Is my dog a scaredy-cat?

[Erin]

Ok, here's the deal. My husband and I are first time dog owners. We finally bought a house and moved to a place where a larger breed would be appropriate. We adopted a Hershey, a chocolate labradoodle from a shelter. She is a little over a year old, and came from a family with lots of little kids, and they just didn't have time to care for her anymore. She is such a sweetheart and totally well behaved in the house. However, I don't think her former owners gave her much interaction with other dogs or strangers. So living in town, and walking everyday through neighborhoods is a new thing for her. She's getting better about meeting new people. Sometimes she growls and has even barked once or twice - but then usually starts to sniff and lick and show affection. With meeting dogs, or even seeing another dog its a different story. If the dog is chained and barking at her, she starts to cry and get frantic and usually tries to run away. If the dog is loose and just wanders up to her, she acts nervous, doesn't bark or whine, but isn't very social. Is this just "normal" for some dogs?

Being that this is our first dog, I'm worried that my poor puppy is just being traumatized every time we meet another dog. We give treats and praise when we meet new people, should we try this when meeting new dogs? What can I do to help her be more social? Any advice would be helpful.

[Erin]

Ok, that's what I've been doing :o) My husband thinks I'm funny cause I talk to random dogs, and now I talk to our dog - I generally let her stop, look at the dog, speak to her in happy tones, and say, let's go! - and we continue on our walk.

(and after four months, I've definitely caught my husband having conversations with our dog...heehee...)

[Scott Chalkley]

How long have you had Hershey? What was she like when she was at the shelter with other dogs? It may be that she is just getting adjusted to her new surroundings. But it sounds like either your pup was not socialized properly or something happened to your doodle that made her fearful of new people and dogs. It sounds like you are doing everything right to acclimate her to your lifestyle with positive reinforcement. Just take it slow and easy. You may want to check into finding a behavioral modification trainer to work with her if her behavior towards other animals and humans doesn't seem to be getting any better. But remember that dogs like humans have their good days and bad days with trainings.

It will seem like a lot to take on as a first time dog owner but you seem to have the right mentality to help this puppy become a healthy member of your family.

[Erin]

We actually didn't meet her before she came to us. Got her on petfinder.com, and spoke at length with the woman who ran the shelter about her. She told us she was shy and that she just didn't get out of the yard much. It sounds like she had lots of exercise and fun in a fenced in yard, just not much opportunity to meet new people and new dogs.

Her behavior towards humans has never been aggressive, I'm just trying to figure out what a low growl means - when 30 seconds later she approaches them and licks their hands.

[Adina P]

Hi Erin,

If her previous owners did not give her much interaction/socialization it is possible that is the reason she is like this. I have a local friend with a doodle who she got at the age of 5 weeks as a gift from a relative. WAY too young. So this pup did NOT grow up with dogs and really had NO idea she was a dog. First time she met MY two she freaked out!! Cried, hid, cowered, ran under chairs...totally not normal dog behavior--just terrified. But how else would she be growing up with humans only...essentially? She may have been naturally a submissive dog and coupled with little dog-dog experience...she just didn't know who she was.

My opinion is that training works miracles in this area, if done correctly. When training a dog -- to really have a well trained dog one needs to work the dog in MANY situations. Starting with easy ones and working up to tougher ones. Adding/using distractions up to the dog's ability to handle them or at least learn from them. Usually people think of distractions as simply things the dog is interested in...things the dog is tempted by.

BUT good distractions can also be what the dog is afraid of...to a degree where you KNOW the dog is actually safe (so the fear is only in his mind and not based on something terrible actually about to happen).

Essentially training teaches the dog that WHEN she listens to you, focuses on you, and obeys commands..ALL IS GOOD. The approaching dog is NOT going to kill her. The barking dog is NOT going to kill her. The person coming near to say hello is also NOT going to kill her.

So via training...the dog gains confidence because obedience training gives her some sense of control and consistency. She sees YOU as trustworthy and thus can relax, knowing all will be well because you are in charge and wont ask of her anything dangerous.

If she is solid in "heel", for example, she can NOT run away or hide or cower...because none of those things are compatible with heeling. IF she's supposed to be in a sit-stay...she also can't do those other things because sitting and staying is incompatible with being frantic, or hiding.

