Very Scared Husky

[charmaine]

This is how i actually came across this site. I was hunting on the internet 4 some answers 4 Kaili's problem. She is 8 mnths old and has always loved her walks from a 8 week old pup. Bout a month or so ago she became very nervous especially when she saw or heard a truck. I read up that something must of happened and I know it makes sense, but 4 the life of me i don't know what. There's someone at home 80% of the time and i do realize we cant be with them all the time, so something could have scared her when we werent there. I was just wondering if anyone has experienced this and what can i do 2 help her. We still take her out with Skylah every day 4 walks, but the minute she starts getting uncomfortable and starts whimpering and pulling back, 1 of us go back home with her. I read that u musnt try and comfort them, and thats very hard 4 me cos the first thing i want 2 do is hold and soothe her. Any advice will be very welcome.

[Bec]

How old is she? Is it just loud noises like trucks that spook her?

[Sarah]

Aww poor thing.

I think the first thing you need to do is take something with you to distract her - be it food if she's food motivated or a toy that she LOVES.

Is it any vehicle or just big noisy trucks? If it's any vehicle - maybe get a friend to drive by slowly, get her to sit and keep her focus on you - reward with toys / treats and give lots of fuss but ONLY when she is not showing signs of being anxious or fearful. If you reward this negative behaviour all you end up doing is re-enforcing it and it'll get worse.

I know it's hard, they're like your children and you have such a strong bond with them, but you need to take a step back maybe pretend this ISN'T your dog for a few mins, and don't look into their melting eyes lol

[mbb23]

Hey ya Charmaine,

sorry dont really know much about this but have you thought about getting intouch with a Dog behaviourist/ Trainer to see if they could give you some tips and advice on what to do. You might have to retrain your sibe back to the basics and take out for short walks with treats and lots of ressurance and every day do a little bit more then what you done the day befor.

Sorry I might be wrong so double cheek with somone in the know but it might help build your sibes confidence up again. Let us know how you get on

Good luck

[charmaine]

She is 8 months now. mostly loud noises, but also if she sees someone walking in the distance she'll start 2 pull away, but nothing like when she sees a truck.

[charmaine]

She is fine with vehicles, only trucks...4 the last week we have stopped trying 2 comfort her, but it is very, very hard 2 be firm when she is obviously so scared. we havent tried taking treats with us. thanx 4 the suggestion, will definitely try it 2night.

[charmaine]

Hi Mary. thanx 4 advice. any if helpful and appreciated. what i do is as soon as she starts getting nervous, i turn back. we only manage 2 get about 50 metres sometimes, but i am willing 2 take things as slow as necessary as long as it helps her get over her fears.

[Bec]

She is 8 months now. mostly loud noises, but also if she sees someone walking in the distance she'll start 2 pull away, but nothing like when she sees a truck.

Hmmm - dogs do go through a secondary fear period from 8 months where sounds etc that didn't previously bother them can spook them more easily.

I would seriously consider consulting a reputable and experienced trainer/behaviourist, this behaviour if not handled properly can definitely get worse.

[Bec]

Just to add to my last post - I would be very careful with treats because with the wrong timing you could reward her for her timid behaviour. This is why consulting a professional helps because they can show you how to handle your dog properly when she exhibits this behaviour and how to boost her confidence. I would be having fun with her dog when there is a noise/something that bothers her, what does she enjoy? What does she go wild for? Is it food or a toy?

[charmaine]

Hmmm - dogs do go through a secondary fear period from 8 months where sounds etc that didn't previously bother them can spook them more easily.

I would seriously consider consulting a reputable and experienced trainer/behaviourist, this behaviour if not handled properly can definitely get worse.

Thanx 4 advise. I got a few cards from my vet of behavourists, but they dont particularly work with husky's so was a bit worried 2 take a chance. My vet doesnt know ao anybody that works with husky's so i am looking around. Just dont want 2 take her 2 someone that doesnt understand this breed and it gets worse.

[charmaine]

Just to add to my last post - I would be very careful with treats because with the wrong timing you could reward her for her timid behaviour. This is why consulting a professional helps because they can show you how to handle your dog properly when she exhibits this behaviour and how to boost her confidence. I would be having fun with her dog when there is a noise/something that bothers her, what does she enjoy? What does she go wild for? Is it food or a toy?

