How to help a frightened dog.
Penny, a Miniature Poodle, was adopted by my wonderful clients. If you need help, ask questions if you have them!
Penny was adopted three weeks before they contacted me. Penny lived in female-only home first two years - breeding dog.
When adopted:
She was shy with Mom but terrified of all men
When in Dad’s office she would bolt out when he opened the door
She would not take treats from Dad
Mom and Dad tried great strategies.
Dad dropped lunch meat when walking by
Dad fed her
They went slow and did not force her to be near anyone
They ignored her, did not make eye contact
When I arrived, Penny wanted nothing to do with me. She did not bark, but darted back and forth in the house, peeking around corners to look at me. If I moved, she would dart away. She only got within 15 feet of me the entire visit.
My suggestions:
Go slow. There is NO way to push her past her comfort zone. If she panics when a person is near her, her anxiety will get worse
Continue the work above, and never force pets with Mom holding her while someone else pets her. Penny needs to make the decision to come closer
Talk to vet about Prozac. That has worked well for my clients for over 20 years
What they did:
Got a prescription for Prozac (Fluoxetine).
They had unbelievable patience and went very slow and did not force Penny to be near them.
They constantly monitored her stress levels. If she took treats she was comfortable. If not, she was stressed and they backed off.
They got Betty (black dog) and that seemed to make Penny more comfortable. Note: sometimes that can backfire and you can end up with two nervous dogs.
Prozac made a noticeable difference. Penny is still a bit shy, but the difference is incredible. She seems more relaxed, Dad can pet her and she is making huge strides.
The strategies are not difficult, but require extreme patience and attention to detail. If you ever push a nervous dog past her comfort zone, she can get more nervous and possibly even get aggressive.
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