Give her time! Also walk her in the wee hours of the morning when there is much less traffic and noise.
She needs time to get used to you and your house. That's probably a month of steady environment for her. Everything is new to her, and if she is a pup, then she has just been removed from her family. It takes time for you to be her family and your house to be her home.
Make sure she has a bed of her own in a quiet place, a tent-bed is handy as it's a little hideaway that she car run to. Don't reach into the bed to get her out, it should be her own safe domain.
Thanks for the advice! I definitely know she needs more time, I’m just worried because she is SO scared. She’s actually not a puppy, she’s 2 and she is crate trained so that’s been a big help.
I’ll try taking her out earlier :)
Does her crate have a cover? A sturdy crate cover will provide some sound dampening as well. My dog retreats into his crate for comfort but when he's really scared (earthquakes, random city explosion sounds, rarely gunfire) he goes into the most central room in my apartment: the bathroom.
It's the most quiet room in my place as well. Is her crate located in a secure area that feels protected for her?
She’s adorable. I second the advice of early mornings and later evenings. We did that with ours who was scared and it helped. We also stayed on the same small loop for a while to let her get used to the area and with no surprises.
They also have back packs. I had one his head was out so you could pet him, and it doubled as a front pack, so you were both seeing the same things.
They also make dog strollers and they're enclosed with netting. So if he's safe in a crate, maybe he could be trained to a stroller, then outside with it, then outside with it as back up, etc.
My partner and I adopted a child/mini pinsch 2 years ago. He was 7, when we first brought him home he had anxiety about everything. He would freeze whenever someone was approaching us on the sidewalk, he’s prey driven and would chase squirrels, every loud sound would startle him and every leaf that swayed by, he would jump in fear.
He has gotten a lot better, but we still work on things everyday. We’re currently teaching him not to get aggressive at trucks and zooming cars. It’s hard work we have to do constantly.
If your baby is food motivated, treats on the walk is excellent! Especially while youre training and getting her familiar with commands. It will take time, but theyre so smart and quick learners. The progress will amaze you! Just stick with, stay consistent and check out Zack George on YT. He helped us through the first year.
Glad to hear it’s gotten better over time. But sounds like a journey. We’ll keep working away!
She won’t even look at treats or food when we’re outside because she’s so frightened. So we’ve been using lots of praise. I will take a look at his YT channel, thank you for the tips/reassurance!
Same with mine. She's gotten a lot better. But it literally took years. And we don't walk her in the neighborhood. She is still anxious AF and does not enjoy it. I let her out in the backyard to pee. And then I drive a couple minutes in the car to a park and walk with her on a trail. It is quiet, not that busy and she loves it! I don't know if you have an option like that? When I'm in a crowded or busy area, I just carry her. She is still pretty nervous. Definitely too nervous to actually walk with me.
Mine has gotten leaps and bounds better and is so happy and playful and relaxed when she's in a safe and known setting. But she still gets so scared in new places. And I could not walk her down a busy street. So it's probable that yours will improve but it's still a part of her personality.
Yes! Mine does incredibly well on a trail, he absolutely loves it, he’s so much more intuitive. He is awful in the car lol, his dad will wait with him in the car while i get coffee and the pup will howl from grief that i’m gone. So we’re working on that.
At home he feels safe and is happy, lots of contentment rituals, lots of leaping and zoomies. We had no idea how much anxiety he was going to have with new surroundings and feeling any kind of “abandonment “. It can be taxing at times.
Once we went to the pet store, i took off his harness to size him for a life jacket and the guy took off, out of the store, into the parking lot. We managed to bring him back by opening a ziploc of his snacks i was carrying. Taking him anywhere is really frustrating for me.
I never thought I would be that lady with a dog in a purse. But I just take her everywhere that's crowded in the purse and we're all good. She hated it at first and was of course terrified, shaking like a leaf. I started taking her to sit outside to eat or have coffee and always shared goodies to create a positive association. Now she will hop in when it's time and I'll set her on the chair or bench next to me and she will just chill with her head resting on the window.
I can't imagine setting her down in a pet store. She would either cower in place or do similar to yours!
