My Blue Heeler pup

Question
I recently got a 15 week old female blue heeler pup. From the second day she has been extremely scared and distrusting of me. She loves my wife and children, has no problem with their presence, but the moment I walk in the room, her attention automatically goes to me and she won't take her eyes off of me until I leave. I thought it was her nervousness being in a new home, but now 3 weeks later, I'm concerned. How do I change this? I try giving her love and playing. She wont even take a treat from me! She'll occasionally play with me, but the times she does, right after we stop playing, she doesn't want to be around me again. Please help.

Answer
This is an easy fix that I have done many times.   Take her to a puppy class.  Your wife and children actually take her along with you.   when you get there, wife and children disappear and you alone are in the class.  If she is afraid in the class, you are the only one she knows so she will turn to you for reassurance.   Please give it to her.
  
I had a man with a Bichon, I noticed when he was patting the dog he was pounding on him.  The dogs face told me that he thought his owner was hitting him and showing disapproval.  The man who was patting the dog was actually hurting the delicate dog.  I had a harder time teaching the man that the dog was taking the pat as a strike than I did teaching the dog to go to the owner.

Your dog is just a pup, make sure when you are patting her or playing, that you do it overly gently.  The lightest of touches.  When she is older she will survive a rougher touch.

Take your puppy for walks, bring treats like liverwurst; it is hard for a dog to refuse that.  Take her to a place she loves to go.

Try these things and I think you will see a big improvement and remember to have a gentle touch.

nancy