bitsy Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Hello, We just adopted a new BC female who is 10/11 mths old. (I recently posted about her) I am wondering.. she is very very timid - not in a fearful aggressive way, but in a "scared baby" sort of way, like she has not experienced the world and wants to stand behind mama all the time. When my husband tries to pet her, she gets excited and will zoom past him and bounce (lol) tail wagging, but stay juuust out of reach and not let him pet her, and just acts timid when she's in a spot where he's too close. When he does pet her eventually she's fine and not truly scared. The same goes for with our other dog - when the other dog is near her, she slinks down to the ground and gets submissive. When the dog leaves, she bounces up and acts super excited about what just happened. Is this a trait she could have as an adult, or is it more a puppy-ish thing? I haven't had such a submissive dog before so not sure what to do to encourage her to NOT be as submissive. Advice would be helpful, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Is this a trait she could have as an adult, or is it more a puppy-ish thing? I haven't had such a submissive dog before so not sure what to do to encourage her to NOT be as submissive. Without seeing her but having some experience with shy dogs, I would say this is a temperament trait rather than a puppy thing she'll outgrow on her own completely. However, you can do several things to improve her confidence. Basic obedience training is always a good thing to do -- nothing harsh though --- to build your relationship with her and just make life easier for her and you. If you can find an activity she really loves (e.g., obedience, agility, Frisbee, etc.) that often will build a shy dog's confidence. Click to Calm by Emma Parsons has lots of great techniques for reinforcing behaviors you want. It is marketed towards aggressive dogs but is a great primer for clicker training in general and works great with shy dogs. What you want to avoid is reinforcing the shy behaviors in any way -- with positive or negative attention, with fussing over, talking in an overly fussy voice or scolding. With my shy dogs I always aimed for what I referred to as a "bracing" attitude. Think of a no-nonsense nurse who is going to make sure you are well taken care of, encourage you but isn't going to coddle you. At the same time, you want to try to keep the dog from going over "threshold" to the point of fear and panic. It can be a fine line to walk as you are trying to go through day to day life, but you just do your best. Another good trick is to take situations that are scary or alarming for the dog and associate them with something great. For many dogs that would be special treats. So when a stranger comes over, the dog soon learns that if she comes up she will get a treat. Or you treat the dog for staying (relatively) calmly by your side while someone or something scary goes by. Click to Calm addresses this sort of approach very well. It sounds like your pup is a fairly new arrival. As she settles in and feels more secure, she may calm down and gain confidence by that alone. Again, without seeing her, it is hard to say how much of her skittishness is temperament and how much is situational. Regardless, good luck and have fun with her. These shy dogs can be very rewarding to watch grow and bloom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy in AZ Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Liz gave you some very sound advice. I would just add that your husband shouldn't impose interaction with her until she's indicated that she is at ease with him. Let her decide to make the approach to your husband. Men can be very imposing to young dogs, so it may help if he sat on the floor, turned sideways (not directly facing her) and averted his gaze. She'll probably come up to sniff him. He should resist the impulse to pet her until she's had a few moments to feel satisfied there is no danger. He should be aware of his body language. For example, standing directly in front of and facing a submissive dog, looking them directly in the eye, or leaning over them are all ways that can generate anxiety in a tmid dog. Also if she acts happy but unsure, playing the "chase me" game (he runs from her, encouraging her to chase him)can encourage interaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 I would just add that your husband shouldn't impose interaction with her until she's indicated that she is at ease with him. Boy, you make several great points about how to approach shy dogs, Nancy. I'll tell people "treat him like a cat. Let him come to you." That just takes so much pressure off the dog and usually they start cautiously approaching/sniffing very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4pack Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Yep play 'hard to get'.... and , sounding like a broken record.... http://www.fearfuldogs.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.