will he become more sociable with age?

[rocky]

i wish vegas would be a little more sociable with people he is so scared of everyone he meets he is nearly 7 months do you think he will come out of this? he does not like to be picked up by anyone even me he just runs away, when my hubbie is leaving for work in the morning he bends down to speak to him and he just runs away comes back and runs away again he is like this with everyone, i am with him mostly all the time he is never left alone my teenage kids are great at looking after him if we need to go out somewhere, but the other day i had to go away for an hour somewhere so i left him with my parents he would not settle in their house when i went away, althouth he is used to their house my mum tried to give him a treat but he would not take it he kept looking out of the window looking for me and my mum said you could hear a little whimper coming from him, he also does not like you touching his head, where is the best place to touch him with affection?

[bellacherie]

Wow I'm dealing with the opposite and am struggling! Bella loves people and gets very upset if she can't go up and greet them.

I am also hoping the behviour becomes more "normal" with age.

[Lisa_T]

Bella's behaviour is pure Cavalier.... with Vegas, have you tried the vet? To make sure there's no physical reason why he's being so wary and hand-shy? Though many dogs don't like being touched on the head - my own Holly doesn't. She's very happy with a scratch behind the ears on under the chin, cat style...

[Cathy Moon]

i wish vegas would be a little more sociable with people he is so scared of everyone he meets he is nearly 7 months do you think he will come out of this? he does not like to be picked up by anyone even me he just runs away, when my hubbie is leaving for work in the morning he bends down to speak to him and he just runs away comes back and runs away again he is like this with everyone, i am with him mostly all the time he is never left alone my teenage kids are great at looking after him if we need to go out somewhere, but the other day i had to go away for an hour somewhere so i left him with my parents he would not settle in their house when i went away, althouth he is used to their house my mum tried to give him a treat but he would not take it he kept looking out of the window looking for me and my mum said you could hear a little whimper coming from him, he also does not like you touching his head, where is the best place to touch him with affection?

The best place to touch him with affection is to lightly tickle his chest or chin, but let him approach people at his own speed. He sounds very shy - my Geordie was the same way as a pup, and still is to this day with most 'outsiders'. The best thing to do is to have family members sit on the floor and be calm, quiet and not too attentive. When he begins to seek affection on his own, then lightly touch his chin or chest, quietly praise him, and reward him with treats. Shy dogs require lots of patience; they can make progress as long as people allow them all the time they need and don't scare them back into their shells.

It may be just his temperament or it could be a physical problem as well. You might want to talk to the vet. Also, do you know the proper way to pick him up?

We thought Geordie had a temperament issue that made him shy, because we had India first and she was never shy. We took him to obedience and agility classes, and made some progress. It is only recently that we found one reason for Geordie's temperament and shyness issues - he has a mild case of hydrocephalus. One of the symptoms, which I didn't realize until recently, is the whites of his eyes are showing in the center, towards his nose, as shown in these photos:



Just a few months ago he was diagnosed with SM and mild hydrocephalus when he was CT scanned for the PSOM study. He is now taking medicine for his health problems.

Long before we knew the cause, we had accepted Geordie as he is - very loving and devoted with us, but not very comfortable with 'outsiders'. He is capable of forming strong relationships with others, if they are patient and kind - he loves Melissa, who owns/runs the kennel we use. He lets her pick him up, pet him, and he gives her kisses and seeks her affection.

[Cathy T]

When you say your husband bends down to say goodbye I wonder if he feels that's a threatening position. Would it maybe help to sit on the floor, down at his level and let him come to you? Just a thought. Definitely agree with petting on the chest, both of mine prefer that and will duck a pet on the head.

[rocky]

thanks for the comments i am going to the vet toay about his yeast infection he has had in his ears hopefully it has cleared up although i dont think it has he has already had 3 lots of drops from 3 different vets that i have seen for them i am going to tell them i do not want the same drops again as they dont seem to be working i will also mention his shyness to people and see what she sais but i'm afraid i dont have much faith in my vet i really must look at trying to find another vet in the area

[Moviedust]

If the pup has had reoccurring problems with ear infections, that could be another reason he doesn't want to be cuddled. It hurts! People instinctively want to pet, pat, and cuddle a dog's head. If his ears hurt--and if he's tired of getting drops and people fussing with his painful ears--it makes sense that he isn't sure about getting close to people.

Poor kid.

Petting on the chest and under the chin will help, but he'll have to learn that that's what people are going to do.

[Caraline]

Yep as the two Cathys have already alluded to, some dogs are very uncomfortable with people looming over them of coming down over their heads to pat them.

Maybe you could try arming your guests with treats and ask them to either ignore the puppy until he comes to them, or to squat down low & offer him a treat. Also, ask them not to stare into his eyes as this can be perceived as a challenge. If there is an doggy obedience group in your area you might also consider taking him along as these are wonderful for socialising & giving heaps of confidence.