Would Another Sheltie Help?

Maybe your impulse was correct. I think with more time you will get used to Monet and him you. He will always be a bit timid but in exchange he will probably be a snuggler and hugely loyal.

In contrast Sca is a maniac and sure everyone loves him. But that means he thinks my living room is a motocross track, laptops are meant to be stood on, ear attacks are a given, and snuggling only occurs at total exhaustion :eek2: Of course I deserve him :biggrin2:

Some dogs are timid more than others but I bet 6 months from now y'all are best buddies x10
 
Good advice from everyone, as usual. Obviously you are having regrets and second thoughts now, but if I may suggest it - try to see it as you having been given this opportunity to really give Monet a wonderful life, one he deserves and may not have gotten from someone else. Yes it will take a lot of work, but I also think it will be worth it.

Whenever I bring a foster dog home I usually think "What have I done?" as my calm household is turned upside down - my Shelties are jealous and intimidated, kitty hides under the bed and bunny feels like he's a snack-in-waiting.

It takes a good month for the new dog to settle into our routine and my stress level to come down. Then when they are adopted I miss them terribly!

Monet sounds like a great dog with lots of potential. Shelties are just SO sensitive that bad experiences or frightening things just really stay with them. I would throw myself into training him and socializing him, and if say in 6 months you see lots of progress, then revisit the idea of another Sheltie. They do often seem to do better in pairs or multiples. Ally was so shy and unsocialized when we got her but she did take her cues from Asta who is a very stable girl. Good luck, and keep us updated.

Sharon
 
hang in there

I don't know much about your situation but I have a very shy Sheltie, I got him at 3 months old. He was raised right, I couldn't have asked for more, the person I got him from is very experienced and knows what she's doing. Shadow just happens to be shy, I am too. I thought since I'm shy, it would be easy for me to train him. It's not; it takes a lot of time, effort and patience.

Help for your Shy dog book was mentioned, it is helpful. I decided it was okay if my dog didn't take food from strangers so I skipped that part.

I entered my dog in agility and it's been a long struggle but I think I appreciate all the small gains much more than people with confident dogs. My dog is definitely much more confident and I'm proud of all my hard work, he's now 4 years old.

Shadow will never be the outgoing, run up to strangers kind of dog and that's okay, it's not really the Sheltie personality anyway. I did get another adult Sheltie recently and he is confident. The newer Sheltie's confidence is not rubbing off on Shadow (not that it wouldn't work for you). Shadow is very loving, fun and playful, he's just unsure in new situations.

I'd say the three things that helped the most was taking Shadow everywhere with me (the nursery, pet food stores, outdoor shopping centers, street fairs, my family's homes), agility and lots and lots of patience. Hang in there, you train shy dogs a little differently, it's all about encouragement. If I can do it, you can too and the sense of accomplishment is wonderful!
 
I would suggest you put getting a second dog on hold for now and work on Monet. As Caro mentioned, bad habits rub off! A confident pup make start getting anxious if Monet sends off the wrong vibes all the time.

I understand what it's like to have a difficult sheltie. My Romeo came with a bag of problems (and he's still not perfect), and I have thought of just about every option and solution there could be. I worked on him long and hard, was frustrated often, cried alot and had alot of headaches!! There were times I thought he would never be better, this was it, and I should accept that, but I decided he was young (and I shouldn't be lazy), so I kept working and training him. All that effort paid off. He's 3 now, and he's so so much better and I could see how he has improved.

It was only when I felt he was improving (back when he was 2) that I added a second dog to my family. If I had another dog right when he had joined us, I would not have had the time and energy to put in that kind of effort and concentrate on him.

Keep at it!! Keep working on him, taking him out, socialising him, letting him get used to all these new things. He'll get better! I just rescued a sheltie from a puppy mill who froze on grass (first time I'll bet!) but she's walking around on it and even felt comfy enough to poop and pee on it now. It really just takes time!
 
good advice from everyone. I know that Monet is a pup and he will grow up in a loving home so that's the best start right there. My Callie came from sheltie rescue- she was 5 yrs old and definitely had some shyness issues. She went to obedience class and rally class and even got her rally novice title. but she is still unsure of certain situations and it can take her some time to acclimate. She has seen my male neighbor regularly for several years and is only now comfortable with him petting her. I do take tasty treats when we go out and when we meet a male employee at the pet store- I usually give them a treat to give to her. sometimes she eats it-other times not.
now the pups- Dixie is probably a little more cautious than Cranberry but they are both very friendly and pretty outgoing- it's like they appreciate their adoring public :winkgrin:
 
Bailey is very outgoing and confident, Katy shy. However, if possible my goal in the future is to keep two because of the companionship issues. Bailey loves having a companion and I cannot see Katy being comfortable alone. It will be important to find the right companion for her.
 
