Lilly is a great dog! Her training is coming along good! She goes to Daycare 3 days a week, so she is well socialized. She travels with us in the car all the time. We go outside to potty break even is raining and an occasional thunder. It is just my husband and I, so our house is quiet! She's become accustomed to that! Once she ran into a plant on a stand and it fell, she was afraid of that area for a couple of months! Last week, the toaster popped up and she is skittish by the kitchen island. Yesterday my husband came in the mudroom after work caring a big box and a cup tucked under his chin and she barked and backed off. So, lately it seems things scare her easy around our quiet house! This is something new! Is this a beginning of a problem or something that will pass?
How old is your dog? It could just be a phase. Mango was great, not scared of anything, until he hit 7 months or so. He started barking at the neighbours. One day my grandma (who he spends time with when I'm at work, so that is a lot) walked in with a hood on. He went crazy. Barking and backing off. Whrn she took the hood off, it was all fine (he never barkes at me when I wear one). Then again, someone passed my kitchen window and he jumped in my lap and barked at the window for a minute.
Hi @Linda&Lilly Welcome to the sight. Could be nothing but I would get the vet to check her eye sight. If that is not the problem, then I think we need some more info. Was she raised in a litter with a whelping box outside, well from the interior of breeders home? How old is she? If she is still in the socialisation window, (4 to 16 weeks), then you will to desensitise to all the triggers and more, that are frightening her. If you are in the window, and unsure what to do, then let us know and we'll help further. If she is older, then I suggest you go to the folder on this site called Look at That, and start training that protocol.
I would suggest a few things... An Adaptil diffuser running in your home. An Adaptil collar on her. (Both Adaptil products need to be renewed each month.) Adaptil Calming tablets. A course of Zylkene. The issue is that her triggers appear to be 'anything appearing in an unexpected place and/appearing suddenly' - which is a category it's kind of hard to work on whilst keeping her under-threshold. I think first putting into place some 'global' calming measures which will help relax her in a more general way, before seeing if you still have problems and potentially some behavioural work at that point, would be a good idea. This does not mean she is well-socialised. Sadly I pick up the pieces of dogs at daycare or out with dog walkers, on a daily basis in behavioural consultations
