How to socialize a fearful dog?

[LisaR]

My 13 month old dog needs to get more socialization. She has always been very skittish and as she is getting older, she is becoming worse. She barks at all the dogs and people that are walking in our neighborhood. She backs away from people that try and pet her. She makes a low growl when other dogs come near her. She went through two 7 week obedience classes and is finishing up a rally class now and while she does great with the commands, she still doesn't like the other people or dogs that are there. She is already enrolled in another obedience class because the dogs do more together in that class than they do in rally.

I am taking her to an all day workshop at the end of the month that specializes in aggressive dogs so I hope that will help.

Yesterday, I took her to a doggie day care place. She did not bark or growl even once. Instead, she stood in the corner by the door and shook the entire time. She was scared to death.

My concern (besides her behavior which we are working on) is that the day care place seemed to have many dogs sitting by the door doing nothing. Aside from my dog and one other dog that were terrified, the rest seemed happy. However, there wasn't much socializing taking place. I never witnessed the dogs running around, playing or having fun. They were all basically standing around and when the main door would open, they would run over to their door to see if it was their owner. Is this typical of all day care type places? The place was clean and the three people that worked there were incredibly nice and seemed to love the animals.

Any other ideas on fixing this behavior would be appreciated. I am so afraid she is going to bite someone out of fear (she has never so much as nipped at anyone but I know it can easily happen with a fearful dog). I want to correct this behavior now or it is just going to get worse.

 

[horseshowmom]

My 13 month old dog needs to get more socialization. She has always been very skittish and as she is getting older, she is becoming worse. She barks at all the dogs and people that are walking in our neighborhood. She backs away from people that try and pet her. She makes a low growl when other dogs come near her. She went through two 7 week obedience classes and is finishing up a rally class now and while she does great with the commands, she still doesn't like the other people or dogs that are there. She is already enrolled in another obedience class because the dogs do more together in that class than they do in rally.

I am taking her to an all day workshop at the end of the month that specializes in aggressive dogs so I hope that will help.

Yesterday, I took her to a doggie day care place. She did not bark or growl even once. Instead, she stood in the corner by the door and shook the entire time. She was scared to death.

My concern (besides her behavior which we are working on) is that the day care place seemed to have many dogs sitting by the door doing nothing. Aside from my dog and one other dog that were terrified, the rest seemed happy. However, there wasn't much socializing taking place. I never witnessed the dogs running around, playing or having fun. They were all basically standing around and when the main door would open, they would run over to their door to see if it was their owner. Is this typical of all day care type places? The place was clean and the three people that worked there were incredibly nice and seemed to love the animals.

Any other ideas on fixing this behavior would be appreciated. I am so afraid she is going to bite someone out of fear (she has never so much as nipped at anyone but I know it can easily happen with a fearful dog). I want to correct this behavior now or it is just going to get worse.

First about the Day Care places. I've only used one, and it was PetSmart's Doggie Day Camp. It was absolutely wonderful. My dog loved it. They had a big window where you could see into the room where the dogs and workers were interacting, and they all seemed very happy.

Concerning the nerves, that was actually the reason I took my dog there. He's a rescue MinPin (he's two years old now, but I took him last Feb. when he was one), and he was scared of pretty much everybody but me (and it took a little while with me). I explained the situation to the workers, and they went above and beyond to make sure he was comfortable - very impressive. I can honestly say that I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. I was at an out of town conference, and he was thrilled to go back the next couple of days.

That said, his issues are only with people - not with other animals. He loves them (the more the better as far as he's concerned). That's where your situation differs. Mine will make the low growl if some people get too close, but he makes no effort to nip. Oddly enough, it's not even all people, some he really takes to - especially if they ignore him. He's been with us a year and a half now and has improved a lot, but he's just now gradually warming up to my husband.

It really makes you feel bad to see them that terrified, and you want to help them so much. I hope you can find the answer to help him.

 

[DMickey28]

Our daycare is a big gym like room and the dogs/workers have all sort of toys and interact and play. They are always running around, with at least one dog hanging off the fence looking out the window!

When they get smaller dogs, they pen off a large corner of the room for the little dogs.

