Dog is Too Submissive

RE: Dog is Too Submissive Post By PORTERSTEELERS@HOTMAIL.COMnter your name. (Guest Post) (07/21/2007) WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OUT FEMALE DASCHUND, AND SHE HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED. SHE PEES ALL OVER MY HUSBAND AT LEAST DAILY, USUALLY WHEN HE FIRST COMES HOME AND SHE IS EXCITED TO SEE HIM. BUT SHE IS VERY SHY AND COWERS EVERY TIME I TRY TO PICK HER UP. SHE IS ALSO REALLY BAD ABOUT HAVING HER TOENAILS CUT, WHICH IS USUALLY MY JOB. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE OF THAT. NOW SHE GOES TO THE GROOMERS FOR TOENAIL CUTTING, AND SEEMS SOMEWHAT LESS FEARFUL. MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING SHE ASSOCIATES WITH PART OF HER NORMAL CARE THAT IS MAKING HER SCARED. RE: Dog is Too Submissive Post by the Oracle (377) | (11/21/2005) Profile | Contact A recent article outlined discovery of a "fear" gene in mice and rats that interacts in the amygdala of the brain to exaggerate the fear response. Further research will follow to see if there is a way to limit its effect. There is a group at Yahoo Groups called shy-K9s that discusses shy dogs. You are not alone. RE: Dog is Too Submissive Post By (Guest Post) (09/15/2005) I have a 2 year old dachshund and he does the same thing. I've had him since he was 6 wks and he is very pampered, and has never been abused. I think that it is just a trait of some dachshuds that they just have to grow out of. Good Luck and don't get to frustrated. RE: Dog is Too Submissive Post by LucyB (2) | (09/03/2005) Contact How sad....I hope this dog has been treated. RE: Dog is Too Submissive Post By sandy (Guest Post) (08/23/2005) we are in the same boat. tho ally was only 1 yr old when i got her. she has gotten much much better since then. she is also 5. i think with lots of love and attention just for her she has gotten better. i hope you all do well to. RE: Dog is Too Submissive Post By (Guest Post) (08/23/2005) we have a lab/rotti cross and she has had the same problems, though excitement was also a cause for her. be sure not to scold your furry friend it is a normal reaction for them and that would only stress them more. we actually took our girl to doggy school and that has helped soooo much. she and i learned how to interact together to meet her needs. i think it's extra helpful for someone who knows about dogs to see the specific behaviour to be more helpful. she quickly became more confident through learning which behaviours would earn her rewards and it took the fear out of my hands b/c corrections were made in other ways. if they know the boundries they can be successful. the idea of getting this dog away from your other one to give some private attention is also a great idea. reward her, reward her, reward her! cut up frozen hotdogs work amazingly! have fun and good luck i really hope that you find the solution that works for her/you! RE: Dog is Too Submissive Post By Maggie (Guest Post) (08/22/2005) I've owned dachshund's most of my adult life. They are a wonderful breed. I read your problem and wanted to share with you mine. Toby was never abused (we got him when he was 11 weeks old). He is a healthy, happy 11 year old and has always had a problem with submissive urinating. His problem is very similar to yours, and he would make such a mess. I found that our reactions were actually making it worse for him. His problem would occur when we come home at the end of the day, or when company visits. I discovered that by ignoring him when we came home for the first 5 minutes, he got over his excitement. I had to alert all guests when they came for a visit, to simply ignore him when they walk in the door. After the 10 minutes passed, we were able to say hello and pet him. It's evidently a common problem. Good luck with yours and I hope this was somewhat helpful. Submissive Dog Post By Mongrels (Guest Post) (08/22/2005) Your dog may not have suffered extensive abuse, but certainly had a bad experience where someone reaching for him meant trouble and bad things to come. I have had this problem with a couple of my foster dogs. First off get yourself some yummy, yummy treats. I prefer people food - cut up hot dogs, string cheese, pieces of lunch meat, etc cut up into very small pieces - dime size or smaller. If you have other dogs, I would do a few sessions away from them so you are one on one with your pooch. Also pick a quiet time with not much going on around the house. Reach down to your pup and offer him a treat. Try to make it as much like reaching for him as possible. Let him eat the treat from one hand as you pet him with another. The general idea here is reaching for me = good food! If he wont take the food or is too concerned about being submissive, wallk away and ignore him. Any interest in the food, sniffing it, etc.. gets him praise. Dont be too forceful with your praise. You dont want the timid little guy to think you are yelling at him. Make it as soothing as possible. Do several 5 - 10 minute sessions of this over the course of a few days. Where nothing is expected of him except to eat food, take pets. Each dog is different so it may take him awhile to get the hang of it. But once he is confidently taking food, and not flinching when you bend down - start upping the anty. Instead of just petting, move your hands like you are going to pick him up, start having other family members do it, start doing it when the house is busier, give him less pets. Your pooch just needs a little bit of re-programming. Remember when you are doing this training with food to cut his daily rations back. Weight gain is a huge problem with these little dogs and you dont want him to get fat. Good Luck! RE: Dog is Too Submissive Post by LizCar (40) | (08/22/2005) Contact I heard on TV from a dog training show that it has to do with sef-confidence. See if you can find dog training tips online or maybe in a book at the library. Dog/owner training classes can get expensive, but from what I've seen in my mother-in-law's dog, adopted from the animal shelter, it's well worth it. (She didn't have the submissiveness problem, just jumping and stuff.)