[AverysNewFamily]

About three months ago, we adopted our beautiful and sweet new dog Avery from the animal shelter. She's a 5-year-old (almost 6) 55 pound black lab/malamute mix. She was not treated well by her previous owners but that is something we've come to understand over the last three months and there are no specific details that the pound knows about just that she was left there and had been born there five years earlier.

She was trained very well at one time and listens to basic requests to sit and lay down. She's sweet and calm in our apartment and listens well to my boyfriend and I and a few other key people. I take her to work with me all day, every day and she's getting used to the routine. Whenever a man comes in she barks from a doorway, runs away whimpering, returns and barks again and repeats this until they leave. If I stand with her she hides behind me. Although loud, it's controllable and she has started to calm with time.

Here's the problem I'm really worried about: We live on a city street and she has to be walked up and down it 3-5 times a day because we have no yard. She's very active but walks have become torture for both her as well as us. She cowers and whips around to go home at a slamming car door or at a man's voice. If she actually sees a man (and specifically not a woman) she crawls low to the ground, choking herself all the way home. She will calm down a little if we talk to her but as soon as she hears someone step on a dry branch or a truck drive by she goes right back into it. Pulling once back hard and saying "No Pull Avery" works short term as well. We have tried stopping and calming her down but it doesn't work and usually makes it worse. The walking is getting worse and not better. It's better in the morning and the worst in the middle of the day. I've heard about medications that can help but I'd prefer to train the behavior out of her. She's come a long long way since we've brought her home and calmed down but this is one hurtle we just can't break her of.

I appreciate any help or suggestions you have. Thanks,
Rebecca

[Lunareclipse]

If you are petting her and using a nice voice while this is going on, you are rewarding your dog for this behavior (in your dog's eyes). Humans calm themselves and others in this manner. Dogs do not. Just act like nothing is out of the ordinary. Keep walking and ignore the behavior. They behavior will only get worse if the dog gets petted for it. The dog thinks the behavior is ok because you are petting and talking to it during this behavior. It really is best to ignore it and reward for a behavior that you find acceptable.

[AverysNewFamily]

Thanks for your note. We actually tried that first. It's become just about impossible to ignore though, she's gotten so skiddish and takes off in the opposite direction, taking our arms with her and can be pulled back to finish the walk but will repeat the behavior at the next noise.

She chews on her feet on what used to be a pretty constant basis and we've gotten her to chew on chews instead most of the time by dropping a chew on her foot whenever she starts chewing. The walking, whether we acknowledge it or not, just isn't getting any better though. We've tried giving her treats when she's walking well and holding them back at negative behavior but it isn't stopping the freaking out. We tried the treats thing for a week and there was no improvement, if it didn't get worse. I'm just at a loss for what to do next.

[Yogi]

Have you looked to divert her fear. Trying to emphasize something to draw her attention when these events occur. I have an Italian Greyhound that was very much the same way. Charlie is skiddish to put it simply as your dog is. Noises, strangers etc. frighten him. It took over 7 months to finally get him to the point that he has basically calmed down and become well rounded to the point where he is comfortable. The chewing is often associated with nervousness which seems appropriate based on what you are describing. I would look to find something during your walks that interest him mentally so that these events have less of an impact and in time he will eventually not be so quick to notice.
Good luck.