We adopted a female standard poodle about 2-1/2 months ago. She was 6
months old at the time. We got her from someone who dabbles in breeding.
Even though there were several other dogs at her previous home, she doesn't
seem to be very well socialized to other dogs. She is pretty timid. We
never saw the actual home, so we don't know what her previous environment
was like.

Emma adores me and rarely lets me out of her sight. She also loves our two
boys, ages 13 and 9. She likes most children, but can be nervous around
some of the teenage boys who come to the house.

She has never really liked my husband from the first day we got her. This
problem has gotten progressively worse instead of better, despite my
husband's efforts to win her over. She can't stand to be in the same room
with him and will do whatever she can to go someplace else. If she has to
be in the same room, she will sit or stand as stiff as a statue and won't
move until he is gone. He is the first to be downstairs in the morning and
she will not leave her bed when he is there. If he goes near, she will
growl at him and has been known to try to nip him if he tries to pet her.

This is our first dog as a family (both my husband and I had dogs while
growing up). Needless to say, it is not what we expected - we wanted a
nice, friendly family dog and my husgand wanted a dog he could play with.
She will be attending doggie training in a couple of weeks - we have one
private lesson and then 3 group lessons scheduled.

What can we do? Needless to say, this is not making our first venture with
a dog very pleasant.

Also, we will be going on vacation later this summer. I have made
arrangements for her to go to the home of a pet sitter, but am afraid that
our leaving her will push her timid little soul right over the edge. I
think that a home is a better place than a kennel environment. My other
option would be to leave her at our home with someone to come in a few times
a day, but she would be mostly alone for almost 2 weeks and I think that
would be worse. Any advice?
--
Vanessa