Spirit Spooks So Easily!

[xenaprincess]

I have such a difficult time taking Spirit on walks as he spooks soooo easily! Almost everything spooks him...a bag flapping in the wind...a leaf blowing down the street..garbage bags sitting at a curb..poles..posts..you name it!! Even in our own backyard, if the kids have left a toboggan in the yard..he freezes and barks viciously at it! Last night the shovel fell from the porch and laid just at the bottom step. I had to get my boots on and go out to move it because Spirit barked his head off at it and refused to bypass it to come in!! He's the same in the house. I was changing the bag in the bathroom garbage pail..left the pail at the stairs to bring up later, and he stood rigidly staring and growling at it, then continued to whine until I finally moved it upstairs! He is definately scared to death of all garbage bags! On Christmas morning, I did the usual Christmas aftermath cleanup of all the wrapping paper and left it in the kitchen. The bag sort of tipped over and he almost broke his hip trying to scramble away from it...slipping and sliding all over the kitchen floor trying to escape!! I took him for a walk last night and he almost dislocated my shoulder and wrist lunging at an inflatable snowman that someone had on their frontyard!! I'm seriously considering blinders for him, like a horse! :p
Does anyone else have this problem...and how do you handle it?

 

[mancin]

Based on a picture I saw of him in your gallery and the caption, is he about 13 months?

Here's something I found:
http://www.boxerworld.com/puppy/education/

6 to 14 Months
Second Fear Imprint Period or Fear of New Situations Period. Dog again shows fear of new situations and even familiar situations. Dog may be reluctant to approach someone or something new. It is important that you are patient and act very matter of fact in these situations. Never force the dog to face the situation. DO NOT pet the frightened puppy or talk in soothing tones. The puppy will interpret such responses as praise for being frightened. Training will help improve the dog's confidence.

 

[xenaprincess]

Mancin...thanks so much for that link! I guess this is not out of the norm behaviour! Spirit is 13mths now. When he does act all freaked out, I don't try to soothe him, but I do try to distract him or just carry on as we were. It just gets so extreme sometimes, like I said, he almost dislocates my arm from my shoulder when we are walking! I have been walking him since he was 12wks old. Good to know that this should pass!

 

[Rlr.Giraffe]

Willis gets spooked by the weirdest things. New toys that make noise really freak him out and he starts barking at them and boxing them until he figures out they are fun. He also got freaked out the other day at a christmas stocking on the fireplace... it had been there for weeks and then I filled it and hung it back up and Willis barked at it for about 1/2 hr... he had to come and bring us to what was so scary and then protect us from it. Kris and I were laughing hysterically, but Willis was truly "on guard". Eventually, I just walked up and picked up the stocking and didn't show any emotion and he figured out it was nothing. I think he just wanted a pack leader to go and check it out for him. little weirdo, wonder why it set him off???

 

[xenaprincess]

Hey Ken...thanks for the idea! Most of the time I laugh at him and roll my eyes! He struts his stuff like a king...all that and a bag of chips, then jumps 3ft in the air at anything different or loud noises! :p After reading the link that mancin provided, I believe this shall pass. I just don't ever remember Xena being this nervous. I guess Spirit has, as you said, weak nerves!