Introducing Shadow - ready for his walk in the chilly weather

I have had Shadow for 2 1/2 years - he is a rescue and is about 6 years old.  Does anyone know if there is a way of telling their age as I am not sure.  He is very friendly and only barks when someone comes to the front door or if he wants to go out in the garden.  He gets very nervous if another dog (even small ones) barks at him as he has never been socialised. I try to get him to say hello to other dogs we meet and he does with a waggy tail but he is still nervous and tries to hide behind me and bites his lead if they get to friendly.  I hope some day he will be braver but I don't know about his former life before me so it could have a bearing on how he is now.  All tips will be gratefully received.

Hi &

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Hi ya, welcome to the forum from Flo and me. Shadow looks great and well done on the rescue

I think the only way to make shadow braver is to socialise him as much as possible so that he realises that not all dogs are bad. Do you have someone with a dog you could go walking with, or perhaps join some obedience classes which are also great ways to socialise, you'll also pick up some great tips along with even better training

well done on the rescue i took mia to puppy classes aged three i also took her out to different situations as much as posible ie to see cows horses buses and cars and oh god motorbikes. id slowly introduce him firstly to cats and work your way from there use plenty treats and reassurance welcome to the forum

hia from me and Sasha echo what has been already put,if you have a friend with a dog that gets on well with all other dogs try walking them both together both on lead with the dogs on the out side and both owners in the middle,do this until both dogs are happy with it and then try with the dogs walking next to each other

Hi from me and mine up here in north Essex!

Socialisation is good but you have to do it right with a nervous dog. Face to face meetings are very confrontational and can make things worse. Also, just doing the same thing over and over can backfire. There a good saying - 'do what you do and you'll get what you always get (or worse)'.

Two things are worth trying. Firstly, when you see or meet another dog, take a step or two back and call Shadow to you. You will ease the pressure and also turn him round so he's not head on. That will very often soften the other dog as well. You might find that approaching then retreating a few times helps.

The other thing is to see if you can walk alongside or follow other dogs. This is much less of a threat and very often dogs who have barked at eachother face to face will immediately quieten when walking alongside. If that works, start at a distance and let Shadow close the gap. By allowing him to choose you'll know what he's happy with and he can also feel that he can make his choice in a relaxed manner without being forced into a situation he's uncomfortable with.

I can't remember who, but one trainer whose book I was reading made a great point. We have a thing that all dogs should like other dogs and get on with everyone. Why? It's convenient and nice for us but not really necessary to their world. Many dogs do get on with everyone, others don't. If they prefer to keep a distance, why not? Of course, it's best if they can meet others without fear or adverse reaction in case it's not avoidable, but if Shadow is one of those dogs who prefers not to have to socialise too much, then maybe so be it?

I think all the good advice has been given.Taking him to a park or puppy group and let him watch how other dogs play and are friendly to each other at a distance may make him feel more confident,but don't push him,let him make friends at his own pace.
As for knowing how old he is,most vets go by looking at the teeth.
Good luck and welcome to the forum,always plenty of good advice and help on here.

Hi and welcome to the forum from me and the zoo xx

Hiya from me and Vinnie