Tail wagging happy face

[Emmasmom]

Let me tell you the story of a little tri adopted at almost 11 months. He paced steadily at the breeders. When he was brought to his forever home, he paced steadily. After about a week, the pacing slowed down. This little guy has a tail that never stops wagging. He is fiercely protective of his owner, even protecting against another Sheltie in the house. He has become a little cuddler. Other Shelties this owner has had never wagged their tails or were cuddlers like this little guy, even though they all had to be close to where their owner was.

Take heart. Give your little one time to adjust. It takes time.

By the way, the little one in the story: He is my Liam, who I was given by the breeder because she couldn't find a forever home for him with anyone else. I got him last October. By the new year, he was cuddling and just loving on me like no other dog ever has. I think God had him waiting for me to adopt. The meaning of his name: Strong Protector. I cannot go anywhere in the house or outside unless I am going to work without him wanting to be with me. Even at the vet's yesterday, the tech had to carry him out of my sight because he wouldn't walk to the back with her without mom coming with him.

Liam never played when I first brought him home. He watched Emma like crazy and now plays with her, with me, and by himself.

You sound like you got Briggs about the same length of time that I got Emma after losing my Noah. I am so sorry to have heard about Briggs II. It is not easy. Just don't compare the two and expect this Briggs to be like him. Each one has their own personality. Watch him closely and you will learn from him how to handle him and what makes him happy.

 

[Calliesmom]

Welcome
you have gotten great advice - give the new pup time
My dogs were #1 - a 5yr old female adopted from rescue - she took a little time to adjust. I did have another dog already and I know that helped.
Then #2- the puppy boy- really was a puppy and he's my lil man.
then when he was 10 months, his (#3) sister (also 10 mos) came to live with us. She has turned out to be the biggest cuddlebug and pretty much was from the day we got home. She had two other shelties to help her adjust too.
and I can't believe no one has said how much we love pix

 

[wjo53]

Welcome.

I got April from a breeder when she was 15mths old. She had a really difficult time coming to a new home. It took a long time for her to bark, appear happy. Then, one day, a crack appeared, and her personality made a small appearance. A couple of weeks after that, April was mine.

It was a difficult time for me too, because the dog I had before her (Chelsea), just settled in. She was 18 months old. Her first day with me, she came into a new home, checked it out for 5mins, hopped up on the back of the couch, laid down, looked at me, and was home.

 

[Diana]

Shelties can be a bit slow to warm up. Don't take it personally. Both of my Shelties started a bit on the shy side, and my current Sheltie, Buffy, has really come such a long way since then. It does take time, work, and socialization though.

Also, some Shelties are just not big tail-waggers. Doesn't mean they don't like you or other people or dogs.... just mean they're not big on the tail wagging. Look for other signs of contentment, like the open, relaxed mouth with tongue out, silly play-bows, and prancing. Buffy does all of these when she is happy.

She mostly wags her tail when meeting a new dog or when she sees a person she likes and recognizes, and that doesn't even mean she's happy; it just means she's a little nervous and trying to be friendly.

It's actually kind of funny, because she sometimes wags her tail and greets random people on the street super-happily and they greet her by name... and I totally have never seen that person before in my life. Usually it's because she's met them with my husband or the dog-walker.

I'll attach a few pictures - one Buffy the first day she was with us, very nervous, and two that are more current. You can see in the pictures how much more happy and comfortable she is now.

 

[Cindy]

All dogs are different, but don't worry.
Gavin isn't really affectionate (although he tolerates it very well).
He wags his tail when playing (with me or another dog).

But he does smile when getting belly rubs

I think it all depends on what you expect; I have a friend who was convinced something was wrong with my 10 week old puppy because he wasn't acting like a silly hyper lab pup!

Pretty soon you will be able to tell when Briggs is happy, and you won't need a wagging tail to broadcast it to you.

 

[Hurtseverywhere]

I wouldn't be too concerned, My Cosmo hardly ever wags his tail and is not cuddly at all. he greats you at the door but that's about it. We used to think he was suffering depression but no that just Cosmo. He will get on the bed with you but not too close, on occasion he will get on the couch with you at the oposite end but most often he will just crash by the fireplace on the floor in the corner.Having said this he does show affection, and you couldn't ask for a more obiedient dog, this little guy will do what ever you ask of him even if he doesn't like it, and will go out of his way to do things he knows will please you. He never had any formal obdience training and didn't ever need it, He works at a CDX obidience Level. by contrast our new pup has been a handfull from the get go and is 100% completely the opposite cuddly ,saucy, has very selective hearing, wags her butt right off when you get home and is just a mischevious little devel, thank god for a good obidience trainer Yes.

Give him time to adjust, sounds like you will have a good dog there.

 

[Briggs]

Tail Wagging

Update:
Thanks for all advice! Briggs is still a project but he is starting to come around. He does not lie at my feet as of yet but does at the other end of the couch like yours, big improvement from the center of the family room. He stopped his pacing for the most part, when he does it today it’s a quick trip to the back yard, for us.
Each day I gently pick him up, about 4-5 times, and sit him next to me or on my lap. And each time he gently jumps back down with the exception of yesterday. He stayed for about an hour and 15 minutes until I was able to ask my wife to give him a treat to get him down. But the two to three times since he still jumps down.
I have seen him wag his tail about 3 times 1/3 of the way, so more work here. My wife got him to do the full cycle wag a few times so there is hope here. Although getting better he still is a bit hand shy.
All in all we are very happy with Brigg’s progress and know he will come around, it could take a bit. Some of the reasons I feel this way is because when he gets scared by a noise I immediately get this growth at my side that is looking back at where the noise is coming from.
In closing because we fostered and this is the second Sheltie that was older for us we have had the same thing happen with all the others. That is a very loud sigh with their head in my lap. We never hear this loud of a sigh again, only once. When Briggs the III does it, it will be the fourth time I have heard this sign, I believe its them saying I home.

Regards,
DKO

 

[Toffee's Mom]

Update:
...
In closing because we fostered and this is the second Sheltie that was older for us we have had the same thing happen with all the others. That is a very loud sigh with their head in my lap. We never hear this loud of a sigh again, only once. When Briggs the III does it, it will be the fourth time I have heard this sign, I believe its them saying I home.

...

awww
I LOVE that sound
So glad Mr Briggs has come home!

 

[Mally's Mom]

Update:
Thanks for all advice! Briggs is still a project but he is starting to come around. He does not lie at my feet as of yet but does at the other end of the couch like yours, big improvement from the center of the family room. He stopped his pacing for the most part, when he does it today it’s a quick trip to the back yard, for us.
Each day I gently pick him up, about 4-5 times, and sit him next to me or on my lap. And each time he gently jumps back down with the exception of yesterday. He stayed for about an hour and 15 minutes until I was able to ask my wife to give him a treat to get him down. But the two to three times since he still jumps down.
I have seen him wag his tail about 3 times 1/3 of the way, so more work here. My wife got him to do the full cycle wag a few times so there is hope here. Although getting better he still is a bit hand shy.
All in all we are very happy with Brigg’s progress and know he will come around, it could take a bit. Some of the reasons I feel this way is because when he gets scared by a noise I immediately get this growth at my side that is looking back at where the noise is coming from.
In closing because we fostered and this is the second Sheltie that was older for us we have had the same thing happen with all the others. That is a very loud sigh with their head in my lap. We never hear this loud of a sigh again, only once. When Briggs the III does it, it will be the fourth time I have heard this sign, I believe its them saying I home.

Regards,
DKO

If Briggs comes to your side when he gets scared by a noise he feels safe with you, knows you will protect him, this shows he loves you!