aloofness by my dog

Question
My mixed lab/shep 16month male doesn't warm up to friends who visit. He is shy but will respond to friends with treats-he will sit shake etc. But he will not come up to a friend for petting. I worry that this trait could become a problem later. Should I try to work on this-can I train him to be friendly or is this aloofness just a charactristic of certain dogs. I live alone with just  the dog and cat. He is friendly to the cat and a real lap dog with me. We go to obedience classes- he is in a rally class at the moment. What do you think?

Answer

Hi Susan,

The shy or aloof dog your was as a puppy, is the way he is now, and it's the way he'll be in the future. This doesn't mean your dog will become aggressive, but she shaking is a sign that he may be fearful, and that he isn't comfortable in the situation of being around other people, so you shouldn't push him.  Pushing your dog to interact with other people won't help him to get over this. Dogs, like people come in all sorts of personalities, some will go to anybody while others are more reserved. As you've noted, your dog is a great pet for you,  and even gets along with your cat.  It sounds like he's what they call a "one person dog". He's perfectly happy just being with you, and isn't looking to expand his world with other people.

You should have some realistic expectations. Your dog may never be the kind of dog that enthusiastically greets others, but you may be able to help him to be more comfortable around other people. This will take time and patience on your part. Read more about how to "counter-condition" your shy or fearful dog here:

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Shy.php

http://www.ehow.com/how_4717718_help-fearful-shy-timid-dog.html

http://www.caninebehaviorcounseling.com/page2/files/a2aa2cb67ca8eb0bf340308b6c63...

There are products to help with anxiety and stress relief in dogs.  Please note that none of these is an automatic cure for fear/anxiety, but should be used in conjunction with counter-conditioning training techniques I've mentioned above. Products to consider are:

Rescue Remedy For Dogs: http://www.rescueremedy.com/pets/

Dog Appeasing Pheromones (D.A.P) :  http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/behavior/a/dogbehaviorprob.htm


I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti


In the meantime, do not punish your dog for being afraid or shy.  Punishment will only make him more fearful. Don't try to force your dog to experience a person or situation that is causing him to be afraid. Before friends come over, you can try using either of these products to help keep your dog calm: