What to do with a nervy dog. - Page 2

Move to Ted Kazinski's old place in Montana

 In my experience obedience is the only way to deal with a freakishly nervy dog.  Mine (German Pinscher) was a holy terror when anyone came to the door - pupils dilated, hair on end, barking a "someone's about to die and I'm afraid it might be me" bark - until I started OB with him.  Now I put him in a down-stay when someone is at the door, and he stays there, eyes fixed on me and shaking hard.  It's not great but it's an improvement.

You have to understand this kind of nerves is genetic and isn't going to ever go away.  My dog is not cured, but he's now manageable.

The kindest thing to do with a genetically nervy dog is to keep them crated when people are over, be very cautious when you are out with them, and stop expecting them to be happy-go-lucky and friendly.  When you pick your next puppy you can go with the friendly one.  This dog is never going to be it.

Go with Kaffirdog, Kimmelot & Mirasmoms advice!  No scruffing though.  If he's already afraid or nervous that won't be positive.   Good luck with him!

Find a good trainer, who is well equpped to deal with your dog's problems. It won't happen with a food reward or clicker type. This dog needs real help. Perhaps or seek out a behaviorist .

 Was he always like this? If you had an idea if it was genes or something else that caused this, it would help in giving suggestions. 

Try Sam-e or Bach flower essences, as suggested before. Let me ask my mom what she gave her friend's nervebag dog before a party. It helped a TON. 

Teach him the "place" command. I learned this while training but the dogs that used it most were PPDs. Ed Frawley mentions how to handle this. I am not one to quote Ed all the time but it is somewhere on his website. My first GSD was an American  show line GSD and very nervy and teritorial. My 3 teen girls knew that before someone came into the house, the muzzle went on or he went in his crate. Just could not trust him. Looking back, I should have had him PTS because of the risk to all the friends in and out of the house. But my kids never failed to restrain him safely. It was just luck.
Paul

          What is the definition of nervy????
              It was my understanding that it did not refer to a fearful dog...


                                Deanna...: )

A dog can show fearful behaviors and NOT have weak nerves if the dog has sound reason to be traumatized, undersocialized/underexposed or if the dog has learned "fear-like" behaviors elicit a certain response they desire in their handler (sound like someone you know?  ). However, nerviness often manifests itself through fearful, insecure, or even unstable behaviors.

The long and short of the advice you've been given seems pretty solid...  the key is that YOU have to make time and effort for training scessions several times a day, every day... not just once or twice.  At 3 years he didn't all of a sudden develop this behavior.  Obedience work... especially with distractions being added slowly as he copes with them can increase the dog's tolerance level of stress.  The one thing you can't do is drop him off somewhere to have him trained, and pick him up in 4-6 weeks and expect the core reason for his behavior to be "Cured".  You need to be working with the dog, and the trainer. 

If he's a fear biter as you suggest you also have a responsibility for keeping him safe, and the public, or neighbors safe from him being pressured into a bite. 

               Thanks Kelly for the clarification....