Adopted a rescue puppy was abused and now scared

[Emily6989]

So we adopted a new rescue puppy that was abused by her mother and underweight lots of fleas scratches and bite marks healthwise made lots of improvement at the shelter but she is still very scared and timid looking for advice to help her relax and be a happy playful puppy

Edited July 26, 2022 by Emily6989
Typo

[persephone]

15 hours ago, Emily6989 said:

was abused by her mother

as in beaten up/bitten by  the bitch who gave birth to her? 

 

Just a note- but an important one. 
Some dogs, like people, can be BORN WITH nervous temperaments. They can be worriers/anxious and needy , without anything bad happening to them . 

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by persephone

[tdierikx]

12 hours ago, persephone said:

Some dogs, like people, can be BORN WITH nervous temperaments. They can be worriers/anxious and needy , without anything bad happening to them .

 

I will second this... I have a dog with exactly that problem, and I've known her since birth, so know that she's never had any traumatic experiences. She is fine at home, but does not cope with new people or social situations. I work around her insecurities, and she is now nearly 10 and doing just fine with that arrangement.

 

As for dealing with your pup's timidity, just allow her to be herself, and let her dictate when she wants to be picked up or played with. Make sure she has a "safe place" like a covered crate to go hide in if she gets a bit overwhelmed. Set up the crate with a nice soft warm bed and a couple of toys to cuddle/play with. I know that it's tempting to want to pick her up and cuddle her and play with her, but if you let her initiate that, then her confidence will grow.

 

If you have children, they need to follow the same rules... ask them to sit quietly and let puppy come to them. Ask them to be very gentle with her, and to let her dictate what games they will play. Loud noises and sudden movements should be kept to a minimum so she doesn't get overwhelmed. If she has gone to her "safe place", she wants to be alone, so respect that, OK?

 

If she is food motivated, then rewarding her with food treats will help to establish good behaviours... just remember that what you feed her in treats during the day needs to be removed from what she is fed at meal times... you don't want her to get too fat either... *grin*

 

T.