I’m no expert dog trainer and I don’t strive to be one, but I do try my hardest and use positive reinforcement as my training method. I just want to have a happy well behaved and socialized pup. When I got Goose he came from a reparable breeder here in Arizona, his parents have excellent temperaments, and all the health screenings ect. I went above and beyond with socialization. Exposing Goose to lots of new people, things and places and having nothing but positive experiences. He was a well socialized puppy loved meeting new people, new dogs, going to new places, and loud sounds didn’t scare him. Well fast forward, almost exactly at his one year birthday a little after (maturity age). He became scared of people, not right off the bat terrified, but aloof… then it turned to panic and wanting to avoid and now its to the point he wants to run away and if he can’t run he shakes out of fear almost a full blown panic attack sometimes. Now he is not aggressive fearful he wont bark, or lunge or get snippy and bite, but he wants to run and hide. He has never had a negative experience so I’m baffled by this. I go slow and avoid people now, I try to slowly build his confidence back up. But it seems like he just works him self up so much he cant even function to train. Goose is my main man, and is a wonderful trail dog. It just hurts my heart that he is so scared of the world. His only happy place is on the trail hiking, away from the city, the sounds, and the people. I get it. But I also don’t get why? I worked so hard to have a pup not be scared of new places or new people. I know fear is so hard on a dog and is not good for the dogs health, that’s why I worked so hard and trained so much to prevent this. So I have learned to….

Be grateful for the little things.

I thought I’d share this tiny struggle. Its a tiny struggle compared to most I guess and nothing extreme. I’m just grateful of the little things, how he listens so well, he can hike off leash, he is very social with other dogs, and loves adventure out on the trail. I’m grateful for these things and I don’t try to dwell on the things I can’t change. Instead I try and look at them a different way. I am much more patient and Goose has taught me that. He is not the same puppy, he has grown up to a sweet sensitive boy who needs more space from new people. But once he knows you he is your best friend. We stay away from the city and from busy places, I want to set him up for success, I want him to feel good about himself and be happy.

I know I really didn’t get anywhere with this post. I rambled for the most part. I wanted to share my little story and to see if anyone else has gone threw, is going threw, or maybe even got passed something like this. Everyone has there own struggles with dog training and this is mine. I work daily with him but also have accepted the kind of dog he is and I love him none the less.