confidence building - Page 1

OK_ so some of you have heard me crow about my wonderful girl Elah.  About a year and a half ago I found her in the road with a broken leg, and so on. She was clearly the victim of abuse as a puppy, so the first year we worked on self-confidence and confidence with her new pack. She's got that down really well now, so we are currently working on confidence with the unfamiliar and expanding her range, and I am wanting some tips on that.The really big issue is car riding. If we go somewhere familiar (to her grandparents house, etc.) she does fine, but if we go somewhere new, she gets nervouse and throws up. It's easy enough to clean the car, but I want her to be carefree and able to just  go and have fun without such upset. We've been going places that are fun (like the dog park or pet store to get a new smoked marrow bone). One problem is that our path often takes us through her "old neighborhood". She tenses up, and especially if we're caught at the stoplight and have to sit there a minute, it possitively terrifies her. It is getting better as we do it and nothing bad happens, but any ideas on getting her through this would be appreciated.

I would take her favorite toy, go to where she gets nervous,park the car and get out and play with her and just let her take in the scenery and smells and people if they are around.  Make it a total social affair;  repeat, repeat again and again until she starts to relax then take her home and hug her and play with her or do whatever you do to let her know she is OK.  Poor girl, boy they never do forget a bad experience do they.  But she sounds like she is very workable.  Very versatile. 

Schools are a great place as long as she likes kids, ball park when people are around.  Does she zone in on people that might look suspicious or men or women. ???  Just keep taking her everyplace and reward her with food, toys or whatever floats her boat to let her know you are very proud of her when she makes good decisions and shows happiness on her part.  It's all about the reward for these guys.  Noisy places, concerts, parks, traffic, elevators, movie theaters, WalMart Sams, Home depots??.  All that stuff and does take time and energy on your part, and some never come out of that fear totally.  Sounds like she might.  Good luck.  Nan

PS:  Just a personal tip;  when you are working her in public or near traffic and possible fear places for her I recommend you double leash her, either double choke chains with your 6 ft. working leash on her and a pull tab or 1 ft. leash or if using a pinch or flat collar use a choke as a backup or even when using a harness use a choke or flat collar also.  Just for her safety.

My friends champion male was being walked on a busy highway and his collar (pinch) came undone and he bolted into traffic and was killed.  I particularly use 2 systems with a fearful dog and you want to keep them safe particularly when confidence building.  Just a safety precaution and really for all dogs safety.  Great  day,  Nan

Nan, that's TOO much for a dog that is stil recovering for a major trauma!

I would deliberately drive through the dog's old haunts on the way to somewhere special and exciting for the pup. Eventually, she will get used to it, and realize BAD THNGS are not going to happen just because the car is going down a certain street.

I would NOT let her out of the car, as this will only increase the fear, and she may bolt into traffic and get hurt.

Take it easy, take it slow. it sounds like  she's doing really well considering her background!

It sounds like she was pushed or allowed to jump out of a vehicle in the area she's having problems with, and that's what caused the broken leg. She's not going to get over that in a hurry!

I stepped on my dog's foot and hurt it quite badly going into a coffee shop that had an unexpected drop in the floor just inside the door. My dog still remembers that, and will not sit or lie quietly while in that shop, though she's fine everywhere else I take her.

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/3953

There are some good suggestions at the above link for socializing dogs with fear issues.

I am wondering if there's something special you could do to distract her while you're at the light to take her mind off the fear. Maybe link a special word with giving her a favourite treat or toy? If her fear is REALLY over the top, even that may not be enough to distract her. Worth a try, though!

just a quick word on confidence building in dogs:
you have to be careful about reasuring timid behavior, praising, coddling or otherwise cajoling fearful dogs or fearful
behavior so that you are not actually reinforcing what you are trying to get rid of.  most successful folks have found
that going on without making a big deal out of things that disturb the dog is the best way to get the dog over some of
those issues.  working obedience is another way of dealing with undesirable reactions.  if the dog is performing
obedience and focused on the handler, they  are not focused on the negative stimulus.

pjp

ziegenfarm, 
Excellent post.

excellent posts, all of you, thanks. That is pretty much what we are doing- going through the "badlands" as casually as possible ton the way to somethething fun. The exact spot is a fairly busy street, but the dog park is not too far from there- so it sounds like stay the course and allow the time she needs.