it sounds just like yours, except Cannon was a little older when we had the vet, pet store incidents. As others have suggested, take Reese to the vet for quick "hello" visits, sit down in the waiting room for a few minutes, praise like crazy if she's being well mannered, and then leave. Do this often so it's just a fun place to go and get a treat.
Because Cannon was older, his snapping and growling at the pet store when people approached was a sure fire way to get in some real trouble. Try not to overwhelm her with vet, then pet store, all in the same trip. She's young enough where people will still make the effort with treats and offer to puppy sit while letting her meet customers, but not for long. Soon enough she will be big, and not so "cute". Growling is not acceptable. Should have given her a good correction, not rewarding her with treats for bad behavior.
Cannon can no longer be taken to the pet store, and if we are out and people approach him, I have to pay REAL CLOSE attention to his body language before allowing him to be pet.

[nsgoddess]

I took reese out again today to the store where she growled at everyone and she was PERFECT today, she wanted to play and go on..There were customers coming and going and she was great with them too......I'm confused now

[Ilovemypuppy]

I think...without actually being able to observe what she is doing, is that Reese just lacks confidence and more socializing will certainly help that ALOT. I haven't heard back as to a trainer in your area...but have you asked at the vet clinics there to see if they know of any they could recommend?

[miccmill]

She reacts to some people and not to others. This sounds like it's her nature to be that way.

I agree with Jory. Someone qualified needs to put their eyes on you and Reese together to start sorting things out.

[Diane Heller-Vaccaro]

You see how inconsistent she is in temperment...classic fear biter. This dog will always be fearful. Can you send her back to the breeder? I think this is more than you signed up for that may sound cruel but having a dog should not be a chore, a job yes because there is work with all relationships human and otherwise but at the end when you are giving 120% and this dog because of her genetics can't overcome her fear it is both dangerous and heartbreaking. Can you picture this dog at 12 months or 2 years? Have you talked to her breeder about this? This is a very serious temperment issue, I have one at home and he is no fun. He is very good with my husband and myself but you never know how he will react to other people and I watch his posture constantly and while out in public. I ask that people not handle him. It all started when he was 8 weeks old and he had an immediate fear of cars going by when we walked, not towards the cars but when they came up from behind. I knew soon or later I would have problems and out the window went my plans for a BH. He was on the road to what looked like a fairly promising show career and is now going to be a neutered house dog. He would snapped a judges hand off. If I didn't keep him he would have to be euthanized I would never place a fearful dog in a home.

[winniecnm]

Can you give more info about the people she growls at? Do they seem leery of her yet approach anyway? Do they try to pet her on the top of the head? Are you nervous now when you go out with her? Do you find yourself consoling her when she is acting up? Any of these things could be making the behavior worse.

I just got home from taking Reese into the vet for a trial run and as usual she flipped out as soon as she got near the door, she wouldn't go in on her leash so I picked her up and she almost went for me, but decided not to. She was as stiff as a board though. I took her in got her weighed and she didn't want to be there at all...very tense. I left and went to another store with her and she growled at the lady and backed up near me

This time you went with her to the store after the showdown at the vets office. She was probably acting up still from the vet visit and took it out on the people at the store. The last time you took her to the store she was OK because she did not go to the vet's before. That's my assessment of why the two trips were so different.

[nsgoddess]

She growls at no one imparticular, nor for any apparent reason at first. Most of the people are not leary ...shes a puppy so they aren't afraid. No one gets close enough to pet her on the head at first because she will let out the growl and back away. Only after she is ready do they get to pat her...and once she is use to the person she will go to them and be submissive (lay so her belly is exposed). As for me I'm not nervous in taking her out...more confused and bewildered about her actions than anything. I don't scold her for it...I'm just paying attention to what she is doing and watching her right now. I also do not console her .
On another note I was talking to a lady tonight that is going to make a visit with Reese on Sunday to see what Reese is doing, and I have found a puppy kindergarden, so hopefully I will see some improvments into her actions but also some insight. The lady whom I am meeting with on Sun is a dog breeder but also a trainer, and did mention that most puppies will go through a fear stage so that I should really give Reese the benifit of the doubt for the next couple of weeks and see how she is reacting to the situations.....