I have a new schipperke male, not my intention of having him he came for a stud but his breeder is buying him back ------- long story but at present he's with me until the National poss longer.

He is a nervous dog with a problem on the table, he stands ok, let our trainer go over him the first time, then everytime after that he snapped and growled and just about curled up on himself.  He has been with me for almost a week and it's taken that long to get him used to the idea of being groomed without snapping but he still doesn't like his backend or outside of his back legs touched - I feed him a treat everytime he lets me touch him there so he is getting better.

I am taking him out to local petshop and other shops where doggie friendly people work introducing him to new experiences and people touching him, sometimes he's happy for men to touch him even standing over him others he is aggressive, but on the table he is very scared. I took him to my parents today he took a while to come round to my father but in the end he did on the floor, he growled at mum in the garden but was ok when he got closer to her, dad was even able to give him some cheese and stroke him on the work top.  My daughters boyfriend on the other hand almost lost a finger when he got down to stroke him, I put him back on the work top gave the boyfriend some cheese and showed him how to approach the dog in the least aggressive manner he could muster - I had to hold the dog as both were nervous by this time but he managed to stroke him on his back but the dog did try to get off and lay on his side - I half expected him to wet himself. We managed to end the session on a positive note ie the dog had some cheese from the boyfriend and stood up again.

I intend keeping this up on a daily basis in an effort to help him overcome his fear but I would like some advice as to any other avenue's I can try with him to help the process - he is on Brewers yeast for the extra stress of moving home, bitches in season, new food and of course the extra training etc he's getting poor chap.  His previous owner had him for showing but I only remember him going out once as a puppy and he was withdrawn with an infection after seeing the onsite vet at the show,  he is trained but is so wary of men it's out of character for the breed and he's Dakota's half brother so even for his breeding!

Any and all advice would be welcome as he is a beautiful little chap who doesn't bite my bum on the move- unlike Dakota!!!!!!  By the way he was 2 yrs old yesterday.

T Touch massage could help http://tteam-ttouch.com/

Hello,

Can I ask was his owner a man or a woman? and if a couple did the man get on alright with him?
I just wonder because my neighbours Sheltie was nervous of men, in fact wetting himself when a man stroked him.The lady live on her own and the pup had no to little contact with men at all. Karen

His previous owner was a woman with 2 son's one 12 the other 20 but she has kennels on another site where a husband and wife team look after the dogs for her when she's working etc.  She splits the dogs between the 2 sights, I'm not sure how much time he's spent in a house as he barked at my girls the first couple of days he was with us when they came into a room.  Here he is outside in kennels along with my other male but comes into the house at some point everyday - it's harder at present with 2 bitches in season and Dakota in the house because of his feet musical dogs swapping 3 males around and not having them met the girls lol.

I have spoken with his breeder tonight and she tells me a bitch that I had here for 10mths when her husband was dying only lasted a few days in these kennels as the guy claimed she'd bitten him - never in 10 mths of all the coming and going in our house did she show any sign of aggression let alone going as far as biting, I am starting to believe something has happend to this boy.

  it might just be that hes not secure with you yet so still on the defensive------its not just men as he grumbled at your mother, ------ once he knows he can trust you he might be a lot better-----id try classes and give the trainers thick safety gloves   :D      good luck,

There is a homeopathic remedy Lycopodium which is for fear of men. I used it with Cava and found it helped
                   Anne

I agree dizzy he's very insecure and is lacking in socialisation, I've spoken with his previous owner last night who tells me her son worked with him for a very long time as a puppy because he didn't like being touched around his backend.  The interesting part is that daughter boyfriend is the same age as previous owners son and he's the only person this dog has got seriously aggressive with, today he's come playing with us and watched me and daughter do some fixing of the kennels, hammers, drills, staple guns and black plastic haven't bothered him in the least, even when I shooed him away with my foot so I am sure it's just gonna take a bit of time and patience for him to overcome his fears.

We've got no classes for the next 2 wks so that will give me time to expose him to lots of other experiences and lots of cuddles on the table and grooming from the kids, their boyfriends and me ----- he's decided now he loves me sat on my lap and licked my face when we'd finished all the work bless him.

It looks like he'll be stayer then :) Lap sitting and kises ;)

Karen

Shhhs Karen don't tell his breeder she's the one buying him back, he came here for a stud, I've worked it to keep him until after Crufts as my bitch may not be in a proper season, the vet thinks she's being a bit broody as we had a litter with another bitch in Oct 03 and she wanted to be mum then.  I'm working on my next story to keep him after that any ideas lol????

He was very good yesterday he met my youngest's boyfriend and let him stroke him on the table even around his rearend without growling and he went to sniff his trousers and trainers whilst we watched tv in the evening too.  He didn't growl at the other boyfriend, the one he wanted to kill the day before, when him and eldest were finishing the roof on the kennels so he's improving everyday, my only worry is how far back will he go when he does take a step back as they always do.

Story No 2. Tell his breeder he's been watching "Trisha" on morning TV and wants to stay around and see his puppies grow up. Being a responsible, caring Daddy. 

If not just tell her the truth that you've all fallen for him :)

Karen