My adopted dog is timid and scared. How can I earn her trust?

The best thing to do is to give her a lot of TLC. I would try to keep things quiet for a little while in the home. I would not force her into any uncomfortable situations like a lot of visitors. I would make sure you give her treats for positive behaviors like going outside or coming to you when called. She will learn that you are her new “person” before long but just be patient with her. I hope this helps!

Take it slowly, be patient, be kind to her, praise her a lot. Get her interested in a tennis ball, make dinner a happy occasion. 11 years is almost a whole dog's life. She may never become completely relaxed. Little does it, go slowly. Give her space, give her her own bed, never punish or bother her in her own bed. That is a safe place. I hope that helps.

Hi there! I'm so sorry to hear about Smokey's troubles. It can be difficult when we adopt pets from shelters, because we don't know their history, or what happened to them before they came home with us. It is important to be patient and work with Smokey daily. A great idea would be to call his veterinarian, and get some recommendations for a veterinary behaviorist in the area. Veterinary behaviorists are veterinary doctors who are board certified in behavior. They could evaluate Smokey, and give you the best advice as to how to work with him. If a veterinary behaviorist isn't available, your veterinarian may know of some good trainers in the area, who are skilled in working with fearful dogs. In general, I would not push Smokey, let him come to you. Let him get acclimated to his new home. 3 weeks isn't very long in a dog's mind. He still needs to settle in. As long as he isn't showing any signs of aggression, you can try some natural calming supplements like zylkene or canine compsure. They can help him relax and get to feeling more comfortable more quickly. If he is showing any signs of aggression, like biting, nipping, or growling when you get close to his personal space, dog bowl, or toys, then I would avoid the supplements, and call your veterinarian right away. Giving calming agents can sometimes make aggression worse. I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck!

Remember that, while you thought about this dog and bringing her into your home, all she knows is that one day she was Here, and the next day she was THERE, with no warning or explanation. She is confused and frightened. Try letting her come to you when she's ready, instead of approaching her. Don't pet her for the time being. Just be a calm and stable presence i her life. Understand, too, that dogs have no idea what a "name" is, other than a familiar word that usually has something to do with her. Yes, there are things you can do to help her adjust to her new surroundings, but this is not a "one or two sentence" answer. If you would like me to work with you on it, just click on the prompt ot initiate a consult.

Patience and time and lots of loving and treats will help him grow to trust you. Since he's worried on walks, I would keep them short for now, carry treats or a favorite toy with you and when he follows you or comes when you call, even just one step, reward him and give him lots of praise. Find out what he likes to play with, teach him tricks or little tasks, take him for rides with you, whatever he seems to like, do that. As an adult dog in a new situation, it can be overwhelming. Make sure he gets plenty of exercise, play fetch or get him involved in dog agility of some other social activity to help boost his confidence when he's ready.

I hate to hear this is happening for both you and Lola. If you want to try to show her that humans are good, you will need to gain her trust. The first thing you need to do is find a treat that she really likes. This will be her high value treat. Basically, sit quietly close to Lola and don’t look directly at her. This can make some dogs uncomfortable. Every time she makes a move to investigate you, she gets a treat. Clicker training is something that can help in this situation as well. Any time she makes an attempt to approach you, click the clicker and treat her. The key is to be slow, patient, calm and not to make her feel pressure. You may also get a small assortment of toys and once again, sit close to her (but don’t force yourself beside her), avoid looking at her and try to get her interested in the toys. This will not be forever but it is needed for right now. The key is that Lola needs to approach you on her own terms. You may also do some reading about shy or fearful dogs to learn other techniques that benefit them. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I would make sure that you take your time with Sabo and do not approach him too quickly. Let him come to you and reward him when he does come to you. A good way to do this is to sit down and call him over to you. When he comes, reward him with petting him and giving him a treat. You can also you things like an Adaptil collar to help make him feel calm and at ease. You can find this product at your local Petco or online. Time and patience will lead to him trusting you more. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.