Hi all

This topic might have been covered before so if it has and anyone can point me in the right direction to find the thread I'd be grateful.

Otherwise, can anyone offer advice/help?

My daughter has taken on a rescue dog.  He is still young - about 10 months and been passed around a bit.  He was last on a farm, living outside with other dogs.  He is great with dogs but worried about people and traffic.  My daughter has been walking him at 'quiet' times and he is much better with traffic and people in general(at first he barked madly at anyone he saw even if on the other side of the road)  but still spooks and barks if they stop and talk to anyone.  He hides behind her if anyone stretches a hand to touch him.  He barks at visitors to the house and unfortunately she doesn't get many so he isn't really progressing with that.

I suggested to my daughter to use treats and feed him when people are walking nearby and this has worked well so far but it doesn't when they are right close by and wanting to interact/stroke him.

Any ideas how can she get over the next step?

She has to take it VERY slowly, and under no circumstances must she allow anyone to try to stroke him. The dog has to do it all on his own terms, so if he wants to hide behind her legs, then that's what he should do. You could be talking about months before she gets to the stage were anyone can touch the dog. It has to be very small steps -first just being comfortable being anywhere near people, then getting closer, then taking treats off strangers dropped on the ground, NOT from the hand, then slowly progressing to taking treats from hands, then long after that being touched. There are no quick fixes, it has to be slow as otherwise things could get much worse. It might be an idea to find a good local behaviourist to help out and if you can tell us the general area the dog is in maybe somebody have a personal recommendation.

As above from Goldmali, also ask people not to look at him or stare at him, which of course people want to do its how we interact, but to a dog staring is interpreted as aggression or domination (naughty word I know). Encourage people to look away and turn slightly sideways away from him, this is a passive non confrontational way of acting and hopefully will relax the dog enough to eat treats and inch closer to strangers.

Great advice from the others, you can also get bandannas and coats etc these days with messages like 'I need my space' or 'please don't touch me I'm scared' and so on, just to give an extra message to the people who rush up and try to throw their arms round him before she gets the chance to stop them!

> 'please don't touch me I'm scared'

I've never heard of this.  I think it's a great idea.

Thanks to all for the advice.  I'll pass it on.  The coats and bandanas sound a great idea too.  Do you know where you can get them?

You could try these: :-)

http://www.friendlydogcollars.co.uk/index.php/hikashop-menu-for-categories-listing/product/25-yellow-qnervousq-harness-and-lead-package-my-dog-is-nervous

just to give her a boost for success my friend has a now 11year old collie/gsd cross who was  a rescue. He came with many problems and because of that whenever people came round he was kept in another room.
It has taken me many months of meeting him using the techniqnes of not ignoring him, just sitting in the same room as him dropping treats when I am in the room with him, eventually he has been prepared to take a treat that just happened to be in my open hand as he gingerly sniffed me and to a dog that now runs up to say hello to me asks me to tickle him and I can now look after him if the owners go out.
A long job but such satisfaction when it works. I did all this at his pace and btw I am not a trainer , behaviouist or anything just using common sense and the wonderful things I have learned here

good luck

We have a terribly nervous springer rescue at our dog class, after coming for about a year he actually took a treat from my hand (with me carefully not looking at him) a couple of weeks ago, I was so pleased! He's the most beautiful dog, I wish I could give him a cuddle!