Insecure/timid behavior

[sedaps]

I have a 5yr old min pin. I received her when she was 4 years old. I know that she went from home to home for the first year. That is pretty much all I know in regards to her past before we met. The issue we are having is that she is very timid or insecure. She clings to me constantly and I know for a fact that when I am not present she stays under the covers of my bed no matter what. She also shakes constantly. I am an animal lover , so she receives plenty of love , affection , and care. Unfortunately she is so skiddish and needy that I feel as if I am doing something wrong or not doing something that I should be. Any input will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Linda2231]

I have a 3 1/2 yr. old yorkie. A 2 1/2 and a 1 1/2 year old. All girls. The 2 1/2 is really insecure. Her behaviour puzzles me. She has never been treated any different than the other 2.
She is loving and sweet but you have to go to her not her come to you. She doesn't take treats from your hand its almost like she is afraid to. Im at my wits end and don't know what to do next.
Can't afford a trainer on my retirement so i hope someone can give me some suggestions.

[whitesam]

In reply to sedaps mini pin: I had adopted a 1 yr old dog who was shy & scared of anyone he hadn't bonded with,even a quiet 3 yr old girl who he outweighed by 30 lbs. and was as tall as himself. Almost everything startled him except other dogs. He loved other dogs. I began by taking him everywhere on walks and taking him with me whenever possible when I went out to expose him to more things. Then we would just sit or walk & I would give him treats--randomly at first & later only when he relaxed a bit. Next I let quiet calm people offer him super enticing treats while requesting that they didn't make eye contact. I realized he liked other dogs so much that he often would forget about things that would normally scare him, so I tried to frequently go to places where he would be in this situation. I tried never to push or force him but let him gradually become comfortable on his terms even if it meant his hiding behind my legs under the park bench because it made him feel more secure. It was gradual, but after a year there was a noticeable change & by 2 yrs he was no longer scared unless someone came at him overly energetic. He is now fine except in crowds. Be patient but persistent. Know your dog & what helps occupy his attention.Hope this is helpful.

[kjbowen1]

Thanks for the info and encouragement. I have a 7 month old Pug that's very shy. I've been taking her for neighborhood walks and girls day out shopping trips. She's gotten a little better but is still timid. I'll keep it up and see how she does.

[whitesam]

I didn't find this book until after my dog had improved but I wished I had. It does a great job of explaining things that I had to figure out on my own.
THE CAUTIOUS CANINE, How to Help Dogs Conquer Their Fears by Patricia Mc Connell. This is more in the form of a booklet and alot of it was taken from her main book The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs. If you like her writing, I would just get her main book instead of buying all the booklets separately. They're available on Amazon.com if you can't find them in the bookstore. The booklets go for around $4-5 and her book $16.

[whitesam]

Do things with your dog that will build it's confidence. For some reason physical activities make a big impact. With my dog I used modified agility type exercises. I would go through short tunnels together with him then have him do it on his own, walk across the tops of benches, up & down bleachers, across those bridges that give under your feet that you find at children's playgrounds. I always gave him lots & lots of encouragement and never pushed. Then when he did it I would make a really big deal out of it and praise him like he was Superdog!! I could just see how good he felt & proud he was of himself as he saw my excited reaction. Think of young children when they first learn to tie their own shoes or ride a bike--you get the idea. Whatever you decide on try to make it simple without too many negative repercussions if he fails--you don't want to accidentally scare him & make it worse. Confidence boosting definitely will help speed along the training.