Puppy Bonding

[amydurnal]

Hi, I've been browsing the forum for a month or ever since I got my new puppy Roxie the red shorthaired doxie. I'm posting because I have a question I did not find searching the forum.

My Roxie was the shy one in the litter. Even knowing that first time dog owners shouldn't choose the shy one I did anyway because she is so sweet and wasn't shy to the point of being submissive, just scared. Fast forward a couple months, she is bonded to me to the point where she has to be with me all the time. If my kids try and pick her up to say take her outside to walk, she growls at them and refuses to walk. She is fine and obediant with me, just not with anyone else in the house. How can we power through this and get her to see it is ok to be without me?

 

[DonRamon]

Hi, I've been browsing the forum for a month or ever since I got my new puppy Roxie the red shorthaired doxie. I'm posting because I have a question I did not find searching the forum.

My Roxie was the shy one in the litter. Even knowing that first time dog owners shouldn't choose the shy one I did anyway because she is so sweet and wasn't shy to the point of being submissive, just scared. Fast forward a couple months, she is bonded to me to the point where she has to be with me all the time. If my kids try and pick her up to say take her outside to walk, she growls at them and refuses to walk. She is fine and obediant with me, just not with anyone else in the house. How can we power through this and get her to see it is ok to be without me?

Mybe try some tough love, start to leave her with your kids for hours at a time, untill she realizes she needs to depens on them also. Have them start feeding her, giving her treats, toys, etc.... Anytime she wants something from u have the kids do it instead.

 

[schierling]

Shy Dog

Mybe try some tough love, start to leave her with your kids for hours at a time, untill she realizes she needs to depens on them also. Have them start feeding her, giving her treats, toys, etc.... Anytime she wants something from u have the kids do it instead.

I agree with leaving your puppy with others for awhile to get him to bond with others too. Our daughter has the shy one from the litter and she lives with him and her second doxie. He loves all of us in the immediate family and will stay with any one of us, but is not impressed with the rest of the world. We got him to bond with all of us by spending time with him without her. He chooses one of us to follow around in her absence. He is very sweet but also insecure. Hope that helps.

 

[DeafDogs]

Doxies are notoriously one person dogs, which is why, when I first got Mouse, I socialized the heck out of her with other people. I had other people give her treats (food is a HUGE motivation for her) and snuggle her (as long as she was comfortable). I would give people a handful of food, they would feed her a couple of pieces, then I would hand her to them, and they would feed her one after the other, until they were gone, then I took her back.

Try this:

For the next 2 weeks, have her meals split between your kids. have them sit on the floor, then call her to them one at a time (I'm not sure how many kids you have) make this the only way she gets food... absolutely NOTHING from you. also, try to have the kids NOT pick her up at first. she is uncomfortable with that. after the first few days of her only getting food for going to the kids, they can start coaxing her onto their laps for her piece of food, and a few days after that they can gently pick her up then feed her only in their arms.

After those first 2 weeks, have part of her meals fed to her on walks with the kids, so she learns it's fun to go out with the kids. You can eventually phase out feeding her by hand, but I would advise that the kids always feed her.

One other VERY IMPORTANT bit of advice. NEVER correct her for growling. that is a dogs way of communicating fear, discomfort, anger or unhappiness. You dont want to train the growl out of her, you will end up with a dog that bites instead. Teach your kids instead to respect the growl and back off, then figure out WHY she growled, and desensitize her to that trigger. Many "unprovoked attacks" happen because the dog has no warning available to it besides a bite.

 

[brytbratspup]

i know this has nothing to do with your post but my mini red long haired dach is named roxee too. lol im new to this site and the bloging. dont really know how to blog. haha. but i will say my roxee is a mamas girls. and she crys when im not around she loves other people but as long as im in her site.

 

[MatthewLP]

Welcome to the world of doxie behavior and their owners. Like other posters mentioned doxies are notorious for this. They like being a one man show. Its why they are not suitable if you want to have children after the doxie has been introduced.

As a general rule of thumb for all puppy breeds needs social skills at a very early age. I use the word "push" to let you know what I've had to go through with all my doxie puppies. I had to push there social enrichment and behavior and yes its always tuff love at first. I know Doxie can be a little snippy with children I have a Zero tolerance for it. I always push them to except being touched by children, however Infants I don't trust them at all ( in my personal experience and I've been doing this for years).

If your children and between the ages of 5 to 10 years old. You need to push them for better social behavior and acceptance. I would put your doxie on a leash and tie them to your child’s belt loop. And let them fallow where ever they go. This will give them the ability to walk with them, and be by there side. and do this as a part of "tuff love" and what that means is. Not by "FORCE" but by love and social training. Do this inside the house where they are watching TV or studying, where you can be separated. Give them treats for good behavior and ignore the bad. Pet them when they are calm and in a relaxed state by your children. This process will take time. Do it in short and brief intervals and extend time slowly.

part of this is Doggie Socialization and the other part is the coddling by you. You need to separate yourself as much as your doxie. If you encourage the lack of social enrichment and good behavior for doxies then it will be a one man show for them even with and around adults.

out of 12 doxies I've had all of them have needed a heavy hand when it came to social acceptance and good social behavior. I push them to deal with all social types and not look for me for protection they have take it. I don't tolerate baring of teeth, those looks of disapproval. I allow others to pet, pick them up, play with them. I take them to placed like petco, petsmart where there are plenty of people.

I know in their little mind they are going "damn more people" but they take a deep breath, sigh and let the petting commence. But they know the rewards far out way the bad, and because of it my doxies always go to them with ball or crazy critter (lol). They now know it’s a good thing.

MatthewLP

 

[schierling]

Good comments

I think these are great comments and I want to reiterate the value of Petsmart (and others) classes to help your puppy socialize with other dogs and people as well. Works great.

Welcome to the world of doxie behavior and their owners. Like other posters mentioned doxies are notorious for this. They like being a one man show. Its why they are not suitable if you want to have children after the doxie has been introduced.

As a general rule of thumb for all puppy breeds needs social skills at a very early age. I use the word "push" to let you know what I've had to go through with all my doxie puppies. I had to push there social enrichment and behavior and yes its always tuff love at first. I know Doxie can be a little snippy with children I have a Zero tolerance for it. I always push them to except being touched by children, however Infants I don't trust them at all ( in my personal experience and I've been doing this for years).

If your children and between the ages of 5 to 10 years old. You need to push them for better social behavior and acceptance. I would put your doxie on a leash and tie them to your child’s belt loop. And let them fallow where ever they go. This will give them the ability to walk with them, and be by there side. and do this as a part of "tuff love" and what that means is. Not by "FORCE" but by love and social training. Do this inside the house where they are watching TV or studying, where you can be separated. Give them treats for good behavior and ignore the bad. Pet them when they are calm and in a relaxed state by your children. This process will take time. Do it in short and brief intervals and extend time slowly.

part of this is Doggie Socialization and the other part is the coddling by you. You need to separate yourself as much as your doxie. If you encourage the lack of social enrichment and good behavior for doxies then it will be a one man show for them even with and around adults.

out of 12 doxies I've had all of them have needed a heavy hand when it came to social acceptance and good social behavior. I push them to deal with all social types and not look for me for protection they have take it. I don't tolerate baring of teeth, those looks of disapproval. I allow others to pet, pick them up, play with them. I take them to placed like petco, petsmart where there are plenty of people.

I know in their little mind they are going "damn more people" but they take a deep breath, sigh and let the petting commence. But they know the rewards far out way the bad, and because of it my doxies always go to them with ball or crazy critter (lol). They now know it’s a good thing.

MatthewLP