My dog is too scared to be caught for training or grooming. Help!

Something must have scared her and it will take some time to get her to relax again. I would ignore her, go sit in the room with her and have very tasty treats ready. Hopefully Merida will investigate the smell of the treats and you can offer them to her. I would only reach for her if she's relaxed and not hold her if she wants to get away. Gradually she'll learn you always have good treats and she will relax and start to come to you again and then you can start petting and playing with her. Please be calm and speak softly and even play with her toys without looking at her. She should become curious and want to join in. Again this may take some time and if you are too loud or forceful it may make her more fearful. Be patient and things should gradually get back to normal. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Merida.

I hate to hear this is happening for both you and Lola. If you want to try to show her that humans are good, you will need to gain her trust. The first thing you need to do is find a treat that she really likes. This will be her high value treat. Basically, sit quietly close to Lola and don’t look directly at her. This can make some dogs uncomfortable. Every time she makes a move to investigate you, she gets a treat. Clicker training is something that can help in this situation as well. Any time she makes an attempt to approach you, click the clicker and treat her. The key is to be slow, patient, calm and not to make her feel pressure. You may also get a small assortment of toys and once again, sit close to her (but don’t force yourself beside her), avoid looking at her and try to get her interested in the toys. This will not be forever but it is needed for right now. The key is that Lola needs to approach you on her own terms. You may also do some reading about shy or fearful dogs to learn other techniques that benefit them. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Remember that, while you thought about this dog and bringing her into your home, all she knows is that one day she was Here, and the next day she was THERE, with no warning or explanation. She is confused and frightened. Try letting her come to you when she's ready, instead of approaching her. Don't pet her for the time being. Just be a calm and stable presence i her life. Understand, too, that dogs have no idea what a "name" is, other than a familiar word that usually has something to do with her. Yes, there are things you can do to help her adjust to her new surroundings, but this is not a "one or two sentence" answer. If you would like me to work with you on it, just click on the prompt ot initiate a consult.

Poor Sophia. Some cats never truly do warm up or want attention. But there are some things you can try. One is try feeding something she really wants by hand. Either cat treats or canned food. Or if she won't eat from your hand yet. Start by sitting still next to her food bowl when you put it out. Resist the urge to pet her initially. Let her get comfortable with close proximity. Gradually over time see how she likes being petted. Some cats may only accept attention while you're on the floor wth them or she's on the bed with you. Try to keep things in her comfort zone Feliway diffusers around the house may also help with her baseline anxiety level as well. I strongly recommend looking into Feliway for skittish cats. https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected But mostly it's going to take time. It could be months but if you are patient and gentle about it she will likely start to look for more interaction. Try not to force things and don't grab or pick her up unless necessary. Let her come to you on her terms. Good luck! Thanks for using PetCoach.

Time is your friend! Taking things slow and getting Dandie used to you over time may help her to feel a little more comfortable around you. You can begin by making sure her cage is in an area that is low traffic/low stress to help reduce external stresses. You can then begin to offer a favorite treat any time you walk past the cage, without touching or interacting. Once she is used to this, you can then offer the treat from your hand each time you come by. After a while you can graduate to petting and then gently handling while offering a treat each time. Over time she will begin to associate you with positive things (yummy foods) rather than scary (big giant person coming and handling her).

Time and patience! If Princess is skittish in your new home it may just be she needs some time to settle in and relax. If she was abused or not handled much before coming to your home, she may also take longer to bond or just never be quite as cuddly. A few things you can do: Let her approach you instead of forcing interactions. This can help her gain trust and make things less stressful. If she does approach, offering your hand for her to sniff before petting, giving a favorite treat, or just talking in a calming voice can help. Pheromone diffusers and collars are great for reducing stress and anxiety and may help her to relax some and settle in. Treats are friends! Hand feeding her meals, giving treats when she approaches, and rewarding her for when she is calm and not nervous can help build trust as well. Playing with toys, if she likes them, such as a feather on a string can help increase bond and interactions without petting that may be too stressful for her, while still letting her interact and have fun.

Not all dogs are used to brushing and it may make them nervous. You can try making it a positive experience by giving her high value treats while she is being brushed- have someone feed them to her during brushing, or put peanut butter on a spoon they can hold for her to lick off, or if you are home you can put peanut butter spread on a plate she can lick. I would also consider Adaptil spray placed on a bandana prior to grooming (available online).