nervousness

Question
I have 2 shiba inus. My male is 11 months old and is very well tempered. My female is 6 months old and has developed being very nervous when she has to go in the car, to work or any social situation (vet, pet store). Both my shibas have been on the same schedule since they came off the plane after purchasing. They come to work with me almost every day mon-fri. We are home together as a family on weekends and they stay home once in a while during the week. They have 2 rooms of our house that they stay in when we are not home. My female shies away from strangers but will let you pet her. They sleep on our bed at night and have a very normal feeding and poddy schedule. From the time Kadie started coming to work with me, she would sleep on my desk. Kado has a bed under the counter. Kadie stays on my desk all day and shies from people but is NEVER aggressive. She is a well behaved and well adjusted dog at home and very playful. I do not know if she will outgrow being nervous in the car and social situations as this started about 2 months after I got her. I would like to put her in obedience class as I did Kado but I am afraid she will be too nervous. Any suggestions? Should I keep her on her schedule of going to work (10 minute drive)? Should I have more frequent car trips? I do not separate my dogs and they are indoor dogs and very healthy.

Answer
Hi Brenda,

Dogs are all individuals, some are just naturally more high strung than others. That said, there are things you can do to help your shy or fearful dog gain more confidence:

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Shy.php

http://www.dogtraininghq.com/building-confidence.html

You should work with her to help her get over her shyness. This is not something she will outgrow, and it could get worse. Though she's not at all aggressive now, fear and shyness can easily cause a dog to bite.
Most shy dogs gain confidence slowly over a long period time. It's important not to force her into uncomfortable situations too soon.

An obedience class is an excellent idea. A class will help her get over her shyness, as she gains confidence from learning new things. Talk to the trainers who run obedience classes near you, they might have a class with less people, or have other suggestions as far as how to introduce your dog into a class. Another alternative for a very shy dog is to have an obedience instructor come to the home and give your dog private instruction.

There are things you can do to help your female dog become more comfortable with car rides, to what extent the reconditioning will help is anybody's guess, it might help a great deal, or just a little. It depends on how much time you will put into this.
Start out by just sitting in the car with the dog. Don't go anywhere. Don't even start the motor. Just sit in there and read a book or listen to the radio. Soon the dog will realize that nothing terrible has happened and that she did not get sick. Keep doing this until the dog is obviously relaxed and not fearful. If the dog does get sick, then you've stayed too long and should begin for shorter periods. When you see that your dog is comfortable with this activity, progress a little further and start the engine, but still do not go anywhere. When the dog is relaxed with the motor running, then begin taking very short trips, perhaps just around the block.
As your dog gets more and more comfortable, go for longer rides. Drive to places where the dog has fun. Take a short ride up the block to the dog's favorite walking area or to the beach, park or a friend's house. Let the dog associate car rides with fun, pleasant and rewarding experiences.

Do not rush your dog into anything, or it may just slow the process down. While you're desensitizing your dog to car rides, it might help not to take her to work with you. If it's possible to leave your dog at home, it would better than having her endure unpleasant car rides.

Read more about how to work with your dog to get her used to car rides here:

http://www.wholisticdogtraining.com/files/ride.pdf

http://ezinearticles.com/?Teach-Your-Dog-How-to-Ride-in-a-Car&id=1675666

Something that could help your dog be calmer in the car, and at work would be if you used Dog Appeasing Pheromone (D.A.P). This odor free product mimics the properties of the natural pheromones of the lactating female. Within three to five days after giving birth, the female generates pheromones that give their puppies a sense of well-being and reassurance. Even as adults, dogs retain the response of being calmed by these Pheromones. One of my dogs is very nervous in the car, and whenever we've used the Pheromones, he's been MUCH better.
DAP comes as a spray (spray in your car 15 minutes before you put the dog in the car), embedded in a collar, and as plug-in diffuser that will deliver the pheromone 24 hours a day. Two brands to look for are Excel Calming Pheromone, and Comfort Zone DAP.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti