New Pup Advise

[Dranny GLC 112]

Got a new pup 10 days ago he is 5 months old drove 200 miles for him through a friend of a friend. He is bread really well so Iv been told. I meet the lad in a lay-by the pup was really thin and was struggling on the end of the lead. He said it have never been on a lead before. Iv now put him some weight on but the pup won't come near me if I goes towards him he will run off and if he corned he will bark at me a growl at me. He fine with my other dogs and I got him to take food out of my hand last night so there is some improvement. Do you think with time I can bring him round or should I take him back?

[Ronisillah 26]

Just bit scared by sound of it mate few treats few good praises he should be over u in no time

[skycat 6,173]

Another very sad story of a pup that has never been socialised, and probably worse, has never been handled either: just had food, what there was of it, chucked into a pen.

 

The pup has no idea that humans can be good, fun and necessary to its life. The person who bred this pup shouldn't be allowed to even own a goldfish.

 

Keep hand feeding the pup. ONLY hand feed it. If the pup is in a kennel and run go and sit with it in the run. Sit on the ground. Offer a small bit of food on your open palm and lay your hand on the ground. Don't look at the pup. Treat it as though you are trying to tame a wild animal. It will take time. But he will come to see you as the source of all good things.

 

When a pup has only been reared by one person, probably never seen other people, or never been handled, cuddled, played with like it should have been, it is like a retarded child that has never learned anything because it has been isolated: like those poor children in those Rumanian orphanages we read about a few years ago, who had severe problems because they had been denied basic care and love.

 

A pup needs to be properly socialised and handled before it reaches the age of 16 weeks (tops) or its brain won't learn to make the correct electrical connections for it to function properly. You can teach this pup new things, but everything will take it a lot longer than if it was 10 weeks of age. Just be VERY patient indeed, never hurry, never shout, never do anything to make the pup fear you. It will learn to trust you eventually, and become a very loyal companion indeed, but you need to take things at the pup's pace, not yours.

 

When you start taking it out and about, it will be terrified of everything. Be ready for this. Expose it to different things, one at at time, and for very short periods of time, just a few minutes. If the pup's basic temperament is sound, he will get there, but take longer than pups that haven't been deprived.

 

If you truly care about the pup, then don't even think about taking it back to its breeder, who IMO should be shot for neglect and failure to understand dogs.

[Gareth12 225]

I had a similar pup years ago, don't think it had ever been out of the kennel when I had her at about 4 months of age. Nightmare for the first couple of months as the poor thing will be scared of everything, you, kids, and any ordinary noises.

The pup will take a lot of work and patience but if you put the time in it will be worth it.

I can honestly say that Ive never had as loyal a dog as that pup when she eventually reached maturity. Had her for 9 years and she was a pleasure to own in the end. Wouldn't leave my side and gave everything whatever I asked of her.

It's almost as though they know their on to a good thing when shown some attention and given a chance and will repay you 10 fold!!

Good luck.

[bmull 189]

well said skycat and hope you keep him gareth 12 like you said in time he will pay you back 10 fold

[bobza 910]

poor dog ,that's the thing when buying older dogs you never know how they have been reared,i took a dog in many yeas ago sounds just the same ,I brought her in the house ,slept on my bed ,fed it the best of feed ,spent 24 hous a day with this dog and it never came right ,the bitch broke a leg doing what she was bred for at 13 month old probley due to weak bones and that's what the eye does not see ,if the pup looks as bad as you say its probley been fed poor food as a pup ,so to me the dog will never come good ,wish you all the best tho

[mattybugeye 884]

Poor pup sure after few weeks in his new home will settle right in fortunately didn't have that problem with mine he was well socialised and around kids / people from birth but sounds like you got it on its way already

Good luck bud

Atb

Matt

[archie88 14]

Sounds like you have made progress already. Poor pup I'm sure he will turn into a fine dog with the right guidance. Good luck keep us posted

[mad4it 694]

well said skycat and gareth 12

As said it will take a long time just take your time and it will repay 10 fold

[Dranny GLC 112]

Pup coming in better with food, he eating straight out of hand and I'm not reaching out as far but still won't come without food.

[Gareth12 225]

Keep at it, as with everything else you will reach a point where it "clicks" and he will begin to trust you... Keep us posted how he gets on, I've got a real soft spot for dogs that are given a chance after a bad start.

In a lot of ways I think it gives the owner/handler even more of a sense of achievement when you see the dog becoming what it was bred to be against the odds

[skycat 6,173]

Small steps in your eyes, giant steps for the pup. He doesn't completely trust you yet, but his hunger is overcoming his fear, and soon your smell will be linked forever in his mind with eating, trusting and feeling good. Don't rush him, let him make the first move. And don't forget to talk to him all the time you are with him, ALL the time. Just chat away about anything/tell him he's a good dog, how beautiful he is ... and MEAN it: sincerity warms the voice. Just talk in a low, pleasant tone of voice. Don't be twitchy or worried about anything yourself: he'll know it straight away.

 

Is he always totally shut in a kennel and run, or what is your set up and how are you managing him? Don't forget too that if he feels he has nowhere to run to and hide he will be more nervous. I once rescued a 9 month old bitch that had been neglected and mishandled badly: she spent the first 24 hours running up and down my garden (very high fence) before she'd let me anywhere near her. But I don't recommend that unless you have other well behaved dogs to show him how to live with you. After 24 hours she came right to me for food, and the day after she she let me stroke her.

 

Your pup, if shut in a run, has nowhere to run off the tension that his body is full of. All that adrenalin and nowhere for it to go. It poisons the body and dulls the mind in a certain way, keeping the fear going. He needs to run about, but only if he can do that in safety and not risk getting out and running away. Is he on his own, by which I mean, do you have any other dogs? If you have other dogs he'll learn from them to trust you. If you don't, do you have a friend with a nice calm friendly dog that can visit? Your pup has never formed a bond with humans, and he probably relates much more to dogs than people. This is where having a calm, trusting dog around can really help him change his views of humans.

[Casso 1,261]

Getting some sound advice already,

One thing I would add is trust like a muscle is build up over time , a dog can look friendly when approached but it can still harbour fear which will be exposed when out of its comfort zone, ( new things , people , places) give it plenty of time

 

With pup like this I become more of an observer and less of an imposer, try not to stimulate too much excitement, excitement energises a dog and of it can't act on it is stored as fear

 

As said hand feed getting the pup coming into Your space , that's the important part , the pup has to make all the moves it not it will revert back to instinctive behaviour if you encroach on it ,

 

Get down on pups level and have it make contact to feed , standing on your foot your leg ( the pup I mean not you ?), a confident dog has no prob making contact because it feels no fear, Physical contact in your zone is a confidence builder

In time , quiet walks just the two of you, call the pup up and feed with its paws up on you,

 

If at any stage in the next few months you witness the pups nerves coming to the fore and exhibiting fearfull behaviour , pull back from what you're doing , take a little step back because the pup is not emotionally secure enough for whatever it is ,

 

Time and you learning is the key don't over expose it too soon , let it mature slowly, best of luck