I adopted a 3mo old mixed puppy from a shelter yesterday - he seemed very shy at the shelter, but at home he is actually seeming quite depressed. He won't make eye contact with me or my 12yo son, he will not wag his tail, he does not do anything but hide in his crate. He played with a dog, but will not interact with people at all. Will he grow out of this or is he a lost cause? Help.

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Originally Posted by levisnp

I adopted a 3mo old mixed puppy from a shelter yesterday - he seemed very shy at the shelter, but at home he is actually seeming quite depressed. He won't make eye contact with me or my 12yo son, he will not wag his tail, he does not do anything but hide in his crate. He played with a dog, but will not interact with people at all. Will he grow out of this or is he a lost cause? Help.

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Oh just give him time! It's often like that with shelter pets!

At 3 months he is past the age where puppies accept new experiences the best. If he wasn't exposed to people much before, he may never be as people oriented as dogs are. Keep giving him plenty of attention.

You may find other helpful information in the sticky, https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251802

Levi, since you don't know what experiences the puppy has been through, it is hard to figure out what exactly is going on in that little puppy mind of his. It could simply be that he has been moved around from place to place and is unsure of what to expect next. Dogs are creatures of habit and do not adjust to change quickly. You need to be patient.

The first thing I would do is to bring him in for a complete vet check to make sure there is nothing going on with him physically. If everything is okay, it might be beneficial to enroll in a good puppy training class. Not only does it help with training, it is great for socialization and provides you a wonderful opportunity to create a special bond with your puppy.

You have a chance to undo whatever damage might have been done. Early socialization and training create a well-balanced adult dog. Please give your new puppy a lot of attention and work on socializing him with as many people and animals as you can.

I adopted a dog like that about 8 years ago! I had to call my neighbor's son to our home in order to coax her out of her crate... With a lot of love and attention, she grew up to be a very social loving happy dog! Be patient :-) Shelter dogs are confused about what is happening to them and need time to adjust. Thanks for rescuing him!