My dog Teka is very shy. She can't stand new people, especially males. Can you help me?

Question

I don't want to take her to any training lessons, but I really want her to be a little more social with other humans. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Groom and pet of your dog. For timid or shy dogs, this is highly important. For most dogs 10 to 30 minutes of grooming and petting should be enough, but you can do more if you wish. A shy dog may have to work up to that amount of time. You want to stress the dog but only enough where the dog will be more confident the next time. Even if the dog does not start to enjoy daily grooming/petting then they will be more likely to tolerate someone petting them and less likely to perceive them as a threat. For dominant dogs, it is also of great value. By restraining the dog in a non-threatening manner for an extended amount of time, you are demonstrating that you love the dog and that the dog is submissive to you.

The next step in socializing the dog is to get other people to pet the dog. This can be a bit harder, because you have to find several people who will pet your dog. You can do this on or off leash, if your unsure of your dog's reaction, then I suggest using a short leash. First, do not allow a person to approach your dog if they are growling, if they are barking proceed with caution. The person should be informed as to what you are doing (socializing a shy or dominant dog) and your dog's nature.

There are two ways to proceed from here and I will suggest what I think is the most logical. Tell the person to stand fairly still but not very still and be relaxed. Allow the dog to approach them first, after the dog has approached them and "inspected" them, place the dog in a seated position. Now permit the person to pet them, first the side of the head and under the head. The person should not make any quick or startling movements. If the dog is taking it well, allow the dog to be rubbed on the head. And end the session. This sequence will need to be repeated several times with various people. The rate at which you do this (several times in one short session, a few times a week) will be dependent on your dogs ability to handle the additional stress and logistics of the volunteer. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Have 'new' (people you know but haven't met the her) people met her loaded with a handful of really special treats (make it good....cheese, roast beef, chicken etc). Have them hold out their hand and allow Teka to approach them. Don't force any meetings, let Teka figure out that there is nothing to worry about with the people you set her up with. It might take several meetings before she feel comfortable, just don't rush anything. I would start with one person , when she is able to deal with that person introduce her to someone else. When she is able to deal with the people you set her up with. I would (maybe) try with friendly dog people in the park, explain the issue with them and give them some treats...most dog owners will help you out here.

Don't try to 'fix' the problem by having people (little kids) 'rush' her, it may make the problem worse.

Answer 3

If she likes playing with other dogs try to find a male who has a dog and maybe she will get along with him if she wants to play with his dog or maybe you may also try to socialize Teka,meaning to walk her where are both males and females

Answer 4

Start off by introducing her to the people in your immediate family. Then bring in your relatives. Bring your dog to the park more often and hopefully, she will overcome her shyness. Good luck!