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Old 10-02-2010, 03:48 PM   #1
Madraga
Yorkie Yakker
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Philippines
Posts: 36
Default Yorkie is afraid and trembles when she sees me. What should I do?

I have a Yorkie mix that was recently hospitalized coz of dehydration and a very high ALT. I posted a thread on this in the Emergencies page. She had problems because of the heartworm treatment (proheart shot), rabies vaccines, distemper vaccines and 2 other vaccines given to her in the same day by the vet. I got her 3 weeks ago, she's a rescue dog that's around 3 years old. She showed signs of being abused by the previous owner, and she is generally well behaved and will potty outside, but I've noticed she's more used to the garden and scavenging than being an indoor animal. She is very nervous and jumpy around people and tends to bite my house guests.

Recently, she started to warm up to me and my home. THis started when she came back home from the vet. We've actually given her tons of love and affection when she got back, sometimes to the point of babying her. Given her heart condition and previous life, it's hard not to shower her with as much love and affection. Anyways, long story short...

Last night I went out for dinner for a few hours and left her with the maids. They don't abuse her or yell at her because they love her as much. She initially warmed up to the maids before me or my brothers coz the maids were the first to see her and play with her. When I got home, everything seemed normal. I did notice she was a bit jumpy and would bark when I played this movie with people talking.

I brought her to my room so she could sleep, while I fiddled with the computer. I did buy her some new toys that I don't think she liked coz she would put them on her crate and start pushing them with her nose. She eventually fell asleep so I sat on the floor and started petting her. She turned to her back allowing me access to pet her chest and tummy, which she loves, so I did. Then I don't know what I did or what she saw coz it happened so fast. All i was doing was rubbing her chest and tummy as she fell asleep and i started to yawn. I don't make loud noises when I yawn, just open my mouth and yawn. This startled her i think. It totally freaked her out so she started to growl and bark at me. This of course scared me coz I've seen her bite, and I don't know if she's developing rabies or something. At first I was begging her/ pleading her to stop barking but this made her angrier, so I stood up and she jumped to the bathroom and barked some more. By this time I was already yelling her name, yelling for her to stop but she wouldn't. She peed a little too while in the bathroom. I turned around and left immediately and asked my dad for help. She seemed fine when I came back in coz she's afraid of my dad as well. She only follows 3 people around, me and my 2 maids. I live with 5 other people, my parents, 2 brothers and another maid. So as far as our home is concerned she's still getting accustomed to the others.

I then went downstairs with her and when I sat on the couch she growled and barked at me again. This time I didn't yell at her anymore. I just asked her to stop, but by this time she wouldn't come near me anymore. She would cower and shake when I try to pet her and carry her.

I gave her some space so I went upstairs and since she didn't want to follow, I left her alone downstairs. I gave her an hour then I went downstairs again, this time she trembled upon seeing me, the same trembling she does when there's a thunderstorm. She would not come near me and she would hide from me. I carried her to my room to sleep and she did go into her crate. I don't know if she slept, I know I didn't sleep all night. This morning when I woke up she was already awake. I don't think she slept at all, and at first she was all excited to see me then i bring her downstairs again, things changed again. It's like she's afraid to look at me, like she's so afraid of me that she couldn't pee or poop in front of me. I'd be lucky if she eats something today, given that she's already a picky eater.

What should I do?? I didn't know what to do when she barked and growled at me like as if she didn't know who I was. SHe looked at me like I was a complete stranger and that scared me coz I've read about dogs that go crazy and stuff. She's already difficult coz of her past so I got really frightened. I've asked the maids to ignore her and allow her to only respond to me. This has helped sort of coz when they're around she coughs, I don't know if it's real cough or just pretend cough. THey ignore her, so when I called her to come up she did. But she's still afraid of me.

Will she ever give me her trust again? What should I do to change this behaviour towards me? Should I continue to ask the maids to ignore her or give in to what she wants? She looks at them like they're her saviours. They're there to save her from me. Should I ignore her as well?

It took me weeks to get her to follow me around and it took a long time for her to start squeezing herself near me when on the couch. Now it's like I've given her only fear. It's like none of the things we've done together ever mattered. She's very volatile and unpredictable. I don't know how to handle her.

Please help. THANKS.
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