Rescue dog affraid of everything

[flaviapgv]

Hello, everyone!

 

I have recently adopted a 4 month old puppy. He is very sweet, but also insecure and affraid of everything: loud noises, soft noises, people, my apartment's kitchen (he refuses to go inside it!)... When he first arrived home, he looked for the tinyest places to crawl into, and he would stay there no matter what. He is slowly becoming more comfortable around the house, whining less, hiding less, although he still does all of that. He already shows signs of affection, like licking, showing his belly, and, sometimes, we even play a little bit of tug-o-war. My main issue right now is leash training. He arrived home already potty trained (!): he would whine and pace around, and I'd take him out to potty. However, when we're out, he always pulls the leash, a lot! At home, when I take the leash, he cowers and refuses to get up. I always carry him out of the apartment. When we're finally out, he starts pulling. It seems like he knows where he wants to go, and he is leading me there. Sometimes I think he wants to go back to the vet clinic where he was adopted, since he lived there for months. Sometimes I think he is only scared of the surroundings and all the stimuli (I have also noticed that he pulls his ears back and put his tail between his legs). I have tried the heeling exercise proposed here, but he completely ignores the treats in my hand when we're out. If I offer him a treat after he pees or poops, he doesn't take it. And he keeps pulling. I don't know what to do. I'm afraid if I keep insisting on taking him out it will make matters worse, since I can tell our walks are not exactly pleasurable for him. But he still needs to go outside to potty. Any suggestions on how to act in this situation? I would highly appreciate your advice!

 

Thanks and best wishes to all!

[JMFS]

Aw, poor pup. Give him some ear scratches for me. :) I'm going to throw out a couple suggestions to get you started. To acclimate him to the leash indoors try having the leash in your hand and offering a treat so he begins associating the leash with treats. If that's still too much for him you might try putting the leash on the floor and giving him treats, moving the leash closer as he gains confidence and eventually moving it to your hand.

 

If he was at the vet's office then he was probably pretty well confined and now he's got this whole big world looming all around him and I'm thinking he'll need to be exposed to things bit-by-bit. You're not alone, though - and it can be addressed. :) Here's a post about noises and another fearful pooch: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/forum/showthread.php?222-Potty-training-halted-by-severe-phobias&highlight=threshold

 

For the pulling have you ever tried a front attachment harness? I absolute Love Gertie's. I couple it with this leash: https://www.petsmart.com/dog/collars-harnesses-and-leashes/leashes/kong-premium-pouch-and-bungee-dog-leash-48830.html and attach it only to the front loop (my harness has one on the top and the front). I can wear it around my waist so my hands are free for our walks. I bought mine at Petsmart without the bag and it was around $25 or 30 I believe. The harness I went with is the 2 Hounds Design Freedom No Pull Dog Harness & Leash. It comes with a leash that attaches to both loops for extra control.

Here are some other helpful links I dug up from another post. It dealt with a dog barking at other dogs, but each of the links can be applied to a fearful canine, too, because you're still dealing with behavior modification, just fear instead of aggression:

 

2) Familiarize yourself with the process of desensitization:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/m...sensitization/

 

3) Familiarize yourself with with process of counterconditioning:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/m...rconditioning/

 

4) Here are other helpful behavior modification terms/methods to get accustomed to:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/m...-modification/

 

5) Practice "look at that" first by looking at dogs passing by a window, and then progress to walks:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/m.../look-at-that/

 

6) Practice attention heeling first at home, then yard, then on walks, then at a distance from other dogs:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/m...ntion-heeling/

 

 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi and welcome to the forums!

It sounds like your fur baby is getting gradually better, which is good. Baby steps. Training in the home and brain games can help boost his confidence.

What type of treats are you using?

When your puppy pulls is he sort of walking in a zig-zag manner pulling in different directions? Does he pull to go back home?

How often is he taken out? It sounds like you must take him on walks to go potty, is that correct? No yard? Thanks, these extra details come handy.

