10/30/2026
Let's talk scaredy dogs (fearful, anxious, reactive, etc).
This is where confidence building begins-
Bandit comes to class and has done wonderful out and about when he's on leash, training with me.
But we don't have visitors over often. And when we do, he is so scared and barks his head off at anybody who walks through the door that isnt his immediate family.
Bandit has been with us since he was 6 weeks old, with 2 of his littermate brothers. They were rescued at 3-4 weeks old and separated from mama early. At just 6 weeks old, the puppies were terrified of the world. They all improved greatly, but even when you are doing all the right things, fear doesnt always go away. Many times, there is a genetic component too. Also, what has happened in the puppies' lives before they came to you matters. Trauma or neglect, lack of exposure, positive or negative experiences (just like in children) in those early stages of development can have a lasting impact on their personality.
But that doesn't mean you have to give up! All dogs can improve, and this guy certainly has- but today he barked at the heat and air guy , so we put the other dog's up and I took him out on leash, and started working him around the 'scary man'.
