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got a two yr. old Lhasa two weeks ago. she has been abused, traumatized. jumps and shakes at any move or sound.
What can I do to help her? She hides, will not come, is barely eating, I thought yesterday that we were making progress, but today she is hiding under the table and refuses to come. I sit on the floor and eventually she will come, but she cowers and cringes everytime I try to pet her. I can tell she wants to be friendly, but she is terrified. I feel I'm in over my head. What can I do? How long will it take? Will we be able to overcome this or are some dogs so traumatized they never get comfortable again? It is like she has PTSD. She looks at me with those big Lhasa eyes, but hers are either vacant or so very sad. My last Lhasa's eyes were sparkly and teasing. This dog will not even bark and Lhasas usually bark. Is this doable?
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Member 894155
on Sep 26th 2009
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in Fears & Phobias
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Best Answer
Yes, it is doable. It may take a year or more, but it will be worth it. Two weeks isn’t much time to learn to trust after you have been hurt and lied to by your person. (People are given love; not giving it back to your dog is lying and breaking trust)
Time, patience, and gentleness, don’t rush her. Sit quietly near her and don’t look at her. Move slowly, find a treat she really loves and give her mall pieces often. Speak softly; expect to take a few steps back every now and then. She will test the waters and then get scared and hide. Some day she will quit hiding.
Never raise your voice or move fast. Use a lot of positive reinforcement and kindness. I am sure you will get there, but it will take time.
One day when she runs up to you with her sparkling eyes, you will feel so proud of her and proud of yourself for giving her back her life and ability to trust her person. Please give her time, you won’t be sorry.
Fritz answered on Sep 26th.
Other Answers
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As you're following Fritz's excellent advice, if you need help or support, I highly recommend hiring a behaviorist or trainer who uses humane methods and positive reinforcement. Go to www.k9techsupport.com for a good article on how to select a reputable trainer.
If professional help is beyond your budget, find a local rescue group and get to know some members. The good people who rescue dogs are generally an excellent source of support and information as you work through these issues.
If you got her from the pound or a rescue group, she's been spayed already - but if not, please have it done. It will protect her from breast cancer later, and put her through less emotional upset in the long run.
Be patient and calm. Hand-feed her meals (you can start by making a trail of kibble, if she won't venture near your hand). This will create a bond and teach her that you are the source of good things! Don't reach for her yet; let her come to you. GL!
Katie
answered on 9/26/09.
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She may be also just scared of her new home, and needs to adjust.
Don't assume she has been abused. Being in a shelter and then going to a new home is very hard.
Then do not zero out medical conditions, your first stop should be the vet.
Get down and pet her on the floor each time. Leaning over her is going to not help.
Sit on the floor and gently feed her. Feed her constantly in each setting you may have to toss the food gently to her. No chattering, just quiet and relaxed feeding. That is the best way to win a dog's heart, food.! use chicken breast chopped up something really rewarding.Ignore the shaking crazy nerves and rewarding the stepping towards you or playing with a ball.
Dieta
answered on 9/27/09.
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Fearful dogs are a big job & require ALOT of patience & quiet kindness. It may take 6 months to bring her completely out of her shell. Just go slow & let her work it out.
At this point she has NO trust in you. She will begin to trust you as long as you let her do it at her pace.
It once took me several hours of sitting with my back to a dog, to get it to even approch me. I just ignored it & sat quietly on the floor. I had a peice of cooked chicken breast on a small plate in front of me. After a while it began to come closer. I put the plate in my lap & let it come to me.
I never looked or spoke to her. I just let her take the chicken when she wanted to. I repeated this 2-3 times everyday for 2 weeks. After about a week she began to come toward me when she saw me, but was still affraid. But it took less time for her to come around me every day.
Once she had some trust in me, I began to talk to her in a low, calm voice. Within a few months she had FULL trust in me.
Neka
answered on 9/27/09.
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Poor girl... she's had a rough start.
What you're going to have to do is called 'desensitization' and 'counterconditioning'. in her short life, she's learned that people are beings to be afraid of, and not to be trusted.
You are her light. Just remember, when you're about to give up, that you are the person she is going to learn to trust, and love unconditionally. It will all be worth it in the end, and you will have a dog that absolutely adores you.
She does have PTSD. You will have to be very patient with her... she'll come out of it. There's no telling how long it will take.
I'd suggest you go to the store and get something yummy, like cheese, or cold-cut turkey from the deli. You've gotten off to a good start so far. Keep it up!
Just sit on the floor, holding the yummy treats. Eventually, she will come over to you. Don't touch her yet, just feed her little tiny pieces of the treat, luring her closer to you. When she's comfortable, you can try to pet her. Give her time
Mina
answered on 9/27/09.
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Do you know if your dog was abused and traumatized for sure? If so... yes, it is like she has PTSD, but you can help her overcome her symptoms. It is like you're a "dog therapist!" It could take a very long time (even a year or more) to get your dog where you want her to be, but realize that the progress you make will be so rewarding. Taking her back to a shelter or rescue could even re-traumatize her. You'll want to make your home as quiet and consistent as possible. Let her have her space and wait for her to come to you without pressuring her. Give her lots of positive reinforcement, which would have to be things that she likes. For instance, if she hates being petted at this point, petting won't be reinforcing/praise. Try some yummy dog treats as a reward/positive reinforcement for coming out from under the table. You could just sit on the floor with some treats scattered around you and wait for her to come to you. As you can probably tell, this will take patience!!
Bubbles
answered on 9/27/09.
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