We have a nervous female 6 mos old GSD "Jazz". We have had her for about a month now and when we first saw her (approx 4 mos old...we got her a month later after we moved into our new home) she was not afraid of children/adults.

She nipped at my kids (6,4,3 yr olds) heels for the first couple of weeks and even barked at my youngest, but has now settled and does well with them.

I think I have messed something up and I don't know what. I take her on walks and she sees people all the time, but when they approach us she gets the line down her back, barks, and backs up. She has only started to do this the last couple of weeks.

What can I do to improve this behavior?

Hi Karel,

Will she focus on you? If not, start with food or a favorite toy....say her name, when she looks at you, say yes and reward her. Do this at home with no distractions until she is doing it well, gradually increase the things that are distracting to her. When you take it to the street and see strangers approaching get her to focus on you and reward, even if it is for a split second. The distance is different with different dogs so it may take a few tries to get it right.

I have a dog like yours that does well with marker training....the Leerburg DVD about marker training is excellent.

Read as many articles and watch as many videos as possible on this site.

Regards,
Debbie

Thanks Debbie...last night I started doing what you suggested. Thanks for the help.

I am curious did you let strangers and other kids outside your family pet her? It sounds like she is developing a "fearful" issue.

When you see her doing something like that, you need to distract her to something else. Like asking him to focus on you with food, or do a fast 180 turn and walk the opposite direction. Try not to let her turn her head around to look back, just keep on walking. Soon as she quits trying to look back, then turn around.

I would read numerous articles on this board about pack structure, marker training, etc. There are many good tips and look on your left. Some are articles and some are videos

 Quote: karel castro

.... I take her on walks and she sees people all the time, but when they approach us she gets the line down her back, barks, and backs up. She has only started to do this the last couple of weeks.....

In addition to the other very good suggestions:

What do you mean by "approach"?

How does she back up?

What I am getting at is, if you keep on marching along, paying no attention to approaching humans, does she march along with you? Or does she actually try to stop and back up?

Are you stopping to speak with and them and then they (neighbors, or whoever) touch/speak to the dog?

This is just info-seeking -- not exactly recommendations yet. Trying to picture how much reaction (and from how much attention) is happening.

My own approach with a nervous/fearful/anxious/shy dog is to first make it crystal clear to the dog that no one will touch her without my OK and that I will always step between her and another human who may cause her some anxiety.

She is new to you, so part of the bonding process will be her learning that you will always make her safe, no matter what "safe" means to her.

So ..... more info. Is she OK with, say, someone approaching but not looking at you/her? Someone on the other side of the street? Someone approaching but far in the distance?

She's ok with people on the other side of the street and those that walk near by but don't look or speak to us. If I stop to talk to a neighbor she'll just sit or lay down and wait till I'm done, but any attention she gets from the neighbor (talking, looking, moving)forget about it! She'll either jump back behind me or bark and move backwards. She's done the same when we have family over.

Today on our walk, I stopped to talk to a neighbor. I told him that she was in training and that she is "cautious" around people. I had treats with me so I had her sit and lay down and rewarded. She even moved towards him b/c there was a small puddle of water she was attracted to by his foot. But when he shifted weight, she nearly jumped onto my lap! Anyway Jazz did well for a good 15-20 minutes that I was talking to him.

 Quote: lindsay janes

I am curious did you let strangers and other kids outside your family pet her? It sounds like she is developing a "fearful" issue.

I did allow one of my neighbors to pet her. At that time, she smelled his hand and allowed him to pet her without issue. During the same time, his wife came up on my lawn and Jazz started to bark at her. I read Ed's article on petting puppies after this incident!

 Quote: karel castro

She's ok with people on the other side of the street and those that walk near by but don't look or speak to us. If I stop to talk to a neighbor she'll just sit or lay down and wait till I'm done, but any attention she gets from the neighbor (talking, looking, moving)forget about it! She'll either jump back behind me or bark and move backwards. She's done the same when we have family over.

Today on our walk, I stopped to talk to a neighbor. I told him that she was in training and that she is "cautious" around people. I had treats with me so I had her sit and lay down and rewarded. She even moved towards him b/c there was a small puddle of water she was attracted to by his foot. But when he shifted weight, she nearly jumped onto my lap! Anyway Jazz did well for a good 15-20 minutes that I was talking to him.

I would ask people very clearly but quietly, in advance, to pay zero attention to the dog for now. It sounds like you "got it," though, with the rewards around the potentially scary person.

When the dog is 100% secure in the knowledge that you will always protect her, things will slowly shift (as they have started to already!). One thing to make sure of is that you don't reinforce the "scary people" perception. So calm calm calm.

I don't even know if this (my) post is necessary. Do you feel confident now about getting her past her anxiety? If not, post back. There are many things you can do, and not least among them are focus on you and not allowing people to "loom" or to touch or speak uninvited or suddenly.

Also, are you doing marker work? As Debbie points out, it's the best thing I know (after absolute knowledge that you are in charge and are the protector of the pack) for confidence building in a shy dog.

P.S. You saw a bit of a helpful phenomenon when your dog explored the puddle near the neighbor.

If the human is paying zero attention to the dog, the dog may well start to explore him a little .... she may move closer, sniff at, etc., the person who is presenting no threat. This is a good thing.

Thank you for your feedback and please post any practical suggestions. I have started doing marker work, but my understanding is very rudimentary. I haven't purchased the marker video yet, but I've watched building pack structure and will be moving to Basic Obedience next.

I recently came across a real high value treat for Jazz that has her locked on like I've never seen her!