 Barked: Thu Dec 30, '10 4:54am PST |
 | |  | | Oh Doogan, My heart goes out to you!! Your story sounds like the *exact* same thing I am going through with my new pup Oogie~ circumstances, feelings that go with it, the whole shebang! I notice the thread is a few years old~ did everything with Doogan ever smooth out for you?
Anyhoo, like I said, with Oogie I'm in much the same situation. I went to go look at her and her littermates when they were 6 weeks~ she came to me first and was the calmest of the bunch and loved to be held. I more than anything wanted a loving little lap dog to snuggle up to and love on and spoil, and Oogie seemed like the perfect bet, and her energy seemed it would be perfect for apartment life. Her parents were fantastic, and the breeder obviously loved them to bits and took very good care of them. I paid for her then and there and agreed to come pick her up when she was 8 weeks.
However, when I came to pick her up, she didn't come up to me first like she had before- two of her littermates did. Oogie stood back and wouldn't come, though when I picked her up she had no qualms with being held. I nearly changed my mind and took her brother, but he was so hyper he seemed he might be destructive in an apartment environment. The breeder also agreed, claiming that Oogie would probably be the calmer of the two in the long run based on personalities of puppies she had raised before. Plus I have always owned female dogs and am comfortable with them. After nearly 2 hours of deliberation, I took Oogie home, who had fallen asleep up against my leg.
Her first day home, she was wonderful. She followed me everywhere and was affectionate towards my boyfriend. However, when visiting my family for the holidays, she became far more interested in the family dogs than in coming when she was called. Now, we are back in my apartment, and sometimes she will follow me and other times she won't~ kind of on her own terms. She will do that thing where she just looks at me when I call her but refuses to come, or she'll come towards me and then shy away when I try to bring her in closer. Even bits of cheese won't convince her to come! It's very frustrating.
Strangely enough, she seems to get separation anxiety. I crated her when I went to work today and apparently she was throwing a fit when my roommate came home. Plus, I'd had her on the bed and put her on the floor in her bed (which is in an oversized laundry hamper~ that way I can reach down and pet her if she gets anxious overnight) next to mine, and she demanded to be put back up on the bed with me by whining and whimpering. However, I can't help but wonder if she just hates being confined as she doesn't like being in the bathroom either when the door is shut... Also, she HATES wearing her harness and leash. She acts like she is DYING when the leash is on her. She also currently hates being cradled on her back~ when I oringinally went to look at her, she struggled a little but then settled in to the position. Now, she just struggles and WHINES, and it makes me very sad. However, she frequently will roll over on her back in her sleep and let me pet her tummy.
Other than that, she's been a very good puppy. She travels in the car like a champ, she already prefers to potty outside and only has accidents when she just can't hold it in any longer inside, and she seems to be friendly with other dogs (and other people, after a brief warm-up period). She also is not yappy, and at this point doesn't seem food aggressive as I hand feed her.
Maybe I worry too much. My roommates dog Fuji, a long hair chihuahua, has the ideal personality~ she loves everyone and loves to be loved and is very obedient; she also quite submissive. I was hoping Oogie would be similar, and since she came from excellently tempered parents I assumed it would be in her genetics. Her failure to come when called really worries me though, as I fear she will be distant, aloof, detached, and very difficult to train in the long run. I plan on enrolling her in puppy kindergarden as soon as she is old enough to attend.
Anyhoo, hope all is well with Doogan! Would love to hear the outcome of the story  |  |  | |  |
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