Overcoming Shyness??
 

Good morning all... I was wondering if someone had some advice.

Chelsea is 15months old and at times she is very timid/withdrawn with others. I'm not sure if she is shy or just indifferent. She is very friendly with everyone that comes to our house but extremely withdrawn once we go out. She seems timid or scared and doesn't come when people call her. I socialized her a great deal and took her everywhere I went from the moment I got her at 10 wks old. We went to puppy classes and it took her 4wks to even accept a treat from the trainer! Mind you she eats everything. She has the biggest appetite for a yorkie I have ever seen. LOL

Her trainer mentioned that it might be "learned helplessness". I am afraid that I am guilty of "babying" her way too much but it's so hard not to. :rolleyes: She said that I should put her in doggie day care to let her fend for herself without me. I just can't bare to leave her there. My parents are retired and she is very well taken care of during the day. She gets all their attention everyday. Why would I leave a 5lb dog in a daycare with big dogs?

I have had all males before I got chelsea & she has received the most training, socializing and play time; yet she is the most antisocial one. :confused: I'm not sure if I did something wrong or if it's just her personality.
She is truly an amazing dog & I love her to pieces! I feel guilty that I haven't done a good job with the socializing and training. Perhaps there's something I missed and I should have addressed. She doesn't seem to like to go out much. I also noticed that she has never recovered from Rocky's death. For the most part, she is a completely different dog at home.
Any ideas or suggestions?

I have the same problem with Piper. she loves everyone at home but is so shy if we go out. Shes very calm and laid back, shes the polar opposite of Duncan who thinks the whole world is here just to see him, but she is another story entirely. I do take her places and she doesnt seem scared, just shy. Both of my yorkies will put their heads down in the house if I walk up to them...I think they think they are havin a bath....but I have seen many yorkies do this so I dunno if its just common to them. Good post and I look forward to seeing the replys. Maybe we can both learn somethin!

Get a doggie stroller & let people say hi to her threw the stroller. My chihuahua use to freak around people once we got the stroller he was a ton better it make's them feel safe with You holding them which make's it worse.

Lexie is the same way when we got out in public. Running zoomies at home, but shaking anywhere else. My coworker couldn't believe she was the same dog! She wasn't socialized as much as I would have liked, but we still took her out a lot. I'm hoping she'll get better as time goes on. Can't wait to see some more responses.

I honestly think it's just her personality but I would love to hear how others dealth with this. I have read that agility class is great to boost confidence and it's a great deal of fun for them. I haven't been able to find a class close enough that works with my schedule :(

I think it is the personality too. Diesel has bigtime issues with strangers. He doesn't growl or bite. He just shakes. When we go out people love rubbing him and he just shakes and smells their hands. We went to an orchard last year for a hayride and there were a ton of kids there. He isn't scared of kids in general just everyone in general. Well he was shaking like a leaf but still wanted to smell the little girls behind us. So I turned around and bent down a bit. He reached over there and smelled them and the licked the tops of their noses. The entire time he is shaking like a leaf!!! I think it is just their personalities to be hoenst. As long as she doesn't bite I would worry to much about it. Good luck.

Your too sound like Rocky and Bella's match! Rocky is soo outgoing, but Bella is very shy when were not at home. Even at home with people she doesn't know, she acts very shy.