The dogs go outside at set intervals and it's funny to watch them all run to the small back door. There are a lot of giant dogs are out daycare though ... mine is a Newfie, there is a Saint and a Leonberger. Most of the rest are large breed mixes.

 

[gillep]

We brought our beagle to Daycare when he was about 10 months old because of his fear agression issues with other dogs (loved all people). He had no previous experience with other dogs as he was a rescue that was never around other animals. We tried one daycare place and walked right out there were too many dogs in a tiny room and absolutly no direction given by the staff. The lady just grabbed Riley's leash and put him in the center of the pack where he freaked out. We did more reasearch and found a daycare facility that is staffed by trainers who also rehabilitate rescue dogs and have a very good reputation from many local rescue groups in our area. They first got to know Riley so that he was totally comfortable with him then slowly introduced him to the other dogs who already saw the trainers as their pack leader so they accepted this new dog that the trainers were bringing in. They corrected any behaviors they saw in him, and the other dogs that could set him off. After 7 hours with them he was playing with the other dogs and puppies. He was still a little fearful of some dogs on walks but we took it slow with him and now about a year later he is obsessed with playing with almost all other dogs in any situation. He goes to daycare once a week to keep up the socialization and stays there when we go on vacation.

Some daycare facilities are great and others are not you really need to do your homework and talk to the people running them about all aspects of the daycare and their training/experience with packs of dogs. Daycare made our dog the happy fun loving little guy he is today and we are so glad that we found the right fit for Riley.

ETA: Our daycare also has a pool that the trainer made for those hot D.C. days and a ton of toys and doggie beds, and the trainers are always there watching the dogs and playing various games with them.

 

[yoopermom]

My Olive is a fearful/reactive dog, much like yours. It sounds like you're on the right path. I wouldn't worry too much about the doggy daycare situation, because by sitting and watching she is learning normal doggy behavior (as long as all the rest aren't aggressive or fearful).

I think the hardest thing, as an owner, is not to reinforce the bad behavior of this type of dog. I had an excellent trainer once tell me that I must NEVER pet her/comfort her/croon to her, etc, when she's acting fearful. Ignore her, stay calm and outgoing yourself, and that will translate down the lead. Olive has been through two years of obedience/rally/agility, and still gets freaked out occasionally, but if I don't reinforce her unwanted behavior, she usually calms down pretty quickly.

However, be very careful not to put her into a position where she feels she can't "escape" except by biting or lashing out. If she's growling, that's one step from that and she MUST be redirected. A good animal behaviorist can help you work through it. When I taught dog obedience, I was bit at more by "fear biters" than by "aggressive" dogs. I hope your dog never gets to that stage.

And check carefully the credentials of whomever you're having come in that has experience with "aggressive" dogs. What breed is your dog? If the trainer tries to use pit bull/shepherd/rottie training techniques on other (more sensitive) breeds, run the other way (and take your dog with you).

Lastly, has she been spayed? Checked over for medical concerns? If she's not spayed, she could be coming into her first heat, and dogs have hormones just like we females do . Spaying will really calm them down, usually.

Good luck! It's a long, long path, but will be worth it in the end.
Terri

 

[luvwinnie]

Is he food motivated? We used treats at our trainer's suggestion to help our rescue bulldog associate people with something positive.

 

[2binak]

Is he food motivated? We used treats at our trainer's suggestion to help our rescue bulldog associate people with something positive.

We did this too, with the guidance of the owners of the no-kill shelter we got her from and the animal trainer at the Welfare Society. Our girl was beaten by a former male owner so she was afraid of men (to the point of trembling and pee accidents when they approached her) and she growled & snapped at every dog that was bigger than her. It took almost 2 years of constant positive reinforcement for her to finally be comfortable. We never forced her into a situation she was uncomfortable with either. We let her be the guide to how much interaction she was comfortable with.

She still growls at larger dogs from time to time, but it's a dominance thing now. It takes lots of love & tons of patience but it's sooooo worth it to be able to give a troubled animal a loving, happy life! hug to you OP!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

This is not a topic that can be easily written about. I could probably actually write a book myself about my own experiences (and successfully overcoming) living with a dog fearful/reactive with other dogs. (ETA there are many books on the subject if you google it.)

