Puppy fearful of people?

[billsharp]

Fynn, your story is so true. This past Halloween we had several of the horrible, elaborate rubber masks we were goofing around with, and my son and I put some on (a devil and a werewolf). Liesl freaked when she saw us. She was confused by the fact that it looked and sounded like Dad and big brother, but clearly the mask was disturbing to her. Once we took them off--friends again.

On a recent walk at the local school on a rainy morning she was again put-off by all of the umbrellas and hooded jackets. She definitely notices when people don't look like "normal" people.

For the OP: please don't forget to slowly and gently introduce your dog to such odd items as strollers, scooters, backpacks, hoodies, umbrellas, walking canes, walkers, etc. Let your dog siff these when they are still and unoccupied, then move them gently until she realizes that is no big deal, then use them yourself so her trust of you transfers to them. You can desensitize your dog to these things that a shy dog finds so scary.

[Msbubbles11]

I just wanted to give an update on my pup. We are about to be in our third week of training classes. She is already doing much better. She is calmer in public and doesn't go crazy anymore. She still needs a lot more work. Now she is at the point where she only freaks out when strangers try to actually pet her.

[Jag]

It's great that your pup is making progress! Keep up the good work. It's a long road.

Threads like this make me sad and angry. Too many poorly bred shepherds.

[zivagirl]

Though Beth isn't a puppy and highly social, when people ask if they can approach her, I insist that they can pet her on her back ad to not stand in her face, but to her side. It just seems like common sense, to me, to not get up in a face full of sharp teeth.

When it's people I'm not comfortable with, I just tell them she's new to me, and I can't be certain that she is in a patient mood. With a dog this big, people sort of take that at ace value and move on.

[codmaster]

Originally Posted by billsharp

Fynn, your story is so true. This past Halloween we had several of the horrible, elaborate rubber masks we were goofing around with, and my son and I put some on (a devil and a werewolf). Liesl freaked when she saw us. She was confused by the fact that it looked and sounded like Dad and big brother, but clearly the mask was disturbing to her. Once we took them off--friends again.

On a recent walk at the local school on a rainy morning she was again put-off by all of the umbrellas and hooded jackets. She definitely notices when people don't look like "normal" people.

For the OP: please don't forget to slowly and gently introduce your dog to such odd items as strollers, scooters, backpacks, hoodies, umbrellas, walking canes, walkers, etc. Let your dog siff these when they are still and unoccupied, then move them gently until she realizes that is no big deal, then use them yourself so her trust of you transfers to them. You can desensitize your dog to these things that a shy dog finds so scary.

It would be very odd if your dog could not recognize you by her nose! Unless the wind was blowing the wrong way!

We once had a highly suspicious female GSD who would react to strangers and i put on a hooded sweatshirt and walked into our fenced in backyard and got a very big rreaction - running all puffed up and barking and then "instant recognition" when she got about 10-15' feet away - VERY VERY embarrassed dog! Once she did realize who it was!!!! I had just started thinking that maybe it wasn't a real smart idea to fool this 80lb bundle of suspicion!