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Our 7 month old golden lab is proving to be a bit of a problem child compared to our 3 year old black lab. We've had her from a pup and as far as we know she's had no bad experiences but she's extremely nervous around people she doesn't know very well - you'd think she'd been beaten by the way she behaves. She's gained a bit of confidence with dogs and is absolutely fine with our other dog but just won't go near or trust anyone except a small number of people who she's in regular contact with. If we stop to chat with other dog walkers we have to put her on the lead as she looks like she's about to do a runner. She'll then hide behind my legs until we've moved on. We've tried introducing her to people whilst out but she's not interested and it doesn't seem to help.
Any tips on bringing her out of her shell or do we just accept we have the doggie equivalent of an antisocial teenager. I'm worried she'll run off one day or this will turn into aggressiveness in later life.
I'm glad to hear you are concerned about this and want to do the best by her. Patience will be key though. Remember, it's not that your dog is giving you a hard time, it's that your dog is having a hard time.
You may be able to work this out yourself eventually but it could be more time efficient to see a behaviourist. Being a lab, I assume she loves food. Just lots of praise and encouragement, and lots of treats around new people.
Perhaps TJ gave her a kicking as he rode past. As above, book a session with a behaviourist, it should send you in the right direction.
Lots of exposure to people, in a controlled and positive way (positive for the dog, so she sees other people as a good thing). So as above, behaviourist who understands the dog and can advise how to build this confidence.
Is she from working stock? If so, there might be some really good gundog trainers in your area who can give advice.
Ours was very similar.
We'd keep treats on us for training and would ask randoms we met to take a treat and give it to the dog.
Bike riders, guys on motorbikes, walkers etc.
Seemed to work for us.
Already been said but....
Socialise
Socialise
and more Socialising would be my approach.
GIve her time and make sure she has lots and lots of positive experience 😀
Thanks all, she's very 'food orientated' so I'll try the treat approach.
We had planned to take her to puppy classes but when we explained her demeanor to the guy running the class (also a behaviorist) he advised against it and recommended we have a couple of one to ones with him first. He was a little expensive to be honest and we weren't convinced it would be effective.
Has anyone had success using a behaviorist? and any recommendations for one near Gateshead/Newcastle?
Just realised you've started a dog thread with no photo, burn him, BURN HIM!!!!!
Go on then
Ours has been similar for years. She got to about two before she tolerated strangers & mostly refused to interact with them (other than kids) despite lots of socialising, then again, she's been similar with dogs. If one of us picks her up she's happy for anyone else to make a fuss of her.
Behaviourist said it was probably something to do with being the 'runt' of the litter as she is tiny & quiet compared with her brothers. We've tried all sorts & it's taken until recently (she's now 8!) for her to just chill out around other people.
Over the years the best reactions we've ever had from her were when people got down to her level which, as a Patterdale, is quite difficult. We've been told over & over dogs have no comprehension of size but I see this, and the fact that she's always been good with kids, as possibly part of the issue. Sorry, not much help but patience & a chat with a behaviourist may hold the key for you guys.
She's gorgeous btw.
Has anyone had success using a behaviorist? and any recommendations for one near Gateshead/Newcastle?
We have had success with a behaviourist a couple of times with dogs when we weren't making much progress ourselves. It's just them using their experience and pointing you in the right direction to work on really. They need to see the dog in the fur though, help on the net will only get you so far, unless it's a really simple issue. I'd say it was worth a try if the timid behaviour continues. Sorry, not local to you so can't make a recommendation. We just talked to the local dog owners we met to get a recommendation.
We have a 2 year old Chocolate Lab, he was also nervous around other people, but his nervousness would lead to him barking at them. He's also nervous at home and can behave very timid. We've had him from a pup, he comes from working stock (farm dog / hunting background).
Socialising worked for us. Not just with humans, but we would go for a walk with other dog owners - he would see how other older dogs behave and learn what was correct. We also did the treat trick, when chatting to people while out we would ask them to give him a treat, he seems to like to do a couple of "tricks" for his treats - so the other people would play with him and he knew he was going to get a couple of treats for it. We regularly walk with an older lab who is very much the boss, so he seems to have learned his behaviours from the older dog.
