Looking for help with a new puppy she (Bella) is a 16 week old Springer poodle Mix my problem is taking her on walks she gets totally scared of noise, people other dogs and wants to go back to the house or car. I have taken her to the park (Not Dog Park) and tried to walk her there without distractions like cars and such but still scared and won’t walk just tries to go back to the car. I have brought all sorts of different high quality treats and I reward when she walks a few steps forward but sometimes she is not even interested in the food as she is so scared or distracted and she has a huge food drive, I have tried bringing my mother along to see if she would feel more secure with more people walking with her that did not work any better.
Inside my house she is totally fine, outside I have a fenced in backyard and she is fine although sometimes the big dog down the street barks and scares her. I can walk her in my back yard fine I can let her off her leash in the backyard and she is fine running around by herself exploring etc.
I’m really hoping to find some guidance on how to get her to start walking.
Thank you

Has she been like this since you got her or is this new behavior?

Start off slow , by just taking her to the park and let her be inside the car and feed her in the car. Then keep the door open for a few mins and feed her. After a few days of this , keep the door open and ask her to jump out and jump in and feed her. Then after a few days of this, feed her just outside the car. You have to progress in very slow small steps with a fearful dog

Thanks for the reply's she has been like this since I got her. I picked her up at about 12 weeks old, also she dose great riding in the car no problem and will even jump out of the car no problem, seems very strange to me although I'm by no means an expert with puppies. Also, I asked the lady from where I got the dog if anything ever happened of course she said no but I'm not 100% sure.
thanks

So is this pretty much the only thing to do treats and take it slow?
thanks

Have you tried this: taken short walks (twenty feet) and turned around to go back home?

Then a few feet more next time?

Then maybe a walk in one direction, turn around and pass your house and keep going for a short way, then come back?

Do you place yourself between the puppy and traffic and passers-by?

I actually have not done that, what I do is take her to remote locations now where we can be mostly by ourselves and I walk her as far as she will go before she tries to get back to the car then I pick her up and carry her for a while and put her down and walk back to the car with her. When she walks without being scared and pulling I praise her and give her treats. I think she is actually getting a little bit better today a train even went by and she didn’t freak out she stopped and I told her to sit and she stayed sitting until the train passed then we continued back to the car. So it is a bit better I guess so does it seems as though I’m doing things right just takes time?
Thanks
Brett

LOL I'm laughing because I got a chow-setter cross named Sport when I was 13. She was just like this...she wouldn't even go for walk. I used to pick her up and carry her down to this schoolyard and set her down...she would nervously sniff around. Then she would drag me home with her tail tucked. Eventually she liked the walks as long as we didn't run into people or loud things...and I didn't have to carry her anymore.

Anyhow, working on her fear with food and a marker is great advice. Sport was afraid of clickers so I said "good" as the mark. It helps if she knows a 'watch me' command at home, then work on it under mild distraction like outside in stead of inside and then in the street. Make these brief and as low stress as you can, several times a day. At some point you will see that her confidence suddenly blossoms and she really gets it.

Sport was able to compete in agility trials and go places without being terrified. Pretty big leap...when I got her she would flip at the end of her leash if a person tried to approach...just screaming like something was killing her.

Anyhow hope this helps.
Tresa

Tresa
Sounds just like my Bella, the last two days have been great she actually has walked pretty well except for like you said until we run into people and or loud noises or dogs barking etc… How do I go about working on her fear what should I do? Just walk her a few times a day? Right now when she gets scared from the noises I have her sit and then when calm I praise her and give her treats if she will take them, sometimes she will not even take the treats really great treats also. I hope I’m doing it right.
thanks for the help

I would just click on the leash and walk , the dog will follow.