Puppy isn't bonding - Page 1

Anyone have any experience with a really aloof puppy? 6 month old DDR /Czech puppy .. Unusually aloof towards me and Iam the only one he comes in contact with and have even gone as far as hand feeding it for weeks now, feel like he avoids me or seems unsure of me , never pushed or corrected him either  , he's only interested in what I do if Iam holding a ball/toy , is more interested in what my older male is doing or does .. Is this something he's gonna grow out of or that's just his personality ? Thanks I advance

How long have you had this pup? If this pup is like what I am thinking, I have heard that dogs such as this form a very strong bond when they do decide to accept your leadership. This may take more time than normal, keep up the hand feeding and interacting with the toy to build your relationship.

About 4 months now

Take him places that he is slightly uncomfortable and let him see you as the leader that he can count on and not so much your male which is natural at his age.

You asked this question a couple of months ago...

Out of July: "Thanks for all the great input but nobody actually answered my question , where when two working dogs are raised Together ( meaning almost constant contact ) will that make them doggy despite not being related and having a year in age difference and will that effect their trainability or drive ?? I am the alpha and I have no trouble setting boundaries and being the pack leader"

Puppies need to "learn" to like and trust humans, but some breeders don´t interact enough with them ( happens a lot in big kennels, a lot of dogs around, but only one human feeding and cleaning the kennels ). When a buyer gets such a pup he has to interact a lot, cause the pup is used to dogs, and will more easlily bond with dogs in the future. For pups of this kind a second dog is no good idea.

I don´t know if this happened with your pup, it´s just a possibily, but in case it´s true your pup did what he is used to - bond with dogs.

Why are you "the only one he comes in contact with" ? Why did you never correct him?
Socialization and education... both parts are your responsibility.

Guess you need to earn the trust and respect of your dog -

playtime, walking, new surroundings, a lot of socialization, and obedience training - all of this needs to happen without his 4 legged nanny.

A lot of work now - good luck!

Only to be sure he doesn´t have temperament problems: How does he behave around humans and strange surroundings/noises as a whole? ( Edited, because I forgot: " when he is not in drive  / no toy, no distraction, no dog nanny " )

Keep your puppy away from your older dog. So that all his free time is spent with you, not your other dog. A puppy will naturally first bond with another dog in the pack. That is probably your problem.

I think what everyone has said above is correct...but to put it in a nutshell you need to keep your puppy away from your other dogs right now...And you need to spend more quality time with him...
Make an effort to do things with him...Take him places (on leash) and just do things...walk him around...Introducing him to new places and things...
And particularly because he likes the toys...I'd be playing with him a lot...I mean like everytime you take him out to go to the bathroom and/or to clean his kennel and to feed him I'd play with him for a few minutes...Use different toys...A Ball...A Kong...Pieces of Garden Hose...Feed him by hand...(sit with him and feed him)...
Everything comes from you...Don't feel sorry for him...

If you do any Obedience with him...I would only use Motivational techniques...Such as using Food or a Toy...

I never read anything on how is he "On Leash"...

One other thing I'd like to know...How is his "Ball Drive"...I ask this for a reason that I'll tell you about later...

And since he's 4 months old now...How old was he when you got him and where did you get him from...A Breeder...A Kennel...etc.?

~Bob~

His keen response to toys is your best friend when you start properly Training him !
LOL @ Susie's "4 legged nanny".

Bob, the puppy is six months old, and Shawn has had him for four months.

Hundmutter, I once raised a puppy that had a "4 legged nanny"( my elder male ) - when the "nanny" died, the now 1 year old "puppy" and I looked at each other, not knowing what to do next.
I had to realize that this "pup" was dependent on the elder dog, but due to lack of time I had been lazy, walking and playing the dogs together all the time. Even the SchH training at the club hadn´t changed the status quo.
I was 2. choice, and I had to find out that without the support of the nanny dog my "pup" suddenly showed a lot of temperament flaws - the real "back up" wasn´t there any longer-we had to start at square one-took me several months...
Never ever made this fault again...