I wonder if it might be a good idea to put her on some sort of calmatives, like Zylkene or maybe get her a thundershirt. I don't know much about these things, but people do recommend them for nervous dogs.

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What is she like with your dogs? I have a puppy farm machine throwaway cavalier bitch and although I have had her 3 years (and she is soooo much better than she was) we still leave the room when she is eating (otherwise she wont eat as she doesnt like putting her head down) and she will never ever drink when anyone is looking. When we give her treats she smells them for ages before she takes it eventually, although chicken or cheese she lines up with the others and practically snatches it out of our hands!. She is fine outside (not busy roads) much more confident but is always only one step behind me. Your sisters dog needs more one to one interaction to help her I would think, poor dog

Shes fine with other dogs, but still nervous whether theyre around or not, if you get what i mean? But she gets on with them fine, will curl up with them and go to sleep.

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Leo; Moggy.
Woody; Staffy X Beagle
Ivy & Sybil; Gerbils
Noddy: Syrian Hamster

She used to have an adaptacol... but it didnt seem to do much however i am going to look into a thundershirt.

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Leo; Moggy.
Woody; Staffy X Beagle
Ivy & Sybil; Gerbils
Noddy: Syrian Hamster

I had a dog once who was thrown out of a moving car, picked up by a friend's boyfriend and finally ended up with me. He was very nervous but nothing like the poor little soul you're describing.

I AM ABSOLUTELY NO EXPERT.

What worked for Rock (not saying it will work for this dog) was confidence. At first I kind-of dithered a bit; should I take him out, how far, when, what if we met....?? Then I found that adopting a mildly "jolly hockey sticks approach" you may not be old enough to know what I mean but think old films showing the games mistress (NOT the kinky ones). She'd be brisking girls along with "Come along, GALS, hurry up!" "Play UP Gwen!" type stuff. Think along the lines of "Come along dear, you can do it." Rather than "Oh you poor little thing.".

Set very simple, easy goals and STICK to them. Walk down the hallway on lead. Heaps of praise when she does it, as she does it and before she does it, make it fun even if you're the only one enjoying it at first. Do it again two hours later. Try to make her run down the hallway on lead, go very slowly, turn around twice, sing as you walk whatever you can think of. When she's confident to the point of being bored move to outside. Walk her outside, just down the garden path/driveway. Same stuff. If she's unhappy finish with the hallway, she knows and likes that one now. Walk her two houses go back home. Do the hallway. Neighbours'll think you're nuts mine KNOW I am. Work up slowly. Be very confident walking past people and other dogs, don't avoid them or speed up, act like they don't exist or give a cheery greeting as you keep walking.

See if she's better walking with you and another dog or just with you. Try both ways until you're sure.

With the treats. I'd make sure I handled every scrap of food she ate. I'd sit on the floor and read a book as far away as I could from her food bowl. When she was used to that I'd talk, happy talk, read the book out loud anything but sound happy. It'll take months before you can sit anywhere near her while she eats so don't rush it. NEVER EVER look directly at her while you're doing this.

Try to find something yummy and smelly and feed another dog. Toss a bit well away from you while keeping other dog with you (lead). Ignore her totally. Do this often.

Good for you helping this dog. I think you're terrific to take an interest. There are good behaviourists around if you get stuck or want an expert opinion. I had help with my current dog who has very different issues.

Read the sticky on dog language. it's brilliant.

Good luck.

Good positive suggestions from Ozrex there.

Is there anything she does like you could use for a reward, other than praise? A toy she likes to carry in her mouth, or a ball to catch?

I use a thundershirt on a timid dog, it really helps - but putting it on this very fearful dog could be stressful for her if she's not happy about being handled. You have to hold the dog when you're putting it on. Zylkene can help too, though it doesn't come cheap.

How long has Bella been living with you? Does she ever approach anyone of her own accord? How is she with your sister?

I found with the nervous dogs I've been around and lived with that backing right off and letting them make all the moves at first worked better than me forcing anything on them, myself included. I don't speak to them and certainly don't touch them unless they indicate they would like me to. It might seem backwards but taking all the pressure off them, letting them know that nothing is expected of them and that you're not going to do anything to them can really help them gain the confidence to want to investigate you and interact with you a little. If she's frightened of people then your first goal needs to be gaining her trust, not getting her to walk anywhere on leash imo. And that alone can be a long, slow process.

The very best advice I had given to me with Rupert was to keep a progress diary. The improvements you see with a dog this terrified can be so tiny that you miss them and it's only through looking back that you can see just how much change there has been.

I wouldn't reward her for anything at the moment.

She won't accept food. She will probably be more nervous if you are too full on with praise.

Dogs know when we are happy and when they have done something right. Maybe this is all she needs.

One of my Greek rescue dogs will still not accept treats outside. I've had her 4 years and she is still nervous.

Does it not make any difference if she walks with another dog?

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poor dog; it's hard to say if the 'abuse' was actually neglect or active cruelty, as neglecting a pup's needs
for socialization, habituation, tolerance for novelty, & so on, results in just as serious problems as striking,
yelling, kicking, etc; the dogs that result from such puphoods look & act very similar, altho the causes
are not identical.
i'd suggest 3 things:
ONE -
start by hand-feeding her meals - not literally, but have her bowl with her measured meal ready,
take a saucer & set it on the floor. Ask her to SIT, drop a spoonful on the saucer, she rises to eat it,
SIT, plop, SIT, plop... till it's gone. Takes less than 10-minutes, teaches her many things: We provide -
we don't steal! We are reliable. Her own behavior can produce rewards - SHE is empowered.
She can trust you. Behavior is a conversation - she can direct it, U can direct it.

these are good lessons - very applicable to many things.


TWO: Use calmatives liberally.
See this post for What, When, How, etc:
Pet Forums Community - View Single Post - dog body-language - and why it matters so much...


THREE -
Buy a used copy of 'Click to Calm' or borrow it from the library - follow the step-by-step
protocols, being careful to keep her under threshold: aware of her trigger[s], but not reacting;
make happy associations with scary or potentially-worrying things or events, so that they become
predictors of Good Things To Happen. Instead of dread, she sees / hears / smells that,
& anticipates wonderful events... Oh, joy! Oh, rapture!

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*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

definitely good advice. Spooky dogs make irregular progress, this thing gets better, that worse;
this gets a teeny-bit better, that's unchanged. A log can be very simple, but marking what happens
will make understanding & predicting her behavior much easier, plus it makes PLANNING her next step
much, much easier.

remember to go At The Dog's Pace; 'The faster i go, the behinder i get.'
U cannot hustle B-Mod; each challenge takes as long as it takes, & every dog is different.

__________________
terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007