 

Here is a read on tackling fear of noises, which I call the 'hear that method" It is based on desensitization and counterconditioning: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/fear-noises/

Edited August 31, 2019 by Adrienne Farricelli

[flaviapgv]

Aw, poor pup. Give him some ear scratches for me. :) I'm going to throw out a couple suggestions to get you started. To acclimate him to the leash indoors try having the leash in your hand and offering a treat so he begins associating the leash with treats. If that's still too much for him you might try putting the leash on the floor and giving him treats, moving the leash closer as he gains confidence and eventually moving it to your hand.

 

If he was at the vet's office then he was probably pretty well confined and now he's got this whole big world looming all around him and I'm thinking he'll need to be exposed to things bit-by-bit. You're not alone, though - and it can be addressed. :) Here's a post about noises and another fearful pooch: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/forum/showthread.php?222-Potty-training-halted-by-severe-phobias&highlight=threshold

 

For the pulling have you ever tried a front attachment harness? I absolute Love Gertie's. I couple it with this leash: https://www.petsmart.com/dog/collars-harnesses-and-leashes/leashes/kong-premium-pouch-and-bungee-dog-leash-48830.html and attach it only to the front loop (my harness has one on the top and the front). I can wear it around my waist so my hands are free for our walks. I bought mine at Petsmart without the bag and it was around $25 or 30 I believe. The harness I went with is the 2 Hounds Design Freedom No Pull Dog Harness & Leash. It comes with a leash that attaches to both loops for extra control.

Here are some other helpful links I dug up from another post. It dealt with a dog barking at other dogs, but each of the links can be applied to a fearful canine, too, because you're still dealing with behavior modification, just fear instead of aggression:

 

2) Familiarize yourself with the process of desensitization:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/m...sensitization/

 

3) Familiarize yourself with with process of counterconditioning:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/m...rconditioning/

 

4) Here are other helpful behavior modification terms/methods to get accustomed to:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/m...-modification/

 

5) Practice "look at that" first by looking at dogs passing by a window, and then progress to walks:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/m.../look-at-that/

 

6) Practice attention heeling first at home, then yard, then on walks, then at a distance from other dogs:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/m...ntion-heeling/

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, Jennifer! Thanks for all the tips! I went to the store today and found the harness you recommended,but unfortunately they didn't have it available for his size. :/ Meanwhile, we're trying the heeling exercise inside the house. I'm confident he will overcome his fears! Thanks again!

[flaviapgv]

Hi and welcome to the forums!

It sounds like your fur baby is getting gradually better, which is good. Baby steps. Training in the home and brain games can help boost his confidence.

What type of treats are you using?

When your puppy pulls is he sort of walking in a zig-zag manner pulling in different directions? Does he pull to go back home?

How often is he taken out? It sounds like you must take him on walks to go potty, is that correct? No yard? Thanks, these extra details come handy.

 

Here is a read on tackling fear of noises, which I call the 'hear that method" It is based on desensitization and counterconditioning: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/fear-noises/

 

Hey, Adrienne! Thanks for your reply! I'm using natural bite sized soft treats. They're called Nats (I'm from Brazil, don't know if the the brand is known elsewhere). And, yes, he is pulling in a zig-zag manner! What does this mean? He only pulls to go back home when we're already close to the building gates.

 

I take him out three times a day: first thing in the morning and after the afternoon meal and dinner. I live in an apartment and unfortunatelly I have no yard. I plan on taking him to the dog park near my building, but I'm still not feeling secure to do so since he is not very obedient yet... haha

 

Thanks again!

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Thanks for the details!

Sometimes we need some experimenting to find the right treats that grab the pup's attention. Of course, if your puppy is too over threshold, no type of treat will work, but if we can find a type that gets him really excited and is capable of grabbing his interest a bit when he is mildly stressed just at the border of him being under the threshold, that would be a step forward.

 

Here is a read about threshold levels in dogs:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/using-jolly-routine-fearful-dogs/

 

If you make the time before the potty trips rather dull and boring and then once outdoors, turn these trips into a "jolly routine" during which you praise and give the high value treats, there are chances, that with time, you may see a little emotional change. This method is based on counterconditioning. Here is the jolly routine article:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/using-jolly-routine-fearful-dogs/

 

Here is a general guide on dealing with fearful rescue dogs:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/helping-fearful-rescue-dog/

 

When we see dogs walking in a zig-zag manner that's often a sign that the dog's emotions are taking control of the walk. A dog who is fearful may pull ahead, then lag behind as he's overstimulated by all the sights and sounds. We can see this in happy dogs who are just overstimulated (or dogs who just need to be trained to heel) but it's mostly seen in fearful dogs if they also have the ears flattened back, tail between the legs accompanied by a hypervigilant look (the dog's gaze is oriented to face all the surrounding triggers). This latter dog is confused and overwhelmed.

