Nervous Jessie

HI all,
Jessie has been with us for almost a week now and she's doing brilliantly! She's fine on walks but if we walk past a house with dogs in the garden and they bark she goes totally beserk!! This afternoon she poo'd herself cos she was so scared! I try to just walk past and not acknowledge the behaviour but it's difficult when she's tying me in knots with the lead. I would try some techniques from DW but know how most people feel about him on here - although I think he's brilliant most of the time! But I'm certainly not nervous when I'm walking Jessie so she's not picking that up from me.

Ruthie

I wouldnt try any DW methods on her, more so as its fear causing the problem

It sounds to me as though jessie needs to be intoduced to dogs in a calm quiet setting, eg a good training class with very well behaved dogs,

I often bring dogs like jessie into my advanced class where I know the dogs will not upset a fearful dog, or react to her behaviour,

do you have a good club near by with a sympathetic trainer?

Agree with Shona
Adult dogs also would not be too keen to walk past house with barking dogs as they do respect territory and realise the other dogs are alerting to or warning them and don't want to keep going past.

It may be easier to simply cross the road, but also as Shona says to introduce her carefully to nice friendy dogs.

Wys
x

She's fine meeting dogs on a walk when they are just sdaying hello etc. It's the suddeness of the barking that frightens her. I expect some reaction but not the extreme one I'm getting.
She's met several dogs already with other owners with no problem.

Ruthie

Hi Ruthie is Jessie food/toy orientated? If so I would take some high value treats like chicken pieces with you or a squeaky toy and when you get near a house with barking dogs cross over the road so you are not so close to the noise and if you can get her attention give Jessie the treats or toy , this may help to distract her/to associate walking near the houses with a good experience.

Please think twice before using DW methods on your little dog, they could destroy the bond of trust you are building with Jessie . I wouldn't let him within a hundred miles of any dog of mine.

I am sure you remember our lovely SB here is one of her articles about nervous dogs. The methods described can be adapted to suite various circumstances..

http://www.dogsey.com/dog-articles.php?t=8050

who is DW????

Hehe Krusewalker - you just asked the crucial question..

But to Ruthlynn & Jessies problem I don't think this is solved with treats - however great.
The best thing Ruthlynn can do is to get an ally who has a dog able to bark on command. Then she can control the situation an be able to teach Jessie that the barking dog is not a treath but a friend.

I agree with Mini about the rewarding when faced with barking dogs.

I would also (providing it doesn't bother the person who's dog is barking) stop outside the house, stroke Jessie and give her a big happy distracting fuss.

Perhaps you can reasure her that all is fine by providing nice experiences whenever she gets a bit upset.

Totally agree with everyone here - reward when you reach the spot with the barking dogs - distract with a valued toy or treat. Patience, patience, patience

Hope you manage to sort it out, hon x

Hi Kruse I am assuming Ruth means DW = CM the one from the USA with very white teeth

Hi Nicedog I agree this could help but it is not always easy to find such a person with a dog able to bark on command. Also there are different kinds/tones of barking, when walking past a house the barking may be 'aggressive' and not the same as a dog with controlled barking (I teach my dogs to bark on command and it tends to be 'excited' barking and not aggressive/defensive ) .So Jessie may still be startled and fearful when walking past a house with a dog barking aggressively/defensively.

It is important that Ruth is able to take her rescue dog out now and to help her to learn to feel comfortable with fearful situations and I think distraction/treats and desensitisation (as described in the article) may help with this , they will certainly do no harm..