# Puppy not warming up to husband**PLEASE HELP**



## ANguyen (Aug 14, 2016)

All, 

I am very close to selling my AKC, Pedigree puppy very soon if I can't figure this out. The breeder I bought my german from was a female breeder and thats the only human that took care of my pup. Now, I have brought my pup home and does nothing but want to stand by myside. the puppy does nothing but rush to me when I leave the room. It seems as if he doesn't want to spend time or cuddle with my husband. Please help me my husband is very depressed and just wants the puppy to love him. 

thank you all for you suggestion and input. We are both new to this breed of Dog.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

How old is your puppy and how long have you had him?


----------



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Have your husband feed the puppy.


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

GSD puppies don't bond just to love and cuddle. They bond with whomever works with them and feeds them. You cannot sit in a chair and expect a puppy to love and cuddle you. A cat will fulfill this better. Did you look into the breed before you adopted him? Honestly, if this was your hope, it is probably best to find him a home where he can use his wiring, especially when he is still young (you didn't mention his age). Nothing wrong with that. Otherwise she will grow up being a disappointment to you and it will end in a heartache for everyone, including the dog.


----------



## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

LuvShepherds said:


> Have your husband feed the puppy.


Pretty much this. Husband feeds and tethers the dog to himself and in a few days puppy follows him everywhere after that. Animals have their own little version of Stockholm syndrome. Hold em hostage and eventually they just follow you around on their own.


----------



## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Baillif said:


> Pretty much this. Husband feeds and tethers the dog to himself and in a few days puppy follows him everywhere after that. Animals have their own little version of Stockholm syndrome. Hold em hostage and eventually they just follow you around on their own.


The old tether training seems to get little attention these days.

Why do many dogs tend to fawn over the person that ignores them the most?


----------



## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I got my pup to be my next service dog. Hubby was supportive but admittedly not wild about adding a 3rd GSD to our house.

From day 1, I walk, feed, potty and train the puppy. From day 1, puppy thinks my husband is Santa Claus. He totally loves me too but honestly I think he loves my husband more. No explanation for it, they just have a bro-mance. I will say it is a relief how very much my husband loves him...it sucks living with dogs that are even slightly resented by the spouse. But our deal is not the norm.

I totally agree with everyone, the husband should feed, walk, play with puppy. And try not to be so emotionally invested in the outcome because when people really want something from an animal, sometimes it makes them feel weird. I dont know if that makes sense, but I have seen people trying to get my dogs to like them and my dogs were kind of like "you're weird", vs, someone who just loves dogs and says hi to the dogs and is excited to meet them, but they are equally happy.


----------



## telavivgsd (Jul 6, 2016)

I just touched on this in another thread about socializing, and I don't want to thread hijack here, but I'm having the opposite problem of OP, and the solutions I'm reading aren't working. 

My 14 w/o puppy is very attached to my husband, who I think he sees as the family protector. I understand that, seeing as he's a huge guy and I'm a pretty small woman, and my husband is generally more confident than I am.

That said, I've been trying since the beginning to build a strong relationship with the pup. Initially he spent more time with my husband, but now that I can bring him to work, he's with me about 40% of the time (including time when both of us are there), and I do 80% of his feeding and training. 

I think he does have more fun when he goes to work with my husband- bigger office, going out to lunch, etc., and he lets him get away with murder, has less rules, plays more rowdy with him, etc., so maybe this is one of the causes. Would being less strict for now about things like ending play when he starts biting a lot, not feeding/treating until he sits, and not pulling on the leash actually be better in the long run?


----------



## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Play is the number 1 builder of relationship. It isn't food. It isn't cuddling. It isn't even affection. The number 1 builder of relationship between dogs and dogs or dogs and humans is play. You can create an attraction between yourself and a dog with food or pressure or whatever but play is what really makes the relationship. 

So all of you who are having trouble bonding with dogs and your significant other is winning them over that is probably the single biggest factor. Either you don't play or the dog thinks you suck at it.


