New adopted doodle.

[Lynette Main]

I just adopted a 15 month doodle.She is very scared of everything except my other two doodles.It seems like she wants to be a part of everything but is really scared around people.I can see fright in her eyes.I could use some help from other doodle adopted parents on how to help this little girl not be afraid  of us.She is afraid of doors so I stand on the other side of the deck when we want her to come in. She'll run out ok  though.My husband calls her JET. Her real name is Aja.    H e l p

[todd]

like others have said, make her feel safe. no loud noises or yelling, she'll be fine.

we got piper from a family with a child with emotional problems that was really rough with him. prior to that he was in a cage at a mall pet store for 4 months. he was very much in a shell and afraid of everything. but months later he was much more normal and expressive, and a year later he's perfect. very affectionate, makes great eye contact and shows no fear.

some of things that i think were good for him: playing fetch, learning commands, walking him and letting him sleep in our room.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My Jack had a lot of fear issues when I first adopted him at 14 months old. I was lucky to find a trainer who came to my home to assess him, and then suggested a small (4 dogs) beginning obedience/socialization class for us. It was a rewards based class where we worked on very simple things like sit, down, stay, and basic loose-leash walking. We also had weekly assignments to take our dogs out to public places at least three times a week.

In the beginning, Jack was so frightened of everything outside our home, he practically crawled down the street. If a bird made a loud sound, he jumped. We just kept going out walking. I was told not to say "It's okay" when he acted frightened, or anything that would imply there was actually something to be concerned about. Instead, I was told to speak to him in a very upbeat voice and use a lot of "good boys"...things that built up his confidence. We also arranged regular visits to the vet's office and just sat in the waiting room while the staff approached Jack with praise and treats, we did the same at the groomer's. We visited pet supply stores at quieter times of day. Later, we graduated to more hectic places. We made friends with a few very well-adjusted calm dogs in our neighborhood and visited them often. The more he got out and became accustomed to different places, people, and things, the more comfortable he became in his own skin. The key is giving her lots of exposure to controlled situations involving other people where you know it will be a positive experience, encouraging but never forcing her, and giving lots of praise and rewards for any little progress she makes.

I now have a very confident dog, and you will, too. It just takes time, patience, and consistency. She needs to learn to trust and feel safe, and that takes time. It's very important to keep to a routine as much as possible. Dogs feel safest when they know what to expect, day in and day out.

Good luck, and thanks for giving Aja a home.

(PS: I forgive you for stealing the name I planned to give my next female dog, lol. )

 

[Lynette Main]

Thank you to everyone !!! The coments were wonderful. It sure helps toknow that someone else has gone through this. Aja licked my hand today when I was sitting on the couch  .That was great.She still jets around the house though. Thank God for my other doodles.They are really helping her toget used to us.  Thanks again doodle lovers...               

[Lynette Main]

Aja is coming up to us now and wagging her tail.Its wonderful,she finally trusts us.The paw comes up for treats but she won't take them.She turns her head.The wagging of the tail was a big step.We love her so much and maybe now she loves us.We started obedience and she was great.Sat when we stopped walking ,just like she was suppose to do.