How to give a timid dog more confidence?

Question

I rescued a german shepard doberman cross pup *7 months when I got him* from a guy who was trying to make him into a mean junk yard guard dog..he was starving and beatting the poor pup...in the 5 months I have had him he has grown up physically and is the most loving and sweetest dog you could ask for..but is as timid as a baby rabbit. How can I help him get more confident and sure of himself so he is not constantly cowering from people?

Answer 1

A very good way is to get him obedience training in a class setting so he can learn commands, get socialized to other dogs and people and learn that situations with lots of dogs and people and sometimes confusing are not necessarily threatening. Make sure the trainer uses only positive reinforcement techniques.

Then, try and get him out in social situations as much as you can, going slowly at first so as not to overwhelm him. Start for example, by having friends over and have your friends offer him am especially favorite treat when they come in. Go slowly and be supportive of him. Act confident, upbeat and encouraging yourself in these situations. Acting sympathetic (aww poor baby, it's ok and petting him) only reinforces his fears. If you train him and expose him to lots of social situations, gradually he'll come out of his shell.

Answer 2

You need to create safe situations for you dog to meet new people. The more exposure he has to new situations, and nothing bad happens, the more he will come out of his shell and realize the past was an isolated experience, people are kind.

You will be most sucessful if these meetings are controlled situations of your own design, as opposed to chance meetings. When introducing your dog to new people, ask your helpers not to approach the dog, but rather just talk normally with you and let the dog approach them. When he does (and he will b/c dogs are naturally curious), have your helpers give the dog a treat, something special that he likes alot, like chicken or peanut butter. Eventually he will associate new people with good things. Advise your helpers to pat only under the chin, and not on top of the head. Patting under the chin will make him feel more secure and less threatened.

Take babysteps, don't put too much on the dog too fast. Reward all your positive experiences with praise and treats.

Do lots of obedience with your dog (sit, stay, lay down etc). Setting up experiences for him to succeed will build his confidence and make him feel proud. Reward him with lots of praise and treats.

Answer 3

A confidence course! That is, a series of obstacles - like teeter-totters and climbing towers, and jumps and swinging bridges and other "scary" things that Fido can face. The first two-three times you go through it, you may have to push, pull, cajole - even bribe Fido to face each obstacle - but within a couple of weeks, he'll look forward to it - and be a much more confident dog.

Don't know where you live, but get in touch with your local obedience/agility club and explain what you need.

Oh yes, good obedience school where Fido can make new friends and learn how to be a good doggie in a nurturing, structured environment is really a confidence builder too.

Answer 4

I have a 13 yo wolf-hybrid who's always been shy. I've had her since she was a puppy (3 months), knew the ***** as well as most of her family line. She has never been abused (spoiled rotten, which I suppose is a form of abuse - LOL). My dog is just a wuss! But, she loves people. In keeping her socialized, what I learned is that she's head-shy. She doesn't like people reaching over her head.
While keeping a very strict routine will help your pup feel safer, it is also still important to socialize him. Take him to places where he can play off-leash. They feel vulnerable when tethered. And don't hesitate to ask people to wait for him to approach them. When he shows curiosity about a person, then let them know that he prefers to be petted below the top of his head...no raised hands.
My girl gets absolutely goofy when her "friends" show up at the park! It's all about the people who learned her fear of reaching over her head and adopted other ways to approach her.

Answer 5

Tons and tons of socialization! Take him to parks, flea markets, pet shops, anywhere dogs are allowed. You don't need to force him to interact with other people or animals - just let him become comfortable with all the noises and sights. Obedience classes are also a great source for boosting self esteem.

This takes alot of dedication but you will quickly reap the rewards and so will your pup!

Answer 6

socialize him a lot. Slowly but surely he will come around. Unfortunately this is what come with rescuing any dog. Past issues. The beahvior he is displaying now is already learned and been formed. You can only curb it somewhat. I would get with a professional dog behaviorist to help you too. Here is a great link below with different situations and how to approach them.

Answer 7

Just be very genuine with your affection for him. Give him good food, long walks, and a lot of attention. Praise him and make him feel important. When he is shy, be really really accepting and nonjudgemental. Don't force him to confront situations when he is uncomfortable. Also, be predictable. If he expects you home by 5pm, then you be home by 5pm. This way he feels settled and trust you to always be there. Dogs with good owners are more confident 'cos they know they've got it made!

Answer 8

Put him to work, when you take him out to walk have him carry a back pack for dogs, put a little weight in it. Making him work will raise his self esteem. Also take him into pet shops that allow dogs, let him socialize w/ others. I take my dogs to Petco or Petsmart once or twice a week. Before we go in though we take a walk for about 20 minutes, this will get their anxieties out and are very easy to control. You have a working dog "breed" and putting him to work will work wonders. Another tip is to have some of his favorite treats in your pocket and every time some one ask to pet him, give them a treat to feed him. Good luck

Answer 9

The best way is to work him with people socialize him and ask people to lightly pet him. Dont let them overwelm him at first. Once her sees people arent going to hurt him he'll improve. I have many more ideas on my web site. burdicklabradors.com helful links page under training and behavioral problems. Theres tons of ideas there to aid in retraining.

Answer 10

just give him love and he will eventually get a lil better. reassure him on everything and try not to use negative tones. not sure if ever all the way better tho. i rescued my cat 2-3 yrs ago from being a stray and she is still very scittish