Hi All - I just purchased a miniature schnauzer from a breeder and was not able to visit the breeder prior to purchase (I know shame on me for breaking one of the cardinal rules of purchasing a puppy but there are no breeders of this breed in my state).  The pup arrived today via air cargo...he's adorable but a little skittish.  I'm trying to chalk it up to his crazy day being alone in a crate, in a noisy plane, then meeting total strangers and going to a strange home.  I've gotten him to play with a toy, he's begun bounding and prancing around and he lets me pet him but he cowers and lays prone on the floor when I reach for him.  He lets me pick him up with no complaints but I'm very concerned with the cowering.

He's almost 12 weeks old and I'm concerned that he may not have been properly socialized...how can I break him of his cowering if it continues?   We really do not want to have a timid dog or one who acts afraid of us when we reach for him.  I'm thinking he's modeling behavior his dam probably taught him when she corrected him.

Time is one of the primary cures for most things..  That, and make sure you aren't rewarding the behaviour by 'babying' him when he does it - if he does, just walk away and leave him to it....

I would think that he's just timid at the moment after the day that he's had and he would need quite a few days yet to adjust to being with people he's never met before.

I'd tend to avoid picking him up - if he cowers as you reach for him, he isn't going to be comfortable even though he may not show it - and let him come to you ... earn his trust :)

Relax around him and speak to him in a jolly voice but let him find his feet... drop tasty treats on the ground...after a few days, stroke him whilst showing treats but approach him sideways and stroke him on the chest, not on the stomach. Get him checked by a vet, and also get him signed intoa good local pup class ASAP ... try www.puppyschool.co.uk for one near to you hopefully, or www.apdt.co.uk.

Start to teach him being handled is good, after a few days, by giving him treats as you stroke him, gently pull his ears, open his mouth, take his collar etc.

Lindsay
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Lindsay I think that this person is in America :d

Ah yes you're right :P I usually pick up on that but missed it this time!

Lindsay
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Poor little thing, I imagine he's had a hell of a weird day!! Give him time and I'm sure he will settle in. My Yankee was very wary the first few days with us - we'd taken him away from his mum and given him a horrible 4 hour car journey where he was sick the whole way!