I own a two year old Pomeranian. She has been with me since 2 weeks after her birth. She was a good puppy and grown up into a good dog. She is a very friendly, active dog who like the company of humans and dogs alike. I used to walk every day for at least half an hour. Last week, I was a little busy with my work. I could not take her to walk but decided to try the services of a professional dog walking person for a week. She went with him without any issues. But after coming back, the dog walker informed me, she seems to be afraid of the other dogs. She had the same issue for the entire week. What could be the reason? She is very friendly with the dog walker, but not so with the other dogs he walks.
Are they too big and boisterous for her? My Chihuahua is fine with other dogs most of the time, but if two or more bigger dogs start playing rough games together (it sometimes happens when my standard poodle meets some of his friends - they're a bunch of yobs) he can get trodden on if he tries to join in. I wonder if all the other dogs know each other well and she feels a big overwhelmed by them. Was she taken away from her mother and litter mates at two weeks old? If she was, she's done very well to grow up to like the company of humans and dogs most of the time. Would love to see a picture of her!
If it was the first time she had gone with the dog walker, it could be that she just was not used to meeting other dogs without you but with a stranger. A week is not a long time for her to get used to the change in routine so that could explain it. Is she normally with you all the time? I know that the first time Pereg had to be kenneled due to an emergency [she had never seen the person - actually the owner - who collected her before, let alone the place] when he brought her back [it was only for a couple of days/nights] he said she was "very shy" with the other dogs. I think that was the problem with my dog, having always been with me all the time.
Yes. I would guess that you have become her social support worker! It's like going to school for the first time, and having to leave your Mum at the classroom door. I think she'll adapt if her walker allows her to gain confidence with the others gradually.
It's possible your dog just doesn't feel comfortable without you - perhaps you could accompany the dog walker on a few walks, and perhaps lessen the time spent with them with each walk?
Hi, I just would like to share my experience with Pomeranians. My neighbor has one and he is very playful and always up and about. But I noticed that he can also be jittery at times especially when something happens that is out of his normal routine.
It could be a number of things (or more likely a combination of things). New person, new dogs. What mix of dogs is the dog walker taking out alongside your little one? That could make a difference too. How does your dog feel about the dog walker? Does she like him/her? It may be a good idea, if possible, to accompany the dog walker (and your dog) on one of their outings and see how your dog is reacting and how the dog walker is reacting to your dog if and when she gets unsure. It may be that this is just a case of new experiences swamping her a little or it could be that she just doesn't feel secure with the new walker
My guess would be that she has been thrown into a situation she is not comfortable with, you have not said how many other dogs she is walked with , what size they are and if they are all friendly, how does your walker pick her up and transport her, does she walk, does she go in a van, are the other dogs boisterous /barkers/aggressive, any one of these things may be over whelming your dog. In future if you need the service of a dog walker, make sure you get a one to one service, so she can have a nice relaxed walk.
If she's been with you from 2 weeks old then she see's you as her "security blanket" & going walkies with a stranger will effect her, she as been removed from her "security blanket" & thrown into the deep end by going walkies with not only a stranger but with strange dogs too, like Jackie said your little dog needs a one to one walker who in time can add another dog or two once she as accepted the walker to keep her safe. I see this in The Rescue Home I work in with the shy dogs, so we try to get the volunteer dog walkers walk a different dog every time, so that the dogs don't attach themselves to just one person, doing this makes it easier also for when they go to their new families.
