Scared little Golden Retriever

goldiel · #1 02-27-2009, 01:16 AM

Need advice on my lil 3 month old golden retriever that i've just brought home urgently. Very worried about this lil girl coz it's been 4 days now that she's wth me and my wife.

She doesnt react to us calling her and everytime we try approaching her, she stiffen up and she looks really scared of us eventhough we feed her, and treat her gently.
i really dunno wat to do already...please need someone to advice.....coz we love her very much.

vivienlpl · #2 02-27-2009, 10:34 AM

i never rear a dog yet....but this is just my comment
the dog came home to you in 4 days?
very peak period. ..that she might not be adjusted to the environment yet
do not put pressure as in getting near her too closely......
the bonding must start slowly..
you can try to get toys for her ...to play and monitor her behaviour
if she sits down.... and not moving..i think it is best you get her back to the shop or vet instantly....

goldiel · #3 02-27-2009, 01:12 PM

Thank you very much for the advice vivien.

Well, the thing is, we have adopted her from a friend who their golden retriever had a litter of 5 and they just wana get rid of all quickly plus, it's all the way outstation from where i lived...so we took a drive over and pick her up as she told me & my wife that there's only one left.

So we went picking this little girl up and the moment we were there, she looks really active together with her parents and as we were driving home, she was really quite. So when we got home, she just sits one corner of the house not moving, and everytime we try petting her and calling her name, she would put her head down as if we are gonna harm her or something. So now, it's the 5th days, she wouldnt respond to us as well and also always hide her tail all the way in between her hind legs(where the buttock is).

Anyone has got any advice to help me make this pup open up to us and make her feel like she's at home and happy, i'd really appreciate it really much.

just a little info on her.

she's 3 month + now, female, always hide in her crate/cage and the door is always open for her to come out. please help.

Ferreted · #4 02-27-2009, 01:54 PM

go to the vet.. she might be deaf..

daphne1985 · #5 02-27-2009, 02:31 PM

Hi Goldiel!

I don't really know why your puppy still behave strange on u even for 4 days. I just brought a puppy also, my puppy very tame with me at day 1 but did not scare of me. After 1 week he behave very naughty and energetic coz he knew me very well and use to our environment already.

What I done is at the 1st day (Saturday), he enter my house, I did not keep him inside the cage yet I hold him with my arm and play with him. I hold him wherever I walk inside my house and keep calling his name so that he will noe his name. Then, when I really tired, I sleep with him after that I feed him for dinner. He is really tame at day 1, I think maybe he still new to me. then, the second day I did the same thing to him. After that, the 3rd days my working days with no choice he has to be inside the cage but after I went back from work, I call his name and he is so happy to see me. He waive his tail speedy in front of me..Now he is spoil by me, too naughty and hyperactive. Hahaha, I have to give him obedient training now

Maybe you can consult the vet 1st to understand what is the reason she behave that way after that if the vet said it is because she still new to the new environment then u can try use my way

..Good Luck to you

vivienlpl · #6 02-27-2009, 02:38 PM

hhmm.....
so the pup was taken away of the group pup - from the mother
so probably she might be a bit shock the moment she was taken away

but 3 months pup should be fully ok... but then again different pup different character

is she eating well?

pup normally look active around other pup....
i seen some cases like my friend
happy running in a group
but one remove - confine - behaviour starts

continue to monitor but can consult vet over this behaviour...

Ferreted · #7 02-27-2009, 02:49 PM

again.. go to the vet for general check up.
you just got this dog, god knows where he came from. dont look see look see, they cant speak.

goldiel · #8 02-27-2009, 02:51 PM

Thank you all for the great feedback of advices.

That is what i thought at 1st,"a 3 month old puppy should be alright". and plus, before we took her home, she was only with her Mum & Dad which was in the same house, her brother and sisters were all taken away from her already long before that.

Yes, she is eating well and at night she does cry a little but not a lot just to say she needs to go do her business, but as we approach her, she just does the whole, "i am scared of you" type of thing where she puts her head down and lie down completely.

Technically speaking, we dont cage her, becoz the cage door is always open the whole day but still she like going into the cage isolating herself from us, doesnt get near to us like most of the puppies would do.

i'm getting even more worried coz if she is really deaf...(sigh)

goldiel · #9 02-27-2009, 02:55 PM

I will definitely bring her to the vet Ferreted.

i've got her medical card that show's her medical histories but none that says she is deaf though.....

the only thing that i know is that she has a bit of skin problem...and that shouldnt be a problem coz it's taken care of but the isolation between her and me & my wife....it's a bit on the worried side lo...

Ferreted · #10 02-27-2009, 03:03 PM

do update us when you got her to the vet.. curious case of benjamin button.

cheers!

Sashy · #11 02-27-2009, 10:23 PM

Handfeed her a bit and let her watch you when you are doing stuff like watching tv :) i remember when i got home from college my sis pup was scared of me but she got used to me cuz i fed her. keep at it shes only been with you a few days and may not be used to people too

vivienlpl · #12 02-28-2009, 06:32 PM

how the little gal doing today?

miket · #13 02-28-2009, 08:22 PM

Hi Goldiel,

If you have a 3 month old Golden Retriever, 4 days is not enough time for him/her to adjust to new environment.

Before I go further, the most important point is to realise that dog behaviour issues cannot be done remotely / via Internet as I cannot see the dog and the environment it lives in.

Having said this, the are some basic principles to understanding dogs when maladjustment or abnormal behaviour occurs. Here's the few things I would consider:

1) Medical - always check medical condition if there is abnormal behavior. Fear, irritablitiy, etc can result from medical causes, especially for young working dogs. So, please get an appointment with a vet. This was Ferreted's advise as well.

2) Social / Environment - what socialisation did this 12 week old puppy go through? If it was not properly socialised, a new stranger (you) and new environment (your home) is most likely the cause of the trembling/fear. All is not lost and you can still develop a bond (esp for a young pup) but you have to know what you are doing, and not aggravate the situation. Otherwise, when it grows up, whenever faced with new environments/people it will revert to this instinctive cringing behavior. In other words, you now have to build up the dogs confidence in stimulating environments and objects.

3) Training / Handling - your best bet is to find out as much possible about the pup's parents - both dad and mom - and find out whether proper handling was done by the breeder. If so, what was done and how you can continue with the puppy socialisation programme.

Hope this helps.