----------



## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

GSDs often have a favorite person. Don't try so hard. Enjoy the pup. For goodness sake, I did everything for my previous shepherd - fed, trained, exercised, etc. And she worshiped the ground my husband walked on. Followed his every movement. He didn't even like her. Of course that changed. I mean that kind of adoration gets to you. When my old girl passed, my husband and son wanted a smaller dog. We adopted a hound mix puppy. Even though he was supposed to be for them, he is a 'Mama's boy'. We adopted a female shepherd pup for me. And... you got it - she adores my husband. She's a 'Daddy's girl.' I think it's hilarious. I love them both and they love me, but Shelby loves 'Daddy' more.

Relax and enjoy your pup. Don't force it.

Hmmm, see you have a male pup. I know it isn't always true and many here will say it isn't true, but often I have seen female GSDs choose the male owner as their favorite person. That is the case with us. My 'female' friend has always had female GSDs. Her husband was always the favorite. Then, she got a male GSD. Now she is the favorite. You can't take those things personally. That is just silly.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> Hmmm, see you have a male pup. I know it isn't always true and many here will say it isn't true, but often I have seen female GSDs choose the male owner as their favorite person. That is the case with us. My 'female' friend has always had female GSDs. Her husband was always the favorite. Then, she got a male GSD. Now she is the favorite. You can't take those things personally. That is just silly.


That has been my own experience. I know plenty of women very close to female GSDs but .anyway


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> Hmmm, see you have a male pup. I know it isn't always true and many here will say it isn't true, but often I have seen female GSDs choose the male owner as their favorite person. That is the case with us. My 'female' friend has always had female GSDs. Her husband was always the favorite. Then, she got a male GSD. Now she is the favorite.


That's been our experience too. All 4 of our females have been daddy's girls, and Keefer worships me. The girls all loved me too, but Tom was their clear favorite. And Tom and Keef have a very special bond too, they both adore each other, but if Keef HAD to make a choice, he would pick me. I do all the feeding and training regardless of the gender of the dog, so that's not a factor. 

Doing flyball with Halo has deepened our bond, and I've had people comment on how attentive and focused she is with me, even how much she clearly loves me. But if Tom shows up at a tournament he has to hide so she doesn't know he's there or she loses her mind and acts like she hasn't seen him in months, lol. :wild:


----------



## ANguyen (Aug 14, 2016)

Thank you all for your help on this. I was just informed that there was no male figure that took care of my pup when I bought him. Needless to say, he's been around a female women just as I am. My husband is going to try harder with him to win his affection and feelings. In all, I hate the favoritism Clyde shows for me and not my husband. He's the only one that's going to feed him and give him walks for while. I'm just going to act to supporting my husband and of course let him outside play alittle bit. Yeah.....it is silly to think about those things and not to worry however it's disheartening to see my pup and the reaction on my husbands face to not give my husband the same feelings he shows me. I just don't want my husband to feel left out. It's just hard to see My hubs feel like that. Of course I want my husband to be happy.


----------



## Jen H (Jul 26, 2016)

Have kind of the same issue with our Zulu (10 weeks) breeder was a female and that was the only interaction the litters had was with females- he loves my daughter and me, listens to us. I was just on my lunch break and he was playing fetch with everyone (hubs, son, and daughter) my daughter was playing keep away with him. I mentioned we need to teach him speak and then quiet.....my daughter...being well my daughter, goes "Zulu speak" while she had his toy and low and behold he did. Hubs and I looked at each other and was like WTH. He is getting a lot better! The men folk still have problems getting Zulu out of his kennel, but me or daughter walk by open kennel and say "potty" he comes right out and to the back door. It is rather funny. But, with that said, hubs started taking the lead on training him (heel, come, sit, stay) and he has really started listening to him a lot! Plus they play "football" in the backyard (mainly just tag with a fluff football) - Zulu loves running back and forth after both boys. Your pup will come out of her shell! Just give it time!


----------

