Another puppy question...

[wturner]

My dog, Clyde (retriever mix), is about 7 months old. He was maybe around 5 weeks when he was found abandoned and I picked him up from the person that found him that same day.

He is shit scared of going around any other human. If there is a dog, it is no problem, and eventually he will warm up to a person if I am there but it takes some time.

We recently spent our first weekend apart and once I left, he wouldn't come within 10ft of the person I left him with.

My last dog, a long haired chihuahua, I took with me everywhere to parties and such and he absolutely loved other humans and would totally ignore me to hang out with the other folks.

I don't frequent parties as much anymore so I haven't had the opportunity to socialize Clyde. What should I do to remedy this?

 

[Lake_Bueller]

Try finding a kennel club or similar place that has socialization classes. It's a great way to get your dog comfortable around other dogs and people. You could also try a local dog park. Or just get him out for walks, to the pet store, etc.

 

[knewsom]

My favorite way to do this is to take him on a nice walk someplace where there's a restaurant with outdoor seating - sit down, have a bite, passers-by will go gaga over him (hopefully women in low-cut blouses), anyone you're dining with will want to sneak him treats, and eventually, he'll figure out that people are awesome - they all love him and want to give him food.

 

[wturner]

Try finding a kennel club or similar place that has socialization classes. It's a great way to get your dog comfortable around other dogs and people. You could also try a local dog park. Or just get him out for walks, to the pet store, etc.

We go to the dog park all the time. He loves slobbering all over his K9 brethren and pays less attention to the people when they have a dog in hand. But when it is just a person, he acts scared.

My favorite way to do this is to take him on a nice walk someplace where there's a restaurant with outdoor seating - sit down, have a bite, passers-by will go gaga over him (hopefully women in low-cut blouses), anyone you're dining with will want to sneak him treats, and eventually, he'll figure out that people are awesome - they all love him and want to give him food.

Yea, those are a bit hard to find in Houston as it is against city ordinance. Some places look the other way though, I'll have to check them out.

 

[DiscoJen]

Yea, those are a bit hard to find in Houston as it is against city ordinance. Some places look the other way though, I'll have to check them out.

OMG I could not live in a city that had an ordinance like that! One of the things I really like about St. Louis is that is a very dog friendly city. Very few places disallow you to sit outside with your dog to dine. Our Lowes & Home Depot have no problems with bringing your pets inside with you on leash. My old Lowes & Home Depot in Tampa was cool as long as they were in a shopping cart.

I suffer a similar fear of humans with one of my dogs. I had a sitter come over while I was on vacation last year. The poor thing was too scared to come upstairs to go potty outside and after a few days finally relieved herself in the basement. It takes her a long time to warm up to someone new and I've just never been able to make her really comfortable with strangers. But with four dogs it's difficult to find the time that it takes to spend with her to individually, and she has her dog friends which prevents her from really wanting the interaction of other humans.

Find a very public place with lots of walk by traffic and sit on a park bench. Plenty of folks will walk by and want to say "hello" to your dog. Give the strangers a treat to give to your dog. Dog park will be too much of a distraction with the other pups around.

 

[Rover Mac]

I rescued a 4 month old English Cocker Spaniel through one of the dog adoption agencies I had signed up with. He was from an illegal puppy mill in a trailer park which had been raided because of a meth lab on site, Dougal (named after BBC Magic Roundabout children's TV series ) was one neurotic and terrified puppy. He had a spinal infection from docking his tail which had affected his rear legs, and required ear and eye surgery (even with good vet referrals for the price of the surgery I could have bought two Kennel Club certified sporting dogs of my choice or another LR)

Dougal would find the darkest place and just whimper and whine, if you touched him he peed. Slowly built him his confidence with constant reassurance. He will still growl aggressively at homeless people (smell from his trailer park days?), but is now a very social and well adjusted dog, just took a lot of time and patience. I took him everywhere, dog parks, coffee places, riding bikes (runs along side), and out to lunch (someone will have a web site for local dog friendly places) which helped build his confidence and sense of security.
He will not eat from his bowl if somebody is still in the kitchen and is very wary around strangers if they wear sunglasses and or baseball caps. Someone once explained that some nervous dogs can be reassured with eye contact
Good luck

My dog, Clyde (retriever mix), is about 7 months old. He was maybe around 5 weeks when he was found abandoned and I picked him up from the person that found him that same day.

He is shit scared of going around any other human. If there is a dog, it is no problem, and eventually he will warm up to a person if I am there but it takes some time.

We recently spent our first weekend apart and once I left, he wouldn't come within 10ft of the person I left him with.

My last dog, a long haired chihuahua, I took with me everywhere to parties and such and he absolutely loved other humans and would totally ignore me to hang out with the other folks.

I don't frequent parties as much anymore so I haven't had the opportunity to socialize Clyde. What should I do to remedy this?

 

[wturner]

Clyde doesn't act strange around me at all. In fact he usually won't let me out of his site. When I am at the computer and not giving him attention (right now) he puts his front paws on my arm (now that he is tall enough to do that) and digs his massive nails into me and gets in my face.

My friend who I left him over that weekend has a "shop" (really just a place to hang out with a TV and the liquor cabinet) in the back yard with a glass door. She has some filthy cats that live in the shop so I wouldn't let him in because he goes straight for the cat "tootsie rolls". But he would not leave that door, staring through at me. But if I went into the house with a solid door, he would go roam around the back yard and find stuff to do.

 

[Blue]

Slip a couple magic mushroom caps into his alpo and take him to a Metallica concert.

 

[Ed Cheung]

Don't let your dog use his paws to get your attentions, he will keep doing that even to the others. As soon as he does that, make him sit or something and make him stay that way for a minute or two, then give him a treat or give him the attention he needed, and in a week or two he should use less of his paw.

If your dog is around kids and he start using his paws that is not going to be good.