Bailey's Mom reminds me that the reason I got Callie was to keep my beagle mix company. I had him for a little over two years when I got Callie. He had been to see a behaviorist- he had some separation anxiety issues- the behaviorist said he needed work before I could get a second dog or he could pass on his negative issues. Callie did follow him around like a big brother and the only thing that I am sure that he taught her was to bark when I get home. When Callie came, he was already not barking when I would leave- they get their leaving treats so everyone is happy then. Callie gets concerned that I may forget the treats and barks to make sure that they are distributed before I leave- then when she has her treat- she is happy. She might not even notice that I left :wink2:
Anyway, multi-sheltie family from now on :yes:
 
Thank you all so much for the thoughts, I think you all are right.

While I would love to add another Sheltie into the mix sooner or later, I will put it on the backburner right now. I'm going to really focus on getting him to step out of his shell.

I don't regret buying this boy, I just really feel bad for him. I try and help him break out of his shell by using positive reenforcement, and I will definitely look into the shy dog book. I love him dearly, when he's not scared he has sooo much personality, and when he plays, he's just daggone adorable. But I couldn't imagine being terrified of life. He shakes when he gets scared. He's getting better outside, and we are working on a recall with treats, but it's amazing how one second he can be confident and ready to play, and then at the drop of a hat he will turn into a terrified dog, sitting back at the end of the leash champing.

He's so skinny and he still won't eat regularly. I finally tried feeding him in his cage and he is eating better, but he's just not eating on a normal basis. It's been a month - I wonder why he hasn't adjusted well enough to even eat? I don't think it's the food (Blue Buffalo Chicken Puppy Food), because some days he will scarf it all down and others he will not touch it. I can feel his hips and I can feel his ribs. I need something to help him gain some weight. The vet saw him and put him on a high calorie supplement, but didn't say anything about keeping him on it regularly and he ran out.

It's such a learning curve, I just want him to be healthy, happy, and well adjusted. I will not give up on him, I just hope I can help him settle. I'm sure it doesn't help that I change back and forth from my apartment to my parents house... He is so much better at my parents. I just can't help changing back and forth though...
 
dogs like stability bu they also get nuts in 4 walls day in and day out, don't worry about changing places at your parents, take you pup out as much as you can, see if you could sign up for few classes, participate in playgroups. Some daycare will evaluate your pup and place in appr group with outgoing pups and yes, while you can not change personality other stable dogs will help your pup to have better understanding of doggie world and doggie behavior and adjust.
 
Good news for Monet! I have been taking him to all the pet stores when I go get food. I decided to switch him to Orijen after reading some of the reviews on here, and I went to a little pet bakery to pick it up. I took him in, and he actually walked up to the clerk on his own, and allowed the clerk to pet him. It was amazing.

This continued on to Petsmart when I went to pick something else up - he walked tentatively up to a few other people, when one lady stopped petting him, he walked even closer to her! It was a complete change. I am seeing more confidence. I know we still have a long way to go, but it's so encouraging to see some of these changes. As I sit here typing this, he's actually eating the Orijen and playing with his squeaky toy.

I have him enrolled in the Petsmart beginner obedience class, and I am starting to take him to a conformation class held locally. Even if I never end up showing him, it's all good exposure to other dogs and people. I still want to enroll him in an agility class, but that will have to wait until I figure out which job I have - the higher paying or lower paying. I'm waiting for my answer.

I do still think I want to add another dog somewhere down the line. I have never had two dogs in my life at once, so it will take a lot of thinking... But I am not in a hurry to get another one. I will wait for the right dog to come into my life. :) That may be six months from now, or three years.. and that's alright with me.

Thank you all so much for your responses. :) Your support has been so nice!
 
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