Mike

In my opinion, the easiest way for pet owners to build confidence in their pet is through bribery and play!
New information should be rewarded with food.
Learned information should be rewarded with play.

These motivational drives are created, not genetic.
Maintain your dog’s food drive throughout its life
Ensure they love to carry and are under no stress in the delivery of an object, including your socks!

As to the thread, when you know friends are going to visit your home.
Do not feed your dog that day
Have the dog crated when the people first arrive.
(Also crate the dog before the visitors leave)
At some point during the visit bring the dog out and the visitors should offer excellent treats.
Then put the pup away.

This fearful behavior can easily be changed if the pet owners change their feeding habits.
Remember all pet dogs should be taught how to greet people.
In obedience the exercise is called a stand for examination CD AKC.
Retrieving and Examination are often over looked by pet dog trainers?!

Everything posted makes sense to me (about building the dog's confidence around strangers), except one thing I hope others will address.

I have always trained my dogs not to accept food from strangers. Even the mail carrier gives me the cookie to give my dog.

Does anyone else train this?

Is it just more important in the case of a fearful nervous dog to alleviate his fear of strangers?

Just asking..... <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My dog has never been allowed to accept food rewards from strangers. She will not accept it from her (or I should say my) trainer that she has known for several years. Although, I must add that she has never been afraid of strangers and has always been rather aloof.

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My dog has never been allowed to accept food rewards from strangers. She will not accept it from her (or I should say my) trainer that she has known for several years. Although, I must add that she has never been afraid of strangers and has always been rather aloof.

That's what I was thinking --- that maybe if I ever acquired a fearful dog, that rule might take a back seat to the need to help the dog get over his fear of people.

Thread was for fearful pup!

Behavior of your dog, more medium to low stress.
More what we would expect from protective breed.

Pet owners experiencing problems have to over compensate!
They have to consider the average or mean, not just the objective.

Yes, my style of motivation changes when I train for Protection or Dog Sport.
But even here, novices should be encouraged to incorporate bribery and play as motivators, until they have successfully finished a few dogs.
It is safer to recommend that novices imitate rather than innovate.

My style always considers my dog, after all, I not only want them working today, but tomorrow as well!”

Hi Rino, the best thing you can do is find a trainer with experience that you respect and have him/her evaluate your dog in person and see what's best for your dog and you. Getting advice on the internet about a dogs temperament based on a few paragraphs isn't the ideal way to get your dog evaluated,
Good luck,
AL

I like to thank all of you who took the time to try to help me and my dog. I will try the advicess given, but in September I will certainly look for the advice of an experienced trainer. I will let you know in due course.
Thank you all again,
Best regards
Rino

Rino,

My sister has a GSD pup who acts almost exactly like the dog featured on the Cesar Milan show. She's just 6 months old and is afraid of everything and just about everyone.

The advice about giving food to strangers to share w/your dog I think is helpful if you are not expecting a protection trained dog here (and I would assume you're not due to the pup's nature).

My sister's dog though will not take a single treat on the walks. Especially when she is near something that stresses her, i.e. flip flops, kids, cars, dogs, bikes, baby carriages, etc.

So we've changed the environment for her...she now goes places where she is exposed to only one stresser at a time, i.e. cars. Then another day we change it up and bring her to a place where there are only people. She seems especially afraid of toddlers so we introduce them (nephews who are toddlers) only when everything else in the environment is calm and quiet. It seems to be working for the dog and my sister!

I know there are a lot of people who say that stress flows down the leash and I agree but there are also times when I think that no matter how calm you are, the pup is going to be afraid of the monster 5-year-old coming no matter what. Time, patience, common sense and guidance from a trainer is needed and the sooner you can put all that into action, the better for you and your pup.

I know from seeing my sister's dog just about 7 days a week, it's a lot of work to own a skittish dog. Good luck. I'm sure she'll turn out beautifully.

Soooooo....how's the pup doing??