Quote:
Originally Posted by celstu1  One of mine cowers when I go to pick him up too.... it is heartbreaking because he does look like a beaten dog... and he is SOOOOO not! My friends tell me that they want to come back in a second life as my yorkies! LOL So I don't know the deal with that. |
Lizzie use to do this too, and it drove me crazy. She would also come up to me when I was sitting and stand in front of me like she wanted to be picked up. I'd bend over to get her, and she would back up. She would do this over and over.
When I called her or told her to come, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt she knows what that means, she would come, but then when I bent to pick her up, the back up thing again. I'd go to get her, and she would cower.
So, I quit picking her up. Or as much as possible. When I went to get her, I would leave her on the floor, scratch her back, just run my nails up and down her back, something she loves, while telling her what a babydoll she is and how much I love her, mushy stuff like that, but not pick her up. If I told her to come, I'd try to get a scratch in, or I'd go after her and tell her how silly she was and scratch her back, but not pick her up. It didn't take that long, but she quit cowering and backing up. Actually, I don't really have to go after her anymore, as she is very good about coming to me. BUT, if I say come, she also knows that if she doesn't, I will go after her. All my dogs do. I really love it when they come to me happily.
Never, ever punish a dog when you call them. The dog would have to be incredibly stupid to ever come to you again after that if you do. Even when I want to pinch the head off one of my dogs, I always call them in a happy voice and if I need to get one of them for anything unpleasant, like grinding their nails or a bath, I just get them, without saying a thing. I do give them kisses and tell them mushy stuff once I have them. You know, soften the blow.
