the dogs

I have to say when I first got Enna it devastated me that she wouldn't go to strangers. I grew up with a lab and spaniel mix so I wasn't use to this peculiar situation.
We did do research before we got her so we knew that they weren't too keen on strangers, but I didn't think it would be this bad. We socialized up a storm when she was little, but it was to no avail, she just didn't want anything to do with people she didn't know. So hard when you have a rare dog that everyone wants to pet.

Before we got Makoa I asked the breeder how he was with people, her reply, "He's the friendliest klee kai I have ever met!" Lies. He is a little better than Enna though. If you start petting him than he's okay with you, Enna just wants you to stop and will crawl away.
Because of this shyness no one gets to see how the dogs really are. They are the sweetest, funniest little creatures. But everyone views them as mean, crabby, unfriendly and noisy.

It takes a while for my dogs to warm up to people they dont know. Enna took a few months to even like us when we first got her, we had to keep a leash attached to her so we could catch her when needed. Now she is my shadow and totally attached to me.
They love Dana but this is because Dana sees them OFTEN!!! We see Dana at least once a week if not twice and she has really worked with them hard to get them to like her. She knows their behaviors and what it took to win them over.(You have to sit on the ground at their level and wait for them to come to you, no calling, yelling or forcing. You cant just expect miracles right off the bat. They're just like shy children, the more you force the worse they get.) They come to her when she calls, Makoa especially, and they get really excited when they see her. So it can be done, it just requires work on your part.


Because they dont like strangers they dont like it when the stranger jump at them, chase them or makes loud noises at them. This will cause my normally quiet dogs to bark and jump back at said strangers.
They may nip if they get too scared, this has only happened once and I'm not putting the blame on my dogs at all. Think about it, you're approached by a mugger, the mugger jumps towards you and you think you're trapped, what would you do?

These dogs aren't like regular dogs. You shouldn't expect them to come running when they see you, lick your face, and want to be your best friend. They can also sense agitation and there is no way in Hell they'll come to you then. Please dont tell me that something is wrong with my dogs, that I didn't train them well or they're mean. They're not, they just dont see you enough and dont know who you are. So what does that mean? We need to see you more and if you want my dogs to like you, you have to make a conscious effort to get them to like you.
If you dont care if they like you or not then ignore them when you come over. Dont jump at them (even if you think you're playing, they think you're being a threat), dont make them bark (No one, the dogs, John and myself included, thinks you're being funny)and dont make really sudden movements towards them (this is what really causes the sudden nipping).
I'm sorry if this makes you like my dogs less, you dont have to like them. They're our dogs and what you dont get to see is what we love most about them.

One good thing about them not loving every single person that crosses their path? They wont follow any Tom, Dick or Harry home so I dont have to worry about any stolen pets.