skiddish poodle

Question
Hi Kim,
I just took in a 11 month old standard poodle who had been left in a backyard for the last 5 months. He had been very neglected and a BIG mess...I just could not leave him with this lady. So we packed him into our car and brought him back to Minnesota from Alabama.
He has bonded with me as I have had the most physical contact with him. We also have another 9 month old standard poodle at home along with a 10 month golden doodle. So when we got home with him he is terribly attached to me and afraid of everything...I am worried that he will not out grow the skittishness and attachment behaviors and blend in with the rest of the family...if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.
Thanks,
Shelly

Answer
Hello Shelly,
The best thing you can do for him is to let him settle into your routine first.  Try to show him how things go in your household, ie eating times, potty times, when to play and when to sit and snuggle.  You can also let him know who is boss in the household by petting the boss dog first, throwing his toy first, feeding first, etc.  
As he settles down some, let him hang out with one dog at a time to get to know him better, then switch.  
If your dogs are good around other people and dogs, let him see how good they are and hopefully he will copy them and be friendly also.  Take them places (if they behave nicely) such as pet stores or dog parks, and take your new one with one of the others and let them teach him how to act around other people and dogs.  
Take him out on his own and have people give him treats or pets.  Praise him when he does good.  

Also, let some of the other family members work with him also; feeding him, walking him and playing with him.  He needs to build a bond with them also.  
You might also think about getting him into an Obedience class.  This will help get him around other people and pets and will also teach him some good behaviors.  Plus its will build his confidence and be something that is fun for both dog and person.  If you don't know of any trainers in your area, contact your local Vet for references or check your local PetSmart or PetCo as they sometimes hold classes in their stores.  

I hope this has helped you some.  If you have other questions for me, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim