# Need a little help with a scared 9 month old



## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Oh I'm sorry Hudson is so scared. I'm thinking the most you can do is to ignore his fear and don't encourage it by comforting it. In time, he might see that if you aren't affected then its probably no "monster". Thank goodness you have a break in spring and summer....

This reminds me of when I was a very young child (3 or 4?)and I had a fear of trains. I would scream when ever we stopped at a train crossing.......


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## metamorphosis (Apr 12, 2008)

How did it go when you showed him the plow?

We had this same problem and the only thing that seemed to clear it up was acting like it was no big deal. No coddling/comforting (as HARD as that was)...we also played fetch through the plow going by a couple of times...it seems to have "cured" her. She will still do a low little growl if she hears it outside, but it isn't nearly as bad as it had been.

I know that isn't much...but it worked for us.


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## Daisybones (Aug 25, 2008)

When I showed him the plow he was very whiny and stand-offish. I expected this. When I touched it he went crazy, barking and growling (he's my knight in shining fur). You are so right about how hard it is to not coddle or comfort him. Thats all I want to do. Poor baby.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Ignore the plows. Don't let him drag you into the house to hide from the 'monsters'. Instead continue on your walk, but walk away from the plows and gradually work your way till you're following them at a distance. Even if they're a block away at first, just keep walking at a good pace like nothing's going on. Eventually he'll figure out he doesn't need to go in the house and hide, that they're no big deal (they're a block away at first and don't come hunting him down). Don't have them coming towards him if possible, let him follow behind them. 

If it makes you feel any better, Ticket was deathly afraid of something when he was young too. He had panic attacks and spooked and was very very scareded of.....


Fire hydrants. :bowl:

We had to work past the fear and he recovered. We can now go for walks again.

Lana


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

You shouldn't coddle his fear but you can help him cope with it. What about giving him a high value item to distract him when the plows come by, perhaps a marrow bone in his crate? Chewing is a great stress reliever for dogs. If he responds positively, he'll learn to associate the plow with something good and that should help lessen or eliminate his fear.

Very good that you showed him the plow, I think you should try to do that as much as possible. 

Good luck


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## Daisybones (Aug 25, 2008)

What great advice! Thank you. I will try everything believe me. I have to admit I did giggle when I read about the fire hydrants.


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## moverking (Feb 26, 2007)

My Sadie hates/is scared of garbage trucks....and associates any truck beep beep back-up noises with them. I made garbage truck time treat time! 'Oh, it's the garbage truck, have some dried liver'. : Use a happy, fun voice. 
Takes time but certainly takes the edge of fear away


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## Rhapsody in Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I know you probably can't stop the snow plow in the street, but maybe when they collect garbage, you can bring your dog out to meet the person who collects the garbage. I would ask him first and then have him pet your dog. Then stay there a few minutes with your dog in a sit as the truck rolls away. It may be a fear of any big truck and the sounds it makes and if your dog can associate something positive with it, he may not be afraid of the snow plows either.

All three of my dogs have met the people who collect our garbage and their tails wag when they see the trucks roll up.

My oldest Golden used to be fearful of a big dog that was outside off leash. The dog would never get close to us but would come as far as the curb and just bark until we passed. So we practiced having our dog go into a down stay whenever we came to that house and I would calmly reassure him by saying "its okay". Then when the dog stopped barking, I would give my dog a hug for being calm and off we would go.

It is interesting because now when we see a dog that appears to be timid or perhaps not so friendly my dog immediately goes into a down stay - - - even if he is off leash at the dog park - - - and then he will look up at me to see when it is okay for us to go on. It is like he learned to trust me in situations like this. I will even have him go into a down stay a half a block away if I see a dog that is on leash but is obviously pulling towards us and it doesn't look like the owner will be able to manage passing by us without craziness. So we just get out of the way and I have him go down and we watch as they pass. 

I hope this helps.


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## Colleen (Feb 3, 2011)

I was hoping to see an answer here. My dog Maggie is shaking because she knows there will be more snow coming off the roof Don't know what we can do to help.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

The next time the snow falls off the roof, calmly but happily go get a handful of cookies, say 'yippee, the snow fell off the roof! COOKIE TIME' and toss the cookies in the air. Do this each time, and soon she'll associate the snow falling off the roof with you being a bit strange and throwing cookies

Did something like that here with a dayhome kid. She had a huge fear of the train whistles and that adapted to doorbells and then people coming to the door - each time she'd start freaking out and bawling (at home they would RUN to pick her up to prevent her crying which of course confirmed it was scary). 

Within one day she would start to whimper for maybe a second but then realize I was going to go get a smartie for each kid when the train whistle went off and she was more interested in getting hers than freaking. 

We ran out of smarties and she didn't cry anymore anyway.


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

When I adopted Finn, he was terrified of everything, especially garbage trucks. He had very little exposure to the world. On garbage day, I would sit out in front of the house, and the minute he heard the truck noise, I would treat as I exclaimed in a happy voice "Oh look, it's that wonderful truck!". As it came down the street, making louder noise, if he remained calm even for a second, same drill. He got a jackpot when it was right in front of the house. I had him on leash, but not so tight that he had to sit right with me. He could move a bit to the side but not go behind me to hide. It took four weeks before he stopped caring about the garbage trucks altogether. I've done the same desensitizing exercise with the neighbor's fearful golden, as I walk her daily along with Finn. Good luck....it's definitely doable.


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

Of course there is always the option of moving to a warmer climate, where there is no snow...
Just kidding, but I must say snow plows are not something I need to worry about. The closest thing we have to that is a trash truck...


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I seem to remember Brooks developing some fears around that age. His was a fear of blow up snowmen and other yard decorations and actual snowmen made of snow (the first time he saw these things). As they were stationary, I just let him approach them, but he was very fearful and kept barking and circling away in fear


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*I agree*

I agree-do not reinforce the fear.
Act like nothing is happening and take cookies with you.


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