Puppy skiddish and won't play?

[backwoodsyorkie]

I got Missy when she was 12 weeks old, she's 7 months old now, and she is unlike any other Yorkie I've ever owned. She's very skittish. She'll come over to be petted and when I reach my hand down to pet her, her ears go back and she cowers flat to the floor. We have never spanked her or anything like that so I have no idea why she's so hand-shy. She also won't play with toys at all. She has many different types and styles of lovies, chew toys, treat-dispensing toys, balls etc. and won't play with a single one (alone or with me). I'm concerned that all she does all day is sleep and nap. Every once in a while she'll go outside and run around but that's about it. I took her to the vet thinking something was wrong and that's why she wasn't playing but he says she perfectly healthy. Every other Yorkie I've had was well into the "zoomies" stage by now.
I'm also having some trouble with training because she won't eat treats! Nothing, not training treats, biscuits, rawhide, not even cheese, pieces of cooked chicken breast, carrots or Cheerios. I have an entire cabinet in my kitchen just filled with rejected treats


Any help or ideas is greatly appreciated! I love Missy to death, but she sure is difficult!

[yorkietalkjilly]

She sounds very fearful and anxious and likely it's from human trust issues. Some dogs are not food-driven but anxiety will cause dogs to ignore treats as well.

Does she eat normally?

Will she readily come to you on her own and cuddle or readily come when called?

If she does come to you, what is her body attitude when she does?

[backwoodsyorkie]

She gets three meals a day and always finishes her food. She will come and lay with me on her own as well as come up to be pet on her own. Coming when she's called is the only thing she knows how to do. When I call her she'll come running full sprint ears up with that Yorkie "smile" but as soon as I crouch down to tell her good girl and love on her she flattens out on the floor.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by backwoodsyorkie

She gets three meals a day and always finishes her food. She will come and lay with me on her own as well as come up to be pet on her own. Coming when she's called is the only thing she knows how to do. When I call her she'll come running full sprint ears up with that Yorkie "smile" but as soon as I crouch down to tell her good girl and love on her she flattens out on the floor.

Do you easily lose your temper and strike walls or things with your hand or talk loudly or harshly on the telephone when those marketing cold calls occur? Do you argue with or yell loudly at others in the home, even to call them from another room? She's got human trust issues for some reason. And she's deeply disturbed because of it. Do you wear any perfume, hair oil or spray or scent or wear some type of outward brace or appliance or use a cane?

[nanahas3]

Our Kyra is a little like this. She is 2 and just started to play with toys a tiny bit with us. Now she will play with Laddy, they chase each other through the house and wrestle a lot. She is one of those dogs who wants petted and picked up on her terms only (I think she is the boss lol).

[107barney]

One of my dogs is very shy and will make himself all small and hide in a corner for no reason. Another one doesn't play with toys. They are all individuals. If your vet says that the dogs is perfectly healthy, then perhaps it is some early socialization issue at play. Perhaps a good dog trainer could take a look and give some guidance.

[backwoodsyorkie]

Our house is generally very quiet. I don't yell in anger, but I do call to my kids when they're in another room. I do wear perfume but I've worn it every day for years now so it's not new or anything like that. I do have two small children (5 and 3) but u always make sure that they are supervised while petting her. They aren't loud in the part of the house that Missy is allowed in. If the kids want to get loud and play rough they have to go to the playroom.

Is there anything I can do to build her trust?

[yorkietalkjilly]

If you don't wear or do or participate in things that scare the dog, you need to gain her trust for starters. I'd always call her from her level - sitting or lying on the floor in a totally non-threatening position. Don't be overly affectionate - just re-affirming when she comes near and sniffs, touches you. Right now, she's fearful and skittish so the less you touch her and allow and encourage her to do the approaching and touching, the more in control of the situation she will feel.

Another thing you could try is lying on the floor covered in her favorite treats and allow her to come and approach you and have her treats as she's near you with you in a completely non-threatening position. If you repeat this every day or two for a couple of weeks, she will begin to associate coming near to you as completely non-threatening, not at all scary but entirely pleasant and find herself wanting to be near you.

You can also play "find that treat" by placing a treat in one hand and offering your two closed fists to her for her to nose-touch or paw the hand with the treat. It should encourage her to come near and touch you, learn that doing so will get her a nice treat and find you are not that scary up close - no need to flatten on the floor and be scared.

Once she's doing all of those things without being afraid or flattening out, putting her ears back, shaking, proceed to basic obedience training. This type of working with a dog to reinforce its using its mind to learn the tricks, learning to do what you say without fear and for a great reward - a treat, smile and praise - will start to teach her to love working and learning and trusting you and she will begin to bone with you - see you as a trust, kind, gentle, loving leader. This always gives dogs self-confidence and self-worth and enriches their lives by showing them we are very proud of what they can learn to do.

Life-enriching puzzles and games you create and play with her such as find the hidden treats around the house where you tell her "Seek treats" and point out her treats where they are hidden around the house a few times and then turn her loose to sniff them out on her own - with the occasional help from you - will keep her busy using her nose to sniff them out and give her confidence in her accomplishment at the same time. Those puzzle toys where she has to solve the puzzle to get the treat will also soon engage her mind, teach her she's a smartie-pants and give her still more self-confidence in her abilities.

More later.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Try reading some of the suggestions on this thread for your baby and see if she won't come out of her shell with these things tried little at a time.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...ty-issues.html

[backwoodsyorkie]

Thanks a lot!! I guess I'm going to start from scratch, but it will be so worth it when her real personality starts to come out!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Many anxious, uncertain, emotionally shut-down dogs have to learn how to play and become inquisitive and it takes an involved human to bring them out of themselves. I just love to see dogs like this start to trust, blossom, gain self-confidence and lose many of their fears and learn to love working with their human to become a happy, fulfilled, feisty domesticated dog with many interests in their rich life. It may take 6 mos. to a year to get her where you want but if you keep working with her, she will get there, and be a wonderful pet to have around for years to ocme.

[nanahas3]

Kyra is a ham when it comes to training time. She will do anything for that bite of chicken lol. I really think she is just a snob lol.