 

It helps walking in areas that are less overwhelming and by offering high-value treats every time something that concerns the dog pops up. These fellows as mentioned therefore thrive on a well planned desensitization and counterconditioning program.

Edited September 2, 2019 by Adrienne Farricelli

[flaviapgv]

Thanks for the details!

Sometimes we need some experimenting to find the right treats that grab the pup's attention. Of course, if your puppy is too over threshold, no type of treat will work, but if we can find a type that gets him really excited and is capable of grabbing his interest a bit when he is mildly stressed just at the border of him being under the threshold, that would be a step forward.

 

Here is a read about threshold levels in dogs:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/using-jolly-routine-fearful-dogs/

 

If you make the time before the potty trips rather dull and boring and then once outdoors, turn these trips into a "jolly routine" during which you praise and give the high value treats, there are chances, that with time, you may see a little emotional change. This method is based on counterconditioning. Here is the jolly routine article:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/using-jolly-routine-fearful-dogs/

 

Here is a general guide on dealing with fearful rescue dogs:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/helping-fearful-rescue-dog/

 

When we see dogs walking in a zig-zag manner that's often a sign that the dog's emotions are taking control of the walk. A dog who is fearful may pull ahead, then lag behind as he's overstimulated by all the sights and sounds. We can see this in happy dogs who are just overstimulated (or dogs who just need to be trained to heel) but it's mostly seen in fearful dogs if they also have the ears flattened back, tail between the legs accompanied by a hypervigilant look (the dog's gaze is oriented to face all the surrounding triggers). This latter dog is confused and overwhelmed.

 

It helps walking in areas that are less overwhelming and by offering high-value treats every time something that concerns the dog pops up. These fellows as mentioned therefore thrive on a well planned desensitization and counterconditioning program.

 

 

Thanks, Adrienne! Your description of a fearful dog on walks matches my dog perfectly. I read all the articles you suggested and I'm starting to experiment with the treats. So far, chicken didn't do the trick. Next step, hot dogs.

 

Thanks again!

[Adrienne Farricelli]

You're very welcome. If your dog is refusing treats, remember that it's a sign that your dog is over threshold. So try to take little steps, (like just sticking to walks close to home or walking in quiet areas at first). You can even start creating positive associations by the door area at first, give a treat there, then opening the door, give treat with door open, then exit just outside the door, give treat and see up to where you can go where the pup is taking treats. That can give you an idea of the area your pup feels a little bit safer so that you can work on gradually expanding that. Make great things happen outside, praise, treats, and then once in, no more treats/praise for a bit to make an impact.

 

If you are trying hot dogs, make sure they are low sodium and being organic is a plus. Make small pieces so not to cause an upset tummy with too much. Other high value treats are freeze-dried liver, Red Barn Natural rolls and Fresh Pet rolls in the refrigerated aisle which you can cut in small pieces and offer them on walks. Sometimes, in the morning when the dog is on an empty stomach, these treats may appear more appetizing.

[flaviapgv]

You're very welcome. If your dog is refusing treats, remember that it's a sign that your dog is over threshold. So try to take little steps, (like just sticking to walks close to home or walking in quiet areas at first). You can even start creating positive associations by the door area at first, give a treat there, then opening the door, give treat with door open, then exit just outside the door, give treat and see up to where you can go where the pup is taking treats. That can give you an idea of the area your pup feels a little bit safer so that you can work on gradually expanding that. Make great things happen outside, praise, treats, and then once in, no more treats/praise for a bit to make an impact.

 

If you are trying hot dogs, make sure they are low sodium and being organic is a plus. Make small pieces so not to cause an upset tummy with too much. Other high value treats are freeze-dried liver, Red Barn Natural rolls and Fresh Pet rolls in the refrigerated aisle which you can cut in small pieces and offer them on walks. Sometimes, in the morning when the dog is on an empty stomach, these treats may appear more appetizing.

