We actually have started jokingly calling him "dementia dog.". Overall, she has been a wonderful dog. The problem is my dog is so afraid of him, that he doesnt respond to his commands and shakes when I am gone. Or maybe she's possessed. How do you think about the answers? In the last couple of weeks his behavior has farther devolved. My boyfriend hasnt been left alone with him yet but even if he was, he would never hurt him. While all dogs have different personalities, it’s not uncommon for many pups to be playful, social, and curious. Advice on this forum is absolutely not a substitute for professional advice from a certified behaviorist, trainer, lawyer, or medical professional. Sex/Neuter status: Neutered about 8 years ago, History: Hypothyroidism, tumor removal (from skin) about 3 months ago, hip displasia (per vet) although he had never been symptomatic. Could be a mental disorder that has developed in his old age. You dog will then associate your wife's hand with a treat, a good thing. Any suggestions? Vet check up on your dog. Introducing our dog to friends and family is something that every owner should be able to do, however, some dogs can show insecurity and even fear when they approach unknown people and even people they have previously seen. It's not easy to explain everything you need to do to correct this, which is why I recommend you watch the show. Slow and calm movements are also a must. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. Have her say "touch". This subreddit is a great starting point for a lot of information, but you should always verify and expand upon what you've read before putting it to use in your daily life. We have 3 dogs and I admit I am stern with all of them, but the other two are excellent with it. Your wife hits your dog when you're not around; she doesn't want it. Tonight he actually growled at her. her dog won't listen to me, pees when I get close, and nips at me and has even attacked my hand before. Now equating you to that bad memory and is scared of you. There are multiple reasons that a dog may exhibit aggression toward family members. For those who have experienced this loss, there is usually a poignant story to share about a cherished dog or cat’s passing. If your dog is scared of literally EVERYTHING, then you understand that life with a fearful dog can be limiting. You can sign in to vote the answer. Parenting a fearful dog is one of most rewarding things you’ll ever do. Idk. i used to have a rat terrier that bonded with my mom instead of me, so i kidnapped my own dog and he hated it at first, but now he's fine. If she gets close to him he stands with his tail tucked and starts visibly shaking. i get angry at my dog for being scared and get angrier when i try make her not scared and she gets more scared. The worst that can happen. just don't play with him and let your wife play with him, or let your wife give him treats and food in no time he'll be ur wife's best friend. Your dog might be afraid of people due to a severe anxiety, which could become a greater problem and even cause aggressive behaviour. I know in people there is a thing called "sundowning" where in the evenings Alzheimer patients become more disoriented, maybe this could be happening to your pup. Your dog may be uncomfortable with your husband because she was not exposed to many men as a puppy, or maybe she wasn't exposed to men who look like your husband. Does it translate that when in Rome you eat pasta so when in China you eat dog? The main goal is for your dog to associate your wife with a positive thing. I agree with you letting her feed the dog. We come home in the morning (we work nights) and he is his normal jovial self, and is very affectionate toward my wife. Although it stings a little, the reasons your dog bonded with someone else likely have nothing to do with you. It's sad because she really wants to bond with him too. Treat her each time her nose touches your wife's hand. And I hate to bring it up, but is there a chance someone might have hit or hurt him? Still have questions? Any guesses what may be causing this change in behavior? Like move suddenly, growl, drop something, dance, etc. Then, give her a treat. this should work. Sudden behavioral changes warrant veterinary checks, especially at his age. But I digress. By comforting a fearful dog, you are rewarding what it’s doing in that moment: being scared. He has started becoming scared of my wife in the evenings. I've also given him tramodol to blanket cover any possible pain issues, but it has no effect on the problem. The problem is my wife is in love with the dog otherwise he should be living with one old lady. A pet owner’s worst fear is losing a beloved companion. You can then move on to having your wife rub her hand on the top of her head and treat. You and your wife need to quell your nervousness, project your calm assertive energy, and learn to act like pack leaders. mabe becuz its new and really don't know who she is and like im not seying ur wife is mean to the dog well like u naver no if she hits the dog but yea i don't no well like i head a dog it was afraid of me but like 20 days latter she liked me and was not afraid no more so yea. While here I have noticed that when we encounter strangers while walking Sinny now shies away instead of his normal attempts to seduce pets from anyone with hands. http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/dog-w... Are Pitbulls dangerous dogs or is this a myth? Adult dogs can be socialized, but it's more difficult than training a puppy. How you deal with this is extremely important, because if you don’t deal with it correctly it could get even worse and cause problems. He has started becoming scared of my wife in the evenings. If the dog was loose, or in the neighbors yard, then the next question would be why was the neighbor scared? I have 2 kids also and it just seems as if he doesnt love us or even want the attention we are giving him. How is owning pets any different then slavery ? I got my dog when he was just a pup he’s been around a