by Cindi Clarke

Created on: November 11, 2008   Last Updated: December 10, 2008

While my pound puppy wasn't timid when he came to live with us, it was the abuse of my (ex)husband and his son that changed all that. In the span of a few short months, they took a self-confident puppy and turned him into a dog that was afraid of the dark, sudden noises, unfamiliar objects, rearranged furniture, and almost all men. What they did to him, I may never know or understand, but it took me almost two years to reverse the damage they caused.

Trooper is now, once again, a self-confident dog. Assertive when he needs to be, no longer so afraid of unfamiliar objects and noises that he will bolt wildly to get away from them. Once he was so afraid of the dark that when we walked at night he wouldn't leave the "safety" of the street light's glow. Now, no longer afraid of the dark, his favorite game is flashlight tag. He is cautious when meeting new men, but no longer barks fearfully at them and tries to run.

It took patience, respecting his boundaries, and lots of love to turn him around again. I started by making sure I talked to him about all the changes that were happening as we divorced and furniture was rearranged. I didn't force him to accept or examine any new items, but instead made things non-threatening. I left music playing in the house whenever I wasn't home and made sure that his crate, his "safe place" didn't change or move until I knew that he wasn't using it anymore - when I knew that his "safe place" had become the whole house and not just a crate in my bedroom.

I talked to him constantly in a low, non-threatening voice. Sometimes I would read books out loud to him so that he grew used to my voice and trusted me. I've never raised my voice to him. Ever. I've never needed to.

To reassure him that not all men were bad, I would introduce him to neighbors, give them treats to give him if he came forward to sniff them. I allowed him to set the pace for when he would approach someone and not try to force him to meet anyone. If there was someone that he absolutely refused to approach, I never pushed the issue and would respect his feelings.

To help him become assertive, I took him to two sessions of guard dog training where he felt that he needed to protect me, and let him feel he succeeded in chasing off the "bad man." Only two sessions because I didn't want his fear to go to the opposite extreme and become aggression. I just wanted him to know that he could be strong and defensive when it was appropriate. Then each morning before I left for work, I told him that it was his job to protect the house, my little dog, and the cats. When I returned home each evening, I would praise him for doing such a good job.

When dealing with a timid dog, patience is a virtue, as well as respecting the dog's boundaries. When the dog feels safe, they will let you know. Just like with people, trust is earned.

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