My boxer is 2 years old and he is so nervous and timid! I don't understand if its something we did wrong or is it just his personality. He loves other dogs, kids, attention but if I put the ironing board up around him he runs. If I have a box in my hand, he runs. If I walk towards him with almost anything besides his food bowl or bigger than a shoe he runs or shys away. It drives us crazy! He's naturally cautious and nervous around new people in the house but after a few minutes he warms right up. And he barks whenever he hears an unfamiliar noise, but he'll wait for me to check the noise out or he runs up the stairs if anything comes through the door. How can I make him more confident?
Shy, Nervous, Timid 2yo
- Thread starter kaisharif
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sandy's mom
Boxer Insane
have you had him since he was a puppy??
If not, he may have been frightened by loud noises when he was a baby.
Napoleon was terrified of evrything when I first got him. Especially kids.
We exposed him to loud noises and strange people every chance we could adn would give him treats and lots of praise. Eventually, he got it...
But it took a while and lots of patience.
If not, he may have been frightened by loud noises when he was a baby.
Napoleon was terrified of evrything when I first got him. Especially kids.
We exposed him to loud noises and strange people every chance we could adn would give him treats and lots of praise. Eventually, he got it...
But it took a while and lots of patience.
we've had him since he was 6 weeks old and he's been socialized with other dogs and kids and people from the beginning! He went to puppy kindergarten, he's very well trained and is such a loving sweetheart but just so scared of everything! He spends most of the day while we're at work in the kitchen area with baby gates. We're gone around 12 hours a day and I was thinking maybe all that time alone affects him enough to be nervous? he's done it since the beginning and we've never had separation or anxiety issues and he's so well trained that he doesn't have accidents or chew up anthing. One time we filmed him for a few hours and he just naps.
avaboxer
Boxer Booster
nervous..shy
We had a lab like this....she was shy around strangers and such. I think some of it is personality and where they came from at 4*6wks. sometimes the puppy will see something and get scarred. The lab was around snakes and she wouldn't swim. her pup a couple of years later all of them loved water so her fear was due to a former experience (I guess similar to human PTSD). I don't know where your puppy has been or where you got him from.
Ava has been socialized alot. I made sure to pet her while eating and always to pet her when someone new comes in to "calm" her in case she is nervous. So far she has been friendly when she needs to be.
I have seen on the animal whisper that you can give them treats to ward them away from behavior such as barking or nipping at strangers but you have to be very good at timing (You don't want to reward the dog for barking/nipping).
We had a lab like this....she was shy around strangers and such. I think some of it is personality and where they came from at 4*6wks. sometimes the puppy will see something and get scarred. The lab was around snakes and she wouldn't swim. her pup a couple of years later all of them loved water so her fear was due to a former experience (I guess similar to human PTSD). I don't know where your puppy has been or where you got him from.
Ava has been socialized alot. I made sure to pet her while eating and always to pet her when someone new comes in to "calm" her in case she is nervous. So far she has been friendly when she needs to be.
I have seen on the animal whisper that you can give them treats to ward them away from behavior such as barking or nipping at strangers but you have to be very good at timing (You don't want to reward the dog for barking/nipping).
TwoDogs
Boxer Insane
There is a genetic component to fear. Dogs who were born to and raised by fearful, anxious mothers tend to be more fearful and anxious themselves. Good early and continued socialization can help these dogs immensely, but they may always be generally cautious, nervous, shy or fearful.
Sometimes you can actually over socialize a pup. There is often a fine line between merely "coping" with the strange people/places/things that are presented to a pup in the name of socialization, and the pup actually enjoying the strange and new experiences. Some people inadvertantly and with the best intentions over-face their pup with socializing experiences and don't realize that their dog has been uncomfortable with things all along, until the dog is a bit older and has the confidence to react the way he is really feeling.
Alot of people realize how important it is to socialize a pup during the first few weeks it is at home. There is a window of opportunity, so to speak, that continues from birth to about 16 weeks where the pup is forming its impression of the world and the people and things in it. There is a fear-imprint stage that occurs around the 10th week. During this time the pup is particularly impressionable to experiences. However, most people don't realize that there is another fear imprint stage that occurs around the 7 month mark as well. It is important to think of this stage as a "second socialization time". All that possitive association work you did with your pup and strange people, dogs, etc. needs to be repeated or else you will lose it. Many owners begin to see aggressive behavior during this time and start thinking they have the makings of a horribly mean dog on their hands when in fact what they really have is an aprehensive adolescent who is desperately trying to make itself feel more comfortable.
I'm not saying that any of the above is the case with the OPs dog, but enough posters have the same issue that I thought it might be of benefit to explain a bit about socialization and the role it can have on your dogs future temperment.
Anyone with a fearful, shy, nervous, or anxious dog might find the following books to be quite helpful:
Help for Your Fearful Dog: A Step-by-Step Guide to Helping Your Dog Conquer His Fears by Nicole Wilde
The Cautious Canine by Patricia McConnell
The Guide to Living with & Training a Fearful Dog by Debbie Jacobs
Help For Your Shy Dog by Deb Wood
There is also a Shy K9s yahoo group for owners of shy, nervous, anxious dogs.
Sometimes you can actually over socialize a pup. There is often a fine line between merely "coping" with the strange people/places/things that are presented to a pup in the name of socialization, and the pup actually enjoying the strange and new experiences. Some people inadvertantly and with the best intentions over-face their pup with socializing experiences and don't realize that their dog has been uncomfortable with things all along, until the dog is a bit older and has the confidence to react the way he is really feeling.
Alot of people realize how important it is to socialize a pup during the first few weeks it is at home. There is a window of opportunity, so to speak, that continues from birth to about 16 weeks where the pup is forming its impression of the world and the people and things in it. There is a fear-imprint stage that occurs around the 10th week. During this time the pup is particularly impressionable to experiences. However, most people don't realize that there is another fear imprint stage that occurs around the 7 month mark as well. It is important to think of this stage as a "second socialization time". All that possitive association work you did with your pup and strange people, dogs, etc. needs to be repeated or else you will lose it. Many owners begin to see aggressive behavior during this time and start thinking they have the makings of a horribly mean dog on their hands when in fact what they really have is an aprehensive adolescent who is desperately trying to make itself feel more comfortable.
I'm not saying that any of the above is the case with the OPs dog, but enough posters have the same issue that I thought it might be of benefit to explain a bit about socialization and the role it can have on your dogs future temperment.
Anyone with a fearful, shy, nervous, or anxious dog might find the following books to be quite helpful:
Help for Your Fearful Dog: A Step-by-Step Guide to Helping Your Dog Conquer His Fears by Nicole Wilde
The Cautious Canine by Patricia McConnell
The Guide to Living with & Training a Fearful Dog by Debbie Jacobs
Help For Your Shy Dog by Deb Wood
There is also a Shy K9s yahoo group for owners of shy, nervous, anxious dogs.
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Wow! thanks for all the information! I'll definitely check those books out. I got Evander from off a farm. He came from a big litter and both mother and father were in the house. He's never been aggressive in any situation and is somewhat submissive. But he'll approach any new dog he sees with nothing but tail waggings and kisses. And he LOVES kids. Its just items and things that make him fearful, everyday items he sees in the house. The ironing board he sees a million times. I can understand the vacuum b/c it makes a noise, but a mop? A broom? I don't know. I'm used to it now but I just don't want him to always be so scared.
thank you everyone!
thank you everyone!
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