lot of people and other dogs he’s is now 3 years old and very protective over a lot of stuff like for example we have four dogs in the house my dog my boyfriends dog and our roommates two senior dogs, the other day my dog was eating and one of the senior dogs come by and my dog started growling and then attacked him. In other words, don’t make a big deal out of any of. A key fact that you omit is where your dog was when it scared the neighbor. View entire discussion ( 20 comments) More posts from the Dogtraining community. A shy or timid dog is more likely to produce skittish offspring. who loved people and was always very affectionate to, some times very protective of my wife. He's bonded with me but is stand-offish with her. My pup, Sinny, was very wary of my friend and even growled at him at one point. My rescued dog is still afraid of my husband after 8 months. The most common causes include conflict aggression, fear-based, defensive aggression, status related aggression, possessive aggression, food guarding aggression and redirected aggression. The first approach I will suggest is the “Let It Be” approach. Instead of greeting the world with a confident walk and a wagging tail, a fearful dog might shy away from anything new, or worse yet, react preemptively to avoid a new situation altogether. This problem will get worse if you don't correct it, and he will eventually snap at her. Personal experience: Consider a Doberman/German Shepherd mix dog, when standing on hind legs, straight up, he is almost 8 ft tall and easily 150+ lbs heavy, but sweetheart … He tries to keep furniture between them, avoids eye contact, raises the hair on his haunches, even growls at her and bears his teeth if she attempts to pet him. An older dog in your home has established his position as a sole pet and favorite of the family.If you introduce a puppy, chances are that the dog will be reluctant toward the new dog or may even be afraid of him. To our dogs, affection is a reward. My wife and I move a lot for work (every 3-5 months) and my pup has tolerated the moves very well. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, two piranhas - tesla (landshark) | fiore (maligator). Press J to jump to the feed. He just hit a year old when this started to happen. You need to let her spend time with the dog as well. I think this change in behavior warrants a trip or at least a call to the vet. Possible reasons why your dog is scared of you are that you were aggressive towards it, mistreatment by previous owners, it is unsure of its environment, or it’s ill or injured. In fact, it might be simpler to list the things she's NOT afraid of. I can’t even begin to count … This can lead them to be slow to trust anyone. Just before this scared behavior started, the dog probably equated something you did/say/wear/handle that day with a bad memory from her past. 2 years ago. This can occur in dogs that were separated from their siblings very early on and who don't know any other dogs in their adopted family. Trust me make your wife feed the dog everytime and the dog SHOULD consider your wife a nice person. Here are some extra training tips to apply: Treats are the number one thing that can win you your dog’s trust. Some common body languages for a scared dog are the following: Your dog may be afraid of other dogs due to a lack of socialization.In other words, your dog didn't have enough contact with other dogs when it was a puppy. He is basically at his wits end and wants to get rid of the dog, which obviously I dont want to do. You cannot explain to a dog why it shouldn’t be scared, or tell the dog that the frightening thing won’t hurt it or is going away soon — they do not have the cognitive abilities to understand those concepts. Also, try to get rid of the mindset of you thinking “my dog is afraid of me”. I think it's good you ask this. He seems sad and scared. good luck and tell me how things go. Here are some examples to paint a clearer picture: she barks at my hsuband when he comes into the room. This is only with her -- he is totally fine with me and will often hide behind me or come to me for comfort. We come home in the morning (we work nights) and he is his normal jovial self, and is very affectionate toward my wife. Her tail is up and curled, but she is barking. Sometimes, things can happen that cause your dog to get scared. Have her take him for more walks & do some of his training. If your dog is also pacing, trembling, or panting while whining, he is likely fearful or anxious about something . For example, if you just recently bought your dog home from a rescue then your dog likely hasn’t had a stable family life. Once the dog is comfortable with her, you can remove the treats and replace it with just praise and attention. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Dogs can sense human vibes, and if they're negative, the dog will have a mirror effect and return the same emotion to the individual. I'm not willing to accept that Sinny has suddenly become a "one man dog" as he was never that way before. But in the evening (around 6pm, almost like clockwork) he suddenly becomes scared of her. When she does that, have her gently touch the end of the dog's nose. Also, there is something called touch training. It might be a good thing for your wife to get checked out medically. 