She loves playing with the soccer ball so what we do is while we kicking it around 4 her, we'll let it hit the garage door, but even though she'll jump slightly still nothing like if she even sees a truck. My husband works from home and he uses a lot of power tools so from a pup she's been around noise. vacuuming doesnt scare her 4 example.

[Bec]

Thanx 4 advise. I got a few cards from my vet of behavourists, but they dont particularly work with husky's so was a bit worried 2 take a chance. My vet doesnt know ao anybody that works with husky's so i am looking around. Just dont want 2 take her 2 someone that doesnt understand this breed and it gets worse.

I would contact the behaviourists and ask them about the problems you are having and see what kind of vibe you get from them.

Not many trainers/behaviourists work strictly with one breed, it's their approach to dog training that's important. While experience with the breed is always beneficial, they should look at each dog as an individual anyway as each dog is different.

When I first met the trainer I work with she commented on how calm and well mannered Micha is 'for a Siberian', lol!

[Ice and Cripton]

Firstly never give in! Whether you see that she is scared or nervous, dont turn back, dont give her treats or praise, but do ignore her. Puppies go through fear stages, one i beleive is around 3-4 months and the others can be up until the dog is 2 years. Its always best the younger the puppy to experience new things and people. Alaska used to be scared of large objects that move, e.g. the posts mans carrier, the wheelie bins:rolleyes: I just pulled her on and kept walking!!

You need:

A tight collar, preferably a nice thick, comfortable one that offers you good control.

When she shy's away and acts scared you correct that behaviour and tug the lead and keep walking. If you want to help her you must ignore her, dont feel sorry for her or she'll know. Soon she will see her pack (you and your another dog) and more importantly her alpha (i.e.you) and she will you not even noticing and she will soon ignore it as well >>>> She may be a bit shifty but at least she wont act scared anymore.

When we got Balto at 5 months, from the day he was born he was never leash trained or even collar trained. He would whimper and shy away when we put the collar on and he would dig all fours into the ground and not budge on walks. >> My approach...tough!!!! Get moving!!!! There was nothing to be afraid of, in my eyes he was being naughty >> half of it was fear, the other half was him being manipulative. Proof of this is he would dig his heels in on walks but when he knew he was coming back he would be pulling me back >>> he wanted his own way and i wasn't going to feed his insecurity.

I cant give real training advice all i can say is what i did >> I kept walking and ignored the behaviour.

Maybe going to a dog trainer would help you a great deal, good luck:byebye:

[Bec]

JMO but I would be very very careful about correcting/punishing a dog that was exhibiting serious fear/anxiety or stress. Remember we are working with a dog who is lacking confidence so we need to be careful not to make that lack of confidence even worse.

[Ice and Cripton]

JMO but I would be very very careful about correcting/punishing a dog that was exhibiting serious fear/anxiety or stress. Remember we are working with a dog who is lacking confidence so we need to be careful not to make that lack of confidence even worse.

I agree, however making a correction is different to punishing the dog. The correction is allowing the dog's brain to calm down, it also shows them the behaviour they are exhibiting is unwanted to the situation in hand. By all means i was not suggesting tugging the poor girl around >> The best way i can describe is when Cesar does it (lol ..isn't he great). I don't know if you have seen the episode with the couple living in New York? They had a baby and a female Eskimo/Collie cross who was also scared of walks >> She would shy away, tug back on the lead and cause a real scene. He would gently yet affectively tug on the lead in the direction he wishes to go in, he carried on walking and ignore her behaviour. In no time he got her walking normally again >>> That's what i meant by correction. I did the same thing with Balto who was also scared of walks, he is now a confident boy in all situations:party:

But yes thanks for allowing me to clarify so not to confuse, one's energy must be calm yet assertive, no punishment, no correction driven by agitation. A simple correction and ignoring certain behaviour is vital >>> What else can you do, giving this unwanted behaviour attention will only worsen the situation.

[Ice and Cripton]

oooh Bec - And whats JMO? lol ...

