All three of my GSDs have presented unique learning opportunities for me...Grace was a mess, health-wise...Kira was (and still is) a super-smart, high energy nut...and then there is Vigo.

Vigo was a calm, reserved puppy and at some point that changed into being a shy and sometimes nervous/fearful dog. Part of the problem was I got him at 12 weeks old, had him for a few weeks before I got super sick and he missed a lot of socializing right when he needed it most IMO.

He is great with anything at home or the several places we routinely go. And he is great with people he has known for awhile.

We had been making great progress over the last few months, until he was attacked by the puggle who lives three doors down. He has always been afraid of this dog and this confirmed everything in his mind. Vigo literally would not walk down the block towards this house.

So we had to retreat and work on our relationship, building more trust...

It is so hard for me to move at his pace...I am a full speed ahead type of person...he is a take his time kind of dog.

Well, we returned to obedience class last week and he did great (he has previously done a beginners and an agility class). We are doing an advanced class, which is slightly above his level, but I chose this class based on the fact that the other dogs will be better under control. We are also practicing obedience daily in more distracting locations.

Of course, we still have a long way to go...but this slow, steady progress is such a blessing.

I have had to make a lot of decisions on how to proceed with him...some have been great, some have been not so great.

So I am wondering...those of you who have fearful dogs, what did you do to help them?

Slow...proceed ONLY at HIS pace. Don't overface him at all ever...or you will have he regress in confidence & trust in you.

Present anything new on HIS terms. From distances & move closer only when you see he is relaxed & confortable. Always have pockets full of treats to give him to applaude his sucesses & also to distract him a bit if needed to give him time to feel comfortable with something new. (some will not take treats if nervious)

Keep EVERYthing upbeat & fun for him. Try not to feed into his nerviousness ....act like everything is no big deal to you...even if he is a bit unsettled.

Upbeat obedience will give him confidence & the knowledge of 'what comes next & what is expected' when things around him may be uncertain. OB with Marker training. Which I am sure you are using. It also builds confidence.

Most of this you already know, I'm sure...but it may help some others.

Also I am going to add...that some dogs are NEVER good with new people & things & never get past their fearfulness. It depends on how deeply the fear runs.

Anne: Yes, yes and yes!

i have them face their fears. your dog didn't want to walk down a certain street he would have no choice, he would go down it William Koehler was correct, if the dogs head is next to your leg the rest of his body will follow just to be with his head. take your dog on a confidence walk up stairs, over jumps, playground equipment their confidence level will rise don't baby them

 Quote: Melissa Hoyer

Anne: Yes, yes and yes!

Huge ditto!

"Keep EVERYthing upbeat & fun for him. Try not to feed into his nerviousness ....act like everything is no big deal to you...even if he is a bit unsettled.

Upbeat obedience will give him confidence & the knowledge of 'what comes next & what is expected' when things around him may be uncertain. OB with Marker training. Which I am sure you are using. It also builds confidence.

Most of this you already know, I'm sure...but it may help some others."



eta
None of this is what I call "babying" a dog like this: "Vigo was a calm, reserved puppy and at some point that changed into being a shy and sometimes nervous/fearful dog. "

I'd work extra hard at this: "Keep EVERYthing upbeat & fun for him. Try not to feed into his nerviousness ....act like everything is no big deal to you...even if he is a bit unsettled." I mention that because I have to work at not being impatient. Impatience isn't what I want to send down the leash.





Edited by Connie Sutherland (11/02/2011 08:16 PM)
Edit reason: eta x2

Great post, Anne! I agree with all of your suggestions. This comes from my experience over the last three years with a fearful dog. I do not baby her or cater to her fears, but I am respectful of her comfort zone. To not do so would have been to lose her trust and confidence in me.

Dogs are individuals and what works for one may be a disaster for another. I think it's important to know your own dog and know where you can push and where you can't. By taking it slow and steady, I have been able to expand my fearful dog's comfort zone. I can't remember how old Vigo is, but he's still pretty young, as I recall. With time, I bet you will make a lot of progress.

The biggest thing I try to remember is to make things fun for the dog and to not let any stress I might be feeling travel down the leash, so to speak. Right now, I've got mine enrolled in a tricks class because I thought she needed a break from obedience classes. The class description says it is "treat heavy" LOL, and my dog thinks it is the greatest class she has ever taken!

eta: Ha! Connie, we were typing at the same time. I swear I didn't steal that "stress traveling down the leash" thing from you!

I know it isn't universal, but I find this work very satisfying.

Marker training was probably the biggest boost I ever got in this kind of work. The precision of communication, the dog's immediate ability to predict the result of his action .... of course this is hugely helpful with just about all training, but confidence-building has to be WAY up there in the benefits list.



eta to Cheri: Oh, SURE. I know you were reading my mind. That phrase has never been used before, so there's no way you could have come up with it otherwise.

Yes, I agree with you completely; for me, thinking of the leash as something like a phone wire keeps me standing tall -- and patient, calm, and in charge.


Edited by Connie Sutherland (11/02/2011 08:41 PM)
Edit reason: eta

Yes, Cheri, unfortunately, I speak with knowledge based on experience. It's a hard road to travel.

Some of the above that I posted is also a good way to help guide a puppy along experiencing a fearful period that most puppies experience as part of reaching maturity.

John, training the way that you stated is disaster for a fearful pup & should never be done. It is a way to totally destroy a puppy. You are just lucky if it has worked for you. Although it might work for a somewhat reluctant puppy...it will blow away a truely fearful pup.

I found with my fearful dog, that when i know something is coming that might make her nervous, she looks up at me now automatically and i give her lots of treats this has worked well for me so far, she gets nervous when passing strangers, and she is super sensitive to everything in her enviroment, i used to say she's so noisy because she's always looking around her at what's going on, the only time she won't take a treat is with another dog in the vacinity, she just homes in on them and i have to keep a check on her because she can be a bit aggresive depending on the other dog, mainly little ones, good luck with your training, somedays will be a bigger challage than others.

 Quote: sandra mulready

.... the only time she won't take a treat is with another dog in the vacinity, she just homes in on them...

This is one of the reactive behaviors that desensitizing and focus are so beneficial for.

If you use desensitize and desensitizing for your search terms here http://leerburg.com/webboard/search.php and use "all forums," and expand the date range to about three years, you will find detailed steps for this. It's good work, with no downside: it's bonding, it sharpens ob, and the results spread to all kinds of reactive situations.

If you need help finding some threads, post back.