Dog Behavior

[Rockdiva]

I have been doing a lot of research on dog behavior because of somethings that I have been dealing with Wookie on. He is not bad by any means, but has somethings that he does that I cannot seem to get rid of. One of the things that drives me crazy is everytime I reach for him to pet him or anything he backs away from me. Like I hit him or something!!! He is also not a very affectionate dog. He wants to be by me, but not on my lap. Unless he is tired then he can be cuddly or when he first wakes up in the morning. He does get very excited when I come home from work and wants to be picked up and cuddled, but just for a second and then he is done. With other dogs he can take them or leave them. The ones who are more energetic he gets scared of. Others he gets excited to say hi then wants nothing to do with them. Anyway, there are many other things (I wont list them all) where I can tell by his actions that he is a very insecure dog, and it breaks my heart. I just don't know what to do about it. We got him at 9 weeks old, and I don't think that he was abused but he did come from a puppy mill. (Please don't blast me, this was before I was informed about what they were. I am TOTALLY against them now and ashamed I contributed to them. But he is my baby now, and I don't regret getting him) So what I am thinking has happened to him is that he got taken away from his mother and siblings too early. He didn't get that interaction and socialization from them that he needed. I am discovering how important that is now. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is there anything I can do to help him? He doesn't seem to be unhappy but from what I have read, an insecure dog is not happy. He plays with me and runs around acting normal, it is just some of these little quirks that worry me. I take very, very good care of him (being spoiled could also be a problem!) and he has everything he needs and is comfortable. It just breaks my heart to think he may not be happy.

[chelop555]

Daisy does the same. She almost shrinks away from me or backs away if she has room. I notice though it happens more when I am standing up. Once I am holding her, she is quite the love bug though!! If I sit on the floor and let her climb into my lap it works much better. I wondered if it was a puppy thing since she is only 13 weeks old. Anyone else have any imput?

[Rockdiva]

Wookie is 3 now and has always done it. He will crawl into my lap if he has something he is chewing on and wants me to hold for him (like a carrot). But not to be affectionate.

Do you know what age she was taken from her mother? I really think that has something to do with Wookies behavior. I know dogs all have different personalities, and some just aren't affectionate, but I think his is more than that based on some of the other things he does. Like not being real social with other dogs, getting scared around people, etc

[Critter]

one of mine does the same thing, he is 8 months old. he always backs away when I go to pet him, but as the others if I am sitting down he will come sit in my lap. one of the things I do for Samson is I put my hand out to the side so I am not reaching for him and he is allowed to come to me under my hand. he will let me pick him up and/or pet him when I do this.

[TeresaM]

Annie B was a breeder at a puppy mill for the first 5 yrs of her life. She came to me with a lot of issues. Although a very loving girl she was never one to be hugged. She enjoyed being petted, tummy rubs were the bomb! She'd be happy to sit in my lap, but not so much for cuddling. Boo was a rescue that we got when he was 4. He has loud noise and sudden movement issues. He loves to be petted, to be held, to sit in your lap, but hugs he begrudgingly allows. I feel that they just have such a skewed perspective of life because of their start. I know that's not the case with your boy, in that you've had him since he was young. But he was removed from his litter too soon and a lot of what he would have learned from them, he didn't. So this is just who he is.

Try to not reach for him from above. I'd often just stop and squat down, they'd be curious about my 'odd' behavior and come over to see what I was doing. At first, when they came up to me, I'd just talk to them. If I had a treat, I'd leave it when I stood up to walk on. Then I moved to handing them the treat before standing up. Then to a scratch under the chin followed by the treat. It got to the point were I could reach down to give them the treat without them moving back. I was then able to reach down and give them a pet and move on. But always it was them that approached me. If I was sitting or laying down, they were never as nervous about me reaching out for them. It's good when they learn that you aren't going to pick them up every time you reach for them. That sometimes you just are going to give a little pet and then move on. Watch for the funny look on his face when that's all you do and then walk away. He'll be like, "Huh? What? Hey, wonder why she didn't pick me up?"

