My 14 week female Black Labrador, Raina. Is an interesting pup. She is mellow for a dog her age, very intelligent and defiantly, headstrong. I am also 14, but in years not weeks, and she is completely my responsibility. I finance her and take care of feeding, getting up in the middle of the night on occasion, etc. My family has two other female Labs, Charlie age 7 and Willow age 4 almost 5. And I love them also, but I just wanted something that was mine for once, and I love her so much. She doesn't seem to reciprocate the feeling. I am with her almost 24/7 and she seems to not really care for me. If anything she seems to like Willow more than me. Some examples come from walking in a room. If I walk in with Willow next to me Raina will completely ignore me. Or will hardly wag her tail when I see her, except if I am relesaseing her from her kennel. I am getting really sad and upset at this and am wondering how I can change it or that my observations may just be false. Please help a stressed teen with a puppy! I just want her and I to have a strong bond!!!
I wouldn't worry too much. Some puppies are more affectionate than others towards their owners. I have two, Shadow and Willow, who are from the same litter, so you'd think would be really similar in personality. But Shadow is super affectionate with everyone, not just me because I'm his primary carer. And Willow is quite aloof and only wants affection on her terms. That said, now she is getting older, she is getting much, much more cuddly. She is ten months now. Interestingly, she is a lot more independent and confident than her brother; very interested in her environment and so that is easy to mistake with stubbornness or being headstrong. It sounds like Raina is probably quite similar. I've heard other people saying how their dogs have become more affectionate as they've grown up, too, and I think it may come from them developing a deeper sense of trust and understanding in you. I can understand why this would upset and frustrate you, but try not to worry. She loves Willow because she talks and plays "dog". One thing I've done to increase my bond with Willow is lots of play-based training sessions. Trying to make everything high-energy and fun. Making a massive fuss of her when she does something right. Getting very squeaky, stimulating and exciting for her. This has made a difference, definitely, but I think with a dog that feels more independent, it's a fairly long road. Keep at it, keep things fun and things will definitely improve. Good luck!
Hi , and please don't worry, this is very common , especially in households with more than one dog . Are you doing any training with her, just the two of you ? This can help to build a bond and quickly too , even if its just on your garden . My own dog Sam who is four years old now, often used to seem indifferent to me, but once we began training in earnest , this changed for the better .
My nearly 11 week old just looks at me when I get home as to say who are you? I'm its boss and always will be. My wife comes home and gets the waggy bum treatment. Mine will see sense when its walk time,
Don`t worry! My Murphy took nearly 8 months before something "clicked". Now he cannot get enough of me and the greeting (and co-operation during training) I get is unbelievable.It will happen but some dogs do take a bit longer to make a "connection" Keep at it
Just to add that, at 14 weeks , everything is exciting and focusing on one person is a tough call , keep doing what you`re doing and you will find that you are his best friend before long .
Don't give up! I experienced and still do the same thing with my labrador, it's something that comes slowly as you build the relationship now he shows his affection in a particular manner. When he wants to be cuddled he comes to me and he rubs itself against me, then he proceed to bite my arms! I'm full of scars!
I used to feel exactly as you feel now, Mabel is so much better now she is almost 7 months. I chose her out of a litter of 11 because I liked her wilful confident out going nature. It will be a long and at times a difficult road no doubt worth it in the end. I think the best advice I can give you is trust your instincts with your puppy and keep reading the forum. Best of luck and I look forward to future posts, very exciting times ahead for you. Xx
I think puppies are just babies (obviously). They are super, super, cute, but they don't have the...er....depth of dogs. When they grow up a bit, you get to know them properly.
My lovely boy Pongo has definitely become more affectionate as he has got older (he is 18 months now). He has always been a very laid-back pup (except when other dogs are around!). Hang in there; you are doing a great job taking responsibility for your pup, and it will certainly pay off as she grows up!
Don't get stressed about your puppy. She is very young and young animals don't really know how to show their affection. You are doing all the right things to build a long and affectionate relationship with your pup, it is just that it takes time. Only in the movies do relationships happen overnight. With luck Raina will be your friend and companion for many years. So,sit back, enjoy the now, and don't worry about it.
