[JustTobi]

I recently adopted a 1 year old female puggle. She is gentle and sweet, but doesn't let anyone touch her. She never growls or barks. She just runs away and paces. If we put her in the back yard, we have to corner her to get her back in the house at night. She wants to be in the same room with me, and follows me all over the house. Cries when I go in the bathroom or leave the house. Yet, she hides under the bed, or table nearby. She is startled easily, and just fearful in general.
She lived with an elderly lady, then back to the breeder (an elderly gentleman, not a "breeder") and has not been socialized at all.

She refuses dry dog food. I have to feed her canned food just to get her to eat. (I've been mixing it with the dry food, and adding more dry food every few days).

Any tips on calming her? I have tried benedryl to calm her, thinking once she let us near her it would help. But it doesn't help at all. I am at a loss with this puppy, but am already pretty attached, I want to keep her but am not sure I have the right environment.

 

[mashlee08]

When I got my dog she started off pretty much like this. First off I'm no trainer or behaviorist but here is my 2cents worth.
Time is a HUGE factor in her getting over it. She has missed the key window in socialisation that any dog could have so it's gonna take some work. Get a DAP infuser and put in in the house, it might help so doesnt hurt to try. Also get her a crate, and cover the top and side so only the front is showing, put her blankets and things in it so she feels like she has a safe den to go to rather then under the bed or table. It might sound stupid but if you ignore her, her curiosity will get the better of her and she will come and take a sniff of you eventually. Just stand in the yard and "be a tree" for as long as it takes and eventually she will come around to you, and then she will start to get comfortable with you. My dog only ever sniffs people when she thinks they aren't looking. So it worked for me.
I would avoid cornering her in the yard at all costs. Everything at this stage needs to be happy and positive, you need to make yourself the most appealing person in the world to her. Also a good behaviorist or trainer would probably be able to help you in terms of how to approach her and deal with her until your situation gets better.

 

[Amaryllis]

Mashlee is right, time is a huge factor in these things and you can't rush it. First of all, it takes 6 weeks minimum for adopted dogs to settle in, and for more unsocialized/fearful dogs, it can take a lot longer. I had Kabota 6 months before he really opened up and became the dog he was meant to be. (I've had him 7 months now, so maybe he'll be even better in the future, I don't know.)

Here's what I did with Kabota, who was too afraid to leave the couch or really interact much. I treated every interaction, no matter how minor. If he looked in my direction, treat. If he responded to his name, treat. If he walked toward me one step, treat. I did this, my husband did this, all day every day. It took a good 6 weeks, but he started wagging his tail a little at us, he'd follow us into the kitchen, he'd initiate interactions on his own.

Just generally, to help unconfident dogs, get a routine going and stick to it. Feedings twice a day, every day or 3 walks a day every day. This way, your dog knows what to expect and that breeds confidence.

Also, I benefit from mild disability in that I can't move quickly. I'm also small and have a soft voice. All of these things are easier for dogs to take than big, quick, loud people. So if you are any of those things, try to speak softly, try to move slowly, try to be smaller (present your body from the side as opposed to head on). It will help.