 

Hey, Adrienne!

 

I tried the hot dogs and he only accepts them inside the apartment. Once we're through the door, he refuses them. Also, I have to carry him out, because when I put the harness on him, he lies on the floor and refuses to get up. It's obvious he doesn't want to go outside. The thing is he needs to go out to potty, and I live in a busy street. I've read in one of your articles that sometimes is best not to force it and set up a place for the pup to potty inside the house if he is too scared to go out. Maybe this is the case? Also following your advice I scheduled an appointment with a behaviour specialist in my city so they can assess him in person. I don't know if they will give me any different information from what I have already learned here, but it's worth the shot! Maybe I'll post the outcome here should it help anyone else.

 

Thanks! :)

[JMFS]

 

Maybe I'll post the outcome here should it help anyone else.

 

 

Yes, please! It would definitely help. It's encouraging to others because trainers can be cost prohibitive and seeing success stories reinforces the value of the help they give us. Plus, we care and it's nice to see follow ups! :)

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hey, Adrienne!

 

I tried the hot dogs and he only accepts them inside the apartment. Once we're through the door, he refuses them. Also, I have to carry him out, because when I put the harness on him, he lies on the floor and refuses to get up. It's obvious he doesn't want to go outside. The thing is he needs to go out to potty, and I live in a busy street. I've read in one of your articles that sometimes is best not to force it and set up a place for the pup to potty inside the house if he is too scared to go out. Maybe this is the case? Also following your advice I scheduled an appointment with a behaviour specialist in my city so they can assess him in person. I don't know if they will give me any different information from what I have already learned here, but it's worth the shot! Maybe I'll post the outcome here should it help anyone else.

 

Thanks! :)

 

If your puppy eagerly eats hot dogs in the home, but then once outside he refuses them, then yes, he's over threshold. Sometimes it may be worthy trying other foods to see how he responds, however, pushing it can mean creating setbacks. One a side note, my last batch of puppies I fostered and trained were reacting so-so with chicken and a variety of treats I tried, but were crazy for licking the jar of Gerber 2nd Foods Chicken & Gravy Baby Food (always make sure baby food has no onion or garlic as ingredients). This seemed like the only food that really helped them overcome their initial hesitation in being crated (and they needed to learn really fast because they had to be adopted the subsequent week already).

 

Here's the thing: if we allow our dogs to be scared because we expose them to situations at levels they are not ready for, that risks more deeply reinforcing their belief that the world is a scary place and this may cause setbacks. By minimizing any panic-inducing situations, we create an important safety and trust base which paves the path towards behavior modification.

 

Now, you mention that upon putting the harness on, he just lies on the floor and refuses to get up. This sounds like a case of learned helplessness. In other words, the dog just gives up as he is too scared of interacting with the environment so just flops over and refuses to budge. It is also possible that the harness exerts a compounding effect on the fear of the outdoors, causing two fears to combine and intertwine.

 

This is can happen when puppies haven't habituated well to wearing a harness or when the dog may fear the outdoors, but then the fear generalizes to the gear worn as it predicts going outside. This is the total opposite of dogs who act crazy and super excited upon seeing the leash.

 

Again, this requires baby steps of creating positive associations in this case focusing on wearing it initially inside the home. For instance, you would start by rewarding your dog for looking at the harness, then sniffing it, then for targeting it, then for placing the head though the straps that go over the head (or stepping in it, if it's the type that doesn't require the head to go though it), then for hearing the sound of the buckle, then for feeling it buckle and unbuckled, then for wearing it a few seconds, then for wearing it for longer times (during which you can play with your dog or feed him his meals) and so forth until you see a conditioned emotional response to it (happy face, tail wag upon seeing the harness).

 

On a side note: I have known some pups who resent harnesses and do better with collars. They just disliked the feeling of pressure on various parts of the body and they just freeze. However, with fearful dogs, regular collars may not work well because they can easily back out of them if they get scared. A martingale collar may work better--something to discuss with the professional you will work with to determine if this may be a better option based on personal observations.

