Like the topic says, my new dog doesn't like me. I got her about a week and a half ago from the humane society. She has no problem with anybody else, even complete strangers, but she seems to be scared of me. I have not put a hand on her, and rarely even yell at her, as she is well behaved and housebroken. I'm at a loss for what to do. She is a sweet dog, and seems to love everyone else. I plan to give her some more time to adjust, but if this shit doesn't get any better in the next couple of months, I'm going to put her out with the rest of the dogs and use her for hog hunting.

Has anybody else run into something like this before? Any suggestions?

My dog is kinda like a cat, you have to earn his "love"  or else he'll look the other way and run off.

Give her some treats for no reason.  Pet her and hug her...basically show some general affection.  Be sure to walk her and play with her too.  She'll come around.  

Since you got her from "jail" (Shelter), it's likely you look/smell/sound like someone who was "less than nice" to her.

Follow the above instructions, NO YELLING, and she'll latch onto you.

Is she acting fearful or very submissive?  There is a diffence in "dog world".  She may already recognize you as the Alpha.  The best way to win her confidence is with food and praise.  Make sure you are the only one who feeds her and when ya notice small positive changes in behavior give praise quickly and abundantly.

Do people like you?

Call your friendly neighborhood peace office. he'll take care of the problem.

Quoted: Is she acting fearful or very submissive?  There is a diffence in "dog world".  She may already recognize you as the Alpha.  The best way to win her confidence is with food and praise.  Make sure you are the only one who feeds her and when ya notice small positive changes in behavior give praise quickly and abundantly.

I'm not really sure to be honest with you. I assumed it was fear. For instance, if she is laying down across the room, and I stand up, she will jump up like she is startled. If I get up and walk over to pet her, she will walk away quickly. She doesn't growl or anything but she does seem to avoid me.

Maybe you smell like pussy. J/K.

I agree with what the others have said. Pets sometimes take a while to get used to someone. My cat took a while to trust me. Now she's very loyal to me and me only.

Quoted: Since you got her from "jail" (Shelter), it's likely you look/smell/sound like someone who was "less than nice" to her.

yep, that'd be my guess.

We got one of our dogs from the shelter and I think it took a good six months before he figured out that we were his family.  He didn't really act scared, but he seemed wary of us.  Now, 4 years later he is our shadow.  Be patient, loving and DON'T YELL!  Dogs don't understand yelling.  They think you are barking at them and they usually can't figure out why.  A week and a half is not a long time...think about where she has been and what she has been through before you become impatient with her.

Is she not going for the peanut butter?

My wife, my kids,my grandkids are like that, funny thing is my dog
is the only one that likes me. Kinda like bizzaro world huh?


GM


PS what faris says


Since you got her from "jail" (Shelter), it's likely you look/smell/sound like someone who       was "less than nice" to her.

Follow the above instructions, NO YELLING, and she'll latch onto you.

my new dog doesn't like me...



Does anyone??

Quoted: my new dog doesn't like me... Does anyone??

Thats just wrong!

Quit humping her leg...

Perhaps you should take off the clown makeup, that freaks dogs out.

I'm not really sure to be honest with you. I assumed it was fear. For instance, if she is laying down across the room, and I stand up, she will jump up like she is startled. If I get up and walk over to pet her, she will walk away quickly. She doesn't growl or anything but she does seem to avoid me.

I sounds like the dog does indeed fear you, unfortunally it must have been severly abused at some time, if this dog is ever going to come around it will have to be convinced that you mean it no harm. This will take a great deal of patience, but if you succeed you will have a friend for life.......

You are most likely possesed by demons. The dog can sense this.

Try laying down next to her and gently pet her. Find her favorite 'scritch' (sic) spot and talk in a calm soothing voice. Once she's relaxed, start a gentle but deep massage. Do this a couple of times a day and you'll gain her affection.

I've done this with two dogs that were either skittish and/or hyper. It takes a little more time for hyper dogs.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

She fears you. Most likely because of someone else has imprinted on her " Adult male " bad. Depends how bad she was abused, She may come around tommorow or she may never get over it.

You have gotten sound advice so far
1. Feed her yourself. No one else gives her treats, just you for now.
2. Take her for walks on a leash. Short walks are better than no walks, even 5 minutes around the yard with a heap of praise at the middle and end of the walk. Make it fun.
3. Get down on her level ( the floor ) with treats and let her come to you.
4. If she need to be punished let another family member do it for now.
5. If she needs to go to the Vet same thing, let another member do it.

I had almost the same problem with a puppy from day one. She was afraid of everyone. It took about 8 months before I could really say I trusted her around people. My wife says she turned out to be one of the best dogs she ever knew. A real sweety.

Good luck .

Hi there,
Yep, good advice so far.  My wifes family got a dog from the pound when she was a kid.  The dog was great to everyone, but TERRIFIED of my father in law when he was in uniform.  Must have been abused by a previous owner.  

You need to show her that you are not a threat, talk to her a lot and in a nice, quiet voice.  

Good Luck.

Dez

Coming from someone who has done cocker rescue...... you just got a dog from the pound. 1 you do not know what the past history is on this dog,whether it was abuse,etc. plus raising your voice may terrify the dog too. Not to mention all the noises in said pound. I still have a cocker that I rescued,who you could not even raise your voice the slightest bit. She would literally piss herself if you did and cower. Yes she was abused, and malnourished. She has seizures too. Give the poor dog time to adjust to new surroundings. My cocker was abused by a male so for the longest time my husband had to earn her respect so to say and realise he was not going to beat her. This little dog has made great strides in the time I have had her,but it has taken work and trust on the dogs part too. She still has some seperation anxiety, but nothing near what she had when I got her. She still has to follow me or know where I am in the house,but she isn't like velcro either anymore. Work with the dog,take it with you when you go places, and make it fun. It will come around,but may take longer than what you think. The end result will be very rewarding.

It's gonna take time, man. The wife got a "mutt" from the local Angels for Animals about 1 1/2 years ago. The poor guy had been SEVERLY abused by the previous owners....and it showed. He weighed about 25 lbs when he should have weighed 60-70 and was VERY skittish and terrified of everything. He was especially terrified of me. Just me. Every other male that came to our house he'd at least walk over to and check out. With me, he just ran. He spent the first 2-3 weeks on a completely different floor of our house when I was home. If I was downstairs, he went upstairs and vice versa. All I can figure is that I either look or sound like the piece of shit that abused him.

He's getting a LOT better now. He'll come over to me for attention if the wife is in the vicinity but will, usually, still take off if I'm by myself, although he now walks away instead of running like the Devil himself was after him. When I'm not around, he acts like any other dog, playing with the 4yo daughter and all, with the exception that he follows the wife around like he's glued to her most of the time. Must be something with being abused, I read that quite a few times above. Give it time, the poor thing will come around. It'll just take some time and love.

Bub