Quote: phaedra rieff

I have an almost 19 week old GSD pup, and all he wanted to do for the first couple weeks was play - NOT CUDDLE! When I did have to carry him up and down stairs, I had to be like a ninja, because he would scream bloody murder, and try to rip my face off.
Now he trusts me, we are more bonded, and he will sleep with his head on my knee, or lay beside me. It takes time. The pup is full of energy, and doesn't know who you are.

I second this. It does take time to gain trust and to show the dog that you are his/her "everything." Once the dog starts to form the bond, with lots of positive training methods, this dog will turn around. It does take time.

When I got my rottie at 8 weeks she was like this. Absolutely DETESTED anything that had to do with cuddling or being held. She'd been born and raised in a backyard with little or no real handling until this point. I attributed her attitude mostly to this. She was also a screamer when she was tired and didn't want to do something. She'd actually throw a temper tantrum - throwing herself on the floor, kicking her feet and shrieking. Didn't matter where or when, either.

She's almost 7 now and the biggest snuggler/cuddler you've ever seen. I'm not sure how old she was when she grew out of it - I'd say maybe a year or 18 mos. She will still lay on the ground and kick her feet occasionally (we call it the "pissy puppy").

My point is - don't give up so soon and don't get frustrated. It will only make matters worse. With only being in her new home for a week she's still getting used to everything. Be patient and let her come to you. She needs to build her confidence and trust. Callie will do absolutely anything I ask of her now as an adult mostly because she trusts me and knows that I would never put her in harms way.

Give it time and remember - she is just a baby.

I don't think she was handled much, but she was played with alot. Playing tug and petted but not picked up at all. She was really bonded to her other sisters and brothers and actually was the one they picked on. So maybe she is just use to be picked on by her playmates. But all in all she is a cool little girl and wants to play but on her terms at a distance and comes to you and plays up close when she wants. But if you are sitting down she will come over and trys to play close. I do think she will bond sooner than later, she does love attention. Thanks for all your advice and my friend says she will be very patient and just try to get her to learn the lead too.

The skittish behavior could be results of early separation from littermates (may also mean weak nerves coupled with high flight drive)

As far as leashing training. Put the leash during the cuddle time and have your dog drag that line. should be OK shortly.

I hope this helps

She was with her litter mates til they were 9 weeks old and then again she had a brother that they kept that was there with her the whole time plus her mom, it might be that she is so bonded with them that she seees them as her pack and not her new owner yet. So it wasn't early separation but I will help her with him. I got a puppy too from different parents and we have decided to train together so it should help with the leash training. I am hopeful she will snap out of it and I think she will eventually with due time and patients. Thanks!

 Quote: vicky merry

I am hopeful she will snap out of it and I think she will eventually with due time and patients. Thanks!

I dont' see this as a "snap out of it" issue... It is a time and bonding and training situation. In addition, your friend may have to readjust her expectations for the personality of this pup. If she is intent on making her a dog who loves cuddling and being hugged, she is going to drive both herself and the dog nuts. JMHO.

I hope she joins the board herself and takes advantage of all the information available on training pups!

"If she is intent on making her a dog who loves cuddling and being hugged, she is going to drive both herself and the dog nuts."

Huge ditto. Enjoy the puppy for what the puppy IS.

And yes, joining this board isn't always painful.

JK! I recommend it.

When I was 15 I recieved my 1st GSD puppy Maggie and she was 12wks old. I had been raised with GSDs my entire life and we had raised and showed 3 litters. All of the previous dogs we had bonded fine with me right away. She was from a different breeder and was a german working line shepherd. For the first 3 weeks she would warily play with me and not let me handle or touch her. Sometimes during the first week she even ran away and hid. The first week I was almost in tears with the fustration that my pup wasn't bonding with me. She would steal and sleep with my dirty socks and didn't pick up any one elses in the home. After slowly and patiently working with her, and not pushing, she bonded quickly after the 3rd week and had been my closest companion for the next 12yrs. She never had any fear issues later with me or anyone else later either. If a shepherd would just live 30/40 years they would be perfect.

Be patient! You both have a long relationship ahead and the trust you build now will pay off.

 Quote: Peter Brown

When I was 15 I recieved my 1st GSD puppy Maggie and she was 12wks old. I had been raised with GSDs my entire life and we had raised and showed 3 litters. All of the previous dogs we had bonded fine with me right away. She was from a different breeder and was a german working line shepherd. For the first 3 weeks she would warily play with me and not let me handle or touch her. The first week I was almost in tears with the fustration that my pup wasn't bonding with me. She would steal and sleep with my dirty socks and didn't pick up any one elses in the home. After slowly and patiently working with her, and not pushing, she bonded quickly after the 3rd week and had been my closest companion for the next 12yrs. If a shepherd would just live 30/40 years they would be perfect.

Be patient! You both have a long relationship ahead and the trust you build now will pay off.

Nice post, Peter!

Okay, I've got to chime in here with a bit of a contradictory opinion, even though I do not disagree with the notion of giving things time and working with the puppy in a positive manner.

There is an important flip-side of this coin, IMO, which is the "animal husbandry" piece. This is going to be a large, powerful dog, and one that needs to learn to be handled by people without issue. I am currently raising a litter of male Briard puppies, so maybe it's just a particularly sticky wicket for me.

I'm not talking about whether you should expect a non-snuggly puppy to become snuggly. This is about a puppy being picked up, or handled in any way, and being relaxed about it.

This puppy needs to NOT be put down while squirming and trying to get free. The puppy should be picked up, and the moment she relaxes, put her down. DO NOT take this moment of relaxation to attempt to snuggle!!! The "reward" for relaxation is that she gets to go off and do her thing.

You may want to wear gloves if she's had a lot of experience being released for squirming, screaming, and biting. There will be a horrible "extinction burst", because she will just escalate and become more determined about behavior that has worked for her in the past. You must NOT relent for love or money during that extinction burst.

Do not squeeze the puppy, yell at the puppy, or get frustrated with the puppy....simply remain calm, but determined. Just hold her, hands under her armpits, just below your own eye-level and wait her out.

My next step would be similar exercises with body parts....ears, paws, tail, etc.... The ultimate lesson for her is "when a person restrains me, or a part of my body, I need to relax".

Gradually work on increasing duration, but start with releasing the instant the puppy stops struggling.

Many on here may completely disagree, but having big, powerful dogs which require an intense amount of grooming, my opinion on this is pretty unflappable.

Best,
Tracy