Anxiety

Well, that is what I think it is. My Shih Tzu will be 5 yo this year and he still acts like a timid puppy. He hesitates when he does anything for example when climbing the stairs he prefers if you were behind him. Playing fetch, if you thow the toy in a corner, he inches his way over there. My other dogs jump in the car and on the bed themselves, he won't he wants to be picked up. If he is upstairs he will whine at the top of the staircase for me to come and get him. He won't go down alone unless I'm aside him. If I'm playing with him and the other dogs come over to play, he stops and walks away. He's very submissive unlike my other two who are spunky and fiesty. You would think that he was abused which is totally not the case. He's very social with strangers tho. I wish I could figure this out. Is he just spoiled or is he a scared dog and what triggered it?

I hope I don't get flamed here since he has always been like this and I've done nothing to correct it. I thought it was just his personality. I thought the stair issue had to do with us living in an apt. for so long and then finally moving into a house. He's been in the house now almost 2 years and he is still the same. He's a very good dog, he trained very easily. I'm a bad owner for allowing him to act this way.

Any tips?

Message edited 2/9/2010 6:43:21 PM.

Re: Anxiety

I don't think flames are necessary. I call this being skittish, not anxiety per se. It doesn't matter how it happened, but it does matter how you go about fixing it. He could always be a little skittish (just like our Brinkley) and that's ok. But if you can work with him to overcome some of his fears, you can make him a happier, healthier dog.

The first thing you should do is stop allowing him to avoid things like stairs or jumping up somewhere. You're enabling him when you do that, or you console him when he's scared (because you're essentially telling him, "It's ok! Be scared!"). You have to give him confidence instead. No more pity, you both have work to do now.

You can do that by figuring out how to make those things FUN for him. What's his #1 reward? A special treat or food? Lots of praise? A special toy? Whatever it is, incorporate it into the scary things to reward him for doing them without your help. Go up one step, reward the heck out of him. Another step, another reward. Then slowly faze them out when he's doing better by himself.

It's a great place to start, and I think you'll have more success if you expect that it will take time. Maybe days or weeks to see any progress. But be patient and consistent anyway! He's worth it.