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panickedpup
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Location: Canada
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28-02-2018, 12:36 AM

My puppy is terrified of me, not sure what I should do

We got our 12 week old cockapoo last week. He seems to love my fiance, but is scared of me. I think it started a few days ago when I left his pen door open, and he was exploring our home. He crept up behind me, and when I turned I accidentally stepped on him. He immediately yelled/cried and ran back to his bed. Later that day he peed on the floor and then stepped in that pee. I picked him up to rinse the urine off his little paw. he didn't like the water and screamed/cried again, and tried jumping out of my hands. I tried grabbing him but slipped myself, and instead of catching him my hand pushed him forwards. He cried out loud and ran off to his pen again

Now a few days later he won't come out when I call him. He will still run after, chase, and follow my fiance around he will not do the same with me. When I'm alone with him he won't come out of his pen, he will sit on his bed and watch me move around the living room. Anytime I get close to the pen he will back up into his bed. He also won't eat his food while I'm in the living room.

This morning I brought him onto my belly and I kept feeding him treats, hoping that he will associate the treats with me. But unfortunately he ran off as soon as the treats were done. He looks guarded anytime I move in his direction. When I get too close he runs away.

I've been really stressed about this the past few days, till the point where it's been keeping me up and I'm having a hard time concentrating at work.

Will he ever love me? Or will he always see me as a threat? What can I do to make the situation better?
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Gnasher
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Location: East Midlands, UK
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28-02-2018, 07:11 AM
Hello and welcome to Dogsey! First of all, my advice would be to calm down, don't get stressed over this, he will settle down, but he may well be picking up on your distress; so don't make a huge fuss when you've trodden on him or dropped him!! Sh** happens, and the more fuss you make the worse it is ...just act cool; I am always tripping over Ben, our enormous wolf cross, and I just ruffle ears, apologise and move on.

Personally if I were you I wouldn't try too hard. Ignore him as much as you can ... but try and rouse his interest and curiosity. For instance, you could sit on the floor and bounce a ball up and down, do not look at him and see out of the corner of your eye his reaction. Or a squeaky toy ... repeatedly play with a squeaky toy whilst sitting on the ground near to him. Another thing you could try is to lie down and pretend to be asleep ... his curiosity should get the better of him and eventually he won't be able to resist coming to see what you are doing! Dogs are very nosy creatures!

Ball games outside are great ... kicking a football around, anything to trigger his interest in YOU and make him realise that you are not The Big Bad Wolf but are fun to be around - despite the fact that you have trodden on him and dropped him, you wicked person you!!!!!!!

Once he starts approaching you out of curiosity, ignore him to start with, do not look at him, just whisper quietly Good Boy. You will have got the picture by now I'm sure ... don't push him or crowd him, let him come to you.

I always remember my old riding instructor telling me that when trying to lead a reluctant horse, do not look back at him, look forwards and walk forwards purposefully and he will follow ... it works!!

Hth ... there will be lots of others on Dogsey who will all offer you great advice ... good luck!
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WinstonZ
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Location: USA
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04-03-2018, 10:47 PM
Originally Posted by panickedpup View Post
We got our 12 week old cockapoo last week. He seems to love my fiance, but is scared of me. I think it started a few days ago when I left his pen door open, and he was exploring our home. He crept up behind me, and when I turned I accidentally stepped on him. He immediately yelled/cried and ran back to his bed. Later that day he peed on the floor and then stepped in that pee. I picked him up to rinse the urine off his little paw. he didn't like the water and screamed/cried again, and tried jumping out of my hands. I tried grabbing him but slipped myself, and instead of catching him my hand pushed him forwards. He cried out loud and ran off to his pen again

Now a few days later he won't come out when I call him. He will still run after, chase, and follow my fiance around he will not do the same with me. When I'm alone with him he won't come out of his pen, he will sit on his bed and watch me move around the living room. Anytime I get close to the pen he will back up into his bed. He also won't eat his food while I'm in the living room.

This morning I brought him onto my belly and I kept feeding him treats, hoping that he will associate the treats with me. But unfortunately he ran off as soon as the treats were done. He looks guarded anytime I move in his direction. When I get too close he runs away.

I've been really stressed about this the past few days, till the point where it's been keeping me up and I'm having a hard time concentrating at work.

Will he ever love me? Or will he always see me as a threat? What can I do to make the situation better?
Don't feed him, that is skip him a meal or two, then hand feed him some meat, he will come around. Treats are not the same as food............. Have you taken him to the park and let him run? or to the beach, he has to associate you with fun
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Besoeker
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Location: Dunstable UK
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04-03-2018, 10:57 PM
Chill!
.................
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dogg14
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Location: United Kingdom
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05-03-2018, 08:25 PM
Good advise
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Chris
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Location: Lincolnshire
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06-03-2018, 09:04 PM
Please don't starve him, he's very young and it is cruel to do so. Slow down, don't make a big deal of things. Sit on the floor and let him come to you. Bless him, he'll come round
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