Need Help With Gambit, Pronto!

[StillandSilent]

So, the puppy has boogers pouring out it's nose, which is why there are no pictures. And, I have bigger issues at the moment.

To reiterate, Gambit is a 2yr old Coydog, semi-feral, who has lived with me for a year and a half. He is still super skittish. He likes to bark and growl at people who come to the door, while running in the other direction as quickly as he can. He has never bitten, and never given even the slightest indication that he wants to. When it's just us or his friends, he's happy and fun. It usually takes meeting someone 4 or 5 times before they are considered a friend.

Since getting Gambit, I have not had an overnight guest. This is due to a comibination of me being a social reject and the fact that my apartment is the size of the average postage stamp.

Now a friend, whom Gambit has never met, needs to get out of a bad situaion, and is coming to stay with me for a couple of weeks. Obviously, Gambit is in for a horrendous shock, but there are no other options.

How can I make this as easy as possible for all of us? This girl is good with dogs, and I know she will do anything she needs to to make this go well.

The apartment is pretty much a studio, so putting him in another room isn't going to work. I got rid of his crate, but I can get it back if that's the best option. I'm afraid that crating him might end up scaring him worse, though.

He already takes Clomicalm to help with his anxiety.

I'm at a loss here, but thats where Chaz comes it, right?

 

[Freehold]

Can you have your friend come for a few visits first? Also, I think the minimal interest, minimal contact route might work best. If she's not showing interest in him, he might not be intimidated as much by her, and eventually come to meet her. Not much else to suggest - I'm sure others will have plenty of suggestions.

 

[jenv101]

Yeah I was going to ask if he is better if the stranger ignores him? Riley is similar in that it takes him 3-4 meetings to like someone. He is usually ok if the stranger ignores him - no eye contact and no touching/getting into his space.

Maybe go out somewhere with this person and Gambit, on a walk or somewhere that he associates as a fun, happy place, and just hang out, again with the person ignoring him. That is what I would do, as just sitting around in a small apartment (his turf) might upset him in the very beginning.

 

[Renee750il]

Pork rinds. Beef jerky. I don't know if Coydogs are as susceptible to animal crackers as Filas

Make sure you talk in soft voices for awhile. I think you are probably right about the crate, but it might not be a bad idea to make it available to him should he choose to retreat to it.

 

[BostonBanker]

I think the walk is a good idea if he's generally comfortable on walks. I know with the very protective BC mix I used to house sit for, I always met the owners on the street walking before we'd go into the house for them to leave. Granted, this was to prevent me from having my face removed, not for keeping the dog more relaxed (well, I guess for both), but maybe the same theory would work for Gambit?

 

[StillandSilent]

And, she's not coming after all. She went back to the abuser, which makes me terribly sad, but there's nothing I can do. I'm going to encourage her to visit, so I can implement some of these strategies, and hope for the day when she comes to stay for real. Thanks, guys!

 

[RD]

Sad. Still, good luck with getting Gambit used to a situation like that.