If I brush Nella's teeth daily or every other day, I may as well kiss my relationship with her goodbye. She is a wary dog, and literally backs away from me more than she comes to me. Mind you, she's trained...... come, sit, stay.... but she's just so anxious that she's suspicious of all my motives. The only time she responds without suspicion is when I get up in the morn, arrive home from an outing or am going to bed. Other than that, I have to woo her to trust me.
In fact, the owner of her mom lives in our granny flat and is shocked each time she sees her behavior. Perhaps the issue here is an anti-anxiety medication? At least that way I can do her hygiene and care so her life will be healthy and long.
Note, in her first 6 months of life I spent many hours holding, whispering, touching her, practice grooming, exposing her to other dogs..... yet, she's still is wary. |