Making a scared dog brave?!

[Ranyhyn]

My little JRT boy Roly was attacked by a terrier (bad example of the breed if you ask me!) when he was 7months old. As a result of this he's become very scared of unknown dogs. He's ok if they leave him alone and he's rather friendly when they are playful, but if they come over to him to sniff him up he screams and cowers(!) so sad to see as the bitch who has been brought up the same as him, loves meeting new dogs while he's scared

No other dog has since, been nasty to him, so was hoping he would grow out of it when he realised but sadly not, a Samoyed came over to him the other day whilst on a long walk and he cried so pitifully I ended up having to pick him up as everyone was looking (bad move I know!)

Help please to make him feel braver?

Kitz

 

[flying solo]

My friend who has a collie had the exact same problem. She took ben to training classes (he didn't need them) just to socialise and we went out walking with my two as much as possible and now he is much better. Not cured yet but is no longer snapping at other dogs. Walking him with anonther confident dog will help loads.

 

[CAYLA]

As above training classes, poss puppy ones if u can still get him in and lots of free play with a group of similar sized dogs to begin with, whilst you stand and chat, and usually the more timid/fearful dog will run back to mammys legs, mammy has to mingle and walk around and ignore any anxious advances from the dog, he will react very different on a lead to which he would in free running with some non threatening dogs, obs u have to place him on a lead as u dont know what the other dogs intention is, but training class should give u a chance to let him run free if he chooses with the other dogs.
This is the bonus with having a large pack with a mixture of mutts, I can always re socialise a fearful dog, everyone need their own pack

Whre you cannot control other peoples dogs and there approaching yours, which in your little dogs case some will no doubt dispaly over selous tendancies which un nerve him, try and distract him with a positive, treat/toy, whislt you boot the approaching dog (messing) but some dogs approaching do require a little nudge with the tip of a boot

 

[Ranyhyn]

He's a really darling little dog, he hasn't got a nasty bone in his body and up until 7months he loved other dogs but after that its taught him anything taking a big interest in him - shouldn't be trusted! I think I could still get him into classes - could always lie and say he's not 3 this year

We have a lovely park and last week he met a Great Dane and retrievers and a GSD which he was fab with, but it was because they weren't greatly interested him HIM - as soon as they come bounding onto him with great gusto he looses his nerve!

I'll make some enquiries into training with some small dogs to get him grinning again

 

[MurphysMinder]

You shouldn't have any problem getting him into training classes, they don't usually have age restrictions. I started Buffy when she was 6 years old, she had a total crisis in confidence after I lost her mum , I took her training purely to socialise not for training as such, and it did help, although with hindsight it is possible she had poor eyesight even then which wouldn't have helped her.

 

[Kellys Heroes]

We had the same but it made our GSD very dog aggressive
Training, training, training!!
Hopefully if your boy can be socialised lots and made to realise that not every dog is going to attack him, he'll start to come round very soon. You shouldn't have a problem at all getting him into classes.
Good luck x