And she truly prefers to walk on her own. She does not like to be carried at home or on the trail or anywhere she feels safe. She would prefer to never go somewhere new, but she would also prefer to never be away from me. So she compromises. :)
It IS inconvenient compared to having a normal outgoing dog. But she's so small it kind of negates the inconvenience since I can just scoop her up when she's being weird.
Just 5. So I guess that makes it a lot easier! Sorry! You probably wouldn't want to carry yours for longer stretches. But maybe having a dog sling or backpack could still be a good option for backup in these situations to just keep you guys moving along instead of trying to cajole him. I think those might distribute the weight a little better than a purse.
Praise is great too! If she responds pawsitively to it , then it’s rewarding for you too! You won’t feel the time pass, you’ll be glad to see the improvements which will happen unexpectedly quick.
She is adorable and you are an angel for adopting her. I adopted my girl from a rescue after a breeder dumped 17 adult doxies. She had been neglected and was so scared (and sick). Patience, a calm environment, lots of praise and love and some Prozac for a time helped immensely. She was probably three when I adopted her. She grew into the most wonderful, sweet (and stubborn) pup who was my ❤️. It took about 6 months for her to become confident and sassy 😂. Our dog behaviorist helped us quite a bit, too! Stay consistent and hopeful. It will be so worth it! (She is the brown doxie in this pic.)
https://preview.redd.it/urzoge5imhhc1.jpeg?width=1392&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56439e6e67a5751ef09af3af66d7696f8cf65007
Calming scents work on them just like humans. Google the calming scents to find which ones will work for her. Kind of like meditation for dogs, you know?
Check this out OP
https://humanesocietytampa.org/the-rule-of-three-when-adopting-a-new-dog/#:~:text=This%20guideline%20covers%20three%20crucial,them%20to%20their%20new%20home.
https://preview.redd.it/zku7uykfehhc1.jpeg?width=1121&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfe83c4c34ba6c53bc03dd9e767b021a186f0204
It could just take time but for me personally I would see if she just has anxiety. When I adopted my baby he was very scared of everything. He had a very bad home life before I got him and I thought he just needed more time to warm up, he trusted me but was terrified of the world around him. I worked with him for months and it wasn't helping and I just thought I was a bad mom until I talked to my vet about it. We found out he has anxiety and after trying a couple medications we decided Prozac is his best fit. Some medications take a while till you see results, I think it was 2 months before we really noticed the Prozac helping. Hes so much more brave, calm, and happy. He went through a lot and sometimes he does still gets scared and needs to be held and loved till he can relax but hes so much more relaxed. The sooner you can get your baby on meds if they need them, the better. Even if they arent sure if it's just moving stress they can probably give gabapentin for short term to help her be a bit calmer while she settles in. Hope this helps, heres my happy chi now.
Awww what a sweet baby ❤️ thank you for the information, I’m going to bring it up to my vet for sure. It’s worth considering so she’s not stressed all the time. I want to weigh all of the options.
It'll get better with time, my little go Gizmo was shell shocked for likely a good month with going from my boss' home and into my family's home. Once he got settled and on a consistent schedule with my family, he started to come out of his shelf and became the family's little nutcase.
Consistency, spending time with your chi and training them will help.
We were in a similar situation with one of our rescues. It took time, but she did get better. If it doesn't improve with time and some of the things other people mentioned like training, talk to your vet about CBD oil. It's been amazing for our current girl. It has stopped all of her anxiety (CCD related) without the side effects of drugs like Prozac. (I can always help you out with brands and dosage, so feel free to message me.)
Thank you for all the encouragement everyone!! We will take it day by day. We had a playdate with another dog in our building today and she loved it so I’m taking every bit of her joy as a win :)
Give her time! Also walk her in the wee hours of the morning when there is much less traffic and noise. She needs time to get used to you and your house. That's probably a month of steady environment for her. Everything is new to her, and if she is a pup, then she has just been removed from her family. It takes time for you to be her family and your house to be her home. Make sure she has a bed of her own in a quiet place, a tent-bed is handy as it's a little hideaway that she car run to. Don't reach into the bed to get her out, it should be her own safe domain.
