Very scared and unusual sheltie Puppy

A

Argyllthesheltie

Forums Novice
My name is Abby and 2 weeks ago, I bought a 5 month old sheltie male from a breeder. He’s super sweet and I love him to bits, however, he gets very odd sometimes. I know shelties can be a bit reserved and wary of strangers. But my sheltie gets scared for no reason! It really is a little irritating. I have had golden retrievers my whole life and they are very outgoing, so this is just very different. He will be fine one moment and the next moment he’s running around trying to find a hiding place. I absolutely do not want a fearful dog. I want a dog people can pet and most of all I want a dog that feels safe and wants to be around people. I’m at my wits end. Will he always be this way? Is there anything I can do to help him?
 
Have you talked to the breeder about this change of behavior?
Shelties are not at all like goldens. They are naturally shy of strangers! Have you done any puppy classes yet?
I have not had a puppy for years but others might be able to give you more guidance.
I recently adopted a 5 year old that is scared of people due to lack of being socialized. I have taken him to obedience classes to give him more socialization and confidence.
Try talking to your vet and the breeder first. Good luck. Keep us posted on his progress!
 
ghggp said:
Have you talked to the breeder about this change of behavior?
Shelties are not at all like goldens. They are naturally shy of strangers! Have you done any puppy classes yet?
I have not had a puppy for years but others might be able to give you more guidance.
I recently adopted a 5 year old that is scared of people due to lack of being socialized. I have taken him to obedience classes to give him more socialization and confidence.
Try talking to your vet and the breeder first. Good luck. Keep us posted on his progress!
Click to expand...
No I haven’t talked to the breeder, I definitely don’t want to give him back, I really love him! But maybe I should look into some puppy classes. My mom and I were talking a little while ago and we realized a pattern. He gets spooked sometimes during the day, which Is normal, and then he’s totally fine again. But at night, it’s almost like he’s a different dog. Could it’s be something as simple as him being over tired?
 
Sorry for my english is not good - but try to peek in forum threads, there's a lot about this
- maybe your puppy has not been out in between people and participated in everyday things.

A Sheltie and a Golden can not be more different.
They have a totally opposite mind.

But do not put pressure on your baby, it does not help, go slowly and let the puppy decide the pace.
2 weeks is definitely not enough for the puppy to have trusted you - it can take several month.

Please be kind do not be annoyed that just makes things more difficult
-This little wonderful breed has no choice to live with us - we have taken the choice

A link to us new Sheltie owners so we may better understand this little sensitive breed.
http://sheltieforums.com/threads/are-shelties-for-everyone.22964/
 
Many people also use aroma therapy,
Dog Appeasing Pheromone,
for dogs that get nervous or stressed. Here are a few links of products that may help.

https://www.calmingcollars.com/

https://www.entirelypets.com/adaptil.html

My only reason for asking if you contacted the breeder is they might have encountered this with their litters before and could help you through this issue!

I agree not to pressure your young pup! They are still learning!

Good luck!
 
I would first of all give your pup some time, at 5 months it may take him a little longer to get used to his new home and I'd also recommend you get the book Sheltie Talk. It's been around for a long time but is one of the most informative books around about the breed. Shelties are a very reserved breed and can be very wary of strangers and new things. It's very important that extra care be taken to socialize them at a young age and allow them to experience as many different sights and sounds. When my boy Piper was around that age he could suddenly be afraid of something he'd seen the day before and been fine with...try giving him a treat when this happens (I used to take Piper to the playground where there were lots of kids so he could experience these sounds but I'd hold him and give him treats and say good boy when he was calm) make sure he's focused on you as you direct his attention to the treat and away from the thing he's scared of. Keep in mind that it may take time for this to help as he's still getting used to his new home and after 5 months of being with the breeder it's going to take longer than it would've if he were still a young pup. Just give him time and be patient with him and don't force him into anything (if he's so scared of something don't pull him back into that situation as you don't want to have it negatively affect him. Lastly, take him to a puppy class with an experienced trainer (please avoid the big brand name pet store classes, they're run by young kids who take a couple days of classes to teach...not experienced at all) who can help you work through any problems...ask them if they have any experience with Shelties (not a requirement but would help) and ask if you can watch a class...good trainers will welcome you to watch a class. Good luck and please be patient with your new boy. Remember also that the breeder would probably be more than willing to answer any questions you may have regarding the breed and I'm sure would be more than willing to help you with any problems you may have. I'm sure they want this to work out as much as you do (my boy is almost 3 but I still take him to his breeder to visit, they love to know how their pups are doing).
 
Hanne said:
Sorry for my english is not good - but try to peek in forum threads, there's a lot about this
- maybe your puppy has not been out in between people and participated in everyday things.

A Sheltie and a Golden can not be more different.
They have a totally opposite mind.

But do not put pressure on your baby, it does not help, go slowly and let the puppy decide the pace.
2 weeks is definitely not enough for the puppy to have trusted you - it can take several month.

Please be kind do not be annoyed that just makes things more difficult
-This little wonderful breed has no choice to live with us - we have taken the choice

A link to us new Sheltie owners so we may better understand this little sensitive breed.
http://sheltieforums.com/threads/are-shelties-for-everyone.22964/
Click to expand...
Hanne, your wisdom transcends language. Beautifully said, especially that last part.
 
Thanks everyone for your comments! All I want is for him to confident and happy. I will definitely take all of y’alls advice for sure. After some thinking, I did realize that he tends to get more scared and act very odd when he is tired. So I will just give him some time and work with him everyday.
 
All good advice; I will only re-iterate that Goldens and Shelties could NOT be more different. Shelties are generally not a "love every stranger" type of dog so to expect this will lead to disappointment and frustration. My most out-going Sheltie ever is Faith, but even she will not always allow a stranger to approach and pet her. The best way to think about Shelties is to remember what they were bred for - to herd sheep under the direction of a shepherd. This means they can't be running off and leaving the flock every time a new person arrives on the scene. They are a wonderful breed however. Please do read the thread Hanne posted and it will help you understand Sheltie characteristics.

Lots of friendly folk here to help with concerns. We have all learned a lot by participating in this forum. Good luck with your little boy.
 
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