He's gotten much better lately, I can take him with me on the trails now as he no longer barks at strangers and will happily go over to them if called. He still barks at people at home and still shows signs of nervousness, he's jumpy, if we drop something on the floor he runs and hides under the table.
He was also the runt of the litter, which is the reason we chose him. He's a lot smaller then the rest of his family and has a white streak on his chest, a trait some breeders used to try to breed out as its not desirable - so we had to pick him.
We have similar with our little spaniel - when we first got her as a puppy she was absolutely fine (even once coming across a council worker with a big engine-powered leaf blower roaring away that didn't phase her). But she had a couple of encounters with the dogs of badly-behaved owners (I won't blame the dogs) which made her more timid and now, at two years old, she can be a bit painful on walks – if she sees anyone behind her she constantly looks behind (like she is worried about them being there) and if they have a dog she'll often just sit/become very submissive as they get closer or run quickly past them. But then, as the other dog moves away, she'll go running back towards them to sniff and say hello!
She also generally shies away from anyone wanting to pet her (especially men) but when she's at home she is very loving, wanting attention etc and, in general, is happy for anyone to pet her.
She also comes across as very 'nosey' - she'll stop and watch anything she sees that isn't normal (for example, someone riding a bike across a school field or someone walking with a walking stick) which I guess is just her being cautious.
I try to encourage her (positive voice, petting, congratulating good behaviour etc) but she doesn't seem to be getting any better.
We have similar with our little spaniel – when we first got her as a puppy she was absolutely fine (even once coming across a council worker with a big engine-powered leaf blower roaring away that didn’t phase her). But she had a couple of encounters with the dogs of badly-behaved owners (I won’t blame the dogs) which made her more timid and now, at two years old, she can be a bit painful on walks – if she sees anyone behind her she constantly looks behind (like she is worried about them being there) and if they have a dog she’ll often just sit/become very submissive as they get closer or run quickly past them. But then, as the other dog moves away, she’ll go running back towards them to sniff and say hello!
She also generally shies away from anyone wanting to pet her (especially men) but when she’s at home she is very loving, wanting attention etc and, in general, is happy for anyone to pet her.
She also comes across as very ‘nosey’ – she’ll stop and watch anything she sees that isn’t normal (for example, someone riding a bike across a school field or someone walking with a walking stick) which I guess is just her being cautious.
I try to encourage her (positive voice, petting, congratulating good behaviour etc) but she doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
Except for the dog encounters (we can't think of anything in her life that's triggered this), you've described our dog's behavior to a tee. She really doesn't like men but is a little better with women and children. She's managed to make friends with another golden lab who we regularly meet whilst out and loves to play but any other dog her tail is right between her legs and she looks ready to make a run for it. Ended up having a go at a stupid dog owner who thought it was okay to let her 3 yappy little shits off the lead surround my dogs and aggressively bark at them. My older one wasn't that bothered but Jess was about to make a run for home before I got her on the lead. This isn't the norm by the way and hasn't really happened before so doesn't explain why she's like this.
I'll happily borrow her and help her learn to love people! In a house with 10 people, 9 of whom absolutely love dogs, she'll be showered with affection.
sorry, other than that, there is nothing I can offer.
Haha thanks for the offer, you'd maybe think twice though if you saw how much hair is being shed at the moment. Never had a blonde one before, the hairs stand out a lot more and are absolutely everywhere.
I can recommend some good gundog trainers in the north east - not begaviourists per se, but folk who’ve trained a lot of dogs and are A Panel judges for field trials. They really understand dogs and certainly wouldn’t be a wasted phone call for a chat before committing to anything. Out Hexham way though rather than Gatesheeeed. Email in profile...
Was some years ago now but we used a behaviourist called Carrie Evans who has a centre in Stockton-on-Tees. She worked wonders with our derranged ( but very lovable - now sadly gone) Lab/Collie cross.
http://capbt.org/findabehaviourist.php
http://www.abtcouncil.org.uk/accredited-animal-behaviourists.html