Dog Community

Personality change?

Posted : 2/21/2011 10:01:58 AM

I fostered a litter of 6 Weimaraner pups for a couple weeks. All of them had homes lined up for them except one little blue girl. I call her Rain. She was the "alpha" one over the other pups. Spunky, bossy, very independent, and just so darn cute! Now that the others have gone to their homes she is still the same pup but a new side has come up since the last pup left. She wants to be loved on all lot. Follows me every where. I love it but do not want to feed into it if she's just lost and scared because she does not know what happened to her siblings.

What do you think and recommend I do?

DougB

Posted : 2/21/2011 10:06:21 AM

I think you have a scared lonely pup. Love her up, hug her, spoil her a bit. Enjoy her.

Karla Welch

Posted : 2/21/2011 10:20:37 AM

i aggree! She's now "weaning" again. She needs lots of loving and reasurance. Give her a big hug for me!

Jewlieee

Posted : 2/21/2011 10:44:49 AM

This is when they change their bond from other dogs to humans. Its an important developmental step imo. Nuture it but also start her training with recalls, sits, downs, etc. Easy short don't expect perfection exercises with lots of praise, treats, toys, and her meals as rewards. All this will make her more adoptable and build the foundation to make a good pet for someone

JackieG

Posted : 2/21/2011 10:45:49 AM

I recommend that you get her enrolled in a puppy class and also start socializing her and introduce her to the big wide world. Her behavior is normal, IME.

sambob

Posted : 2/21/2011 12:09:15 PM

Ok thanks everyone! I just didn't want to baby her if it was going to be a bad thing. I have 2 people interested in her and will be meeting them this week. Hopefully one is the home for her. I would love to keep her but I am still building my relationship with Holly and want to wait another 6 months to a year before bringing in another permanent family member. I just had this chance to foster and thought why not? It was a fun learning experience.

Kim_MacMillan

Posted : 2/21/2011 2:24:02 PM

Love her up, build her confidence, but please start some puppy-appropriate independence training as well, to avoid the risks of separation anxiety. Let the pup spend some time in her kennel while you are home, don't let her follow you everywhere and be in your lap every time she requests it, and give her games (like puzzle toys) to teach her to play comfortably on her own when necessary. And yes, love her up many times through the day!

What you depict as an "alpha" pup screams "insecure pup" to me. A lot of people mistake pushy, controlling, or even bullying behaviours with "status", when really it's the opposite - the pup is insecure and therefore comes out with "big" behaviours that seem to want to try to control everything around it,because it gives them some sense of control and understanding. Truly confident dogs are more apt to go with the flow, they aren't worried about losing control. And that may be why you are seeing the clinginess (aside from normal litter separation!) now that all the pups have gone home.

poodleOwned

Posted : 2/24/2011 4:59:35 PM

Kim_MacMillan
What you depict as an "alpha" pup screams "insecure pup" to me. A lot of people mistake pushy, controlling, or even bullying behaviours with "status", when really it's the opposite - the pup is insecure and therefore comes out with "big" behaviours that seem to want to try to control everything around it,because it gives them some sense of control and understanding.

Thank you Kim... So true.