Abby is overly shy and nervous... help!

Our 3 yr old Aussie Setter Mix (Abby) was a rescued after being in a very abusive home, not to mention neglected. When we brought her home she settled in very well, now she is starting to show signs of being very submissive, tremors and like to run upstairs and hide under the bed if she gets startled. Other than that she is really a sweet girl. Does anyone have any suggestions on how we might be able to help her overcome this?????

Have you noticed anything in particular that triggers this behaviour, eg certain noises, raised voices, picking up an article such as a paper or broom, visitors, children, etc?

As a general rule you should ignore the behaviour. Do not 'baby talk' her, do not try to coax her out from her safe place, do not reassure her in any way. If this behaviour brings sympathetic reactions from you it will reinforce in her mind that she is right to be frightened.

When it happens it is best to talk cheerfully (even to yourself) so that she will understand that you are not scared and therefore there is no reason for her to be scared either. If she enjoys playing with a toy you could play with it by yourself, ignoring her and trying to sound as though you are having a fun time. That might bring her out. If it does then just include her in the game without any fuss.

If she is nervous with strangers/visitors this Dogsey article may help you to deal with it: http://www.dogsey.com/dog-articles.php?t=8050

If you provide further information on what you perceive to be causing the behaviour then we may be able to give you further help/advice.

Well done on rescuing this girl

Nothing to add to SB's excellent reply, but I sympathise with you. Mya, one of my JSI's is also extremely nervous, particularly of people and especially men with deep voices. She's only been with me for four months, yet already I can see a small improvement. You will need the patience of a saint, and, as has been said already, do not baby her or give her extra attention during her stressful times. I've been ignoring Mya's nervousness, and she's getting a little better each week. Good luck

Well done on rescuing Abby.
Shadow Boxer and Vicki have pretty much said it all.
I cannot empthazise enough what SB said-
(Quote-As a general rule you should ignore the behaviour. Do not 'baby talk' her, do not try to coax her out from her safe place, do not reassure her in any way. If this behaviour brings sympathetic reactions from you it will reinforce in her mind that she is right to be frightened.)


I got my Daisy at 14 Months and she was much the same as Abby,settled in great at first and then the 'signs' appeared and steadily got worse.I found chatizing her was the most difficult,as when she had done something inappropriate, she would cower and wee herself before i had even gone over to her to let her know it wasn't ok

It takes time and patience but really it will be so rewarding for you both and they do come out of it eventually.
Daisy is now Two and she is such a joy,you wouldn't believe that she is the same dog that came to us,she isn't afraid of people anymore and doesn't wet herself and cower.i like to think we have 'erased' those first awful ten months of her life from her memory.How people can be so cruel is beyond me.She is now the happy healthy beautiful Beagle she was always meant to be.
Good luck with Abby xxxx

I had more or less exactly the same problem when I rescued my Collie just over a year ago. SB's advice is good. I would only add that it can take a great deal of patience and time to overcome something like this and therefore you must not be discouraged if progress sometimes seems very slow. Also be aware that although you may be able to repair 95 percent of the damage, a little nervousness may always remain. I'm sure you can live with that. We are nearly there now but still have some work to do. Keep at it, its a hugely rewarding experience to see a dog slowly regain its confidence and learn to trust again.