[Bec]

I agree, however making a correction is different to punishing the dog. The correction is allowing the dog's brain to calm down, it also shows them the behaviour they are exhibiting is unwanted to the situation in hand. By all means i was not suggesting tugging the poor girl around >> The best way i can describe is when Cesar does it (lol ..isn't he great). I don't know if you have seen the episode with the couple living in New York? They had a baby and a female Eskimo/Collie cross who was also scared of walks >> She would shy away, tug back on the lead and cause a real scene. He would gently yet affectively tug on the lead in the direction he wishes to go in, he carried on walking and ignore her behaviour. In no time he got her walking normally again >>> That's what i meant by correction. I did the same thing with Balto who was also scared of walks, he is now a confident boy in all situations:party:

Corrections don't necessarily allow a dog's brain to calm down - for example, you can correct a dog who is defense drive all you like but often the dog doesn't even feel the correction because their level of arousal and their adrenalin is so high.

I don't use corrections to "calm" my dogs. I use corrections to get my dogs attention and/or mark undesirable behaviour. It's important to understand how correcting a dog who is suffering from a lack of confidence and is exhibiting anxious and fearful behaviour can make their behaviour worse, as you are reinforcing their fear. I'm not saying your suggested method is wrong Ice, just that we need to be very cautious if that is the right method for this dog or any dog for that matter that is suffering from anxiety.

The benefit that I see in giving corrections is that it is a way to communicate to your dog and let them know they have done the wrong thing. Do I want to put that pressure on a dog who is lacking confidence and is anxious or going into avoidance? In most cases probably not.

But yes thanks for allowing me to clarify so not to confuse, one's energy must be calm yet assertive, no punishment, no correction driven by agitation. A simple correction and ignoring certain behaviour is vital >>> What else can you do, giving this unwanted behaviour attention will only worsen the situation.

I agree that we should project calm assertive 'vibes' so that the dog doesn't pick up on our anxiety or frustration as that can feed their fear. I would certainly be doing a 'check' on my leadership to make sure I am doing everything properly so my dog has trust and confidence in me and that there isn't any problems there. However, I disagree that giving the dog a correction is 'vital' or necessarily the best way to handle the situation

There is plenty you can do that doesn't involve feeding the dog's fear. I would personally be working on boosting the dog's confidence in that situation. If it were me, I would be using my command for drive work so the dog knows fun times are coming and use it to get the dog focusing on something positive and enjoyable, using the noise (but on a lower intensity to start with) in the background. All hypothetical of course though as without seeing the dog in question you can never be sure exactly what the problem is nor what the best method would be to manage the problem.

[Bec]

oooh Bec - And whats JMO? lol ...

LOL - it stands for 'just my opinion'

[Ice and Cripton]

Corrections don't necessarily allow a dog's brain to calm down - for example, you can correct a dog who is defense drive all you like but often the dog doesn't even feel the correction because their level of arousal and their adrenalin is so high.

I don't use corrections to "calm" my dogs. I use corrections to get my dogs attention and/or mark undesirable behaviour. It's important to understand how correcting a dog who is suffering from a lack of confidence and is exhibiting anxious and fearful behaviour can make their behaviour worse, as you are reinforcing their fear. I'm not saying your suggested method is wrong Ice, just that we need to be very cautious if that is the right method for this dog or any dog for that matter that is suffering from anxiety.

The benefit that I see in giving corrections is that it is a way to communicate to your dog and let them know they have done the wrong thing. Do I want to put that pressure on a dog who is lacking confidence and is anxious or going into avoidance? In most cases probably not.

I agree that we should project calm assertive 'vibes' so that the dog doesn't pick up on our anxiety or frustration as that can feed their fear. I would certainly be doing a 'check' on my leadership to make sure I am doing everything properly so my dog has trust and confidence in me and that there isn't any problems there. However, I disagree that giving the dog a correction is 'vital' or necessarily the best way to handle the situation

There is plenty you can do that doesn't involve feeding the dog's fear. I would personally be working on boosting the dog's confidence in that situation. If it were me, I would be using my command for drive work so the dog knows fun times are coming and use it to get the dog focusing on something positive and enjoyable, using the noise (but on a lower intensity to start with) in the background. All hypothetical of course though as without seeing the dog in question you can never be sure exactly what the problem is nor what the best method would be to manage the problem.

Okay, so you would train the dog in that situation? If so that could work, making the dog work for a treat whilst the sound is in the background, therefore getting the dogs attention on you, resulting in the dog being rewarded. I really do see your point, Balto was being half scared and half " I dont want to walk so im going to use my weight" >>> When we went to training i taught him to jump on the training table, second time around he decided all that jumping wasn't for him so he shy'd away and dug his heels in >>> His answer for everything lol

I think the case with Cesar was also the dog "acting" scared, the result of a spoilt dog acting in accordance to habitual behaviour.

