Fearful

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Fearful

Posted : 8/17/2006 9:11:00 PM

My lab puppy who is usually pretty outgoing turned into a scaredy cat this morning. He was shaking in the backyard and was afraid of garbage cans on our walk. This is very new for him. He's fine when we go to obedience classes with other dogs. I would think that environment would be more frightening, but he loves to see the other dogs. I read some about fear stages and he seems to be about the right age for them (he's a rescue, who knows how old he is for sure!). I brought our older dog on the walk today and made sure that we didn't do any heeling work until dusk. The lab puppy is used to being out a bit more in the evening when it's quieter. He was fine tonight without the older dog. What else can I do to help him through this?

Sue and Buddy

Posted : 8/17/2006 9:54:19 PM

Don't coddle him or console him while he is afraid. That will reinforce his behavior.

I was walking with Buddy in a new direction. We came to a section of the path and he was scared! I couldn't tell from what though. He turned in the other direction and took off on his leash and wanted nothing to do with the other way. He had never done that before. I go him turned around and we started walking again. I finally realized what was freaking him out: a huge landscaping boulder! He had no idea what it was. I pulled him over towards it. He was the whole length of the leash away from it with my arm pulled completely away from my body and my other arm was stretched out towards the boulder. I looked at him and started patting the rock with my hand. He watched me and crept closer and closer until he could sniff it. I kept patting it and not saying a word to him. He sniffed around it a little bit more and then was done with it and walked away. We have walked past it a few times since then and he doesn't pay it any attention.

So, my long winded story is to tell you to not pat the garbage cans or anything like that, but to act confident around the things that your dog is afraid of. He will take cues from you. If you behave as if everything is okay, then he will begin to believe it as well. This has worked for Buddy as well when dogs bark at us from their homes, while we are walking. He seems to get really freaked out by that and I'm not sure why because he LOVES other dogs. I just keep walking like I didn't hear anything and praise him when he comes along with me.

Sue