 

Make sure as well to teach your puppy how to give in to leash pressure, rather than resisting it, by feeding treats every time your puppy takes a step forward upon feeling slight pressure. Many pups who lie on the floor do so because they dislike the sensation of being pulled and this triggers their opposition reflex (dogs are naturally inclined to pull away when they feel resistance rather than given unless taught otherwise) or they the may just freeze into learned helplessness.

 

Back to the fear of the outdoors, as mentioned, working on this issue requires creating positive associations and you may need a multi-faceted approach. You can start indoors with the "hear that' method if your puppy is scared of outdoor noises and then you can progress by letting him look out of window at stimuli and feeding tasty treats (see the Look at That exercise in the Brain Training exercises) and then progress to the door in several small sessions. Feed tasty treats by the door that leads to the outside. Then, once he's comfortable with that, open the door a little bit, and feed tasty treats, then close the door and no more treats. Open the door a little more, feed treats and then close it and no more treats. Also, make sure to praise and reward any voluntary exploratory behaviors (looking outside, sticking his head out, approaching the doorway).

 

When you get to the point where your puppy goes outside or sticks to the border, make him feel safe by keeping the door to the indoors open, enabling him to retreat back inside if he ever feels overwhelmed. You can sit down outside with him and feed him treats and lots of praise. Keep the sessions short and fun.

 

Once outside, start very slow, e.g. stick to just walking around right in front of your house, feed treats, then go back inside after a few seconds and no more treats inside. Slowly start increasing the time outside and the distance you’re able to go. If at anytime your dog is scared or won't take treats, your dog is over threshold, you’ve pushed too far and need to back up a step in the process.

 

Here are some other tips/ideas that come to mind:

 

-Avoid practicing/walking your puppy when it is particularly noisy (peak hours of traffic, when the school bus comes by, trash day etc.).

 

-Aim to boost your puppy's confidence at home through training (in particular clicker training, free shaping as mentioned in the clicker training section of the course) and mental stimulation (brain games/nosework, foraging, interactive toys). Praise and reward your puppy when he takes initiative and engages in explorative behaviors (walking up steps or unstable surfaces, approaching an upside-down chair, opened umbrella, approaching anything etc.)

 

-Some puppies become a little more bold if they are walked with another dog (preferably a play mate) who has a happy demeanor and walks outside with confidence.

 

-Since your puppy is struggling even with hot dogs and it's difficult to find a way to keep him under threshold, as you work on your puppy's confidence and creating positive associations by the door, yes, you may have to rely on an indoor potty station (if your puppy will use it.) You mentioned he was already potty trained, does this mean outside or on puppy pads? If outside, he may struggle going to pads and you will have to weigh the pros and cons of having a puppy scared to potty outside and having a puppy holding it for too long and getting distressed. Sometimes, a middle ground can work, for instance bringing him out to potty, but not far out, like just in front of the door or under the porch (you can fill a children's baby pool with some dirt/grass cuttings or whatever surface he uses outside).

 

If he was trained with puppy pads, then things are easier, you can start with a play pen/ exercise pen with pee pads placed in a central location where your puppy feels safe. As your pup gains more confidence, you can move the play pen/exercise pen with the pee pads closer and closer to the door that you'll be using for going outside to potty and on walks.

 

While the professional (make sure he uses force- free behavior modification methods to prevent any further stress) you consult with may provide similar advice provided here (or maybe has other tricks up his/her sleeve), you are always at an advantage working with a pro in person because they can observe your puppy's body language, help you gauge how much you can progress in a given session and guide you through behavior modification in a step-by-step fashion based on how your puppy responds. Not to mention, we all learn differently, and if you are a visual learner, you may greatly benefit from having the professional doing some demos in person to show you exactly what to do with your pup versus seeing info typed on a screen and imagining abstract exercises.

 

As a plus, if you can consult with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist i(f you have any in your area) he or she can, not only can assess the puppy and possibly do a comprehensive functional behavior analysis (compile a list of your puppy's triggers if you can so that you have everything covered), but as a plus, can determine if any supplements/medications may be warranted based on your puppy's specific situation and he or she can prescribe them too. Some pups (although seldom) need some calming aids/meds to take the edge off just enough to help them cognitively function so you can increase the span for behavior modification to successfully 'take.'

 

Yes, please keep us posted on how it goes!

Best, Adrienne

Edited September 13, 2019 by Adrienne Farricelli