Question
Arnie
i have recently brought Arnie an American Bulldog from a rescue center here in Plymouth. he is a fantastic 3 1/2 year old dog, well behaved in the house, great with kids and other animals. however whenever he sees a moving car he flips out and puts his tail between his legs and cowers behind my legs and also trys to pull away on his lead and it can take a while for him to calm down. he also loves to pull on his lead for the first 5-10 minutes of a walk on his lead. he's not interested in toys or playing, but he will play if he's out for a walk! he's also very nervous of doors, sudden movements and loud noises. I'm hoping this is something that he's going to grow out of and he's not really had a good life before he got to me, and now that he is with me that he will settle. i have alot of experience with boxers so i know what they can be like and this question is really just to make sure that he will either grow out of it or will calm down in time. i look forward to hearing from you soon.
AnswerHi Paul
Arnie will not grow out of these behaviors as they are not induced by adolescence (and he is mature now anyway).
The fear of traffic needs to be treated as he is clearly very distressed by the proximity of moving vehicles, perhaps due to a lack of socialization when younger. Firstly contact the center you adopted him from to see if they have qualified behaviorists there to offer advice. If not, enlist he help of someone who can come and see you and Arnie to help you develop a desensitization programme. He must not be pushed beyond what he can cope with as it is likely to make him panic and increase his fear.
The other fear issues you mention also need to be assessed in person as it isn't appropriate to give advice in this format. He is likely to improve as he settles in if he builds a good relationship with you and feels secure in his new home.
Please ensure you enlist the help of someone qualified in animal behavior and not a trainer who uses aversive methods (involving scaring or bullying him into behaving quietly) as these can backfire. Due to his breed and potential you must get him seen and not simply hope the problems will go away.
Are you in Plymouth UK? If so I could recommend someone to you.
Good luck
Lucy
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