Our dog does not like my husband

[Guest Anonymous]

We have just adopted a wonderful dog and all seems okay except for the fact that he does not like my husband. He is alright around other males, but is scared of my husband and will back away when called by him, and hide. My husband has not raied his voice around the dog and is trying very hard to make the dog relax a little around him. The dog is wonderful around myself and the kids and seems a little less scared when i am in the house with my husband, but if i am not home the dog ill continue to hide and avoid him. Is there a reason that the dog may not like him and is there a way to help the dog relax around my husband?

[Aonir]

Get a new husband :wink: Just kidding
I agree with the others

[gooeydog]

Aside from what's already been said, it could be that your husband's trying to "make friends" is only scaring the dog more, though I'm sure he doesn't mean for it to. He might try just ignoring the dog for a while, and seeing if the dog starts getting used to him on its own terms. Make sure too that you're not coddling him i nany way when he acts fearful, as that will only reinforce the behavior, making him more likely to repeat it.

[Guest Anonymous]

something you can try is, make your husband be the "bringer of all good things" in this dog's life and nobody else, until the dog learns there is no reason to fear him.

food, treats, toys, let your husband hand them to the dog. get some extra yummy food (like for example natural balance meat rolls) and hand feed.

there might also be some simple, very subtle communication signals that the dog misunderstands due to things that happened in the past.

i highly recommend the book "the other end of the leash" by patricia mcconnell, it's a great read and you will learn a lot about communicating with your dog.

good luck. :)

[Guest Anonymous]

Sash pretty much summed it up.. good luck and keep us updated!

[courtnek]

My Foxhound doesnt like my son, or any of his friends, (maybe she's trying to tell me something? :lol: )

He has been told to just leave her alone, ubless she is with me. All of his attempts to win her over have failed, unless I am there. She is slowly coming out of her shell, with the help of Rescue Remedy, but it's taking a long time. Now she is up to staying out in the living room when I'm at the PC, instead of hiding upstairs or in my room, although she sits under the desk right in front of me....All of the advice given was excellent. Have your hub sit on the floor and give her a few treats, but dont look directly at her. A frightened dog considers eye contact a threat. Look over her head, and hand her a treat, then praise her. Have him not pet her on the
top of the head, but rather under the chin and on her sides. She'll get used to him, but if you make a big deal out of it, she will consider her behavior approved....I made that mistake with Laurel. She rode me around for quite a while because I was accidently responding positively to her fear....