HELP! Dog Traumatized by Neighbor - Page 1

I am seeking suggestions beyond the obvious (not to nurture fear and praise calm, keep dog moving forward)  I have a Leefdaalhof grandson age 16 months that was a confident, never moving backward, no barking unless he could not reach his prey, no hackles, no fear of firerworks, gunshots, thunder or anything else.  I say WAS, because last night when walking my other two GSDs he was in the yard w my senior female and the neighbors behind us set off huge professional fireworks.  Since they had thrown fire crackers directly at the other neighbor's dog before I rushed home (I was 1 block away) and my Leefdaahof grandson (Mahan is his name) had jumped the 6' stockade fence and was terrified by my front door.  I immediately took him and two others (not afraid) on a walk and then brought all of them to the back (he had to stay on leash or he tried to flee or shut down by laying down) and played and ran with all of them while the fireworks were going off.  I kept him moving forward and didn't reinfornce the fear.  Later I took him out alone and had him calmly with me.  He stopped shutting down, stopped trying to flee but he keeps looking at the sky.  I suspect they shot the rocket type professional fireworks into our yard as last 4th and New Years he was fine.  Please any suggestions on how to get him completely over this so he does not react or hestiate if he hears these sounds while working.  

Thanks!

Personally I would put him in around as many loud noises as possible, in a controlled way of course. This would mean getting firecrackers, starter pistols etc.  Work him farther away and watch him closely signs of stress take him a bit farther away and restart him.  We do this with our pups, usually taking their favorite toys/treats and making a game out of it.  Our dogs have no noise issues and it really seems to work well.  Put him through some obedience once he is calm and paying attention, don't get overly harsh and correct him alot.  I know they make sound noise tapes, not sure where to order them but you could also get that and play it in the house when he's ready to eat he'll get to the point it doesn't bother him at all.  Of course petting him/talking to him while in a fearful state is NOT the right thing to do, sounds like you understand that. 
Good luck!
Amy

Consider stuffing his ears with cotton while working with him as muttlover25 suggested. That can help. If you can have someone fire a starter pistol outside your house before feeding time and maybe intermittently while playing and lying around (way outside, where he isn't too close) to get him used to it. 

Through a Dog's Ear I think is the company that makes the tapes, I've heard others use them with success. You could also try a thundershirt. 

16 months is a wonky age for GSDs anyway, hopefully he'll get over it and be fine. =D 

4th of July  - puppy - loud noises everywhere - crappy neighbors - why wasn't this pup in the house in the first place?

I sure hope you didn't baby your pup once it was in the house, that would have reinforced its behavior.

none of my dogs have ever bin afraid of fireworks heck some of my friends where setting off mortars and my female was laying down in the field about 25 feet from the launcher just watching the people we had one that was loaded upside down so it blew up the launcher the sound didnt bother her she just got up and moved alittle further away as some of us got showered in sparks due to it explodeing into a beautiful red spray on the ground XD. but we had fire crackers and all kinds of such around them. i guess i dont have issues cuz if they dont like it they get over it.

Siantha, as I said in my post, I know not to nurture fear.  Also, at 1 year and four months old, he has never displayed any avoidance around fireworks or gunshots before includig last July 4th.  Fireworks are illegal in our town and there is also a burn ban and a 500 dollar fine and I was only a block way, but YES he should have been inside.  I am kicking myself, but that does not help and since I do not have a time machine, you telling me what should have been done does not solve it.  I was asking for actual solutions from people who work dogs in real situations that get exposed to things.  Even good dogs can get PTSD or get spooked and you have to work it out. Trust me, this was a very confident and highly civil dog that never backed up, never raised hackles, does not growl.  

An update is that I took him and my other two males out right away when I saw him in the front so he would know nothing bad would happen also he can see the other two were not afraid.  When the sanctioned fireworks started which are 1/2 mile from my house and visible from my street I also took them all out.  At first he moved forward and barked aggressively at them and then he just sat and watched.  When the idiots again started, I took him out again with the others and kept him moving forward and seeing none of us were reacting.  That started him to quit avoiding but then he was very aggressive when they put off their illegal fireworks and wanted to rush outside, I guess to "get them."
He slept normally and this morning at 6 am when other idiots put some off, he stopped for a second and then kept playing.  He seems to be back to normal again, but we will see.  I am going to do as some of the posters suggested because being back to his neutral self is what I am seeking.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.     

i think you may have confuzed me hungar i just stated what my dog experenced. i didnt say anything about being inside i said i had mine outside with me and yes i know dogs have PTSD i have bin around military k9s who have returned from overseas with it. i may not know alot but i am not dumb and did not need the comments posted at me as i was explaining my situation. i did not bash you and wish the same. my male that passed away was beaten before i got him i had to work that out of him before i could use him for schutzhund. so i would apriciate if you do stop bashing me for stuff i did not say. thankyou

Siantha, you are right please accept my aplogy.  Sorry. 

In addition to all the excellent advice, I would ask you this (mainly because it happened to one of my dogs).  Normally, GSD's go through what I call the "Oh My Gods What Is THAT?!!" phase when they are about 6-8 months old.  All of a sudden, they spook at whatever it is.  So this could also be part of your problem.  Along with all the advice, which is sound, I would also suggest this, since I've had to rehab dogs I've taken back that were, basically, sold unwittingly to jerks.  When something like this happens, I just let them play and be part of the family.  I don't do any training--nothing--for at least 6 months to a year and then its gradually.  I would also suggest showing the dog in Rally obedience.  Why?  The dog can get out in crowds, etc. and doesn't need to be touched by the judge and its fun.  I would totally avoid any sort of protection work whatsoever at this juncture.  I've had both American and German bloodlines (usually combined), but my first dog, Can CH. Marusa Maria v. Goodrich, Am/Can CDX had a full brother and the idiot who owned him did not give him a break from training around 12 mos to a year.  He ended up by totally ruining an absolutely beautiful working GSD.