by April Olshavsky

Created on: November 14, 2008

Caring for a timid rescue dog may be one of the biggest training challenges out there. It is important that a timid dog be in a quiet home. Screaming children, loud music, and active households are not a suitable home for a timid dog. In order to care for your timid dog, it is important that you know why she is the way she is. Sadly, a large majority of rescue dogs do become timid. Sometimes, the shelter itself is a traumatic experience, often times dirty, noisy, and the dogs rarely receive the attention they so desperatly need.

Journaling is a great way to document your dog's progress and weaknesses. Record your dog's behaviors and remember to make note of time, location, weather and any other pertinent information involved in the incident. After a couple of weeks, you will begin to notice a pattern in your dog's behavior. Once you know what causes the behavior, you can take then take the steps to correcting it.

SOCIALIZATION: Between the ages of five months to seven months, dogs are developing their socialization skills. Puppies who are in rescue situations around this detrimental time often are not socialized due to confined spaces and lack of human interaction.

Dogs may also show signs of being scared of a certain gender, or race because of a past experience. Once a traumatic experience happens whether it be abuse or accidental, dogs associate that incident with the cause. For this reason, most timid dogs are not good candidates for service work or therapy programs.

Service dogs work in many different atmospheres that would be considered stressful to most dogs. Hospitals, schools, and crowded streets are just some examples of a service dog's work environment, and they all have one thing in common: Noise.

NOISE: Noise can be a very difficult thing for a timid dog to tolerate. The dog may appear jumpy, or may try to find a safe hiding spot any time she hears a loud noise. It is possible to improve this behavior by slowly acclimating your dog to noise. Small amounts of sounds and noises that become a daily routine will eventually show your dog "This is normal, and no reason to be scared." Try introducing the sound of a bouncing ball on the floor, and slowly work your way up to banging pots. Soon, nothing will startle your dog. Always remember to praise your dog when he does not respond to the noise.

SIGHT: Many dogs become nervous around people who wear sunglasses, hats, or bulky jackets. Always take baby steps when introducing something new to your timid dog. Begin

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>