Builders next door - now have nervous pup.

We have a beautiful little sprocker pup now aged 5 months. WE also have a 13 year old cocker. Our pup adores her.
We have just got him toilet trained and he has'nt soiled in the house or his puppy pen for the last couple of weeks.
He is a bit nervous of loud noises and the traffic when we take him out for his walk ( which is daily). We live in a village so theres not much traffic, but as soon as he hears the car he stops dead in his tracks. I DON'T reassure him and tell him 'walkies' to get him to carry on. He was just beginning to get a little less afraid and more confident when our neighbours had the builders in next door and started to build an extension, so are working outside. He has been terrified to go out in the garden to do his wees today and just runs straight back in doors. The noise of the machinery next door and builders shouting was too much for him! Its so annoying when we were making such good progress with him!
I just hope he will be a bit better tomorrow. We are carrying on as normal and are not making him a big thing about it as I think that will make him worse. I hope this experience will not make him into a nervous dog as he is so lovely and gets on well with people and loves other dogs.

Having had builders in out house and working next door for year we found the best way was to get the builders to build a relationship with Fudge. we used to take her out to see them and even gave them treats to give to her. She eventually thought they were amazing and even the noises with a severely sound phobic dog became part of her world.....the only noise she never really came to terms with was the nail gun......You might find that they have a set tea break time....I used to go and have a natter, take Fudge with me etc, even took a ball and they played with her.......

It is all about making her relaxed around them and their environment. It might take a while but it is possible....

Hope you make some progress!

I agree with the above, I'd be inclined to spend even more time out there with all that noise, and PLAY with your puppy out there, it'll soon take her mind off all that noise! If you're just sending her out there all alone, no wonder she's scared, you need to BE out there with her, with some toys and make it fun to be around all that noise I think. That's what I'd do anyway, but good luck with how she copes with it all.

Don't forget we've got bonfire night looming on the horizon, so you need to get her used to as much noise as possible, so this is a good opportunity in my view! Think about how they train those police dogs and the police horses to put up with what they have to put up with, they subject them to it, so you're lucky to have it going on next door, use it as an ideal opportunity. Chat to the workmen over the fence, even offer them a cup of tea like I did when I had them working next to me when we first got our puppy a year or so ago, she soon learned it was nothing to fear. Good luck with her.

I agree with the above posts regards taking him out there, getting the builders to give him a ball throw etc.,

Can I ask though why you DON'T reasure him though....sorry I found that confusing.

I had one here (Bruce) that hated traffic at night moreso so I took him out 1-2-1 and as he tried spinning or cowering or climbing into hedges, I would reasure him constantly using words of...its Ok, come on, its Ok...and just kept repeating it calmly.

He doesn't flinch at all now over cars, I can understand that you want want to fuss him or make him feel its something to be afraid of, but calm voice will also instill a calm reaction IMO

Hi and thanks so much for your replies.
I will try what you have both suggested. We do go out with him in the garden but hes really so terrified that it does'nt seem to help, he looks so scared and runs round in absolute panic. I will try to get him to play to take his mind off the noise but its so difficult when hes so scared, as all he wants to do is rush back indoors.
Will try to get friendly with the builders, but not everybody are dog lovers and people just don't understand.

Hi, have just read your reply. I said I don't reassure him on the walks because I've read that this instills in them even more that there is something to be afraid of. Perhaps I will say things to calm him - you never know whether your'e doing the right thing!

We had a bad night with him last night as he soiled his bedding which he has'nt done for a couple of weeks and he just seems really unsettled now.
Hopefully he will improve and we we try to get him used to all the noise,

I always talk calmly to them....just silly things like ''silly boy come on...(as they walk on) I say....gooooooooood boy really cheery voiced
or its OK come one......and as they move on...again cheery voice...goooooooood boy

BC's are known to be flighty or lungers and as I have 4 I have found taking a treat with me and using the Calmness of my voice it reasures them and they get rewarded for walking on.

I don;t have any problems now as they are older, but its useful to remember to pups this is a scarey world, your calmness & quietness in your voice will pass down it will take time but it does work

I totally agree with youngstevie there, you have to reassure the little guy, as she said, it's a big, scarey world out there for them, there's nobody who will protect them except for you, they need you most at this vital time. There's a very thin line between reassurance and what you've heard about it not being a good thing, you have to use your common sense I think. Get down on that floor with your puppy, you don't have to fuss him, but you do have to reassure him, get his attention with a treat, with a toy, with anything,so that his focus turns to you, you're all he's got don't forget, and it will pay off dividends when he's older and has learned from you.

It might be an idea if you do a bit of research on the different stages a puppy goes through, because doing it "right" at the "right" time, especially when they go through the fear stage (and twice!) will make it all so much easier for you and him in the future. I know, coz I've just spent the last 18 months doing this, and trying to do everything properly, and remember, you can't believe everything you read, just do your research and see what seems to be the right way with most people

Sorry you had such a bad night with the poor little guy, but take a step back, don't try and do everything so regimental from what you've read, listen to your instinct and your heart and you'll get there.

If he is so terrified of the garden because he associates it with the building noise then you have to take him out there as much as possible and make it a great place. I would seize every opportunity to do with when the builders are not there as well. Feed him out there, play with him out there, stick your coat on and have your meal out there with him.....He will associate the garden with the noise and he needs to know that the garden is safe.

Then you need to work on the sound aspect....take him everywhere you can that has similar noises, benches close to where building noise is happening,walk him there, sit with him there.All the time you are with him stay calm and steady. Your calmness will pass down to him.....reward him when he is calm, lots of praise and rewards....

Therre are also some things you can do in the house. You can get specific sound CD's that can help you de sensitise him......my worry is that his fear of the building noise might transfer to other noises....this is what happened to Fudge with fireworks.

You could also try some of the practical calming measures that people use when there are fireworks around. Create a safe den, use a DAP collar or a DAP spray, even consider an anxiety wrap......

I would see this as an opportunity to tackle things in a ,Multipronged way......

Anything you need help with please shout! Fudge is a sound phobic dog and I know how hard this can be and how it can start from one single situation and escalate.