So you see it gives her a job or something to do and she learns that IN doing that she is fine, safe, happy, and all is well in the world.

Of course all this has to be done gradually and correctly and is BEST done with a professional trainer. Have you attended any obedience classes with her?

[Erin]

Yeah. She's good on the recall about 75% of the time. And then something catches her eye, and she's got selective hearing. She did puppy obedience with her previous owners. So far she's very solid on sit and lay down. And with hand commands. :o) Whenever she's confused about what we're asking her to do - she sits. Could be worse...

We definitely plan on doing training with her - we've been looking into different kinds of programs, and have been talking with a woman who does obedience, therapy, agility, etc.

I think you're right about Hershey not knowing she's a dog... She neeeeeeeds to be near people, if we put her on the lead out on the yard while we're gardening, and we walk out of her sight - she howls! Considering she only barks once when the doorbell rings, and never for anything else - we think she's the best behaved dog ever. We just want her to be happy and enjoy playing with other doggies.

[Adina P]

Good for you for planning on more obedience. Puppy classes don't make a dog 'trained' they just help you deal with puppy issues.

It's that 25% that needs to be ironed out...where she something else catches her eye. SOLID is when there is a dog barking through a fence and she will sit, stay, heel or come all on the side walk next to the fence. When a dog can walk by her and she won't break sit or stay or heel.

DISCLAIMER: even though I talk big...my dogs are not all 100% either =) But I love training theory =)

[Jessica]

That's interesting Adina - I guess that's what we did with Finn (see below); de-sensitized him by exposing him to his fear in a safe environment. We were probably able to handle it without a professional because Finn's fear was comparitively small - he was not from a deprived background. I do think his fear was exagerated in my mind, and by my fear too in retrospect. (I'm still not great around shovel-heads).

[Jessica]

Too right Ann; if dogs on chains start barking at me I start crying, get frantic and try to run away! My little dog Finn, also from the countryside used to be a wee bit nervous around town and other doggies, especially the bigger ones. On walks if he encountered a big dog he would freeze, and then run, iniating a chase, where he would be chased round and round with his tail between his legs and squealing like a piggy being slaughtered. Very alarming for all concerned. The cure; we took him to the dog park every single night all summer. We made sure we/he had lots of happy distractions, balls & chuckit, cookies, squeakers, and made sure he had lots and lots of chasing fun with us. We also broke every rule and picked him up if he got chased too much - or at least let him sit on a bench! We also made sure he had a bolt hole - so off leash where possible. I can't say it would work for everyone but it worked for Finn. Today on his walk in the woods he encountered 2 enormous Bouviers (one I learned was 120lbs); it had the head of a shovel, and Finny actually ran right up to it to say hello! When it gruffed he pulled back, but then chased off after it!!! He and I both would have been a heap on the floor a few months ago. Good luck with your doggy. (Ps. I am a first time dog owner too - and was a scared one, I'm sure Finn picked up on that).

[Erin]

Funny... I was always the kid who tried to "make friends" with the angry barking dogs...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hi Erin:
Rescues sometimes need to be handled a little differently than well-bred dogs who go directly from breeder to owner. Undersocialization and fear issues seem to go hand-in-hand for many of our dogs, including mine. It takes a little more patience and a little more time, but the rewards are great. You may also want to join the Rescued Doodles group here on DK, where you will read the stories of a lot of our dogs who have experienced the same issues as Hershey.

[Jessica]

Yes Keli, I guess day care would be similar to the dog park - plus the owner wouldn't be there to project their fear into the situation - not that that happens with you Erin. I was thinking about me and Finn.

[Erin]

Jessica, I know what you mean. I just think its funny that I think I like dogs more than my dog likes dogs.

Thanks for all your advice everyone! Hershey is going to a day-care/kennel for three days, starting tomorrow. We had a "trial run" with some other doggies there, and she did fine... Maybe it's just when she on a leash? This place allows the dogs to run and play together outside all day, supervised and played with by the owner. Then they are in cages at night. The owner is definitely aware of my concerns, and "interviews" all doggies before they are allowed to play together. I'll be sure to report back!