Very scared and unusual sheltie Puppy

Argyllthesheltie said:
No I haven’t talked to the breeder, I definitely don’t want to give him back, I really love him! But maybe I should look into some puppy classes. My mom and I were talking a little while ago and we realized a pattern. He gets spooked sometimes during the day, which Is normal, and then he’s totally fine again. But at night, it’s almost like he’s a different dog. Could it’s be something as simple as him being over tired?
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It could be that he's over tired but I would also have his vision checked. It would be unusual for a young puppy to have vision problems but it's probably something that should be ruled out.
 
At this age he may be going through a fear period. This is common in all breeds but perhaps more so with shelties as they can tend towards being skittish if not properly socialized. I agree with the others that an experienced trainer is a good option and will set you up for success. Do your homework and don't be shy of asking potential trainers a lot of questions. If they seem too busy or annoyed by your questions or if you don't like the answers then move on. Shelties are a soft breed that need a gentle but firm hand. Dogs are not all the same so you want to find a trainer that understands this and can match the methods to the dog. Unfortunately dog training is an unregulated profession and anyone can claim to be a trainer even if they lack education and/or training. Best of luck!
 
Your Sheltie is actually exhibiting very typical Sheltie behavior. The period between around 5 months and 15 months or so can bring on a period of extreme shyness or fear, as SKNerissa mentioned. If it isn't caught, you can have a puppy who is reserved or fearful for much of his life so it's important to continually socialize (but NOT force) your puppy. Lots of individual attention, outside experiences and gentle exposure to new things are critical during this time.

I've been through this several times and suggest taking your puppy out as much as possible to dog-friendly stores and venues that aren't too busy. Don't overwhelm him with super busy venues or force him to interact with people. Encourage people to give him treats, let him sniff hands etc. Puppy classes are excellent as long as you have a trainer who knows and understands Sheltie temperament. Forcing a Sheltie puppy into situations he's afraid of (which can happen with a trainer who isn't familiar with the breed) can do more harm than good. I recommend visiting and observing classes before entering your puppy in them.

I highly recommend Pat Hastings' book called Puppy Development: Another Piece of the Puzzle, which details behavior from birth to maturity. It's invaluable and will give you great information. Good luck and please keep us posted!
 
Train. At 5 months my boy is still a scaredy...but I can distract him by making him do his tricks.
Also, he is very "den" minded. He loves to hide in dens, and prefers to nap in dark hidey places.
I bet your pup would love a nice hidey spot! Then train to do tasks outside of spot!
 
I'd probably want to check in with a vet. The fact that it happens at night makes me think a few things and sight, of course, being one of them. Have you tried keeping him in a very bright area/room and see if that affects him? Another thing, just wanted to make sure he's not running and wanting to play hide and seek, Shelties are known to play games with their humans, even if not trained to do so. Do you crate him? If not, maybe think about crate training. Not to crate him at night, but I'm wondering if that'll help him feel more secure and it can be a nice place to go to bed.

I realize all the things I wrote may not have to do with anything, but some dogs just seem to like certain things so I was throwing out a few that might help him feel secure. Oh, and yes, the infamous "fear period"; that can be a huge part of it too. Sigh. Do a search here because you do not want that to get out of hand.
 
In the time lapse between when i read your message and when I could respond, I am glad other posters mentioned fear periods. It is more pronounced in some dogs than others also adolescents just lose their mind and regress periodically, again the degree varies by dog. My current dog was the worst teen and had lots of sudden regression/ fear periods. They spaced out more and more with age and since turing two we had one minor one. He is two and a half now and a wonderful dog. He is still more noise reactive than some but in the bell curve of normal. He did have a special factor of having been a singleton so I think that enhanced his teen stages. He always reacted very well to positive reinforcement to retrain behaviors. At the age of your dog their reflexes are instantaneous and some hit that overstimulation/ arousal point more easily than others.

Goldens are a wonderful breed and although different than shelties, I think you will see some of the special traits you love overlap with your sheltie. Like how they bond to you and greet you and follow you around should be similar, but they will not “show” that loving side to strangers, especially right away. I wouldn’t expect an adult sheltie to cower in fear just be indifferent or cautious of being pet by strangers especially from above the head. There are lots of breeds also like this, think shepherds and chihuahuas. At home they will definitely let you know you are the one they are committed to and your family only which is kinda nice too. Their play style will be different and more prone to chase style games than rough play or fetch. But they will be similar in that they are spirited and playful as well. Both breeds are smart.

Even with getting a second sheltie after my senior passed on, they were so different and the first had been my dog of a life time. It took awhile to bond to that same degree although i loved him right away. It just took time to build what was following 16 years of a relationship. And they are so different so the road he had to pave in my heart had to start fresh. This one is a little quirkier in temperament and had special socialization needs due to being a singleton...but we made it. My prior was so confident and outgoing, almost lab like, but by two this one is just as devoted and has always been like a therapy dog when someone is sick or upset and unlike my first, a lap dog which is his calling card to wonderful. Both dogs love kids.

I also found group training classes were very helpful and i hope i had some words of value to you.
 
I had a similar issue with Dusty.
She was also 5 months when I got her

I think she was old enough to have formed an attachment to her previous environment (the breeder) and missed her "home".
I think this is an issue with older pups. She was aware that she was in a new environment and needed time to settle in.

She was afraid of everything and would tremble to the point of throwing up in new situations - being in the car, going for walks, noises, anything.
What worked with her in most situations was using a calm "no nonsense" voice and saying "Dusty its not scary" and as much as possible continuing with what we were doing.
She is now 9 and will still settles or ignore things if I say "not scary" to her. (example - throwing laundry over the stair rail so it lands near the laundry room)

She is also the only dog in the family who is calm and doesn't react during fireworks or thunderstorms.:happy:
 
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