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Puppy seems frightened of DH

2 replies

Howdoesjuliancope · 17/06/2011 09:09

I've posted a couple of times since we picked up our puppy 11 days ago, about how fearful she is (of everything and everyone); she will be 11 weeks old on Monday.

I have taken the issue really seriously - ordered books, spoken to breeder, APDT trainer and a behaviourist - and she does seem to be improving every day as we implement strategies suggested here and elsewhere.

However, she is still scared of DH and this does not seem to be improving at all. On advice he has been ignoring her for days now, dropping treats when he walks past her etc. But she still hides and/or growls at him.

Yesterday I picked her up and handed her to him (probably the wrong thing to do but felt like I needed to try something different) - she licked his face, cuddled into him and ate food from his hand but legged it as soon as he put her down. This morning she sat growling at him while he ate his breakfast.

I can cope with all the usual puppy stuff - barking, pooing, nipping the children - but am upset by this. Poor DH can't enjoy the dog he waited 40 years for, and the poor dog can't relax when he's around. He has definitely not done anything to deserve it, although you would swear he regularly beat her to see the reaction she gives!

The behaviourist is coming to see us again next Wednesday, but is there anything I can try between now and then? We didn't discuss this specifically last week, just her confidence in more general terms.

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Happymm · 17/06/2011 13:03

Our pup also didn't like DH and was very wary of him. He lay on the floor with treats in hand and just let her come up and sniff him, lick his hair etc, keeping very still apart from to hand her treats. Seemed to work for her, as now she won't leave him alone :o

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Howdoesjuliancope · 17/06/2011 14:41

Thanks happymm, he did try that...she loved him while she was climbing all over him but was back to normal immediately afterwards. I suppose it is just a matter of perseverance, but didn't expect it to go on quite this long!

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