From pup’s perspective, you are a giant. Whether you are a growing pre-teen or whether you match Shaquille O’Neal in size, you are still a giant to pup. If you have any doubt, go down on the floor and look up at people from pup’s point of view. Pup has been use to litter mates of the same size. Pup’s mother reduced her size by being on her side when feeding; and pup was able to see the adult dog at more or less eye level. And that is a great clue in how to bond with pup.
Be at eye level at times. Yes, that means that you have to be on the floor, at pup’s physical level. This will give pup a chance to explore and to learn that you are not all that scary. This is especially a good practice to do if pup has any shyness towards male humans. By the fact that male voices are lower, it sounds like a growl from mother dog. The sound is intimidating to pup, even if the words are the best intentioned. Pup only knows sound until there is enough experience to pair the sound with some human behaviour. At the beginning, however, human males are these giant creatures that make a growling sound.
Some people will suggest that the same thing is accomplished by picking up pup and having pup in your arms. - The argument is almost valid but not quite. In that position, pup’s feet are off the ground. A way to create insecurity in a full grown dog and in a pup is to take its paws off the ground. Dogs just don’t like that. In fact, dogs are very careful about their ground. They like to be on ‘terra firma’ and indeed you might find that some dogs come to a screeching halt when they encounter flooring that is new to them. They will balk and refuse to go on that flooring. In any case, picking pup up and off the ground is not the equivalent of you physically being at pup’s eye level.
When you are at pup’s physical level, let pup explore. Pup may want to sniff and lick - new sights and new scents. Give pup a chance to bond with you at this physical level. Pup will find that you are not as warm as its previous litter mates but perhaps you are just as interesting.
Article from: http://www.dogreader.com/