Have you ever heard that question or something similar from a friend, neighbor, or family member? I hear it all the time and usually there are some issues that have developed right away that cause the new dog owner to call me with the question.
Usually it is a dog that comes from a breeder. The dog’s new owner looked for a deal or maybe just an older dog so he wouldn’t have to go through all the pup things.
As soon as the dog’s new owner brings him home, he begins to see some things that make him wonder what’s going on and why the dog is acting this way. Here’s the weird part when I talk to these dog owners and ask them if they noticed these features in the kennel, they usually say yes.
The dog seemed aloof, a bit fearful and reluctant to get close to everyone in the family. I ask him why he bought the dog, even after seeing these problems the answer is always the same “I thought we could trade it”.
The problem is that the young dog has not been socialized. That happens from birth to 20 weeks of age. It takes some work and a lot of effort to properly socialize a dog and most breeders just don’t do it and don’t take the time to do it.
Here is something to keep in mind. Most breeders are simply in the business of selling puppies. When they have a litter of 8 they want to sell all eight as soon as possible. However, the one left after the first seven are gone probably had a problem and that’s why it’s still there. Maybe it was the dwarf. He could have been the shy one who simply never wanted to get close to the people who came looking for the perfect pup for his family.
Whatever happened, he was still there at 8 months old when these people came looking. Now, 2 weeks later, when the dog has started to show some fear and aggression, the family is trying to make a decision on whether to keep the dog or return it before one of the children is bitten or hurt by this zed. antisocial 60 pound 8 month old. fearful big puppy.
Can the dog be saved and helped with its problems? This is probably the case, however, a new dog owner with no experience with dogs and 3 young children may not be willing to take the chance that this story will have a happy ending when their dog has matured to 130lbs.
If you are considering a senior dog from a breeder, make sure you have a 15-30 day trial period that will allow you to return the dog for a refund if the dog doesn’t perform.