Help

[molney]

We recently got an 8 month old sheltie for christmas. he is so timid and shy. All he does is lay arould and when you try to go near him he turns away from you. Also we have try to take him out on a leash, and he will not move. He just sits there. How can we get him out of his shell. Is there any hope?

[Daisy and Delilah]

I am no expert but I would like to welcome you to Pet Talk and wish you luck and congratulations.

How long have you had him and what is his background? The experts here will need more info to help you. Perhaps he's just adjusting to his new home.

My name is Terry and I have two Chihuahuas, Daisy and Delilah :)

[molney]

We just got him at christmas, we baught him from a breeder.

[Daisy and Delilah]

DUH!! Sorry, I see you originally posted you got him for Christmas. I need to wake up :confused:

I hope some of the board's experts can give you some help. :)

[JenBKR]

Well I'm certainly not an expert but I'd say give him time. Your puppy is still getting used to his new surroundings, and is probably still overwhelmed and scared. Have you had him to a vet since you got him? If not, I would suggest taking him to a vet just to be checked out, it's always a good idea when you first get a dog. Good luck, and welcome to pet talk!!

[applesmom]

Congratulations on the new addition to your family!

Your breeder would be your best source of information since he/she is familiar with his background and personality.

Your dog will need time and patience to adjust to his new situation. Right now he has no idea of what is expected of him or what to expect from you.

A call to the breeder would be my first suggestion.

[Freedom]

Welcome to Pet Talk! And Congrats on your new sheltie. What is his name?

Was the breeder someone local to you? Or did the dog fly in from somewhere? The more info the people here have, the better they can assist you.

Has he been neutered already? What do you know about how he was at the breeder's. Was he in with a group of dogs or had he been put alone because he was older than the puppies but too young for the adult dogs? Has he already had all his shots, or did you take him in for that? (Shots can sometimes keep the dog low key for a few days.)

Do you have children? Did the breeder have a family for the dog to adjust to children?

I know, it's a lot of questions. But the better the picture you "paint," the better the information which you will receive back.

[molney]

He has had all his shots, He came from a breeder, she is just a single women with alot of shelties. He was neutered two weeks before we got him. All he want to do is lay around on the couch. Occasionally he will get down to get something to eat, But if one of us gets up to walk around he darts back up onto the couch.

[Karen]

I'd sign him up for an agility class right away, it will help you and he get used to each other. Also, a trip to the vet to rule out any underlying medical conditions is also in order. An 8-month-old Sheltie should be far more active than that!