Fire works and just scared......

Hello,

Joined a few days ago to look for help to see if there is anyone else who has a staffie petrified with the night. She is ok in the morining at 5am when still dark. But even at 3:30pm Sun afternoon she shakes with fear if you take her out. I have tried the lot I have 6 books on dogs and took her to taining, nothing has worked. Don't get me wrong 3:30pm once round the street she is ok, but when I come home when it is dark she is so scared it breakes your heart don'y care who you are. I have stopped taking her and just take her apdopted sister Roxanne who if fine, they are both rescues, but Minnie who is petrified had the better up bringing. I know what caused it but I dont know how to cure it, home boarding isn't what its cracked up to be and I haven't left her since (3yrs).
Do I just shut up and put up?
Try to drag her out of it?
Yes I have the scary CD trying it as we speak?
Try and treat when done well, when we are home in the house?
Also I have ran.
Had the plug in, no good.
Got collar looked spaced for 4 days then came round.
Got the drugs from vets, yes they work after 2 hours but would need them every day.

Any input would be appriciated.......

Hi &

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Hi and welcome to the forum from Rocky and me.

Have you tried walking them both together. Maybe try a behaviourist

Hi and welcome from us and Suki. Have you tried a thundershirt?

Hi and welcome from Me n Steffi

Hello and welcome from me and the kids

HI & welcome.

What exactly triggered the fear? Do you always walk them seperately, or together?

Like Jstaff, I would recommend a thundershirt.

Hello and welcome. I'm sorry to hear about your difficulties.
When my ex's staffy started being terrified of the dark it would go crazy and would not only shake and not walk but try to get out of harness and lead, pull back and everything.
So we went to a vet practice who also offered behavioral help. They said to try and feed him outside in the dark, also I used to run with him in the dark and then stop and give him a treat and then walk again etc...
I don't know what triggered it with your sweet girl but I thought I'd share with you my experience and maybe you coul give it a try if you feel it might help.
He also has now one of those snuggle coats designed for anxious dogs (Caryll and J mentioned thundershirt, maybe they're the same thing).
All the best of luck and let us know!

x

Hi welcome

Tbh the more you makeing a deal of it the more she will do it. If you come in and shes shaking, you probably stroke and hug her which makes her do it more cause it gets a reaction.

Not walking her will add to it too, dogs need a lot of exercise. You said she is fine when you get a certain way, so i would just be making her go until shes fine again. Then at home work on relaxing her with lavender and a radio on radio 4 and possibly a thundershirt.

Have you tried coaxing her out into just the garden with treats when its dark? If not do this slowly just taking 1 step out and treat her, building it up over time and maybe wearing a thundershirt whilst you do this. Hope you can overcome this for both your sakes xx

Hi from me and a big sloppy staffy welcome from Kia

welcome

hi from me and the boys

hia from me and sasha
hope you get your girl sorted,its horrible to see a dog thats so scared,we had a couple of weeks that sash was scared cos of the fire-works,and for a week or so after she was anxious has it got dark cos she thought more fire-works were going to go off,at first we cuddled her and comforted her(wrong thing to do,we now know)but it is hard not to,then we found ignoring her she gradually got better,good luck with her

Hi & welcome to the forum

I have found a thundershirt on amazon, I think it is the only thing I haven't tried. She does still get walked we do about 4 miles a day as we are up a 5am in the morning to make sure they are ok for during the day while we are at work. We do always walk the two together, and I have taken her to a behaviour specialist. Fingers crossed that the shirt will work.

Thanks for all the support.

Hi from Lily, Lola and me. I agree with the thundershirt too. I would ignore the behaviour, you are reinforcing it with the reassurance. Lola used to be scared of the rain and I just ignored the trembling and whining. She still isn't keen but she isn't scared. Good Luck

Hi welcome to the forum from me and Duke

Thunder shirt arived today, going to give it a go.....Its so strange was out this morning at 5am and it was pitch black, she was fine. It always seems on the night, but fingers crossed.