The American Beagler Forum

friend gave me a started dog. took it home last night and he seems very shy,tail between his legs..i spent some time with him today little better but still shy..(i dropped a screwdriver in the barn and he almost peeded the floor )
there is know way i can let him off the leach---it seems that he don't know his name;;;;
is this normal and tobe expected?
anthony

Going to a new owner is often truamatic for a hound. Give the hound plenty of time to adjust and do not force yourself on the hound let him make the first advances to you. Have patience it's normal.

Shyness is different from just nervous about being in a new place or having a new owner to get used to. I think you called it right when you said Shy ( almost peed at the sound of a dropped screwdriver). That is a fault, usually generic that I would not tolerate. I would not waste my time on that dog as there are too many that are bold, receptive and friendly to spend your money and energy on that will bring better results on average.
The dog is two years old and probably will improve some, but, will not change much and will always be strange acting.
Maybe that is why it was given to you.
There are exceptions, but who wants to build on the low percentages.
Don't mean to be be hurtful, just honest and truthful.
Read the post on how to pick a pup and see how all say they would pick a bold pup. No one wants a shy pup. There are good reasons.

Well quickest way to answer that is was he shy at your friends or only when you got him. If he was shy at your friends then Alabama John is right. But if he was only shy after you got him then he needs time to adjust.

thanks guys for your replys..
i think in a few days he will come around.
last nighe i spent sometime with him and a pocket of treats and after few min. of petting and a few treats i seen his tail wag..
i will keep you posted..
anthony

110% difference from yesterday..
i didnot feed him rightaway this morning ..chopped up a hotdog and sat down and fed him one piece at a time,talked to him and praised him .
after lunch took him out on the leash he started a rabbit ,,,it put goosebumps on me..took a chance and let him go while dragging the leash (i had to let him go but kept the leash on him so i can grab him)
friday is a new day..
BUT I NEED TO KEEP HIM ON THE LEASH.( I AM SCARED HE WILL TAKEOFF)
THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR REPLYS.
anthony

I hav a 2year old female that was the same way she was sold to a man that was not happy with her as a pup he would go hunting let the dog out and want to go in 15 or 20 min. So he was hard on her when he would catch her. My frend the breeder got her back and I got her from him. She was shy and on edge. I started spending time with her every day she is now my TOP DOG she comes when she is called she loves me and my wife I would not sell her for any price. Give him one on one time and love and if you want to get rid of him let me know.

I have got to say this problem has reared it's ugly head at my kennel! I have a couple of hounds that are sisters, littermates and are from a family that has been line bred for ages with no outcrosses. All of the hounds I have had from this breeding have been hunting fools and smart as a whip. And while they have all been "one man dogs" and watchful and wary of strangers none have been skittish. That is up until now! Anyone who knows me knows that I love and baby all my hounds, more than the average houndsman. I spend much time just hanging out with them in the kennel, talking, playing and "visiting". Never am I mean to my hounds!!!Yet these two for some reason seem to have loose screws! If they are out in the yard I play heck getting them to come to me. They stay just out of reach and skirt me when I get them almost in reach. In the kennel they will come close and cuddle if I am on the floor sitting but the whole time they look and act like they are ready to have a break down. It really is sad because I would never let the go to anyone else because I trust a Shy dog even less than a mean one. In my mind at least a mean dog is predictable where as a Shy dog is not! You never know when they might snap out of fear. And, no matter how good they might be in the field I would never ...never..ever breed them. So I am stuck with them! As much as it saddens me I know I will never win them over completly no matter how kind I am to them. I am convinced that breeding to close for to long can bring this unexceptable trait to exist. I, many years ago bought a hound that was the same way, a product of In- breeding. But like a fool I thought I could change her. Boy was I wrong! She was a bomb waiting to go off or a law suit waiting to happen and had to be put down. It was her sake as well as those around her. She was living in constant turmoil. Some dogs just need a period of adjustment, some are nervous as a result of past trauma, and still others are I believe geneticaly flawed. It's important to be able to identify the root cause..for safety's sake.

NYH

I believe most shyness is lack of handling between the ages of 6 and 12 weeks. Pups that are in a "for sale" kennel and not messed with much.

Anthony, if you need to keep something attached to the hound while running, try tying the heavy duty weedeater line on him - about 20 feet, and you can step on it as he goes by. The weedeater line won't get caught on things and hang him up. Just keep working him and putting the time on him. My money says he'll come around when you two have worked out a trust in each other and have a routine he can depend upon.

AnthonyZ: Don't ever run a hound who is not yet used to you and or not yet manners trained. It doesn't matter if you have a leash on the hound or not the hound can still get away from you and never be seen again. Ditto a fenced in running area unless the fence is 8 feet tall and well maintained.

NY Hillbilly: The line or in-breeding mearly shows you what genes are present. It does not cause the fault to be present it just shows you they are there. Even if those hounds were out crossed they would have carried the faulty gene and would have produced it over time. the difference is that the outcrossed hounds will produce it forever even if not in every litter. The line breed hounds show it to you which gives you the opertunity to cull it from your hounds so it does not show up again. Breeding too close for too long will cause a problem although it's one that is easily fixed. But it does not make new faulty genes.

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well all is going well with the dog..i followed most of your replys and it seemed to work out fine..
the dog is better..i went out with the old owner and the dog sunday and the dog was a different dog.
the dog was happy to see it's old owner.i watched him handle the dog and since i am new i NEEDED TO SEE IT--- AND HOW IT'S DONE.

THANKS AGAIN,`````````anthony

ANT IF HE IS SLOW HE WILL MAKE A GOOD PUPPY STARTER KEEP TAKING THE PUP ALONG, BE SURE YOU GIVE THE PUP SOME ATTENTION IN THE FEILD BUT DON'T OVER DO IT! GIVE THE OLDER DOG LOTS OF ATTENTION AT HOME .