Ok, I got one I could use everyone's input on. This one is either eluding me, or I'm off track. I could use an outside opinion here.

My 9 month old DS, Leo is experiencing stress to the point of walking in circles whining with his tail between his legs (sometimes) when he's in a new environment.

New environment to him is everything outside the house and vehicle.

It's strange though because as a puppy and up to this point he has been taken everywhere I went, very often, in many different areas. Around different sounds, smells, sights, and locations.

All positive experiences, people are always interested in what breed he is (he's not a hyena), always a positive experience, he doesn't mind the attention and always stands still for a pat or a picture. He loves people, but can't settle down for anything.

Between the ages of 3-5 months he enjoyed going out for a car ride and seeing new places, and things. Now, he loves going for car rides, as long as he gets to stay in the car. ><

I've still been taking him out ,and giving him the opportunity to try and work through the stress. He has never been off the property without me, and I can say with certainty that he has not had any bad experiences that I can think of. Every human, dog, other animal interaction has been fine.

Even on walks now he's obviously stressed, and we don't live on a busy street either. We'll walk for 2 1/2 miles and see maybe 2-3 cars. His stress hasn't been reinforced with coddling, or telling him it's ok, or any of that.

Besides repeated exposure, and "immersion therapy". Does anyone have any ideas?

It's at the point right now, I can't get him to play for more then a few seconds, and I can't get him to take his favorite treat either.

Now when he's inside or in his yard, he's a holy terror on 4 legs.
Complete with flying action, bouncing off of people, and testing his agility. He'll play like a demon, and do backflips for his treats.

The minute we step outside, with or without treat or toy, it's back to the stressed/anxious behavior. I know there's a fear period in dogs that age, but to that extent? Really?

Dexter went through that stage too. He was and still is a bit anxious.

I just did what you do. But keep the walk short. I work on his trush in me a lot it seem to help.

Like your with me, we're ok, let go attitude. Dexter at that age was not food or toy motivated at all.

I think about all you can do is what Ariane is saying and hope for the best. Keep him out and around, don't try to push things. Don't bother with the toys or treats. Stay calm with nothing bothering you. Try to figure what places can be small steps for him.

I don't know what your plans are with him Ben, but from the way you describe it, I would plan on a dog that is always going to be bothered and anxious like Dexter.

If possible maybe only play with him or use treats right outside the gate....gradually increasing the distance. But overall like you are doing, no coddling, no pushing. When I got Logan he was 1 yr and in that stage...not quite that bad but he would walk with his hair standing up on his back...I was thinking "OMG what am I getting into, this dog is a freak"...and talk a about looking like a hyena LOL.

I just pretty much ignored it and calmly just lead him on. He came around pretty well. Even if you notice it and worry about it, they pick up on that too...so just...don't care, if that makes sense,

 Quote: steve strom

Try to figure what places can be small steps for him.

Big ditto.

"Immersion therapy" (flooding) is not my preference at all. It goes too bad too easily.

I do have fearful/anxious/reactive experience, and I vote strongly for breaking down the steps from safe to scary as small as you can and then staying within the first of the smallest step until it's now part of "safe" before you consider the next small step.

It's hard not to grab little successes and move too fast, but don't. JMO! (As Tresa said, play near the scary gate. And don't worry about it.)

Edited by Connie Sutherland (08/03/2012 10:46 AM)
Edit reason: eta

Some info that may help:

The Critical Fear Periods in Puppies

By: Nancy Frensley, CPDT, CAP1
Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society Training Manager

The Critical Fear Periods in Puppies:
Seven to Nine Weeks
Four to Six Months
Approximately Eight to Nine Months
Approximately Twelve Months
Approximately Fourteen to Eighteen Months
During these periods, puppies may show fear of items, situations or people with whom they formerly felt safe. They may start barking at people entering a house or become fearful and startle at benign items like trash cans, drainpipes or even yard gnomes. They may crouch, shake and try to run away, submissively urinate or tell the scary thing/person to go away by showing an aggressive display (which could include piloerection, snarling, lunging or other unruly behavior.
You must be patient during these periods and keep to the familiar. These are not good times to introduce your puppy to new situations or people. Be very careful to avoid doling out punishment or reprimands. It’s vitally important that you understand that your dog is afraid and that you add to the fear when you reprimand or punish. This, in turn, can set the dog up for future aggression problems.
During these periods, introduce your puppy slowly to the situation, with good tasting treats, so that he or she does not experience fear. Control situations so that you can prevent a fearful response and show your puppy that you enjoy the situation. Use food treats and happy talk to lure your puppy up to scary objects. Teach the targeting exercise (touch your hand with his nose) and work on getting your puppy to “touch the goblin”.
When people visit your home during these periods, put your puppy in another room until visitors are settled in, then bring your puppy out on leash and praise for any show of confidence. Even have visitors toss good treats toward your puppy without approaching him or her.

Not something I would call rare in the Mal/DS.
I've only had two Mals and didn't keep either past 6 months old.
Worked great when in drive but never could handle day to day life.
To be fair, there are obviously good, even great ones out there but I wont look for another. To many years with terriers and I love my GSDs.
Somewhere on every terriers body is a birth mark that says "NO FEAR". Be careful looking for it though!

Thanks for the input everyone.

I'm not trying to overwhelm him, and trying to keep him in a low stimulation environment when I do take him out.

I live in the suburbs along a sparsely populated street approx. 3 miles long. There is a 30 acre field across the street from my house with nothing but grass in it, and not even long grass, it gets hayed all the time. I've got alot of woods, utility pole lines, major trailways, athletic fields, lakes, ponds and streams. It's a dogs paradise 5 months out of the year when it's warm. (unless your a malamute!)

So I live in a pretty calm area, not alot of traffic, no busy sounds of city life, very low key. You can hear the wind running through the woods on any given day.

We run around outside in the fenced in play area in 75-85 degree weather with a light wind.

So I think you get the point. It's not very exciting here.

I guess I'll just keep it on an even keel and wait.

I'd like to get him started in Mondioring, but with the environmental stressors and new situations he would have to deal with in competitions it would be way too much at this point, and maybe for the rest of his life. Who knows.

Guess we'll keep playing in the yard, and going for car rides.

Dex got to the point where he knows places and is happy to go there.
When we go to new places, he will now stay close. Strangers have never been a problem and dogs make him forget where he is. Dog get out of seight and he is back to the sticky mode.
Dex have a very low drive since day one.

At home you would think that he is a brave boy.

Hey Ben, there's a couple of things I think about this. This is different then a dog thats reacting to other dogs or people where you could work at a distance doing ob and then work in closer, slowly.

I think you should keep your ob work separate of this work. This is more like just hanging out with him, letting him deal with whats stressing him little bits at a time.You don't just flood him with it all, but he has to learn to deal with it. Trying to work ob with treats or toys during this could end up making you and the rewards part of the problem.

This doesnt read like anything you've done or missed, I think its what Bob was saying. The other side of some high drive dogs-bad nerves.