Have him become her sole food giver while he is home. He is the guy that gives breakfast and dinner. He also becomes a treat machine. Tell him not to look or talk to her just throw the treat in her general direction. Let her come to him. Get some yummy treats that only he gives her. Meat would be a good idea. I get those turkey strips at the market and cook and put into small zip locks for later use. Make sure to freeze any that you can't use in three days. The way to a dogs heart is through their stomachs.
HHelp with newly adopted 14 month old Husky
hi, this is my first post. We have adopted a husky from a couple who could not keep her. She is 14 month old and we have had her 2 months. The problem is she has adjusted to me but not to my husband. She is terrified when he comes close to her causing her eyes to be come enlarged, ears to become pinned down and when she does not bolt out of the room she will not look at him. He works out of the country and only has been with her 2 weeks before he left on his job. He is back home now 2 weeks and she is like this again. When he was gone she was good, not scared at all. We have no idea whats going on with her but we suspect abuse by the former male owner. We are desperate for help. Only today when she came close to her she peed on the floor .My husband is hurt shes terrified of him and has not caused her any reason to do so...
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thanks for the response. We have tried that and she will not eat treats from him but will eat her food from him . The trouble is she becomes terrified everytime he comes in the house and spends time doing what I call laps in the house checking out to see if he is close. It breaks my heart.
thanks for the response. We have tried that and she will not eat treats from him but will eat her food from him . The trouble is she becomes terrified everytime he comes in the house and spends time doing what I call laps in the house checking out to see if he is close. It breaks my heart.
You might want to try being the one that offers her the treats when he's around. Sometimes when the thing she's afraid off offers the treats the message gets mixed up. Someone had posted a while ago a really good description of why this works better than him giving the treats can't remember where it was exactly but basically, when the person she fears is giving the treats the message isn't 'when this guy is around I get treats' it's 'I need to push myself a bit to get this treat from this scary thing' If you're the one giving treats then it's more of a good things happen when this dude is around. Try using a special very high value treat only when your husband is around. Chicken or steak should work well.
I agree with Thisisme19, don't have her take the treats from him. Either you give them to her, or he tosses them to her, but don't make her approach him. Her taking treats from him should come when she's comfortable approaching him, to sniff him, on her own. You can set up training sessions to speed up the process, by having her by you, treats in a pouch or your hand and when he comes into the room start feeding her those treats, then have him go out of the room and a second or two after he leaves stop the treats. Then have him come back in and start over. Do that a few times then have him sit somewhere, you feed her some treats then stop and see what she does. You may have to have him practice sitting, standing, and walking the same way since some dogs are alarmed when a person changes position.thanks for the response. We have tried that and she will not eat treats from him but will eat her food from him . The trouble is she becomes terrified everytime he comes in the house and spends time doing what I call laps in the house checking out to see if he is close. It breaks my heart.
Another thing to do is include your husband in every fun thing that you do with her, so go on walks with y'all, go to the park with y'all, play whatever games she loves, etc. Once she's more comfortable with him he can take over doing those things so she further learns that great things happen when he's around.
thanks, I sure hope she warms up to him . I really appreciate every ones help !!Will try all suggested !!
I agree with what Rain said, although you might want to do repetitions of the first step for a few days so that she relaxes a bit when he comes to the room or in her sight. Babysteps are easier, even though they take a bit more time.
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