Question
Honey the shy american
I just got my 10 week old American Eskimo puppy,she is really loving around all people but runs even from the friendliest dogs. My sister lives with me and has two older small terrier mutts, but my pup is too scared of them and hides behind people, she tries to climb on top of me and begs me to carry her. She also pees a lot when this happens. Please help me I have never had this problem with a puppy before, i love her to death and i don't want any harsh obedience for her
AnswerIt sounds like a form of submissive wetting. Many dogs eventually outgrow it, but you can reduce it by building the dog's confidence up. Start with obedience training. The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ As you praise the dog for following your commands, it will build its confidence.
Play tug of war with the dog and lose. However at the end of the game, take the rope or toy and put it up, less the dog becomes confused about who is top dog. Ropes from the pets' store quickly turn to hazardous shreds. Ones I made lasted much better. Go to a hardware or home center that sells rope by the foot. Buy 2' of 3/4" poly rope. Melt the ends, and tie knots in it. Get them as tight as possible, put it in a vise and pound it with a hammer. Watch carefully, and be ready to discard when it comes apart.
Finally, make sure it has a den to live in. If you are not using a crate, buy one. The dog may be happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.
A dog that has not been crated since it was little, may take some work. Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going in. Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding time for more than one dog.
Establishing your self as being in charge will help her deal with the terrorist terriers. Control any stress you feel, and don't coddle her. Instead make over the terriers. If you aren't afraid of them, and enjoy them, she should eventually follow your lead. it is quite possible after some barking and sniffing, they will be just as happy to have her let them alone.
It sounds like she may have been removed from her mother and litter too early and not learned to relate to other dogs. Try to find other healthy, well cared for puppies for her to play with. Shots or no shots, she can still pick up life threatening diseases.
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