Hey everyone! I could really use some advice and reassurance here as I am starting to panic.
I have a 6-year-old female Shiba who we adopted when she was 3, and recently we brought home a Shiba puppy who’s now 14 weeks old. Since getting him at 8 weeks, we’ve been working on socialisation – carrying him around different places, and now that he’s fully vaccinated, we’ve started taking him on walks with our older Shiba.
The issue is that he’s extremely fearful outside of the house or when he’s separated from our 6-year-old. On walks, if he sees people, he’ll often stop completely and start shaking. It’s heartbreaking to watch.
I’ve been using positive reinforcement – giving him treats and praise when he’s walking confidently – but I feel like I’m not making much progress. I just want to help him grow into a confident, happy little pup.
Has anyone dealt with this kind of fearfulness in a young Shiba? Any tips, routines, or success stories would mean a lot.
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