I also don't have much time right now so I'll need to make my points very brief here. (ETA )

a) Get her out of the doggie day care place now. She is not a normal dog (as it stands) and this is a sea of terror for her. This is not the place that is going to help make this better right now (or possibly ever). It will likely terrify her even more and this will only serve to reinforce this fear and fearful based behavior (which is what aggression often is).

b) Examine your own behavior to see if there is anything you're doing, intentionally or inadvertently, to reinforce her fears and behaviors. For instance, are you patting her or soothing her (which people very often do) when she acts this way? (You don't have to answer, just using as an example.) If so, this serves to reinforce.

c) Be careful not to develop the "Uh oh" response, which is your reaction to her behavior that kind of cues her in/encourages fearful reactions in her. (e.g. tightening up on leash, tensing up, saying Uh oh, etc.)

d) NEVER put her in a "face off" situation with anyone or other dogs.

Your work will need to focus on the following.

Getting her attention on YOU to look for direction in fearful situations using training and distraction.
You act normal and direct her to normal.
Praise good behavior.
She should ONLY be around dogs that are well behaved and well trained (with the exception of training classes with the trainer right there, of course). If she is chased or bitten by another dog then all the work you've done will go out the window faster than you can say boo - while she's young and in training. (And when dogs are running loose at dog parks and day cares this will inevitably happen.)
You'll be responsible for the safety of others she's around at all times.
Don't allow ANY interactions with people or animals in which you leave her to her own devices. You need to be there 24/7 to direct at all times, which is where and how her relearning will take place.
She should feel safe and know that nothing bad is going to happen, but at the same time learn that if it does, it will be ok (which comes with time and successful experiences). On walks, my leashed dog was often attacked by loose dogs, and I was proud of the way she learned to handle it (which was defensively, but not aggressively back; thankfully she's the type of dog who can defend herself - personally I always thought the dogs who came after her couldn't have been too bright, lol). Sometimes dominant or fearful dogs somehow (probably evolution based) "provoke" other, even generally friendly, dogs to come after them, especially in situations where they cannot fully defend themselves. So try your best to avoid those situations but if it happens (which it probably will, on walks IME, and definitely dog parks), handle it as if all's ok and no big deal, etc. Don't coddle whatever you do.
Continue with high quality training under controlled conditions.

It's not for the faint of heart but it can be done.

PS a dog does not have to have a history of being beaten or abused to become "fearful". It just takes the right circumstances and genetics to develop unwanted behaviors.

PPS this is also a PSA to people with friendly dogs to please keep them respectful of other dogs who are leashed and may be fearful or in training, etc.

One last PSA to people (not necessarily LisaR, but others reading) with young dogs who have natural "fear periods" that can be lastingly impressionable, that early experiences, whenever possible, should be good ones and early socialization of normal is critical.

Good luck, Lisa

 

[yoopermom]

Ditto everything Lisa said . This is really something that a professional can help you with, because s/he will analyze your interactions with the dog and help you BOTH.

I love my Olive, but I have to be aware every minute that we're out and about of her and her reactions to the world around her. (And we followed all the professional advice about when to and when not to socialize her when she was a puppy. The rest of the litter are extremely sociable and stable, but her...not so much.)

Good luck!

Terri

 

[LisaR]

Thanks everyone! Here are some more details about my troubled little puppy:

1. She is a Miniature Schnauzer and we also own a very well mannered, well behaved 7 y/o Miniature Schnauzer. The two dogs get along without any problems at all.

2. The breeder was questionable at best. Honestly, I knew I shouldn't have bought her but I just wanted to get her out of that house. I am 99.9% certain she was a meth dealer. The overwhelming smell of chemicals in that house worried me. I called my husband and explained the situation and we both felt I needed to buy the puppy for her own sake (she was the last one of the litter).

3. She was 10 weeks old when we got her and she was shaking uncontrollably while at the meth house and the entire drive home. She continued to shake off and on for a few days but that completely disappeared unless she is in a frightening (in her eyes) situation. While she has always startled easily if we dropped something or made a loud noise, the low growl thing has only started in the past 4 months or so. Really, it started when we started dog training and we discovered she didn't like any of the other dogs. We were hoping she would improve the more we went but it has been just the opposite. She LOVES going. The second I get her treat bag out, she starts freaking and can't wait to get in the car. She wags her little stub the entire drive and seems thrilled to be there until a dog comes up and tries to sniff her. She immediately growls and tries to hide behind me. If the dog barks she will bark right back in a not so nice tone.

