Outgoing versus Timid Puppies
When choosing a puppy from a litter it seems there is always a real go-getter in the litter. The pup that is always first to the feed dish, first to explore the backyard, first to run up to new people and the first to chase a carded pigeon. Sometimes the most outgoing puppy is a female but more often it seems the spitfire is a male pup. The question is - will the pup stay aggresive and outgoing. Usually a bold puppy will stay that way and will continue to have a burning desire to go and do. Some people look for this quality in a new puppy with the mindset that the most aggresive dog will be the best hunter or bird finder as an adult.
Then there is the wallflower. This is the puppy that stays back and watches things develop around them. Perhaps this is a smarter puppy that learns from its litter mates mistakes. The shy or reserved puppy is often a very affectionate puppy. She is often the one that crawls onto your lap for a nap while the others are chasing balls and each others tails. Will the timid puppy be less likely to get out and point birds? Or, does this puppy just require a compatible owner to bring out the best?
While both puppies have good qualities and may turn out to be great bird hunting dogs, I tend to stay in the middle of the road. I tend to avoid the hyper-agressive puppy that is bouncing off the walls and bullying the other puppies into submission. By the same token, I also avoid the reserved or timid puppy that hangs back from the group or stays too close to Momma. To me the perfect puppy is the one who is not the most aggressive and not the most shy. The perfect puppy to me is the one that is happy and friendly but not overly so. The key is in the parentage. If the parents are the kind of dogs that you would be proud to own, then there is a great chance that the pups will be the same.
Comments
Some dogs are just more timid than others. Although, I believe you can work through it to bring your pup out of her shell. The main thing is to make sure you do not reward the unwanted behavior. Cooing or saying "Poor, baby" and petting the dog when she is scared just teaches her that is appropriate/wanted behavior. Try to ignore her when she acts this way by pretending nothing is wrong and going about your business. You will probably need to use a soft-hand with this puppy, my Brittany Annie is the same way. If I raise my voice or swat her on the butt she piddles on the floor. I have to handle her a lot differently than I do my strong-willed shorthairs. I would recommend that you pick up the new book "Be the Pack Leader" by Cesar Millan, as well as watching Cesar's show "Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic channel. He has some wonderful insights into human behavior and dog psychology. He has a very cool website as well. http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/
Posted by: Jon Lee | February 1, 2008 1:22 PM
We just got a 3 month old cockapoo who is very timid so much that she will not come to us we have to get here and sometimes she wets when we pick her up, what can we do and will she get over this stage of her life in time.
Thank you so much
Posted by: Rod | January 31, 2008 8:21 PM