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puppylover23
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puppylover23 is offline  
Location: UK
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1
Female 
 
22-03-2017, 09:41 PM

Dog Hates My Dad?

We adopted a rescue dog in January, a lovely chihuahua cross. She was a very nervous dog in her foster home but once she came to us she relaxed massively and bonded with me almost instantly. She's come really far since she came home, learning to walk on lead and to play and its so beautiful to see.

However we're still stuck with one problem with her. She just doesn't like/is a bit scared of my dad. She generally just avoids him and stays out of his way, especially if I'm not home. She does occasionally growl at him if he comes closer to her, but i don't think it's in her temperament for that to transpire. However she rarely takes treats from him, unless it's something super high value (which she only gets from him, not me, in hope of a positive association). She will now walk on lead with him holding the lead, but only if I'm there too, she'd never go for a walk with solely him. She'd never go over to him to say hello or get tickles, but she's so affectionate and loving with me.

We really just want to develop a good relationship between the two of them, but we've tried so many things but none seem to be making much strong progress yet.

She is nervous of all men, not just him, however as she lives with him its key to at least first get her to like him before all of mankind.

So does anyone have any advice of how to solve this issue and help my gorgeous girl warm to my poor Dad?
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Wheeler
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Wheeler is offline  
Location: USA
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 111
Male 
 
22-03-2017, 09:56 PM
Don't feed her, let her get good and hungry with one big meal of the day, fed by your Dad..............................He might even try hand feeding her. She will come around, you need to do less for her and let Dad take over
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bongo's_handler
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bongo's_handler is offline  
Location: Roswell, GA
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 20
Female 
 
27-03-2017, 03:00 PM
I know just how you feel! Little dogs like Chihuahuas have a lot of trouble with big, scary men. Here's a few tips on how to integrate your dad into her life in a positive manner.
-Have your dad take over part of her routine. Bedtime, meals, taking her outside, everything. Start by teaching him how to care for her and then slowly, when he has the hang of it and she's more trusting, distance yourself. If they're walking, start out by walking next to them. Once she's enjoying herself, slow down until you're walking about 10 feet behind them. Keep that up and increase the distance until they're walking almost by themselves.
-Praise. If you've been training her, have your dad help you out. While you're next to her, start off by converting casually with your dad. Put on some happy music and keep the atmosphere light. Find her favorite treat (bacon, cheese, beef bones, a really special treat) and give a bag of them to your dad. Have him pet her and praise her until she's relaxed. Then, do some research on tricks she doesn't know. If your dad can read some informative articles and then start working with her on something fun like Shake, Roll Over, Speak, or Army Crawl, then it will really cheer her up. Chihuahuas are smart dogs. If she's concentrating on the trick and getting treats, then she will slowly become less nervous around your dad. Have him keep praising her in a soft, genuine voice. Set some time aside every day, from 5 minutes to 90, that is just 'their time' to work on the trick and cuddle. She will start to look forward to that point in the day.
-You can't really blame her for being scared of men. To her, your dad is the Big Tall Scary Guy that could crush her. When you're working with them, keep your dad on her level. Sit down or lie down on the couch or floor so he doesn't seem so intimidating. Tell him to keep a low, happy voice, as a deep voice makes her think that she's in trouble. Remember, consistency is everything. It could take years for her to be fully trusting with your dad, it could take a month. Just be patient and stick to a routine.
Hope this helps, and good luck!
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