4. She does not have any problem with any of us putting our hands in her food bowl while she is eating, touching her ears, legs, feet, etc. She never growls at us, doesn't shake and is really a ton of fun and well behaved most of the time.

5. She was fixed at 5 1/2 months and has had check ups and does not have any medical problems.

6. This is the big one: I must admit that she is much better behaved for DH. He does not put up with her crap. He is NOT abusive but he is much more firm than I am and he has given her harness a good yank to get her attention when she is in a full out bark and won't settle down. He walks her every morning and he says it is now rare that she barks at anyone. He didn't abuse her. She loves him and can't wait until he comes home from work but he showed her who the boss was early on and she seems to remember it. Now, he has zero control over her when someone comes into the house and she isn't on a leash. She will bark like crazy at my son's friend that comes over at least three days a week. Most of the time, she has wedged herself between the sofa and the wall and we can't even reach her. Yet, 10 minutes little she is lying on this kids lap, licking him and perfectly fine.

7. I know nothing about this workshop/trainer we are taking her to except word of mouth. I have talked to at least 6 people that have used her for various problems and all have glowing reviews. I am taking them at their word. This class will only have 8 dogs in it and it is designed for dogs like mine. The dogs needed to be screened first and truly aggressive dogs are not allowed. She does train dogs like that but will only do so with private lessons for the safety of others. All dogs must use a Gentle Leader. I just got ours in the mail 10 minutes ago so we are going to start practicing with it so she is comfortable by the end of the month when we attend the workshop.

Thanks for all the ideas/help. I have owned many dogs in my lifetime and fostered many more. I have never had one like this so I am trying to learn the right way to handle it so we don't have big problems when she gets older.

 

[sparklynails23]

If everybody is taking their fearful/aggressive dog to daycare, is that a safe place for other dogs that like to socialize?

 

[AmongMadPeople]

This is not a topic that can be easily written about. I could probably actually write a book myself about my own experiences (and successfully overcoming) living with a dog fearful/reactive with other dogs. (ETA there are many books on the subject if you google it.)

This is everything I wanted to say.

If everybody is taking their fearful/aggressive dog to daycare, is that a safe place for other dogs that like to socialize?

I don't know if you're referencing the workshop the OP will be attending (which sounds like a nightmare, IMO), or just asking in general. The facility I take my fearful dog to would not put her or other dogs in a situation that they can't handle. I trust them for that.

OP, I think you might try asking your vet for recommendations for trainers. Right now, taking her to a doggie day care with no trainer or plan of action isn't going to help. Really, I think you're going to need more help than a one day workshop. We've actively been working for two months with our fearful dog, and while she has made progress, she is far from perfect. But everything we do at the doggie facility is monitored by our trainer. There is hope and light at the end of the tunnel, you just need the right trainer in your corner first.

 

[LisaR]

OP, I think you might try asking your vet for recommendations for trainers. Right now, taking her to a doggie day care with no trainer or plan of action isn't going to help. Really, I think you're going to need more help than a one day workshop. We've actively been working for two months with our fearful dog, and while she has made progress, she is far from perfect. But everything we do at the doggie facility is monitored by our trainer. There is hope and light at the end of the tunnel, you just need the right trainer in your corner first.

Seriously? Where did this even come from? Where did I say I was taking her to a one day workshop and nothing else or that I expected that to be the miracle cure? As I already posted, I have been taking her to dog training for months and the trainers are doing everything they can to help both of us. I have taken her to the vet and have had an extensive exam to rule out any medical issues. I have tried ONE doggie day care session to see if that would make a difference. I have signed her up for a workshop that is specifically designed for dogs that have her exact problem. I am posting on here to get some other ideas of things I might be missing. I am doing everything I can actively do to prevent this from becoming a huge issue. Cut me some slack. You make it sound like I am taking her to some workshop, expect them to cure her in 7 hours, and don't plan on doing anything after that.

