Nervous with people and dogs

Rubysmum · #1 09-02-12, 06:40 PM

Hi ive got an 18 month old German shepherd called ruby who for some reason has a fear of people and other dogs, with people what she does is basically bark at them back away but if they then talk to her she will go straight to them but obviously with her barking alot of people move away from her so she realised barking means people dont touch. Also shes very fearful of other dogs,I think this has come from being a pup,when she was 6 months old a dog on the beach kept trying to mount her so I put her on a lead while the other dogs owner just left him to it,what happens now is if she sees a dog she just barks at it,at the moment I'm trying to get her to focus on a ball instead of the dog which is working quite well. She has been to training classes since 4 months old so she has been socialised with other dogs but even now at training she sti barks.
Does anyone have any advice or tips to try and get her to overcome these problems and make her more confident???

wildmoor · #2 09-02-12, 09:43 PM

have a read of this pdf from the Humane Society you may find t useful
http://www.apsofdurham.org/dogs/Calm...ful%20Dogs.pdf

sometimes it is the genetics andd she may never be 100%
what was the sire and particular the dam like?

Stuart · #3 09-02-12, 09:59 PM

Welcome to the forum,

Has Ruby been to any sort of classes?, if not I would suggest thats the way forward in order to socialise her properly,... and even if she has been at some point, I would still suggest going back for more,.... its people and dogs she needs to meet so she can start to feel confident with them

wildmoor · #4 09-02-12, 10:01 PM

Stuart Rubysmum said she has been taking since 4 month old and still barks in the class

Stuart · #5 09-02-12, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildmoor

Stuart Rubysmum said she has been taking since 4 month old and still barks in the class

Thats what I get for trying to rush down the threads before getting off to bed,..sorry Rubysmum,.. thanks Pam

LOVEGSD · #6 10-02-12, 11:17 AM

I've heard really good reports about these being used with anxious dogs....could be worth a try?

Thundershirt | The Best Dog Anxiety Treatment

Rubysmum · #7 10-02-12, 11:32 AM

Thanks for all the replies,Wildmoor we went to meet her parents before ruby was born and they were both very confident,ruby was a very condifdent puppy,I don't think the episode with the dog on the beach has helped her regarding dogs but with people I really don't know what it is,she's been socialised from such a young age. I take her to the woods daily obviously keeping her on a lead when other dogs are about and some dogs she won't bark at and some she will. She has been to a behaviourist but she got to the stage where she was petrified of him,the worst I've ever seen her with anyone,she just kept trying to hide from him. I was thinking of trying agility with her as I've heard it can help with confidence.

kita · #8 10-02-12, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rubysmum

She has been to a behaviourist but she got to the stage where she was petrified of him,the worst I've ever seen her with anyone,she just kept trying to hide from him.

What did he advise you to do?

Has she been spayed, if so at what age?

What do you feed her on?

The incident with the other dog should not have made her nervous of people.

Sue

Rubysmum · #9 10-02-12, 12:13 PM

He didn't advise us what to do with people,with dogs he just said tell her no and if she starts to react put her in a down, someone shes never met had just been round our house and what she did was bark at the lady but kept going to her but if there was any sudden movements she jumped back but then within 5 minutes ruby was allowing the lady to stroke her and stopped the barking.
She was spayed when she was 1 and shes fed on burns.