Maggy Settling in But Has" Issues"
Well we have had Maggy for one month now and she is settling in nicely with me but with my DH & DS, that seems to be a different story. She still does not go near either of them even when they try to...
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As for the itchiness -- It's likely due to allergies. Next to flea bite allergies, inhalant allergies (pollens, molds, dust mites, etc.) are the most common type of allergy. And unfortunately they're usually the hardest to treat. There are a number of OTC and prescription antihistamines that you can try. Your vet can give you dosages. Often you have to try a few to find the one that works best for any given dog.
A food allergy is also possible. Feeding a grain free food is no guarantee, as dogs can be allergic to any food that contains protein molecules. From the studies I've seen, animal proteins are statistically more likely to trigger allergies than the often unjustly villified grains.
An under-active thyroid can cause itchiness, but I doubt that's likely given her age and because you say that her coat is improving. A thin, sparse coat can be another sign of a thyroid issue. So if hers is improving . . . probably not thyroid.
As far as her fear of men--I can't add anything to the great tips you've already gotten, other than to stress that it really does take patience. I took in a stray once who had obviously been abused (she had fresh scars). It took my then boyfriend/now DH and a very kind, dog-loving male neighbor three years of working with her to get her to fully trust them. But once she did, she totally did and it was like she'd never been afraid of men at all.
A food allergy is also possible. Feeding a grain free food is no guarantee, as dogs can be allergic to any food that contains protein molecules. From the studies I've seen, animal proteins are statistically more likely to trigger allergies than the often unjustly villified grains.
An under-active thyroid can cause itchiness, but I doubt that's likely given her age and because you say that her coat is improving. A thin, sparse coat can be another sign of a thyroid issue. So if hers is improving . . . probably not thyroid.
As far as her fear of men--I can't add anything to the great tips you've already gotten, other than to stress that it really does take patience. I took in a stray once who had obviously been abused (she had fresh scars). It took my then boyfriend/now DH and a very kind, dog-loving male neighbor three years of working with her to get her to fully trust them. But once she did, she totally did and it was like she'd never been afraid of men at all.
