scared of movements... how to help a nervous dog?

Hey all,
Just wondered if you could give us some pointers on how to help Dudley's fear of moving objects? He is scared of the backcloth on the fire when it moves suddenly in the chimney draft. He is also scared of the blinds when they are being drawn - he basically doesn't like odd movments of normally inanimate objects. Also if the have an odd sound... Karl was walking along the wood floor and the toggles on his trouserbottoms were clicking on the floor - Dud went nuts. He just barks - but you can tell it's nerves - and he's trying to protect us. I was just wondering if anyone had tips on how to calm him down a bit and make him fee more secure?

xx

You need to acclimatize him gently and slowly to those things which worry him - just as you would a puppy. So, the blinds - just pull them a tiny way across during the day ignoring fear and praising nonchalance and gradually builing up to full closing, with the sound fill a plastic container with dried beans or pasta and gently rattle it, gently shake a cloth at a distance from him and drop it on the floor with a treat on top. Reward any sort of positive reaction, e.g. if his curiosity gets the better of him when you rattle a container and he comes towards you be prepared with a treat and take the opportunity to say 'come, good come'. He is obviously not used to normal household noises so you have to take it slowly and be ready to reward any positive behaviour. If he runs scared then ignore his reaction, do not reassure him. Give him time to think about things and to get the idea that they do not pose a threat to him.

Slowly, slowly

Hi Zounds Archie was a bit funny with loud noises when he was little....

Here's something a bit similar to SB's advice, which we have done with Archie

Fill a plastic bottle with one treat, show Dudley what you're doing and let him smell the treat, shake the bottle so it rattles a bit, shake the treat out and give it to him

As SB says do it really slow... and build up only when he is comfortable with it...

Eventually put a few treats in the bottle (no lid!) and give it to him.... it will rattle as he tries to get the treats out but hopefully if he's really into it he won't realise... so use some really yummy treats!

hope this works

thank you very much both - i will definately try the advised things and see how he goes along!

xx