Scared pup?
 

We've had Brody about two weeks now. He started out really slow with the whole playing thing, but loved to cuddle. He turned into a playing machine after about a week. We've had a slight set back in the last few days.

I don't want to point any fingers, but I think it has to do with my husband. My hubby discovered that if he made a funny face and sound while shaking his head that Brody would go all runny spastic. We thought he liked it from his behavior and playful bark.

The second time (later that day) my hubby tried it Brody had a different reaction. He kind of shied away from him with ears back and tail down. Thinking (or maybe not thinking) it was a fluke, my hubby tried it again several more times the following day. He got the same reaction, but Brody then decided he didn't want anything to do with my husband. Brody eventually didn't even like being picked up by him and jumped from his arms and landed a bit rough. He's fine physically, but mentally...

I'm not quite sure how it happened since I was upstairs at the time. All I know is that the hubby was able to hold on to him long enough to bring him up to me. Brody immediately ran to my lap and began shaking with his ears back and refusing to look at my husband. My hubby feels REALLY bad. I've never seen him so upset. He's always had a problem with knowing when enough is enough. I don't think he'll ever make that mistake again.

Brody has been getting better the last couple of days with tolerating my husband's touch and attention. He still find it hard to look at him or be near him most of the time. He won't eat treats or play with him. He is starting to lick his hand or fingers and allow the hubby to pet him while he's napping. So I think we might be able to get over this.

Has anyone heard or gone through something similar? Is there anything we might be able to do to have an easier time winning his trust back? I've started noticing that Brody isn't playing with my daughter the same way either. He seems to be fixating on only me. :(

Sorry this is so long.

I don't have experience with this, but I need to watch out. I do the same with Rosie thinking she's playing, but maybe she's not after all.

How old is Brody? If he is just a young pup he could be going through his fearful stages.

Oh poor Brody. And poor mom and dad too. My hubby is like that too, getting all carried away. Sometimes I think they have trouble realizing these aren't big Labs or Shepherds.

I'm sure that Brody will be fine. He must have just gotten a scare. Since the first time, it seemed like fun, maybe it wasn't even really the face that scared him. Maybe that next time, it was a coincidence that something else spooked him at the same time and then he connected the two. Just tell hubby to go slow and regain that trust. Brody will forgive him. I'm sure he just got spooked.

Yes sounds like the fearstage. I read something on that

I hope he does get over it. It just wouldn't be fair to him to have him live this way. It's so sad to see him shy away from my husband. Things were going so well. Now it's like he's living in fear when my hubby is around. And my husband feels soooo guilty.

Brody is 27wks old. Hopefully we haven't scarred him for life.

Sorry I didn't get back to y'all sooner. I'm having a heck of a time getting any of the YT threads to load without freezing. :(