Wimpy dog

[Louby]

Hi, we are first time dog owners and have a gorgeous Lurcher. Hes 2 1/2 now and weve had him since he was 8 wks old. He is brilliant in every way and so well behaved but he can be a total wimp. He is scared of most children, hides behind us but he loves my friends nephew??, he has recently become scared of a sweeping brush and goes and sulks in the hay room. He is spoilt, we love him to bits but he does nothing wrong for us to show him whos 'in charge'. If you tell him to get down, come here, get out or whatever, he does it, hes just a bit soft. How do I give him more confidence? I dont make an issue if he reacts to anything I just carry on as normal.
He mixes with other dogs, goes out and about no problem but at times anyone would think we beat him up, which of course we dont

 

[CAYLA]

The ebst way to give confidence is frequent interaction with the fearful stimuli with a positive associator, as you are you need to ignore his anxious responses and reward his calm response.
sometimes giving an escape route from the situation will see the behaviour repeated, my rotti was a complete scardey cat to everyhting from the hoover to a baby gate, I have used food for her as she is greedy as hell, so to call her near the object, esp baby gate, she is now fed right near it everyday, as I have one on my second stair.
Balls and high reward toys can also be a good aid for distraction whislt stimuli is going on in the back ground.
Try offering him a positive associator and place him near the brush to eat it, then literally move it and place it back without even trying to sweep up, until you can eventually try to sweep at the other side of the stable, try and tire him out physically before you tackle any stimuli, take some of the nervous energy away from him.

 

[Louby]

Thanks Cayla, he isnt foody at all but I will try with a toy or something.

He is also very terratorial, even in the car, growling and barking if we pass a dog on the lane that he doesnt know. If he wasnt in the car he'd play with it.

I worry about the children as Id never forgive myself if he snapped at one through fear. I think maybe as they are so noisy and boistrous he doesnt like it. We dont have kids and have quite a quiet house.

We laughed the other day as Id always wondered if he would protect us if needed, well I doubt that as he growled at someone in the distance and ran off with his tail between his legs . All the other dogs were stood there barking like mad and he did one lol.

 

[CAYLA]

Is he a hairy lurcher? sorry if not but IME they do have a bold side and will protect their own our hairy is the same , he is possible bedlington, greyhound,colli x greyhound type, he also has a suspicious side to him, I keep a very quiet eye on him
Dogs will guard more so in a retained area, car, kennel, house, on a lead compared to when they are running free so it's pretty natural.
I dont have kids, so to be honest I don't know how any of mine would react to kids, I never see or have anything to do with any.
I sippose it does well to be able to read their body language to try and predict their reaction, I tend to do this and I never keep them away from anything I may fear they would react to but I do watch them like a hawk, as obs pulling them away or refraining from letting them meet whatever the fear is, makes the issues alot worse.
If he is toy orientated I would maybe sweep up, and get soemone else to bounce a ball around and get him pre occupied in play as a positive association for the sweeping going on in the background oe whatever the fear factor is, it seems liek it's a repetitive answer but other than (IMO)another confident dog a positive associator and no reaction to fear is the best way to go, and mild to moderate flooding of the stimulus.

 

[Louby]

Yes he is the hairy Lurcher , all grown up now and finally will stay on his own without howling the house down lol. Touching wood now as he will prob do it next time we leave him lol.
He is a Bedlington, Deerhound x
He also has a suspicious side to him, my friend calls him a 'mincer??', presume thats a northern term but Ive never heard of it so apologies if someone has and its something rude