socializing a very shy 7 month old Min- Pin bought from a pet store

Question
We bought a 7 month old male Min-Pin from a pet store yesterday, He is very sweet but is afraid of everything and unwilling to even walk around our house. He only wants to sit in his dog bed, but when we put him out in the back yard he runs and seems very playful We have another dog which is a Chihuahua. My question is if we take our time with him, will he most likely come out of his shell and become a normal acting dog? He was born in January and has been at the pet store since March. This is the first time to ever buy a dog from a pet store.

Answer
Poor little guy. This is one reason why it is such a bad idea to buy a puppy from a pet shop. He's never had a chance at a normal life, with normal socialization. There are socialization "window" after which time it becomes much harder to "catch up". If your Chi is social and confident, having that dog around will help him. Go slowly with him, give him time and expose him to new experiences at his own speed.  Once he's settled in, I'd start doing some positive based training to build communication and confidence. He'll probably approach normal, but may always have a few issues. Then, many dogs have issues but are still loved. Sandy Case, MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com