0 Dealing With a Scared Dog: What Not To Do. My dog used to be an attention hound (see what I did there?) Warm Up to a New Home. So, why is my dog scared of me? As I mentioned in my last blog, my new dog Easy is afraid of many things. Spend time with your pup on the floor. You BOTH have to be pack leaders. (he shouldn't anyway) you shouldn't have to do this more than a few days to a week, or just until you see the dog fall asleep on your wife's side of the bed. This poses a problem since I leave first in the morning and my husband has to put them away in their room for the day. It is okay with him if the dogs are closer to the wife -- he just didn't want to feel that the dog was terrified of him. One possibility is its genetics. Good luck! First, if this fear came on unexpectedly, it’s likely a … You see, most often the person whose lap it is thought the dog is “protecting them” or the other person thinks the dog is “protecting the spouse” but actually the dog is guarding what he considers a “resource” or possessing the person (not nearly as fairytale-like as people like to think) for more on that click here. Thanks for any help! just a guess though, Let her feed him. Now that the dog had settled in, I put together a list of instructions to try to speed up the bonding process with the husband. Allow the pup to be and if he is scared or fearful when your husband is around or approaches, just have your husband calmly and without any judgement walk away from the dog. Him being physically harmed is very unlikely. I was mainly afraid of … Why is My Dog Scared of People? /r/dogs is a discussion-based subreddit, meant for asking questions, sharing information, and learning about our beloved canine companions and related dog-centric topics. You can do that and move all the way back to the dog's back and treating. There are multiple scenarios that could lead to your dog becoming fearful of you. This situation can be helped by getting the dog used to the new pet and reducing his fear … Eventually your dog will like the both of you, but one of you will always be dominant. Our most recent move has found us in Oakland CA. How Dogs Develop Fears. *** edited to add *** We are moving again in about a week, and will be scheduling a vet visit when we get to our next city. Whining can be your dog’s way of saying that he is scared or anxious. When you first bring home a rescue dog, keep them confined to one area so they don’t feel so overwhelmed. Get your answers by asking now. Do this several times until she touches her nose to your wife's hand on her own. umm detach yourself from him and kind of ignore him for a little bit while your wife tries to bond with him. Maybe that will help in the interim. Your poor dog, and you, too. overcome the dog's fixation with me and - Answered by a verified Dog Veterinarian We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. How do we (he?) But in the evening (around 6pm, almost like clockwork) he suddenly becomes scared of her. It's been trying at times but we've had a lot of patience with her. This will help you in almost every stage of your dog’s life. I could be wrong, but it's possible that your dog does not see you and your wife as pack leaders / alpha dogs, so he has stepped up to the alpha position himself and is protecting you -- he senses you are nervous when your wife is near him, and thinks she must be a threat of some sort. & he has to learn that both of you are the boss. I thought a lot about why I was afraid of my dog. If your dog is attached to someone else, you may feel a bit hurt and wonder why. you provide food, water and shelter) and wants to keep it that way. So first, we are going to talk about the body language of a scared dog. Call them first, explain that you feel afraid, and ask if sedation might help your dog be less menacing until you can be seen by your primary pet care provider. We are with him at pretty much all times except when we are at work, and I'm not aware of any recent injuries that he has sustained. If your dog is scared of other people, you could have several different problems on your hands. I'm afraid he'll end up snapping at her one day when I'm not around and then she'll make me get rid of him. If she was just surprised by your dogs unexpected presence in her yard, then that is a lot different than if your dog cornered her and was snarling. If this is your case, it will be important to consider going to a specialist to perform therapy for scared dogs. Hes been coming in my room and sleeping in my closet. Watch The Dog Whisperer on National Geographic Channel (http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/dog-w... You will learn a lot, and it's a fun show. Some may feel threatened by new people, situations and surroundings. i dont kbow what to do apart from me stop getting angey obviously and i have hurt her ive punched her kicked her thrown her screamd at her slammed her i just want her to not be scared … Should I be worried about getting food poisoning. Usually, a scared dog will exhibit one or multiple fearful behaviors. The issue is tht she is afraid of my husband and barks at him. It was an atypical behavior for Sinny, but he quickly got over it and was friendly the rest of the weekend. Or an accident that has now been associated with a certain person / room / time of day? She's not scared of familiar people or dogs, as long as they don't DO anything frightening. My cat didn't like me at first, I started feeding the cat (since my Mom always did it) and the cat always meows at me with a smile. Dogs may react fearfully to certain people because of the way they were socialized as puppies. Why do people on here give such terrible advice? ? He wont sleep in his bed. 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A dog that has a general fear of all strangers—rather than a specific fear of men or children, for example—may be … A skittish rescue dog may show his fear by being overly timid, withdrawn and untrusting or displaying signs of depression. There are several reasons why your dog may be scared of people it doesn't know. He loves dogs as much as I do. Why is My Dog Afraid of Me? I'm worried for the dog, but I'm also worried for my wife, as she is taking this very hard. maybe he gets a vibe that your wife is a ***** and he doesnt like it. Dogs bond based on scent, associations they learn during puppyhood, and … It's a possibility and must be ruled out. Question would be why was the neighbor scared remove the Treats and it! A scared dog: what not to do tasted a little bit while your wife tries to with. Her -- he is scared or anxious us in Oakland CA but is stand-offish with.. Landshark ) | fiore ( maligator ) way they were socialized as puppies work ( every 3-5 months ) wants... 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