Nervous Doodles

[Ashleigh, Belle, and Jasper]

I need advice on how to get my two doodles more comfortable around new people and dogs. This problem is probably my fault for not getting them out and about when they were younger.. If my doodles know you, they will cover you with kisses and try to climb up on your lap. If they don't, then they bark and try to hide/run away. Meeting new dogs is a little better than people. If we're at home, I introduce my doods one at a time so they don't gang up on the visiting dog. In public (the one time I tried), they'd bark at new dogs then take off trying to run away. I would love for them to me more at ease with new people/dogs. I'm afraid to just load them up and take them to petsmart or something since they get scared. I don't think they'd bite at all, but having new people run up and pet them makes ME nervous :) .

To add to my problems, my youngest doodle Jasper (9 months) has been diagnosed with cataracts. The vet told me I should expose him to everything I could think of (places/sights/smells/people), so when he does lose his sight he won't be so nervous with his surroundings/experiences.

Sorry about the long post, but if anyone does have any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it!! Thanks!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Like others have said work them separately.  Will your dh work with one while you work with the other at least some of the time?  If so, you could go to the same places but separate from each other when you arrive.  Go every day, even if it is for 15 minutes (although longer is better). If you are the only one to socialize them, they will each get every other day. 

Go to places where people are.  Park by a school at dismissal time and just sit there in the car with the dog(s).  Once comfortable (however long that takes, get out and hold the dog on the leash as the kids walk by. Walk/Stand/Sit in front of a store - grocery stores are great for this.  When you walk the dog, drive someplace different for the walk.  Expose the dogs to sounds and business -  traffic, trains, airports if possible, parks, kids' sport games. When you go to the park, begin away from the action and gradually get closer as the dog is more comfortable.

When our dog had surgery, we were able to get a credit card just for dogs (ours is from Wells Fargo and called a Wellness card).  I found out about it at the Vet specialists.  They know that their procedures cost a lot of money. We had the choice of two cards: one was no interest for 6 months and the other was for low interest over a longer period of time. If this is something you could do, it would enable you to get Jasper's surgery a little sooner.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is wonderful advice, Nancy. I did many of these things with JD to socialize him after I adopted him. He was 14 months old and terribly undersocialized, but our work paid off and he has been a happy camper almost everywhere we go for many years now. So as others have said, older dogs can definitely be successfully socialized.

Regarding paying for the cataract surgery, most veterinary specialty centers, which would likely be where the opthamalogist would practice and where the surgery would be performed, offer Care Credit. These days, it isn't always easy for people to afford expensive surgical procedures for their pets, and the clinics understand this. This might be another way to get the surgery done sooner.

Some info on Care Credit:  http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/

[Ashleigh, Belle, and Jasper]

Either my sister or my hubby could help me with Belle/Jasper. I like the idea of still taking them to town together, but going two different directions. They don't like to be left at home without the other one to keep them company. Getting a card would be less stressful than having to wait and save up.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Please keep us posted as to your progress both socially and medically.  We tend to get involved with this stuff and want to know how everything is going.  You might want to join the training group and make a discussion on your progress.

[Ashleigh, Belle, and Jasper]

Will do :) . Jasper has a vet visit this week for blood work to try and find a cause of the cataracts and double check that surgery is an option. I plan on taking the dogs on a "field trip" Thursday or Friday.