behavioral problems

Question
hi i have a daschund name maddie im the 2nd owner. she is about 11 months old. my question is, why is she skiddish,wants to go after little kids, go under the bed and is about scared of everything. i have a propane tank for heating during the winter and when we go for a walk she is skittish of the tank, since i have had her she is that way. also i have a swing on my porch and she is scared of that and she goes right by it when we go in the house. what can i do so she wont be scared anymore. thanks terri

Answer
Your dog appears to be suffering from a genetically fearful temperament coupled with a serious lack of socialization during her first year of life.  Her fear of children makes her behave aggressively toward them; her fear of physical objects makes her want to avoid them; her sensitivity to certain sounds is the result of her not having been socialized/introduced to a reasonable variety of circumstances.  Dogs respond (initially) to fear with three behaviors: fight, flight, freeze.  Most dogs will combine fight and flight, especially when restrained on leash, and further behaviors will develop from these.  You must be patient and kind with this dog and allow her to habituate to things in your environment that frighten her, if she can.  As for children, she needs to be kept away from children who are visiting if she shows aggression toward them.  Whether or not she will be able to overcome her fearful responses is something no one can predict.  Perhaps with time, coupled with careful, loving ownership by you and positive reinforcement training, she will become more confident.  You can learn about living with, and training, fearful dogs by reading Patricia McConnell Ph.D.'s book on the subject.  I believe it's available  on Amazon.