 

[LisaR]

If everybody is taking their fearful/aggressive dog to daycare, is that a safe place for other dogs that like to socialize?

I can't speak for all facilities but the place we tried yesterday did a temperament test on her before they would allow her in the small dog play area. She passed with flying colors. After passing that test, they took her in and held her while all the dogs sniffed her. Again, no problems there. They then allowed her to be free in the room with a person in there for at least the first ten minutes (staff is coming and going all the time but one person stays when a new dog is introduced). She was fine. Scared; but not aggressive. This place claims they have not had one injury of any sort since they opened for business 5 years ago. They take things seriously and I doubt most places want to risk their business by allowing aggressive animals in. I was very up front about her problems and my concerns. My dog showed zero signs of aggression the entire time she was there. They have a web cam so I watched her for quite awhile.

 

[rottiemom]

OP- you sound like an excellent dog owner .

When I first got my rescue girl Amber she was very fearful and would not interact with or play with other dogs. He reaction would be to bare her teeth. Pretty off putting in any dog, much less a rottweiler. Anyway, her basic obedience class was also led by a behaviorist and he gave us lots of excellent advice.

We do not take her among other dogs off leash. No dog parks, no daycare. I do take her out leashed as much as possible and interactions with other dogs are extremely brief and always end on a positive note. A quick sniff, then a "good girl!" and a treat. I never give the interaction time to go bad and never let my attention wander. She is getting praised for her brief, positive interaction with another dog so she learns that it's a good thing. She's come a long way in the 8 years that we've had her but to this day I still practice this with her. She still will not play with other dogs but she can be around them. Training classes are fine because she's focused on me.

She's a great girl but a quirky one and she's taken a lot of work ( but has been worth every last bit of it). Had she been my first rottie she would have been my last.

Good luck!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

3. She was 10 weeks old when we got her and she was shaking uncontrollably while at the meth house and the entire drive home. She continued to shake off and on for a few days but that completely disappeared unless she is in a frightening (in her eyes) situation.

This was right in the middle of a fear period. Good breeders often won't let you take a dog home at 10 weeks for this very reason.

Critical periods in your puppy’s psychological growth

If nothing else, it may help explain how it started. It would also be interesting to know how she was treated prior to your getting her.

The good news is that she is in another fear period now and good experiences will be helpful. It sounds like you're on the right track. I know exactly what type of class you're going to as we went to one for "special" dogs, too, with a well known trainer. It was there, actually, that I learned the art of distraction and the importance of keeping the dog looking at you. It is very difficult - if not impossible - to distract a dog during a full blown reaction so prevention is really important and being around dogs that the dog doesn't react to, at least while the dog is in training.

Rottiemom, it sounds like we're a lot alike.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

An article that will give you some idea of what to expect in training: http://www.canineuniversity.com/articles/behavior/behave_12.html

 

[LisaR]

OP- you sound like an excellent dog owner .

When I first got my rescue girl Amber she was very fearful and would not interact with or play with other dogs. He reaction would be to bare her teeth. Pretty off putting in any dog, much less a rottweiler. Anyway, her basic obedience class was also led by a behaviorist and he gave us lots of excellent advice.

We do not take her among other dogs off leash. No dog parks, no daycare. I do take her out leashed as much as possible and interactions with other dogs are extremely brief and always end on a positive note. A quick sniff, then a "good girl!" and a treat. I never give the interaction time to go bad and never let my attention wander. She is getting praised for her brief, positive interaction with another dog so she learns that it's a good thing. She's come a long way in the 8 years that we've had her but to this day I still practice this with her. She still will not play with other dogs but she can be around them. Training classes are fine because she's focused on me.

She's a great girl but a quirky one and she's taken a lot of work ( but has been worth every last bit of it). Had she been my first rottie she would have been my last.

Good luck!

Thanks!

This is a mistake I have made in the past. When she does something like you mentioned above, I am so happy that I let her linger for too long and something always goes wrong. I need to make sure I praise her quickly and move on.

An article that will give you some idea of what to expect in training: http://www.canineuniversity.com/articles/behavior/behave_12.html

Thanks! Great advice in that article.