[KathyMM]

We just adopted a male 4 year old Lhasa-poo 3 days ago. He likes me - comes to me, sits with me. My husband is home with him all day and Buddy won't let him near him! He is very wary and will not even pass by my husband to get to me. He came from a family of 4 girls, wife and husband (who did not pay much attention to the dog) so I can see he would prefer women, but my husband is pretty frustrated that he is being so avoided. We have started with my husband feeding and walking him. I try to sit next to my husband when the dog is there. Is there anything else we can do?

[4 dog nite]

It might take your dog a little while to adjust, especially if your husband has a very deep voice but it sounds like you're doing everything right. You might also try putting one of your husband's old t-shirts in or near his crate to get him feeling comfortable with your husband's scent. I wouldn't spend any time trying to "reassure" Buddy that your husband is safe, just ignore it and let the dog come around in his own time. You don't want to reinforce his "fear" issues by offering pets, treats or loving when he's in the middle of doing something you want him to get over.

[DaGracer]

I agree with 4 dog nite. Sounds like you are doing the right things.

Something else you can try is have your husband toss some high value treats to him (small pieces of hot dogs, cooked chicken, cheese, liverwurst, etc.) while sitting on the couch watching TV, reading the paper, etc. This should be done from a distance where the dog doesn't feel threatened by your husband. By doing this repetitively (we're talking maybe hours and/or days here), your husband should be able to toss the treats in small increments closer and closer towards him so the dog will come closer. It all depends on the dog's comfort level.

Keep in mind that your husband's frustration can cause anxiety in your dog. And if your husband scolds your dog for any bad behaviors (even if it's just verbal), it can cause a huge setback.

Good luck! I'm sure you're pup will come around eventually.

[jacko]

thats right... he can get use to it... thats usually normal...

[fearfuldogs.com]

It is not unusual for dogs to be more afraid of men, if they're going to be afraid of people. It's also not unusual for the man to take offense. But it's not personal. There are things he can do, and the main thing is to ignore the dog. Any interaction that causes the dog to feel fear just reaffirms for the dog that men are scary. Do not force the dog to interact with people or things that scare it. You can learn about triggers, thresholds, counter conditioning and desensitization at this site

Working with a fearful, scared or shy dog

it takes time, patience and training to change how these dogs feel. But when you change how the dog feels you'll change the behavior. You want the dog to have positive associations with your husband. It's a project, I've been living with a fearful dog for over 2 years, who is still afraid of men, including my husband. He's made great improvements, but many of these dogs don't just 'snap out' of being afraid.