Lucy's nervous around new people

[sammy101]

Lucy seems to be nervous around new people,especially around children.The kids will try to pet her but she'll hide behind me or in between my legs Or sometimes she'll go hide by Kodie
I try to encourage her(i dont force her) to atleast go up to them.She hasnt shown any aggression toward strangers,no snapping, nothing like that.I've never had a dog thats nervous around strangers,so i dont have very much experience with this.

What should i do?

[elizabethann]

Perhaps you could have one of these new people play with her (gently of course)? Perhaps they could encourage her and say "good girl"? What about if they try to give her a treat everytime she lets them get close or pat her?

Just a thought.

Good luck.

[bckrazy]

that sounds a lot like Gonzo when I first got him, he would hide from kids and avoid them completely. . when puppies are frightened of something, they usually hide or run away, but when they grow up that fear can easily turn into aggression.

With Gonzo, I desensitized him to kids very slowly. We'd hang out in a park where kids were playing far away, and if the kids came up I'd tell them he was scared and to please don't run up to him. Slowly, get closer and closer to where kids are playing. If she starts to freak out and hide again, move farther away. Make it a positive experience every time kids are around. . play with her, train her, give her treats. After a lot of desensitizing her to seeing kids playing, find a very nice gentle kid (maybe a relative?) to slowly introduce her to. Have the child hold out their hand with a treat, and allow Lucy to approach them, NOT vice-versa. Only allow kids to pet her on her chin or side, not on top of her head. Don't get into any situation where Lucy in on-leash and cornered by a child, it could reverse the whole process.

Gonzo is still shy with kids, and he occasionally barks at some that are running up to us but he never tries to lunge at them or threaten them. But he actually licks most of the kids we meet and is pulling on his leash to greet them. The first 12 weeks of a pups life are the most important in socializing them with children, I think you didn't adopt Lucy until after then?. . So, this could be an ongoing process of socializing and desensitizing for most of her life, but she'll be 100% better if you get her used to kids while she's still a pup

[sammy101]

She actually went up yo a few kids today.But when she went up,they moved towards her then she hid behind me.I told them she's a bit shy,and they said "OK",they just kept petting Kodie.
She is really great around people she knows.Its just people she's never met before.LOL for some weird reason,she's not shy around people who have dogs with them,lol its odd.I guess she knows theyre dog people?But who knows.She's a weird little girl
We adopted when she was 3 months.Some lady brought her into the shelter.So i dont know how she was socialized when she was born.

[Kfamr]

Kiara's is the same way and has always been.

Our way of warming up to people is having them throw the ball for her. That's something that makes her happy and it makes her realize, Hey.. this person isn't so bad.

Just find something that makes Lucy REALLY happy and have other people do it.

[Maja]

How old is Lucy? When did you collect her? What kind of kennel did she come from? Had she met children when before you got her? What kind of meeting was that.Has she had a bad experience with kids? Check with your breeder and if its a serious one they should have all the answers.

[sammy101]

She's a rescue,and i know nothing about her backround.I only know a ladies dog got pregnant then she brought the litter to one of the shelters,and lucy was in that litter.She is 7 months old now,and we adopted her in January.I honestly dont know if she had a bad experience with children or not.
she's getting better,slowly but surely.