New puppy only wants me Questions

Discussion in 'Shih Tzu' started by Kirstyn, Jul 5, 2021.

  1. Kirstyn

    Kirstyn New Member

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    New puppy only wants me

    Hi there, I just got a Shih Tuz puppy after having to put my Shih Tuz/ Havanese mix that we’ve had since 2007 down in june. She is six month old and super sweet. She has really lifted myself and my parents spirits since the passing of our other sweet girl. My puppy is super intelligent and curious, I’ve had her for four days and she is going potty outside and hasn’t had an accident yet, she is even sleeping through the night! The only issue we seem to be having is that she only wants me and only me. She follows me around non stop and always wants to be at my side.

    It’s not that I mind that, it’s just that she is terrified of my dad. She hides behind me every time he enters the room. I do think he is sort of pushing her to like him, which is just causing her to retract in fear. He is a big man weight wise with a booming voice, while I’m a 4’11, 110 pound woman with a soft voice. So is she scared of his presence? Is it common for Shih Tuzs to be a one person kind of dog? And I don’t know what to do when I have to go back to work tomorrow? Luckily I’m an educator and summer school hours end at 3, but I’ll still be gone for six and a half hours. Will she have anxiety? Will she be mad at me? And what can I do to have her feel comfortable with other people in my household while I’m gone for the day?
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  3. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    Malka and Chris like this.
    It really is literally very early days yet, and I would guess that she has had a female giving her food and care up to now. I would start by getting your Dad to reduce his height by sitting on the floor - and paying no attention to the puppy. Are there any tiny treats that she particularly likes? Your Dad could have half a dozen of these in his hand and occasionally toss one for the puppy to find. It will be an unusual puppy that doesn't discover that his hand is the source of these delicacies. (Pick a time when she is likely to be hungry).
    For tomorrow she will just have to cope, but the main thing is not to push it. As far as possible, just let the puppy come to Dad. I am sure she will come round.
  4. Toedtoes

    Toedtoes Member

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    Malka, CaroleC and Chris like this.
    I agree with the above.

    If he just ignores her, he can sit on the floor and play with her favorite toy also. Have him soften his voice as he "talks to" the toy.

    If she comes up to him, have him continue "talking" to the toy and ignoring her. If she goes to take the toy, he should just let her have it without acknowledging her at all. If she shows interest in the toy, but won't approach, have him just set the toy down as far away from himself as possible, without him having to move, and then he should just continue to "talk" softly to nothing.

    The idea is to get puppy to see him as harmless and a source of good things. If he doesn't make direct eye contact and doesn't make any approach for her, she will have control of their interaction.

    You definitely don't want him pushing her to interact. That can turn an "I'm not sure what that is" avoidance into an all out fear of people.

    Once she is coming up to him on her own, he can start offering her treats directly and talking softly to her. But don't have him reach for her at all. Let her be in full control.

    My Bat-dog was very people afraid after a bad vet visit at 1 year. She never got over it completely although by working on it she improved about 95%. If you see puppy fearing more people than just your dad, you can utilize these additional tips with them.

    When anyone enters a room where she is, they should always greet her verbally. No approaching her, but ackbowledging that they are in HER space. When they leave the room, they should say "I'll be right back" (trips to kitchen, bathroom, etc) or "I'll see you later" (for longer trips like going to the store or leaving for good). You can change the words from what I put here, but be consistent and have everyone address her like that. It will lower any stress she feels at people coming and going without warning. It also gets her used to verbal interaction with people she's not ready to have physical interaction with yet. I found with Bat-dog that the people she had the most issues with were the ones who moved around quietly all the time and never acknowledged her presence.

    One main thing is to NEVER let her be cornered or forced into a people interaction by anyone. It is really important for people to let her make the moves. If she likes treats, then hand out bags of treats at the door to visitors. Have them do as @CaroleC said above. She'll start making friends wirh people.

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