# Afraid of everything



## Karabelova (Dec 28, 2017)

Hi all. Luke is nine months old now and pretty big. He has been always afraid of something, but at first I thought it was normal since he is still growing. However, it is getting worse and worse with age. With the weather getting nicer, there are fewer places he would go. He is afraid of bikes, trucks, strollers, any unfamiliar objects he sees, loud noises. The other day my sister took him to the bay for a swim and he saw a man caring a canu and run off. She had to chase him. I have no idea what i did wrong during the process and how to correct this behavior until its not too late. He completely eliminates so many places I can take him even for a walk. He pulls a lot when he gets scared and its getting harder for me to hold him because of his size. Please, any advice would be gladly appreciated. I am absolutely desperate and even though trainers are very expensive, if that is my only or best choice, I would probably do that. He would not have a normal life and he won’t be able to enjoy almost anything ? thank you!


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

You definitely need a trainer, and probably more likely need a behaviorist.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

I owned a dog who also was afraid of a lot of things. You will need a lot of patience to deal with this but it can be done. You will most likely need a behaviorist. Good luck.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Some resources that may be helpful to you.

Process of helping fearful dogs | Fearful Dogs authored by Debbie Jacobs. 
There is also a Fearful Dogs Facebook group that is worth looking into.

The book: Help for Your Fearful Dog by Nicole Wilde
The book: Cautious Canine by Patricia McConnell
The book: Scaredy Dog by Ali Brown

Are all good resources to consider accessing to help you understand why your dog is fearful and how to help him through it. 

It is a common mistake for dog owners to think that the dog will simply 'grow out of it' or 'get over' being fearful, they need and deserve our help when they are feeling unsafe. Their fears are real to them!


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Piper is a nervous dog. I have the Nicole Wilde and Patricia McConnell books that Charlietree mentioned. I also like "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell. Its not training so much, but can help you learn to read your dog. I would read up on desensitization and counter conditioning. Piper was nervous from the start, and we spent a ton of time socializing. We spent more time on desensitization and counter-conditioning than actual formal "training." She still gets freaked out by strange objects (especially ones that move, like suitcases), but has gotten a lot better, and is 100 times more curious than fearful at this point. 

I'd reach out for help from a behavioralist (one who has a lot of experience with fear). I'd keep your pup on a leash at all times (you can even get one of those very long leads if you're out in a field or something), so if your dog gets scared he can't run away. Thats how dogs get lost or hit by cars. I'd enlist the help of a behavioralist, and make this a top training priority. Also, doubling down on formal training can also be helpful to gain confidence. And a dog on a good heel, who is paying attention to you, is far less likely to get distracted by something scary, and re-orienting attention to you can be very helpful and reassuring to your pup if he gets scared. It won't go away on its own, but with some effort, its truly amazing to watch your dog gain confidence and come out of their shell.


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