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Male BC proving very hard work


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Supershaven, I am coming in late to this discussion (as often happens, since I do not check here every day).

You have gotten some great advice, and I can't add a lot.

 

But, I will just say this much: I have had a foster dog or puppy come to me who simply did not seem to have much interest in relating to me, or to playing or much of anything I offered. My approach was this: I stopped expecting anything at all from the dog that I normally would expect. Instead of expecting, or comparing to others, or even trying to teach anything, I spent a few days.....only a few days it takes..... just hanging out with the dog, spending time just one-on-one with the dog, mostly observing what he or she did. Speaking nicely to the dog, offering my petting, but not as I said expecting anything in return.

 

My observation is that when a dog acts the way you are describing the reason is often that the dog is either overwhelmed, or shut down, and the reason may be that he tried to make connection previously with someone and then was let down. Maybe abandoned. Maybe his feelings were hurt by something that someone did unknowingly. I am not being anthropomorphic here (or don't mean to be).....these things can happen. The result is the dog sort of says "to hell with it, I am not going to try".

 

My experience was that after a few days of just observing the dog in question without any judgements or pre-conceived ideas or expectations, I was able to SEE the dog in a different way. I saw who that dog really was, and was then able to offer options to him in a way that he would accept. And the dog, having been given time to relax, was able to come closer to making a connection with me.

 

Patience is the key, here. And a willingness to experience the dog that you have, rather than the dog you expected him to be. If you can do that, you may find that he comes around in time to actually being the dog you want him to be after all.

Best of luck.

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Reading this I'm wondering if the dog has any separation problems. If you have a webcam, try getting some video of what's happening and if your pup is freaking out or just making his own fun. Video helped me get over a lot of my bad training mistakes. How were his parents temperament wise?

 

-Rich

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