I guess as you suggested before, seeing a dog trainer, i really hope the she gets condfient around trucks again:confused: I hated it when Alaska acted nervous, i did feel a little sorry for her plus rather confused by her strange fear of something she passes everyday!! Alaska is fine now and i am inclined to believe with maturity they get a lot more relexed.

Again Charmaine, i really hope she gets better xx

LOL - it stands for 'just my opinion'

Oh okeee, lol, im guessing i should have known that:o

[Bec]

Ice, I do know what you mean - there could very well be a difference between a dog who is genuinely fearful/stressed/anxious and one who has learnt that it is behaviour they can win with and use it to get their own way. I guess that's why seeing a dog in real life is useful, so you can work out which it is!

[Ice and Cripton]

Ice, I do know what you mean - there could very well be a difference between a dog who is genuinely fearful/stressed/anxious and one who has learnt that it is behaviour they can win with and use it to get their own way. I guess that's why seeing a dog in real life is useful, so you can work out which it is!

Defiantly;) Im off to bed:rolleyes:

Charmaine plz keep us posted:)

[Arooroomom]

When we first got Cheyenne she would freak out totally if a loud car would pass by (someone dumped her in her crate on the highway when she was 8 weeks). She's fine now, but it took some work. We used distracting her. Every time a car would come by we'd squeak her squeaky toy and throw it a few feet. By the time she got to it the car had passed and the walk continued. The food is good as well, but try not to feed it to her as she's starting to get frightened. Don't want to encourage that.

[Ice and Cripton]

Great advice Kristina, added to rep

[siberian_wolf]

Hey Charmaine

I have to agree with Bec (Smeagle) and Sarah I think you would be best to consult a behaviourist about this, would be the best way to help her without causing more problems.

Be careful when looking for one as some behaviourists dont really know what they are doing or will approach the problem in the "wrong mannor" - or to put is simply, they will usually know if you are not sure what is wrong and so many "inexperienced" or "unqualified" behaviourists will normally use this to their advantage! I was going to take Gizmo to a behaviourist when he was younger as he started to show signs of becoming dominant aggressive to other dogs and Bec (smeagle) gave me a few good links with plenty of information on there about choosing and finding and good behaviourist, will see if I can find the info for you

Bec, do you have the information to hand at all?

[Bec]

Can't remember exactly what it was LOL but here is what I would look for (or look out for!):

1) Any trainer you use should always explain what they are going to do before he does it. No trainer should use a method or technique on your dog that, once explained clearly, makes you uncomfortable. The trainer should have a lesson plan and should explain this to you clearly.

Do not be fooled by trainers who uses the 'trade secret' excuse for not allowing you to watch, be present or participate in your dog's training. There are no trade secrets in dog training, dog training is about experience and knowledge, not secrets. This includes those types of 'dog camps' or boarding kennels that take your dog for a week or two and train it for you. Training is about training the owner, not the dog, and most of the time you spend with a good trainer will largely be learning theory so that you know the reasons behind the practical training, and can understand your dog better. The practical part is the easy part!

2) The trainer should not be impatient or bring any anger into the training sessions. Patience is the key to good dog training!

3) It goes without saying that no one should ever hit your dog or be directly cruel to it. If you see a trainer doing something to your dog that upsets you, do not say to yourself 'this will be the last time I use this trainer' - stop it then and there. Don't let people guilt you into training with them - this goes for both trainers who are physically abusive to the dog and trainers who are purely positive and guilt you about using corrections or training that doesn't fit within their limited purely positive scope. No trainer should need to emotionally black mail clients to keep them.

4) Generally I don't advise going to franchises like Bark Busters etc. Dog training is only as good as the trainer, and within a franchise they can vary in experience and knowledge. Another thing to keep in mind is that many dog training franchises, "trainers" only need to buy a franchise, complete what is normally a 2-4 week course in dog training and then they are considered "qualified".

I don't want a trainer who has only completed a franchise course of maybe a month, I want a trainer who has many years experience in dog training and behaviour and has worked with a range of different dogs - and a trainer who is always willing to expand their learning and knowledge base.

5) When it comes to methods you want to go to a trainer who is well versed in a variety of dog training methods. I generally don't use purely positive trainers for that reason, while I use reward based training a trainer needs to have many tools in their toolbox as no two dogs are the same, and no one method will work with all dogs.