My sammie girl is wonderful and beautiful in so many ways. She is 14 weeks old, very playful and obedient to some extent. However i am having a really hard time bonding with her. Many have said that it is part of the puppy blues but should it last a whole month? Also i think what makes it harder is that she hates cuddling or even being petted for a long time. If i try to touch her head she'll mostly just try and bite my hand. I had this picture of us lying together on the couch on cold nights or just having her head on my lap. Now realising it may never being the case is heartbreaking. I try to look at her with affection and understand that she is just a playful puppy, but it is so hard to bond with her when she wont let me touch her or even sleep in my bed. Please help!
I have an 11-12 week old, very small crossbreed puppy - no real idea how young she is but she came to me far too young. I love her and I am sure she loves me, but she is definitely not a cuddle pup. She is a little biter! All puppies are different, whether they be pure-bred, cross-bred, or just plain mutts. Some like cuddles, some do not. But your little girl is still young and "finding her feet" as it were. Give her time and do not force her to come for cuddles. This is what I am doing with Tikva - she will come when she is ready and she is just not ready yet. It does not mean that I have not bonded with her because I have - I am just giving her time to decide to bond with me. Good luck with your Sammie and please post some photos of her.
Each dog and breed is different, some are Velcro dogs and some are independent. At the age your pup is, you have a while to wait before true temperament shows itself. You still have a while before you will know if your have a cuddle dog or a more independent dog who is not into cuddling. Best wishes with the pup.
I can understand how you feel. I once had a border collie puppy, Blodwen, that I just felt I wasn't bonding with in the same way as I had with previous dogs. She seemed somehow reserved. She turned out to be the best dog I have ever had. Just be patient and I am sure it will happen to you too.
I got 6 JRT's all related mum dad & their 4 hooligans 4 of them love being hugged/kissed, 1 that only allowed me to touch him on his terms (he will come & sit on sofa next to me) & I got one that don't like being touched at all.
I agree with all the above posts, dogs are individuals. My Eddie will work like a Trojan for me, but has always hated cuddles, and being stroked on the top of his head. My other dog had never lived as family till recently, but is the biggest cuddler in the world. I would make yourself lots of fun to be with, play with her, but don't force her into close, or face to face contact. As she learns to read your body language, you should find that she begins to seek contact by instigating play, and coming closer when at rest.
Play, play and play again. That way you get to know one another and start to enjoy each other's company. A month is just a blink of an eye. Give it time and it should come x
I don't know from puppies, we only adopted adults. But same idea...it has to be a gradual thing. They do change...at the beginning Callie was easygoing but "I can take care of myself quite well thank you", he still patrols the house and yard several times a day, but he's also a sixty pound lap dog.
The 'puppy blues' can last far longer than a month....my own experience did! It took me months to feel any real connection with my youngster, but that bond does come in time the more you establish that relationship. I found having a set routine in the early days helped immensely in the bonding process. Pups bite and are into everything. The more you train and build upon your relationship the more you'll find her settling down somewhat. But bear in mind the calm, bonded, dogs you see in adulthood are as a result of relationship building and maturity. Your feelings are perfectly natural so don't worry to much. Your pup sounds like a typical baby just learning about the big wide world and the new people in her life
