Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Our puppy is 12 weeks old and on waking in the am and seeing us after we've been gone will act like a "puppy", excited, kissing us, tail wagging, happy to see us. But then, the majority of the time she acts like we aren't there! If we call her over she'll just look at us and sit there but not come. At first we wondered if it was her hearing, but she hears fine, it's just like she's very independent and can take us or leave us. We've had her since she was 8 weeks old. Is this normal Shepherd behavior? I've read one of their characteristics is aloofness, but we figured that would be with strangers not us. We are going to meet with the breeder in a couple weeks to try some training to get her to focus on us. She does play, with the cat and by herself and once in a great while with us. It's hard not to take it personally when your puppy ignores you. Any ideas???

Beth I think it's more of a need to train your pup to do what you ask. At 12 weeks old you can call her name and ask her to come but if she doesn't know what that is she can't do it. The walks are good quality time and the kisses after being gone is because she missed you but these are reactions and not training. You would have to teach her to do what you ask. Start with basic commands like sit, stay, down. Use her favorite treat. Sit is the easiest, just take the treat, stand in front of her, show her the treat and bring it up and over her head while saying sit. If she doesn't get it at first try again using gentle pressure on her rump. Once she learns the basics it's on to the more advanced like calling her over to you. If she remains aloof or independent you could take her to obedience classes or use a program called NILF which stands for Nothing In Life is Free. Basically what this program is about is to have your dog do a simple command for you before she gets treats, pets, or fed. A Google search will bring up many links. Quite a few members of the Shiba board have had great success with the program. Bottom line is for your dog to learn you have to teach. Good luck and when you can put up a picture or two of your pup!
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The Three Wise Shiba Guys

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

She jsut hasn't learned how to play with you yet. Some puppies are a bit reserved and intimidated to initiate play with humans. Humans are not dogs after all and they tend to act "odd." I'd try to teach this pup to play tug 'o war with you. Anything can be used to play this game, but there are specifically toys made for this. For my reserved guys I use ones that you can fill with food so when they crunch down on it they get a tasty treat. With a puppy, you shouldn't even need to go that far. Most puppies like the game and find it rewarding enough. I'm typically teaching adult dogs who've never played with humans.

Use one toy and only that one toy to play tug with for now. Bring out the chosen toy and act very interested in it, ignore your puppy while you play with it and then put it away. This builds interest. Next time you bring it out do the same thing- be interested in it and maybe show the puppy it, let her sniff it and then put it away. Keep building up the interest by "teasing her" with it. Be nice about it, but they get the idea fairly fast and their curiosity is peaked.

Eventually you will allow her to put her mouth on it and try it. You take the other end. She may want you to take it back right away or she may want to keep it. Either way, it's now a toy for both of you to play with and interact with. I set "rules" for when I play with my dog. They can never put teeth on me when tugging hard and repositioning their mouth. That "offence" will end the game immediately. A small break will happen where I ignore the dog for a few minutes. Then we can try again. If at any time the dog pull it out of my hand and runs away with it, I again stop playing and go "neutral." Bringing it back and being obnoxious with it doesn't work. It's a cooperation game. The dog can "win" and have it sometimes. That's fine, but it's not something I'm going to play "keep away" and chase with.

There are probably much better explanations on how to teach a dog to play tug with you than what I wrote, but you get the idea.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles www.freewebs.com/performanceshibas