I Have Given Up Trying To Change Smokey

[lizbud]

Smokey will be 8 yrs old this summer & I've tried to help him gain
confidence & become a less fearfull dog. Things might be going along
great for a few weeks & then suddenly it's like he's right back to his old
fearful behaviors. He spooked yesterday when we went for a walk,
and ran under my legs while trying to get away from two young boys
who happened to come up behind us on the sidewalk.

I've tried every thing I can think of, and nothing has helped long term.
It's becoming too dangerous to walk him anymore. I've had two falls this
week because of his spooky behavior & I'm not a spring chicken anymore.

So it's official, I quit trying to make any difference with him. Smokey
can be so sweet sometimes, but he is the strangest dog I've ever met.

[Giselle]

I must have missed your posts on Smokey. What are his fear problems and have you been able to pinpoint his triggers?

Any step forward is a giant leap of progression Be proud of what you've already accomplished!

[lizbud]

I must have missed your posts on Smokey. What are his fear problems and have you been able to pinpoint his triggers?

Any step forward is a giant leap of progression Be proud of what you've already accomplished!

I haven't posted to much about his problems. I got him a 7-8 weeks old,
so he's lived with me all of his life. He has always been a shy dog but I
thought he could grow & gain some confidence. Like I said , he appears
pretty normal for a week or so, & then he's back to a dog who is afraid
to go outside by himself. Even if I am out too, he will still stand close to
the back door to be the first one back inside. It seems every
thing outside the house is a trigger. It's something I've never experienced
with any other dog. It's been 8 yrs, and I feel with Smokey, I haven't
accomplished anything. I cannot help him be a less fearful dog.

[Giselle]

So, was he socialized as a young puppy? How about as an adult?

What techniques have you tried specifically? I.e. have you done desensitization and counter conditioning or just gradual adult socialization?

Fearful dogs, when not inhibited by a serious mental illness or deficiency, are fairly straightforward to re-train and rehabilitate. Don't give up hope yet

[Catty1]

Talk to your vet about using medication short-term; Smokey might be better at being trained with its help.

Or, he may need to be on it for life. Something quite mild that won't hurt kidneys or liver.

Even something like Rescue Remedy.

[bckrazy]

Lizbud, I really, truly feel for you and I can empathize. Gonzo is going to be 8 this summer... and although he has come a long way in many aspects, sometimes I feel like I haven't accomplished anything with him in years. I have to remind myself that training is an ongoing process, and sometimes I need to just start fresh and go back to basic stuff to give both of us a confidence boost.

Clicker training has helped me immensely. Just understanding how to shape behaviors, without any force or stress involved for either of us, has really changed how I think about training. I highly recommend getting a few good books by a few good, respectable trainers and just reading them and starting from a clean slate. Keep working with Smokey, because as much as you love him, he is worth the effort and he has many more years left to learn.

Here are a few AMAZING books that have really helped me with my insecure little guy:
http://www.amazon.com/Click-Calm-Hea.../dp/1890948209
http://www.amazon.com/Scaredy-Unders...AASD65JN4EKNY1
http://www.amazon.com/Cautious-Canin...ref=pd_sim_b_7