Hello,

Minimizing stress is important in handling a fearful puppy. But
the best way to eliminate stress for a puppy is to make every
situation very clear and predictable making sure that the puppy
doesn't have a bad experience when engaging with strange people or
dogs. For a puppy who is too young to follow an obedience command,
this means being purposeful in your own mind about what you expect
from that puppy's behavior on the one hand, and how you will allow
other people or dogs to behave in relation to your puppy on the other
hand. Forcing unwanted contact is very unproductive, but showing
increased warmth or affection to a puppy when he is acting "squirrely"
unfortunately, just reinforces the behavior you are trying to
eliminate. . For a puppy who is too young for obedience commands, I
prefer to control the situation by not allowing people (or children)
to rush into his space , but instead asking them to ignore him and
allowing him the time to come forward on his own. If the puppy comes
forward on his own, (or even shows greater ease with time), then this
behavior should be praised and reinforced with either food or simple
verbal praise and possibly by the strangers getting down low on the
ground in a less dominating and physically more welcoming way.
Less is more. let the dog feel he and you are in control of the
situation, not the "scary" people who he is meeting. I have had good
results with this technique for many puppies who are moderately to
extremely shy. Be advised though, that some of this behavior
(especially in it's most extreme forms) is genetically based and can
indicate that there is a serious nerve problem in the dog. These
dogs are extremely difficult if not impossible to rehabilitate and
"coddling " them will only make it much worse.

Denise

AMEN!


(Denise) wrote in message . com...
Hello,

Minimizing stress is important in handling a fearful puppy. But
the best way to eliminate stress for a puppy is to make every
situation very clear and predictable making sure that the puppy
doesn't have a bad experience when engaging with strange people or
dogs. For a puppy who is too young to follow an obedience command,
this means being purposeful in your own mind about what you expect
from that puppy's behavior on the one hand, and how you will allow
other people or dogs to behave in relation to your puppy on the other
hand. Forcing unwanted contact is very unproductive, but showing
increased warmth or affection to a puppy when he is acting "squirrely"
unfortunately, just reinforces the behavior you are trying to
eliminate. . For a puppy who is too young for obedience commands, I
prefer to control the situation by not allowing people (or children)
to rush into his space , but instead asking them to ignore him and
allowing him the time to come forward on his own. If the puppy comes
forward on his own, (or even shows greater ease with time), then this
behavior should be praised and reinforced with either food or simple
verbal praise and possibly by the strangers getting down low on the
ground in a less dominating and physically more welcoming way.
Less is more. let the dog feel he and you are in control of the
situation, not the "scary" people who he is meeting. I have had good
results with this technique for many puppies who are moderately to
extremely shy. Be advised though, that some of this behavior
(especially in it's most extreme forms) is genetically based and can
indicate that there is a serious nerve problem in the dog. These
dogs are extremely difficult if not impossible to rehabilitate and
"coddling " them will only make it much worse.

Denise

AMEN!


(Denise) wrote in message . com...
Hello,

Minimizing stress is important in handling a fearful puppy. But
the best way to eliminate stress for a puppy is to make every
situation very clear and predictable making sure that the puppy
doesn't have a bad experience when engaging with strange people or
dogs. For a puppy who is too young to follow an obedience command,
this means being purposeful in your own mind about what you expect
from that puppy's behavior on the one hand, and how you will allow
other people or dogs to behave in relation to your puppy on the other
hand. Forcing unwanted contact is very unproductive, but showing
increased warmth or affection to a puppy when he is acting "squirrely"
unfortunately, just reinforces the behavior you are trying to
eliminate. . For a puppy who is too young for obedience commands, I
prefer to control the situation by not allowing people (or children)
to rush into his space , but instead asking them to ignore him and
allowing him the time to come forward on his own. If the puppy comes
forward on his own, (or even shows greater ease with time), then this
behavior should be praised and reinforced with either food or simple
verbal praise and possibly by the strangers getting down low on the
ground in a less dominating and physically more welcoming way.
Less is more. let the dog feel he and you are in control of the
situation, not the "scary" people who he is meeting. I have had good
results with this technique for many puppies who are moderately to
extremely shy. Be advised though, that some of this behavior
(especially in it's most extreme forms) is genetically based and can
indicate that there is a serious nerve problem in the dog. These
dogs are extremely difficult if not impossible to rehabilitate and
"coddling " them will only make it much worse.

Denise

AMEN!


(Denise) wrote in message . com...
Hello,

Minimizing stress is important in handling a fearful puppy. But
the best way to eliminate stress for a puppy is to make every
situation very clear and predictable making sure that the puppy
doesn't have a bad experience when engaging with strange people or
dogs. For a puppy who is too young to follow an obedience command,
this means being purposeful in your own mind about what you expect
from that puppy's behavior on the one hand, and how you will allow
other people or dogs to behave in relation to your puppy on the other
hand. Forcing unwanted contact is very unproductive, but showing
increased warmth or affection to a puppy when he is acting "squirrely"
unfortunately, just reinforces the behavior you are trying to
eliminate. . For a puppy who is too young for obedience commands, I
prefer to control the situation by not allowing people (or children)
to rush into his space , but instead asking them to ignore him and
allowing him the time to come forward on his own. If the puppy comes
forward on his own, (or even shows greater ease with time), then this
behavior should be praised and reinforced with either food or simple
verbal praise and possibly by the strangers getting down low on the
ground in a less dominating and physically more welcoming way.
Less is more. let the dog feel he and you are in control of the
situation, not the "scary" people who he is meeting. I have had good
results with this technique for many puppies who are moderately to
extremely shy. Be advised though, that some of this behavior
(especially in it's most extreme forms) is genetically based and can
indicate that there is a serious nerve problem in the dog. These
dogs are extremely difficult if not impossible to rehabilitate and
"coddling " them will only make it much worse.

Denise