# building self confidence



## SouthernMystery (Feb 20, 2011)

Yes, how do you build your dog's confidence?Recently, sabrina has been acting kind of skidish around cars and loud noises. She has been going through many phases like that and for each one she seems get over pretty quickly. 

She is starting to get better around cars,but I want to know how to build her over all self confidence back up to where it needs to be.


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## pitbullmamanatl (Jun 1, 2010)

Expose her to as much as possible. Take her to parking lots of grocery stores etc where there is a lot of activity with cars and such and just walk her around the parking lot. If she starts acting skittish redirect her attention to you but keep doing whatever you were doing, if that makes sense.


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## SouthernMystery (Feb 20, 2011)

Thanks! I thought git was kind of odd that she started showing fear of cars when she was always around them,but will do.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Take her out as much as you can and ignore when she acts scared. The worst thing you could do is coddle her, if she sees them a lot and nothing happens to her she will begin to ignore them


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

I agree with both posts you need to get her out and about. Does she have a favorite toy. If there is a park (not a dog park a human park) near by with activity going on like ur city park here always cars driving up and leaving. I would get a long line and let her play make sure she doesnt get close to the cars but if she is doing something she loves she will atart to ignore things around her.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

Gargamel hates Trash day due to the big trucks and all the barrels that things could hide behind. He would not want to go for a walk, and I used to try and ease him into it and act like he was a baby and I was trying to coax him, it didn't help. Going outside and ignoring him when he starts to get scared and upset and just making him move foward and just WALK, it took me about 3 months of trash days, but he is now totally fine. It just takes time, and like everyone said, don't act like its a bog deal, just act like its the same thing he sees all the time and treat him the exact same. Kinda like when a kid falls and everyone asks if he is OK and then they cry cause they think they should be crying if everyone thinks he is hurt. 

Could you take him to a high traffic area and hang out with the windows open in the car? Thats helped me out with my boy too. Oh, I also Went to a truck storage lot near my house and walked him through the trucks that were parked. Got him over his fear pof big trucks but now looks for cats, cause there were a billion cats under the trucks and I didn't realize til like the 4th cat, that kinda backfired, lol. He can't pass a truck or van without looking under it now, lol.


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## ashes (Jul 7, 2010)

when Aashes is scared of a certain something like it used to be buses I'd walk her around them all the time. It can take time but eventually they'll get over it as long as you ignore the behavior and you take control of the situation. When she was a puppy she was scared of the buses so ashes can usually get over a fear if I make it a game lol I know wierd but it has worked each time  So I'd have us "race" the bus and eventually she really liked it lol We prob looked like wierdo's lol But that's what helps her.


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## SouthernMystery (Feb 20, 2011)

MY MIKADO said:


> I agree with both posts you need to get her out and about. Does she have a favorite toy. If there is a park (not a dog park a human park) near by with activity going on like ur city park here always cars driving up and leaving. I would get a long line and let her play make sure she doesnt get close to the cars but if she is doing something she loves she will atart to ignore things around her.





ames said:


> Gargamel hates Trash day due to the big trucks and all the barrels that things could hide behind. He would not want to go for a walk, and I used to try and ease him into it and act like he was a baby and I was trying to coax him, it didn't help. Going outside and ignoring him when he starts to get scared and upset and just making him move foward and just WALK, it took me about 3 months of trash days, but he is now totally fine. It just takes time, and like everyone said, don't act like its a bog deal, just act like its the same thing he sees all the time and treat him the exact same. Kinda like when a kid falls and everyone asks if he is OK and then they cry cause they think they should be crying if everyone thinks he is hurt.
> 
> Could you take him to a high traffic area and hang out with the windows open in the car? Thats helped me out with my boy too. Oh, I also Went to a truck storage lot near my house and walked him through the trucks that were parked. Got him over his fear pof big trucks but now looks for cats, cause there were a billion cats under the trucks and I didn't realize til like the 4th cat, that kinda backfired, lol. He can't pass a truck or van without looking under it now, lol.





ashes said:


> when Aashes is scared of a certain something like it used to be buses I'd walk her around them all the time. It can take time but eventually they'll get over it as long as you ignore the behavior and you take control of the situation. When she was a puppy she was scared of the buses so ashes can usually get over a fear if I make it a game lol I know wierd but it has worked each time  So I'd have us "race" the bus and eventually she really liked it lol We prob looked like wierdo's lol But that's what helps her.


thanks everyone, i'm in no need to hurry. the only park close to A LOT of traffic is the dog park. we went there yesturday and walked on the side walk by the busy road. it took her awhile probably like 5 or 10 mins when she started acting a little more confident around cars and loud nosies. she wouldnt flip out she'd just stop til the car or cars pass by,but once she gets used to them she keeps on walking and only getting kind of shy around big trucks


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## SouthernMystery (Feb 20, 2011)

Update,
Last month she was over her fear of cars completely. I guess she hadn't been around them in awhile so she was worry of them. She now doesn't stop and continues walking even when a car passes us.


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