I have had my dog for his whole 5 years of life and most of the time, he has stayed inside with little exposure to other people or dogs. I would like to change that since he is very timid and withdrawn when confronted with new people or dogs. I have been taking him for the last 3 days to doggie day care but so far he has still shyed away from the workers when they come n near him. He is not scared or aggressive with the other dogs but he does'nt really interact with them either. Is it just a question of time to get used to them or he is just too old to socialize?
2007-05-18 17:16:11 · 8 answers · asked by WENDY S 4 in Pets ➔ Dogs
why don't you try a reward system? Take him to petco or petsmart and while he is there people will want to pet him and say hi...bring treats for people to give him so he learns to like them, and let him pick out a new tennis ball or someother cheap toy to take to the park...(my cat learns to like people when we give them treats to give to him...if they don't give him a treat first then he won't let them pet him)...but by you being there with him it becomes a safe environment and when the stranger gives him a treat its teaching him that people are nice to be with...it's a good start...try it
2007-05-18 17:27:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Obedience training classes, take him with you as often as possible, and find a nice comfortable spot with lots of things happening and just stay there with him (read a book, whatever). I've found the third thing works quite well as long as the place is not too noisy, you don't comfort him if he becomes scared (it actually trains him to act that way), and you don't force him to interact with people and animals. In time he'll learn that these strange beings and activities are not a threat and he will relax. Then you can work on having friends approach him until he becomes nervous, back off a bit, then provide a treat. Keep trying to decrease the distance until a person (it should be as many as you can muster) can walk right up without fear. It takes time so be patient.
2007-05-19 02:44:15 · answer #2 · answered by Caninelegion 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To the above poster, wow. Many people don't realize exactly how important socialization is until the window of 7-14-ish weeks closes. I didn't know for my first dog, and I have similar problems to you.
The only way you can combat years of seclusion is with positive reinforcement and desensitization. Essentially, you will start with easy, calm areas like a local park and work your way up to more distractions and people and places like downtown. With my dog, I had to start from the very beginning. At first, I took him to a calm section of my local park and sat there until he started to look at me. As soon as he gave me his attention, I treated him and played with him. I did this for a few days. Then, I worked up to the dog park. Again, I reinforced his good behavior (paying attention to me and acting calm) with treats and praise and play. Eventually, we went to outdoor cafes (Starbucks is great for this), outdoor restaurants, downtown, etc. He's not completely okay with being in the public, but he has improved greatly.
2007-05-19 00:35:04 · answer #3 · answered by 3DogMom 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is very important that socializing be done when they are 6-8 weeks old. my dog's breeders didn't do that and so whenever she went out with us, she would bark at everything. when they are that old you need to start very slow and take him out every day for more and more time. it will take a long time (as I figured out) but it IS possible - good luck!
2007-05-19 14:13:02 · answer #4 · answered by cricket_michigan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Socializing is something that dog owners are supposed to do when their dogs are still puppies! It's a crucial part of development! But you waited five years, I don't know if he'll ever be able to come out of his shell. This is sad, but it could be fixed....
If I were you I would start taking your dog for walks if you aren't already. When I do this my dogs get to meet lots of new people and dogs. It works wonders.
With your dog being so withdrawn I'm not sure though if this will work. How on earth does he get his shots and checkups? Oh well, maybe this is just his life and there's no changing it. Good luck to you and your doggie!
2007-05-19 00:28:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋
it will take a long long time. and you must make sure the people he meets have the best patience ever. good luck
2007-05-19 00:21:48 · answer #6 · answered by Eric J 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
obedience training but it costs. Take him out more
2007-05-19 00:27:56 · answer #7 · answered by sam hill 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well go to a park or something and have ppl give him treats well if hes to old then its probably to late for him to learn
2007-05-19 00:52:36 · answer #8 · answered by emdee=love 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