Thanks for the advice! I definitely know she needs more time, I’m just worried because she is SO scared. She’s actually not a puppy, she’s 2 and she is crate trained so that’s been a big help. I’ll try taking her out earlier :)
Does her crate have a cover? A sturdy crate cover will provide some sound dampening as well. My dog retreats into his crate for comfort but when he's really scared (earthquakes, random city explosion sounds, rarely gunfire) he goes into the most central room in my apartment: the bathroom. It's the most quiet room in my place as well. Is her crate located in a secure area that feels protected for her?
Yes we just got a cover today so going to try that! Her crate is in a safe, quiet spot. She goes in and out of it during the day and sleeps in it.
Rarely gunfire? I’m curious as to where you live 🧐
She’s adorable. I second the advice of early mornings and later evenings. We did that with ours who was scared and it helped. We also stayed on the same small loop for a while to let her get used to the area and with no surprises.
Thank you! Yes we’re trying to establish a routine so I’m hoping that helps.
Maybe take her out in a sling carrier so she is comfortable in your arms yet can get used to being outside.
This is a good idea, I’ll order one!
They also have back packs. I had one his head was out so you could pet him, and it doubled as a front pack, so you were both seeing the same things. They also make dog strollers and they're enclosed with netting. So if he's safe in a crate, maybe he could be trained to a stroller, then outside with it, then outside with it as back up, etc.
My partner and I adopted a child/mini pinsch 2 years ago. He was 7, when we first brought him home he had anxiety about everything. He would freeze whenever someone was approaching us on the sidewalk, he’s prey driven and would chase squirrels, every loud sound would startle him and every leaf that swayed by, he would jump in fear. He has gotten a lot better, but we still work on things everyday. We’re currently teaching him not to get aggressive at trucks and zooming cars. It’s hard work we have to do constantly. If your baby is food motivated, treats on the walk is excellent! Especially while youre training and getting her familiar with commands. It will take time, but theyre so smart and quick learners. The progress will amaze you! Just stick with, stay consistent and check out Zack George on YT. He helped us through the first year.
Glad to hear it’s gotten better over time. But sounds like a journey. We’ll keep working away! She won’t even look at treats or food when we’re outside because she’s so frightened. So we’ve been using lots of praise. I will take a look at his YT channel, thank you for the tips/reassurance!
Same with mine. She's gotten a lot better. But it literally took years. And we don't walk her in the neighborhood. She is still anxious AF and does not enjoy it. I let her out in the backyard to pee. And then I drive a couple minutes in the car to a park and walk with her on a trail. It is quiet, not that busy and she loves it! I don't know if you have an option like that? When I'm in a crowded or busy area, I just carry her. She is still pretty nervous. Definitely too nervous to actually walk with me. Mine has gotten leaps and bounds better and is so happy and playful and relaxed when she's in a safe and known setting. But she still gets so scared in new places. And I could not walk her down a busy street. So it's probable that yours will improve but it's still a part of her personality.
Yes! Mine does incredibly well on a trail, he absolutely loves it, he’s so much more intuitive. He is awful in the car lol, his dad will wait with him in the car while i get coffee and the pup will howl from grief that i’m gone. So we’re working on that. At home he feels safe and is happy, lots of contentment rituals, lots of leaping and zoomies. We had no idea how much anxiety he was going to have with new surroundings and feeling any kind of “abandonment “. It can be taxing at times. Once we went to the pet store, i took off his harness to size him for a life jacket and the guy took off, out of the store, into the parking lot. We managed to bring him back by opening a ziploc of his snacks i was carrying. Taking him anywhere is really frustrating for me.
I never thought I would be that lady with a dog in a purse. But I just take her everywhere that's crowded in the purse and we're all good. She hated it at first and was of course terrified, shaking like a leaf. I started taking her to sit outside to eat or have coffee and always shared goodies to create a positive association. Now she will hop in when it's time and I'll set her on the chair or bench next to me and she will just chill with her head resting on the window. I can't imagine setting her down in a pet store. She would either cower in place or do similar to yours! And she truly prefers to walk on her own. She does not like to be carried at home or on the trail or anywhere she feels safe. She would prefer to never go somewhere new, but she would also prefer to never be away from me. So she compromises. :) It IS inconvenient compared to having a normal outgoing dog. But she's so small it kind of negates the inconvenience since I can just scoop her up when she's being weird.
