My Patterdale Terrier Bess has been nervous since day one.
I bought her at seven months old for £100.00
She seemed timid at the time, and i knew i shouldn't have taken her but to be quite frank the place i got her from wasn't exactly 'proper'. Anyway so i brought her home and she was really scared of all of my family, apart from me. Yet she soon settled in and found life very easy and happy with us.

Then the walks started....

First off Bess used to run away in a playful mode, it would take forever to get her back! We broke that out of her with a long lead. She is very good off lead now. I just need to say 'Bess' And she will come running from wherever she is. But the problem is, she doesn't like other dogs. She acts fine right up until the last minute, when they sniff her she doesn't exactly bite but its kind of a fake warning one. She never really makes contact but just bares her teeth and puts her hackles up. She is absolutley fine with all our dogs and a elderly yorkshire terrier called Wally. It is just dogs that are young or big and on the go she doesn't like. I know it is down to the fact that they are being too dominant and intimidating, but i am wondering how to get her out of this mind set. Bess has a passion for running, she runs so fast that no dog in the village can catch her. I just feel guilty that she can't have friends who love to run too. Who can exercise with her properly. I know she has a great friend in Wally, but he desn't run much now - even though he is a sweetheart - I just feel she needs younger friends and she can't do it with this nervous aggression.

Please help!

Thanks in advance.

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Thanks for your help. I will definitley look into everything you have just told me.

Anyone else with more help?? Not that, that didn't help, but i would like as much as i can!!

Hi Have you had any luck resolving your problem with Bess. I have a similar problem with my 5 month pup, except he barks and snarls at young and lively dogs as soon as he sees them. I also have two other dogs (one his mother) who he plays fine with. I always knew he was nervous as he was like this in the litter, although he played fine with littermates he would shake alot. I kept him because I didn't think it right to sell him to someone else, all the other pups are fine and happy in their new homes.

I have tried puppy classes but it seemed to make him worse, now I been recommended a behaviourist by the puppy training class and am considering whether this is the best option.

hi. how old is bess now?? if shes still young it will be much easier to build her confidence up. sounds like she wasnt socialised properly as a pup poor thing, i have a similar problem with one of mine, unfortunatly hes a large dog and is scared of small dogs and puppies, when he was a year old one got underneath him and it seemed to freak him out. its embarasing when youve got a ten stone plus dog running away from little yorkies and puppies. lol.

as Bess has some doggie friends already she must be capable of understanding the body language at least so thats a plus, i think all you really need to do is to introduce her slowly to other dogs that are freindly but without being rude and overcrowding her, you may be able to find a behaviourist with a suitable stooge, id start with one dog then build it uslowly to more and more dogs or different ages and sizes, just be careful not to rush her.