I have a 1yr old Jack Russell bitch  and I need help with her.  Only recently my little dog has taken a dislike to my ironing board everytime I bring it out she runs and hides under the bed  also I am having a few problems with her and traffic  she seems to be scared at lorroes, vans and rubbish lorries  these were not a problen in the past and have on just  become a problem with her  Can anyone suggest anything I can do  apart from re assure her which I am constantly doing  Thank u.

Expose her to all these situations slowly at first and don't comfort her too much as she will see this as a reward for her being scared. Instead treat her as normal but don't throw her in at the deep end as it will be too overwhelming. Start with the ironing board get it out when shes calm and cannot escape from the room but has somewhere to go like a den. If she can't escape you might find she will come closer to investigate.

Wot I have been doing with the traffic situation is walking passed vans lorries etc  with her on the lead but telling her she is a good girl not that I debliberately go and find lorries  but when I am out with her for her walks as for theironing board she acts terrified and I dont want to scare her anymore than she already is by it  Thank u  for u r reply

Don't reassure her - this just reinforces the impression that there is something to be afraid of, try and be "matter of fact" about things.

Expose her to the things she is scared of - put the ironing board up at the edge of the room where she does not have to pass it and leave it there for a few days, then move it to a different place or if it is the noise of putting it up and down do this many times a day.

Bengi was terrified of all traffic when we first had him and we have a really busy by-pass that we can walk along side of so  i walked down it every day at different times of the day and never reasurred him it was ok instead just carried on as normal. I actually timed it when it was quite at first progressing to the busier/noiser times and he is not scared anymore. Kerioak's idea for the ironing board is excellent the more times hes exposed it will become part of the furniture so to speak. As for finding lorries i did so that he would'nt be scared. :D

Would have thought she would have had her first season but if she was alright and now she is not, and there has been no trauma, I would think it may be hormonal and she may be due a season or having a phantom. Could be just her hormones playing up as she moves into adulthood.

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Do't reasure her, insted ignor her If possible when you get the ironbored out, leave it, walk away and leave her in the same room.  Make sure it is fully stable though so it doesn't fall and scare her even more.

With traffic have her by your side and let her watch the traffic go by, if she gets silly tell her not to be so silly, put her back by your side.  If she behaves and is good and doesn't get frightend then have a game, give her treat and be really fun but only do this when she has behaved.

I know it is easy to try and comfort them but all you are doing is telling the dog its ok to be scared.