Im starting to get more and more concerned!! please help!

[coco-bean]

cainan is just about 7 months old! it's good to know that, about punishment by flickin his nose and swatting his butt is too much! i've just gone about doing things, teaching things to all three of them the same and i guess i never realized little things like that can be hurting his confidence!! thanks everyone for the advice!
I didnt go out to petco and got a chain for him to be on when he is outside now! which it has def. helped i can tell! he doesnt get as excited while he's outside since he doesnt like the chain but it is so much better when he comes back in the house! he's calm, cool and relaxed! We've never needed a leash or a chain when we let all three of them out because one of us has always been out there with them! but wow did that little but help a ton!
thanks again!

[areias]

I would like to ask..didn't you and your boyfriend have previous problems regarding the dogs? Is there the possiblity that he could be smacking the dogs around and causing a problem?

Other than that...I would HIGHLY suggest an activity for you and Cainan. Agility-flyball-even cart pulling for fun-just get out there and do something as a team. Activities like those builds confidence and a partnership.

[angelchampy]

I agree with agilityk9trainer. You have to use a happy voice when there is a noise or if something happens that would startle the dog. Something like "what was that you goofy dog" and use it as if you were talking to a child. But happy. Punishing will make matters so much worse. The dog is too skiddish for that. Just say "it's okay, but you tell mommy next time you have to pee, okay?" Then show him the door. That tells him it was wrong and what to do to correct it without yelling or hitting. It seems to me that this dog was never socialized and definitely neglected. They don't necessarily have to be abused to act like this - but definitely neglected. The only thing I'm not sure about is closing the kennel off. That's the dog's "safe place" and I don't know if that would train the dog better to be less scared, of if you block the kennel off, you are blocking off his "safe place." That might terrify him. That one I'm not sure about but I don't think I would do it. Agility may know better on that one than me though. One thing I would definitely do is give the dog a job. They love having jobs to do. My Sherry used to follow me into the laundry room and I would say, "come on help mommy do the wash" and she would stand right next to me while I loaded the washer. When I planted flowers, she helped me, cleaned the yard, etc. I always talked to her like she were helping me and I praised her for such a good job and gave her a treat. Dogs love to work. It gives them something to do and all they want is to make us happy. Put him to work!

[luvofallhorses]

you must socialize puppies when you first get them and keep on socializing them. that is the key. pups go through a "scared" stage and it is very important that you socialize them when they do go through that stage. perhaps obdience classes would help you at this point. Do you have a dog park? and a petsmart? perhaps that will help socialize him better.. obdience classes, going to the dog park, and to petsmart so he's used to being around other dogs AND people. make sure you do this with your other 2 pups, too. it is very important to socialize them and keep socializing them.

Buster my hound is like this.. he used to walk so well on leash and he went through the "scared" stage and now it's hard to take him for walks. He tries to back out of his collar. we don't have a dog park or anything like a petsmart except Quality Supply. he is better now, though. I wish you the best of luck with your 3 and hope this helps Cainan. and please socialize the others the same if you haven't already!

[coco-bean]

when do they go through this "scared" stage? I socialize them all the time! thats one of the weird things! i take him bi-weekly with me to work to get their bath's, when we get dog food, all three are with us! and sometimes cainan and i have our "time" he loves to snuggle with me...or at least tries, because he is too big to fit on my lap anymore, but he sure tries really hard to get himself all settled like he use too! I do know that my boyfriend sometimes thinks its funny when he gets scared of the little things and so he yells real loud and runs after him...like a game! coco likes it but cainan isnt to sure of it yet! once he realizes that coco likes to play this silly game, then he joins in....i tell my boyfriend to stop, so he does! i know he doesnt do this while im around him anymore because he knows it makes me upset to see him being so scared, for the most part he seems to be doing alot better! we took a break from the walks and he seems more hyper(of course) but less scared! we still take him to petco when we go, and with me to work also! but for the most part things are slowly getting better !! thanks everyone!