I think a lot of what you are seeing with Wookie (love the name, by the way!!) is simply his personality. He may never be the social butterfly you want him to be, so you need to find things to do that fit into his idea of fun. Annie never did enjoy socializing with other dogs, but loved to go places, see things, meet people...as long as it was in my arms. Annie was the original Queen Diva...and they simply do not walk anywhere - they are carried by their servant. So even though it seems he's not interacting with other dogs, if it's not upsetting him I'd still get him out and among the brethren as much as possible. He may actually be enjoying the time with them, in his own way.

[chelop555]

I got Daisy when she was 12 weks old, from a pet store, I know now that shouldn't have been my choice, but she is the little love of my life! I don't know what age she was when she left her mother but she was only there for 3 days before we took her home.

[Rockdiva]

Originally Posted by TeresaM

Annie B was a breeder at a puppy mill for the first 5 yrs of her life. She came to me with a lot of issues. Although a very loving girl she was never one to be hugged. She enjoyed being petted, tummy rubs were the bomb! She'd be happy to sit in my lap, but not so much for cuddling. Boo was a rescue that we got when he was 4. He has loud noise and sudden movement issues. He loves to be petted, to be held, to sit in your lap, but hugs he begrudgingly allows. I feel that they just have such a skewed perspective of life because of their start. I know that's not the case with your boy, in that you've had him since he was young. But he was removed from his litter too soon and a lot of what he would have learned from them, he didn't. So this is just who he is.

Try to not reach for him from above. I'd often just stop and squat down, they'd be curious about my 'odd' behavior and come over to see what I was doing. At first, when they came up to me, I'd just talk to them. If I had a treat, I'd leave it when I stood up to walk on. Then I moved to handing them the treat before standing up. Then to a scratch under the chin followed by the treat. It got to the point were I could reach down to give them the treat without them moving back. I was then able to reach down and give them a pet and move on. But always it was them that approached me. If I was sitting or laying down, they were never as nervous about me reaching out for them. It's good when they learn that you aren't going to pick them up every time you reach for them. That sometimes you just are going to give a little pet and then move on. Watch for the funny look on his face when that's all you do and then walk away. He'll be like, "Huh? What? Hey, wonder why she didn't pick me up?"

I think a lot of what you are seeing with Wookie (love the name, by the way!!) is simply his personality. He may never be the social butterfly you want him to be, so you need to find things to do that fit into his idea of fun. Annie never did enjoy socializing with other dogs, but loved to go places, see things, meet people...as long as it was in my arms. Annie was the original Queen Diva...and they simply do not walk anywhere - they are carried by their servant. So even though it seems he's not interacting with other dogs, if it's not upsetting him I'd still get him out and among the brethren as much as possible. He may actually be enjoying the time with them, in his own way.

Thank you so much. It makes me feel a little better to know that its not an uncommon thing. Wookie loves belly rubs too!!! But he pulls away even if I reach for him sitting on the ground. Now if I have treats, COMPLETELY different story! He has all these tricks he does, one of them being giving kisses and he will run up and jump on you for that!!! I even started trying one that I saw Victoria Stillwell do, where I tell him 'touch' and he touches his nose to my hand. That is to get him to associate my touch with being positive. Works great, unless I don't have treats. Then he just looks at me like I am crazy and ducks like I am about to beat on him!!! And I always try to do things from his level. (Or as low as I can get! haha)

Wookie sounds a lot like your dog. He really likes to go on walks and sniff areas, look for bunnies in our back lot, things like that. So I try to do that with him as much as possible. But like your dog, when we get around people, it is "Carry me Mama!" And at that point he will jump up on my leg for me to pick him up. So I guess there is some sense of security with me in there.

[Rockdiva]

Originally Posted by chelop555

I got Daisy when she was 12 weks old, from a pet store, I know now that shouldn't have been my choice, but she is the little love of my life! I don't know what age she was when she left her mother but she was only there for 3 days before we took her home.

Sounds like yours might have the same issues as mine.

I just really never thought about the importance of that early time with their moms before. I just always thought they were too little to even remember it, but I guess they learn so much in those first few weeks. I read somewhere the other day that ideally you shouldn't take a yorkie from its mom until 12 weeks. (I always thought 8 was the standard)