Pet Information > ASK Experts > Dogs > Dogs > 6yold Shihtzu is afraid of other dogs

6yold Shihtzu is afraid of other dogs

19 11:11:54

Question
My 6yr old female Shihtzu is not happy with our new male Shihtzu 9wk old puppy.  Up until last year she was ok with other dogs Then she had a vicious husky scare her by chasing her and went for her neck.She didn't get bite but now she is fearful of other dogs.  We just got the puppy and she wont go near it or runs away when the puppy comes near her.   Even if we pet the puppy then go near her she runs scared.  Help us make her feel comfortable in her home. Its only been 3 days but she wont come in the room where the puppy is even if he's in his crate and she isn't eating. We give her so much attention but she is mad at us.  Will they ever be friends???

Answer
They should eventually be fine together. Just give it time. Once the puppy has had his shots, you can take them for walks together. The biggest thing is don't make a big deal about it if she chooses not to interact with the puppy. Just ignore the fearful behavior for now, and don't try to force her to play with him. Try crating them next to each other at night, and swap their bedding so that they can get used to each others' scent. If her behavior hasn't improved in a few weeks, you may want to consider hiring a canine behaviorist to come in and help.