# Aloof Dogs - How to make them more attentive?



## the_grimace (May 8, 2013)

My experience raising a few dogs now has always been with the very people friendly and welcoming type dogs. (Labrador Retriever personality pretty much). We recently got a rescue puppy, and he is the MOST aloof dog I have ever seen. We aren't sure of his breed, but vets think he is a greyhound mix. (Which is weird because the rescue labeled him as a lab / boxer which he really doesn't resemble at all). 

Anyway, we had the guy now for a little over 2 months and he only grows more and more aloof. He pretty much sets his mind on what he is going to do and ignores everything else. He also acts more distant. No amount of coaxing for love and attention will bring him over from the random spot he decided to lay down at in the room. Around strangers he seems generally uninterested, maybe just briefly walking up to smell them before running off to do his own thing again. He'll occasionally come around to use once or twice a day and be happy to see us, but generally he's just very much content with doing his own little things around the home and ignoring the other pets and people. (It's almost like he acts like the typical cat.... only wants attention when they are in the mood for it)

Is there anyway to make the aloof dog more people centric or attentive? It's weird for me to have a dog that acts so distant. Any tips or suggestions?


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Some dogs may take a long time to warm up to people. Any idea how old he is?

Pups that were not exposed to people, don't show much interest. 

However:
1. He may have moved a lot from one temporary home to another, and hasn't settled past the "What's next?" stage.
2. He may not like the method that you pet him ???
3. You can try feeding him small pieces of boiled chicken , at least to motivate him to come over.
4. Keep at it.... he should do more than tolerate you after a while.


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## the_grimace (May 8, 2013)

hanksimon said:


> Some dogs may take a long time to warm up to people. Any idea how old he is?
> 
> Pups that were not exposed to people, don't show much interest.
> 
> ...


He was 9-10 weeks when we got him. That would make him close to 5 months old now. I do now that he spent a lot of his early life before we adopted him moving around to several different shelters, rescues and foster homes. We were really surprised to hear just how much he was moved around. It was something like picked up by a foster, dropped off at a shelter, transferred to another shelter, transferred to a rescue, and then transferred to a foster home before we adopted him. 

Overall, he just is very independent. He does come around a couple times a day looking for love and attention, but it has to be on his terms. He'll sometimes sit there for an hour letting you pet him as he sleeps by your feet, other times he decides he's just going to lay in the corner and won't come over no matter how much you coax him. Like I said, he reminds me of your typical cat, "I'm going to do what I want to do". He's friendly, but just distant. It would be nice if he got more involved with us and paid more attention to us as well!


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I think you can build more interest and attention over time (and with treats) but only to a degree. His personality is still going to be his personality. The more walks you go on, the more trips you take, the more time you spend with him when he is interested in attention will all help to build a bond. A training class is also a way to bond with your dog.

My dog is somewhat similar. He enjoys attention-- on his terms. I consider it the independent hound dog in him. But I actually like this and enjoy not having a dog that has to be velcro'd to my side. I'm definitely his person, but he's still going to do his own thing.


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## troglodytezzz (Oct 19, 2010)

My pup was very aloof when I got him at 8 weeks of age. He would look at me for maybe 30 seconds in a day. I had to work at getting his focus. I get much more now. It took play, food, training classes and time to make it happen. He is just now (at 3 years) starting to enjoy being petted and actually asking for it by nudging my hand.

Make being around you as rewarding as possible. Feed him tasty treats by hand, plain jane kibble in a bowl. Does he like toys? Play with him. Get or make a flirt pole or play tug. Get into clicker training, it's a really great way to communicate and connect with your dog.


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## Jmc1985 (Nov 27, 2012)

the_grimace said:


> He was 9-10 weeks when we got him. That would make him close to 5 months old now. I do now that he spent a lot of his early life before we adopted him moving around to several different shelters, rescues and foster homes. We were really surprised to hear just how much he was moved around. It was something like picked up by a foster, dropped off at a shelter, transferred to another shelter, transferred to a rescue, and then transferred to a foster home before we adopted him.
> 
> Overall, he just is very independent. He does come around a couple times a day looking for love and attention, but it has to be on his terms. He'll sometimes sit there for an hour letting you pet him as he sleeps by your feet, other times he decides he's just going to lay in the corner and won't come over no matter how much you coax him. Like I said, he reminds me of your typical cat, "I'm going to do what I want to do". He's friendly, but just distant. It would be nice if he got more involved with us and paid more attention to us as well!


My male MAS Murphy was like this. When he was really young he'd move away when we tried to pet him (not scared, just wanted it on *his* terms) and had zero interest in cuddling or anything of the sort. He has become one of the most amazing dogs I've ever owned. He's very smart, biddable, and always wanting to please now. He also doesn't move away when I reach a hand out to pet him. It took him till he was nearly a year old to become this way and we've had him since he was 8 weeks old. Give it time and keep doing what you're doing. You may find that his disinterest is an advantage when proofing him with distractions.


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## PatriciafromCO (Oct 7, 2012)

with a personality as you described,, the pup sleeping at your feet is a very deep affection towards you  I would set a schedule and stick to it daily so the pup learns to anticipate what to do. Any kennel dog that I have work with,, they don't get it, they don't get the hole (home, family thing) as you said being moved around people come and go from this pups life, homes constantly change never had an opportunity to learn to attach... My little escape artist J,, when I got her was a 2 year old kennel dog she escape to go chase rabbits because my home nor me had any value to her.. getting out to go chase rabbits were.. I have her for 3 years now, she doesnt look to escape, nor will she leave if the door is open or the gate is open.. Takes time to catch up on missed learning and interaction skills that we take for granted in the dogs that aren't exposed to such things before we get them.. Hang in there...


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## blenderpie (Oct 5, 2012)

You can definitely work on getting morr focused in training, but it sounds like a lot of it is just personality. One of my dogs is aloof. Likes us and will ask for attention frequently, but keeps herself busy doesn't really care to follow us around the house or anything. And she could care less about gretting people she doesn't know or being pet in public. She'll tolerate it, but it's just not on her radar.

But she is crazy smart! You could teach this girl anything! 

So, I think the key will be finding something you guys lik to do together whether it's training or hiking or something to increase the bond, but also work in accepting your dog as he is. Not all dogs have a lab personality and they're still amazing great loving dogs.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

My points are still valid. I don't think that it is a permanent personality thing, just a mix of age [entering adolescence, and you know how teenagers can be  ], and moving around a lot. In about 4 - 6 months, I think you'll see the aloofness thawing....


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## petpeeve (Jun 10, 2010)

the_grimace said:


> Is there anyway to make the aloof dog more people centric or attentive?


Gentle, thoughtful controlling of ALL resources. ie : access to all food, all toys, all backyard playtime with your other dog etc. 
EVERYTHING (within reason) that the dog wants, he must defer to you first. Simple eye contact / attention would likely suffice as the key to start opening up his world.


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## the_grimace (May 8, 2013)

Thanks for all the great responses everyone. Like others have said, I'm hoping with age he will become closer and more attached. He certainly has lots of growing left to do.


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## hueyeats (Apr 2, 2013)

the_grimace said:


> Thanks for all the great responses everyone. Like others have said, I'm hoping with age he will become closer and more attached. He certainly has lots of growing left to do.


Roman's breed is an aloof breed (Great Pyrenees).
I trained him as would a cat... And cats are "aloof".

I have a cat too and she is very people friendly and comes when called.

I find that with both my cat and Roman... Sometimes the more you play ignore them, the more attention they want of you.

As a puppy even, Roman is never left alone, but we respected his space for him to approach us at his own term. With lots of goodies helps too.


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