Too Shy, Shy

Little Ellie the two-year old terrier mix was not happy to see me last week. She greeted me at the door with a cacophony of barks, and then she gave me the cold shoulder for the next twenty minutes. Ellie sat and watched me from two rooms away, assessing my every gesture. If I moved too quickly, or laughed too loudly, she disappeared around the corner.

Uh oh. It must be shy dog season.

Ellie has only been with her person for ten days, so it’s understandable that life is freaking her out right now. Unfortunately, the poor pup is set on a hair trigger, so anything out of the ordinary – a car backfiring, a stranger entering the house, a quick gesture -- can send her sailing for cover, or barking to defend her life.

Though Ellie didn’t fall in love with me during that first lesson, she did warm up to me enough to allow me to work on “sit”, “down” and some leash walking. Towards the end of the lesson I forgot myself and moved a little too quickly across the room, which tipped Ellie over into the barky zone. I was surprised to see that she also charged me as she barked … that response certainly adds a new wrinkle to process. Ellie is a very frightened little pup… though her “flight” instinct is stronger, her “fight” response seems ready and willing. Not a good thing.

Will Ellie come to love the training process? Can she begin to overcome her deeply rooted fears? Will she ever allow me to touch her? Stay tuned.