That's lovely to see, and in such a relatively short time to, with totally dog & owner friendly humane methods! It is great what you've achieved, because you know she feels differently now and is getting over things genuinely!

Cheers, it really is making me feel so much better and more confident. Went back up to the main road (cars doing 60+) today and stood near it and fed her treats while she totally ignored everything except the marrowbone biscuits in my hand and she ate them. She previously was so stressed she wouldn't eat anything, not even her favourites when she was that close to a minor road!
Yes it is a great success and I'm very proud of her.

I can only hope that this whole experience helps other dogs and people as well.

As I've been quite stunned by today's developments I thought I would share them with you.

Have been walking Honey from home to Southend Hospital so she can do her bit as a Pets As Therapy dog, now they have given her the ok to start there. Today was the fourth time we have done this and I went on my own with her. This involves a short distance, about two hundred yards, on the main A127 dual carriageway into Southend, speed limit 40 mph (allegedly). Each road crossing is on a zebra or pelican crossing, which is why I choose this route. I have been giving her treats when she's behaved and she's been really good so far.

Today I took her to the small, enclosed park on the way home to let her relax and do her business. One side is next to the main road and you can see the tops of the lorries over the fence. The park was empty so I let her off the lead and was fiddling in my bag to get some water for her. When I looked up she was wandering along next to the fence by the main road, not a care in the world, tail wagging as the lorries and cars zoomed past. I kept quiet, (mostly disbelief) and she stayed there for some minutes, still not bothered. I am amazed but also very relieved and grateful.

It is now very obvious that she hasn't really got a problem with the traffic any more and if she does have any further problems it will be because I have got tense about it. I am really pleased.

__________________
HONEY - GOLDEN RETRIEVER X WHITE GSD - 2006 -

Sending love to our beloved ones now playing together over the rainbow bridge.

ZAC - Black GSD - 1978 to 1991
TARA - Black and Tan GSD - 1981 to 1995
AMBER - Pomeranian - 1986 to 2001
BOBBY - Maltese - 1989 to 2007
SHEENA - Maltese - 1990 to 2005
JASON - Maltese - 1990 to 2005
LILLITH - Maltese - 1992 to 2003

Well done! Some owners just accept the dog's problems, rather than helping it, as they worry it will be too much trouble; and it's very frustrating.

Nice to see you have achieved so much and great that she now is a working dog with a job in therapy!

if your dog plays (with ball/tug) i'd introduce that too. after the treats... somethings playing can be exponentially better than food, for some dogs.

__________________
Cambridge Dog Training School | G3 Dogs
www.g3dogs.com

I have just read this thread (thanks Rob! )

Congratulations to you and Honey!! Sounds like you have done (and are doing!) an amazing job with her and it's great she'll be working as a PAT dog.

It's really lovely to hear about successes like this, you should feel really proud

Thanks so much everyone. Yes I am really proud of Honey, mainly because she is now trusting me more, which is allowing her to deal with her monsters!!!
She has been so different indoors, so very calm and composed, which is why we decided on the P.A.T Dog route for her. She needs to do something. She loves it too, which is great. I knew I needed to sort out the traffic if she was to go to the hospital as there is no hope of parking there, or anywhere near and the buses are hopeless!

I've noted the comment about the ball and will use this in the park near the traffic, after she has been as it will really take her mind off anything else.

__________________
HONEY - GOLDEN RETRIEVER X WHITE GSD - 2006 -

Sending love to our beloved ones now playing together over the rainbow bridge.

ZAC - Black GSD - 1978 to 1991
TARA - Black and Tan GSD - 1981 to 1995
AMBER - Pomeranian - 1986 to 2001
BOBBY - Maltese - 1989 to 2007
SHEENA - Maltese - 1990 to 2005
JASON - Maltese - 1990 to 2005
LILLITH - Maltese - 1992 to 2003

Great thread - thank you - and so nice to see owners not going for the drug approach! My 3 year old Labrador has had a real issue with some noises - hoovers and lawn mowers in particular... We found a thing that was recommended for anxiety in dog - its called a Thunder Shirt and is a sort of dog coat that works by being a reassuring pressure on the dog's skin (a bit like swadddling a baby). Anyway, we had great success, and would have recommeded it had you not already solved the issue.

Well done! Happy to hear about dogs having great owners.