# Anyone have an independent puppy?



## ninemaplefarm (Mar 2, 2010)

Well, my pup turns 8 weeks today and I have had her for 5 days. She is quite independent and I am a bit worried!!

She really shows no interest in following me- even with a lot of animation on my part. 

She has not licked/kissed my hands or face since she has been home.

When I met her and picked her up she did come over to me but not as fast as her littermate. She licked my hand once when I first met her. She followed me (no tail tucking or whining or crouching) when I removed her far away from her littermates. I placed her at the top of a little gravel incline and she did follow me down after a brief hestitation. I found a huge pice of plastic and whipped it in air and threw it next to her when she wasn't looking and she just startled and then trotted over to smell it. I rolled her over on her back and she struggled a very brief time and looked away. I held her up in air and same thing. She showed interest in chasing ball and sometimes brought it near me and sometimes ran off with it. She attacked toy I slid across ground; grabbed it; and shook her head.

But, I did notice when she is put in a new place around the house/vet/etc she initially freezes instead of hopping along to start exploring.

So, not sure if she is independent or just normal? If she is independent has anyone trained a pup like this before and how did it go?

Thanks for any input!!


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## ninemaplefarm (Mar 2, 2010)

Well, she made a liar out of after I posted! I called her happily to come and go outside and she happily came. I rewarded with a hot dog piece. Played with her. Put her leash on and she happily followed me for a walk. I guess I just needed to up the motivator for he....duh!!


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## stacey_eight (Sep 20, 2010)

Give her a couple of weeks to come out of her shell, she's had some big changes in the last week!


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## ninemaplefarm (Mar 2, 2010)

stacey_eight said:


> Give her a couple of weeks to come out of her shell, she's had some big changes in the last week!


Stacey...I think you are right!! I might have also been accidentally comparing her to my last dog who was just pretty much perfect (and the best dog that ever lived- she died 2 years ago). I told myself I wouldn't do that as all dogs are different and this puppy will be her own person. So, need to work on that more.


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## clearcreekranch (Mar 18, 2010)

Hand feeding does a lot for bonding.


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## Pattycakes (Sep 8, 2010)

It does take them a bit to come out of their shell when you first get them home. When my dog was a puppy, she was very independent. But she has grown out of that. I agree with the handfeeding as well. 

Good luck..and please post some pictures of your new puppy!


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## Ruserious (Jul 9, 2011)

It's funny I posted something like this a week or so ago. My puppy has since warmed up, but it isn't as fast as I would have thought. She still doesn't want to be picked up or held but she is coming and enjoying being petted.:blush:


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## cta (May 24, 2011)

when my dog was a pup he was totally independent. he wasn't a cuddle bug and basically just wanted to romp about on his own. when we had him in his puppy class, the trainer had us hold our dogs on our laps and our dog criiiiiieeed the whole time...he sounded like somebody was legit killing him. he was always a velcro dog..and still is, but it took him a while to warm up to us and now it's like he can't ever be close enough! one time i woke up in the morning and he was basically spooning me...lol. i did handfeed him as well. my hands were always in the food bowl too just to make sure he never got pissy over his food/bones, etc. i still handfeed him sometimes and he's almost 16 months :wub:


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## Ruthie (Aug 25, 2009)

Grizzly was pretty standoffish when he first came home too. He is very aloof, but is warming up to us more and more each day. He is now following me from room to room and sticks with me during obedience class the whole time. I wouldn't even need a leash if it wasn't required.

I think you should give it a few weeks or even months before deciding if she is truly independent.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

relax, no worries. your pup is 8 weeks old and everything
is new including you. don't worry the bond will be there.


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## neiltus (Mar 10, 2011)

clearcreekranch said:


> Hand feeding does a lot for bonding.


My 2 cents. Every meal handfeed and incorporate the clicker with it. As someone mentioned in another thread "but the kibble is too hard", you can use your hands with all types of food.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

i think the only time Shasta didnt look at me like i was some horrible scary puppy eating monster was when food was involved. Took her about 2 weeks before she warmed up enough to seriously play. Now she barks at me and if i dont acknowledge her LOVE ON ME demand she climbs into my lap.... 65lbs suddenly in your lap... yeah thats fun! lol


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## stolibaby (Mar 6, 2011)

I got stoli around 12 weeks and when he came home you would have thought I stole his birthday and killed santa clause or something! He would NOT let me come near him, yet whenever I left the room he followed (that still happens now at 13 months lol) I pick him up he wiggles away, I try to snuggle he moves down the couch or bed....somehow sometime he decided I was alright "for a human" and he would put up with me...now I'm his whole world and boy do I love coming home to his face


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## ninemaplefarm (Mar 2, 2010)

Thanks to everyone for all the responses! I feel much better now!!


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