Author Topic: My Shy Giant  (Read 3727 times)

Offline PyrPack

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My Shy Giant
« on: March 14, 2009, 12:38:40 pm »
I got Achilles a few months ago from a private party.  He's four years old, tall even for a Pyr, but gangly.  He's 32" at the shoulders and  42" to  the top of his head with all feet on the floor.  He has a very deep bark that he likes to use, even at the leaves falling down.  I've noticed he can be a little shy.  When we go to meet someone, sometimes he takes a couple steps away when they try to pet him ;D.

My next-door neighbor had a friend over who wanted to meet my furkids.  We have a 4' chain link fence between our yards that we were talking over.  I gave the friend a handful of biscuits and Xena promptly went to get her treats.  But Achilles wasn't so sure.  He would take a few steps towards the friend and let out his fierce bark.  Then he came back to me and actually hid behind me! He peeked around my hips but kept his body hidden.  Then he took a few steps out and barked.  Then hid again.  He did this a couple of times, while Xena was scarfing down the biscuits.  Picture a two-legged four year old hiding behind my skirts just coming out to poke the stranger. Of course, we were laughing so hard I was crying.  I'm sure that didn't help his confidence.  ;D   

Offline ZooCrew

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Re: My Shy Giant
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2009, 03:13:01 pm »
Awwwe, that's kinda cute.  Gunther is the same way with new people.  They will go to pet him and he'll duck and move away.  If he's on leash, I'll hold him in front and have them pet his back, then work their way up to his head........he's more comfortable that way, but it's been something we've been working on for years.

But if he's off leash, it does take some time to warm up.  He's much better than he used to be and now it really only takes him a few minutes.  If I'm talking to them he warms up even faster. But it is pretty rare for him to take treats from other people, even if he knows them.