# how to make this abandoned dog happy?



## marie99 (Mar 21, 2011)

I've known about Lulu since early summer and I've seen her vaguely happy one time while sitting in C's garden right after they found her.

I've never seen her smile. I just Googled to make sure chihuahuas actually do smile like other dogs and its not a quirk of the dog breed to never smile. There's a zillion pics of smiling happy chis out there. Also, she goes around with her tail between her legs all the time.

I want my dogs to be happy, all 3 of them. The original 2 dogs are very happy most of the time and about medium happy since we got Lulu. They like her. They play with her. One weighs 75 lbs. and takes orders from her. He lets her Bogart the food, stare him down, lay on top of him and stand on his head. His concern level about anything at all on a scale of 1-10 is about 1, maybe .5. 

She's not suffering here. She can do nearly anything and get away with it but it does not make her look happy.

She sleeps in a 32 x 48 inch crate with a mixed terrier and tons of blankets. They seem peaceful in there. We have other smaller crates thru out the house to stick them in if we can't pay attention to them at the time.

Lulu does not like meeting people, going for walks, or much of anything dogs do except hiding under blankets It took me a long time to make her leave the house and walk up and down the street at all. The only other thing she likes is beef-flavored chewie toys such as hooves, rawhide bits, etc. She loves those and we have bought her groups of them. They went on sale and I bought enough to fill 2 drawers, plus enough on the floor to step on and swear over to make a pretty good reason to always wear slippers and never go barefoot.

The vet said she was perfectly healthy before I realized how unhappy she is. We've had her 2 months now.

I'm really not ready to take her back to the vet and demand they force her to be happy, but I am confused. She's 10 months old and this is her 1st real home. I'm sure she must think she will get packed off or kicked out in the street soon. We can reason she's never been in any one place very long.

Since she's 10 months and assume a breeder, original owner, C and me, that's 4 homes in 10 months. If the breeder could not sell her and kicked her out, that's 3 homes in 10 months. I doubt I'd be thrilled either. I can't imagine how she would be if I had a job. I did leave her 8 hours one time and she had either a temper tantrum or a panic attack. I'm not sure which it was. She ran circles around me barking like a maniac when I got back until I was tired of it and picked her up. Then she waved her feet in the air like she was still running until she wore herself out. 

And she was not alone. There were 2 cats and 2 dogs to mind her. Just no humans. The cats don't pay her much attention, but they don't hate her either.

She doesn't do doggy things like fetch. She doesn't like walks. She's never smiled. She goes around with her tail between her legs all the time.

She does sleep in my lap when I watch TV. Which makes me think she will like it here sooner or later.

I'm worried about Lulu because she is not happy. My other 2 dogs like her, my DH likes her, my cats ignore her. The vet says she is very healthy. We've had her fixed and given all her shots and chipped. 

How do I make my dog happy? I've never had to try before. All my dogs have been at least vaguely happy. They've always cheered me up.


----------



## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Give her time. Some dogs adjust MUCH slower than others. It took 3+ months for Jack (rat terrier) to truly unwind enough for us to start seeing him really playing and happy. And probably 3 before he stopped slinking around and jumping at shadows. He was never abused - he's a retired show dog - he just didn't adjust quickly to our home. Even now he has bouts of soliciting play and zooming around, or playing with the other two, but mostly he's a fairly reserved, 'dignified' dog, who just doesn't do SILLY.


----------



## owutaqt (Oct 15, 2012)

How bout clicker training her to do tricks? Getting her a puzzle toy, maybe just some mental stimulation would work.


----------



## marie99 (Mar 21, 2011)

She prolly does need more time and something to do and I just found out shes sick too. This is not going to be fun. thanks a lot.


----------



## ZoeandRocko (Nov 8, 2012)

I have a chihuahua, named Rocko, who I adopted when he was a newborn, from a breeder. He has always been spoiled rotten, and treated very well, but he is the same way. He looks at his big sister, Zoe the pitbull like she is crazy for running around like a maniac. He has never played much. If I leave to go to work, and he is left with a blanket, I will come home to him in the exact same spot, 8 hours later. Some dogs might just be that way. I wouldn't get too concerned if she doesn't come around, but it sounds like you are doing all the right things!


----------

