Expert: Sandra Case, MEd, CPDT - 4/22/2008

Question
My boyfriend and I got a boxer/golden retriever puppy a few weeks ago from a woman who breeds the mix. Our puppy loves other dogs, but seems to be afraid of people; we think she didn't meet many people where she was born.  when people come up to her she backs into either my boyfriend or my legs, but as soon as people touch her she starts to warm up to them. sometimes she even backs away when one of us reaches for her, even though she immediately wants to cuddle as soon as we touch her. she's very submissive and never growls or barks at people, she just backs away. any ideas why she's so scared and how we can help her?
as a side note she also hates being in her crate, and barks the whole time she's in it, regardless of toys or treats we've put in there. any tips on how to get her more comfortable and stop barking? thanks!

Answer
BoxerxGolden is an odd mix to intentionally breed for! How old is your pup? She may be going through a fear period, which is a developmental stage that pups go through. I would let her see lots of people, but at a distance where she is comfortable. Do NOT let people reach for her, though they may be neutral and offer tasty treats. If she doesn't want to take treats from their hand, they can toss her a treat and back up. Don't let people overwhelm her. She may be less frightened than simply be concerned about people getting in her space or reaching for her. I'd look for a good positive puppy class to build her confidence and possibly some body work like TTouch (www.ttouch.com) to help her be more comfortable being touched. Whenever possible allow her to come to you for interaction. I'd probably clicker train her to go into, and come out of her crate on cue, and to stay in it with the door open. Sandy Case MEd, CPDT www.positivelycanine.com