It hurts me to type this, but I'm worried Loki got a bad batch of genetics, or I'm just not socializing her right.
Until recently, I've had Loki out and about(after her shots, of course) as much as possible. She was okay, a bit fearful, but toys and treats quickly got her over that, and I felt like she was at a comfortable level being around people/dogs. However, today I took her to the dog park and it was horrifying. There was only one other dog there since it's so cold. Immediately, her ears were down, tail tucked and she was whimpering/whining.
I asked the owner to please hold his dog until I could get her calmed down. But treats/toys did nothing for her, and as soon as he took a step towards her she was cowering and yelping and trying to run away from him(the dog). I walked farther away from him and his dog, and he distracted his dog with a ball. Loki got interested in his ball, and went after it with him. As soon as his attention was on her again, she was whining/whimpering and running way. It took a while, but he could approach her and she wouldn't immediately submit/or be too fearful.
I know I handled this wrong, but I wasn't sure what to do, and at the time thought it would be better to work through the fear then go home and let it fester. The other dog was about a year old, male and a nice calm lab mix. He wasn't even at all aggressive, just playful and interested. Another absolutely odd thing was Loki was afraid of his owner. I gave him treats to give Loki, and she continued to shy away from him. She didn't tuck tail and run/whine/whimper with him, but she'd duck her head or dart away whenever he got anywhere close to her.
Thinking it was just a fluke(or good instincts), I took her to Petco, and it was immediately the same reaction. I tried to work her through it--and did, but she was tucked against my calf and wouldn't move, and she was whining/whimpering so bad. After a good note, where a little kid fed her a treat, I calmly walked her out and took her back home.
Hoping to get back to beginning socialization, I had my family come over to shower her with treats and praise, and hopefully build up that same wonderment of 'wow this is cool/fun/good/yay!'
She had no problem with my family, came to them happily wagged her tail, etc. However, I was in my room and my dad came to ask me where I kept the papertowels, and Loki was in there with me. My dad startled me, since I wasn't paying attention, so maybe he startled Loki, too. But she started to growl and bark at him as he stood in the doorway. Loki normally adores my dad. I reprimanded her, and put her in a time out. Perhaps that was the wrong thing to do, but I was told not to let that escalate at all.
Could this just be a passing trend? Am I too worried? Have I done something wrong? Or could it be her genetics?
Edit: Loki is just over five months old, if that helps.
Until recently, I've had Loki out and about(after her shots, of course) as much as possible. She was okay, a bit fearful, but toys and treats quickly got her over that, and I felt like she was at a comfortable level being around people/dogs. However, today I took her to the dog park and it was horrifying. There was only one other dog there since it's so cold. Immediately, her ears were down, tail tucked and she was whimpering/whining.
I asked the owner to please hold his dog until I could get her calmed down. But treats/toys did nothing for her, and as soon as he took a step towards her she was cowering and yelping and trying to run away from him(the dog). I walked farther away from him and his dog, and he distracted his dog with a ball. Loki got interested in his ball, and went after it with him. As soon as his attention was on her again, she was whining/whimpering and running way. It took a while, but he could approach her and she wouldn't immediately submit/or be too fearful.
I know I handled this wrong, but I wasn't sure what to do, and at the time thought it would be better to work through the fear then go home and let it fester. The other dog was about a year old, male and a nice calm lab mix. He wasn't even at all aggressive, just playful and interested. Another absolutely odd thing was Loki was afraid of his owner. I gave him treats to give Loki, and she continued to shy away from him. She didn't tuck tail and run/whine/whimper with him, but she'd duck her head or dart away whenever he got anywhere close to her.
Thinking it was just a fluke(or good instincts), I took her to Petco, and it was immediately the same reaction. I tried to work her through it--and did, but she was tucked against my calf and wouldn't move, and she was whining/whimpering so bad. After a good note, where a little kid fed her a treat, I calmly walked her out and took her back home.
Hoping to get back to beginning socialization, I had my family come over to shower her with treats and praise, and hopefully build up that same wonderment of 'wow this is cool/fun/good/yay!'
She had no problem with my family, came to them happily wagged her tail, etc. However, I was in my room and my dad came to ask me where I kept the papertowels, and Loki was in there with me. My dad startled me, since I wasn't paying attention, so maybe he startled Loki, too. But she started to growl and bark at him as he stood in the doorway. Loki normally adores my dad. I reprimanded her, and put her in a time out. Perhaps that was the wrong thing to do, but I was told not to let that escalate at all.
Could this just be a passing trend? Am I too worried? Have I done something wrong? Or could it be her genetics?
Edit: Loki is just over five months old, if that helps.