Dog Community

Scared Jack Russell

Posted : 5/18/2006 9:09:17 PM

Hi,
I have a 7 month old Jack Russell who is so adorable. He has always been so social. Loves people. Tonight he is acting scared of his own shadow. I am wondering what would cause this dramatic change in him. He is running from our other Jack who is 1(female), He wont lay with me or come to me. If someone walks by him he runs the other way. I would hate to see his personality change to this and am wondering what would cause such a drastic change. It really just happen. I went for a walk came home and he was scared. I was gone about an hour.
Thanks for any help, advice, etc that you can give.
Brenda[sm=cry.gif]

mondayblues

Posted : 5/18/2006 9:43:09 PM

you mean it just happened all of a sudden? is he still acting this way until now? what was happening while you were gone -- were the two dogs alone in the house, was it raining hard or something?

spiritdogs

Posted : 5/19/2006 6:56:20 AM

It could be that he is just suddenly going through a fear period. Don't coddle him, and reward him for being confident, and it should pass.
Or, it could be that your female has decided to assert herself, and they may have had a spat. Dogs approaching the 1 to 1 1/2 year mark are learning their "place in the pack" and may challenge housemates, or even the humans, for a leadership role. Not much you can do about the dogs' relationship with one another, but it's a good time to take a refresher class, or revisit NILIF training.

Brenda Cubero

Posted : 5/19/2006 8:14:25 AM

Thanks for the replys.
My pup is back to his ole' self! He was happy to see me this morning (he sleeps in his crate) and the rest of the family. He has been very playful again with us.
The dogs were not alone when I went for my walk there were others in the house but they were in their rooms and what not so no one saw anything. I do think it had to do with the female. They were until very recently a mother and her pup kind of thing going on, and in the last week this has changed and the pup has started to over power the female and I think that may have been what happen last night only he did not get to over power her.

Brenda