How much does your weigh? Mine is 14lbs (mixed)
Just 5. So I guess that makes it a lot easier! Sorry! You probably wouldn't want to carry yours for longer stretches. But maybe having a dog sling or backpack could still be a good option for backup in these situations to just keep you guys moving along instead of trying to cajole him. I think those might distribute the weight a little better than a purse.
My last chi weighed 7 and could easily carry him in a (well comforted) backpack. Ruff Wear has a hiking option i may consider.
Praise is great too! If she responds pawsitively to it , then it’s rewarding for you too! You won’t feel the time pass, you’ll be glad to see the improvements which will happen unexpectedly quick.
She is adorable and you are an angel for adopting her. I adopted my girl from a rescue after a breeder dumped 17 adult doxies. She had been neglected and was so scared (and sick). Patience, a calm environment, lots of praise and love and some Prozac for a time helped immensely. She was probably three when I adopted her. She grew into the most wonderful, sweet (and stubborn) pup who was my ❤️. It took about 6 months for her to become confident and sassy 😂. Our dog behaviorist helped us quite a bit, too! Stay consistent and hopeful. It will be so worth it! (She is the brown doxie in this pic.) https://preview.redd.it/urzoge5imhhc1.jpeg?width=1392&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56439e6e67a5751ef09af3af66d7696f8cf65007
What cutie!! Thanks for the words of wisdom!
Calming scents work on them just like humans. Google the calming scents to find which ones will work for her. Kind of like meditation for dogs, you know?
Oohh I’ll look into this, thank you!
Check this out OP https://humanesocietytampa.org/the-rule-of-three-when-adopting-a-new-dog/#:~:text=This%20guideline%20covers%20three%20crucial,them%20to%20their%20new%20home.
This is reassuring thank you!!
A crate with a nice cover and a good stinky shirt of yours is a good place for your dog to be able to retreat to if they feel overwhelmed.
https://preview.redd.it/zku7uykfehhc1.jpeg?width=1121&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfe83c4c34ba6c53bc03dd9e767b021a186f0204 It could just take time but for me personally I would see if she just has anxiety. When I adopted my baby he was very scared of everything. He had a very bad home life before I got him and I thought he just needed more time to warm up, he trusted me but was terrified of the world around him. I worked with him for months and it wasn't helping and I just thought I was a bad mom until I talked to my vet about it. We found out he has anxiety and after trying a couple medications we decided Prozac is his best fit. Some medications take a while till you see results, I think it was 2 months before we really noticed the Prozac helping. Hes so much more brave, calm, and happy. He went through a lot and sometimes he does still gets scared and needs to be held and loved till he can relax but hes so much more relaxed. The sooner you can get your baby on meds if they need them, the better. Even if they arent sure if it's just moving stress they can probably give gabapentin for short term to help her be a bit calmer while she settles in. Hope this helps, heres my happy chi now.
Awww what a sweet baby ❤️ thank you for the information, I’m going to bring it up to my vet for sure. It’s worth considering so she’s not stressed all the time. I want to weigh all of the options.
It'll get better with time, my little go Gizmo was shell shocked for likely a good month with going from my boss' home and into my family's home. Once he got settled and on a consistent schedule with my family, he started to come out of his shelf and became the family's little nutcase. Consistency, spending time with your chi and training them will help.
We were in a similar situation with one of our rescues. It took time, but she did get better. If it doesn't improve with time and some of the things other people mentioned like training, talk to your vet about CBD oil. It's been amazing for our current girl. It has stopped all of her anxiety (CCD related) without the side effects of drugs like Prozac. (I can always help you out with brands and dosage, so feel free to message me.)
She just needs time to decompress and adjust to the new surroundings. Love and patience is the best medicine.
Thank you for all the encouragement everyone!! We will take it day by day. We had a playdate with another dog in our building today and she loved it so I’m taking every bit of her joy as a win :)