How do you get an abused dog to learn not to be skitish.?

Time is the main cure. Also, most dogs are terrified of vacuums, so that part isn't unique. However, if you think there was past abuse, I'd try to spare her the trauma of this until things settle down.

On the couch, along with patience, try different ways of holding/touching her when you get her down. It could be that the way you're trying to "move" her is threatening to her for some reason. Also, there's nothing wrong with saying "No!" and pointing to the floor just to see her reaction. If it works, then heap a lot of praise and give a treat until she understands this is just her owner telling her something. But don't tempt her with treats (I learned this the hard way!). Even if it succeeds, in her mind she was getting a treat and chased after it. She won't make the connection that it was a "substitute" for being on the couch.

If the problem lingers, I'd be tempted to get a behaviorist in the home for a couple hours. It's not that expensive, and he can monitor both her behavior and her owner's. This can be a lifesaver!

Patience, patience, patience and understanding. But not babying. When you try to reassure a dog as you would a child it just makes it more fearful. Stay cheerful and matter-of-fact but speak slowly.

CALL her off the couch like it's the best thing in the world, don't roll or push. And the second she steps down, praise, praise, praise. She's showing extreme submission with the rolling and peeing. This is a big reason you need to offer her calm, consistent leadership, patience, and whenever possible, very patiently convince HER to do the action you need or want by calling her or using a lure instead of forcing her by pushing or pulling. There are a million things our body language tells her that we are not even aware of that makes the difference between this working and it not.

A good start is "The Cautious Canine", a basic and helpful little booklet. But a consultation with a professional animal behaviorist (NOT a trainer, a behaviorist) would be best. It's not expensive, especially when you consider the time and frustration and money a good one will save you by helping you to understand her behavior, how to clearly communicate with, and best handle and train her and how to be the type of leader she needs. It cuts the learning curve down and makes the whole process so much easier and faster for all of you. Your vet should be able to give you a referral. You want one up to date in humane and scientific methods. Harsh treatment in any way will make things worse.

Thank you for giving her a caring home. When a fearful or skittish dog, whatever the reason, you need to be prepared to be more patient, be more creative, and seek help. But when that effort helps them to blossom into the happy, confident dog they deserved to be, the deep satisfaction and joy is so very much worth it.

Patience is what you need with animals like your dog. It's terrible what people do to these poor animals, the psychological damages that they have are not always treatable.

The best thing you can do is try and be patient with her, give her a lot of love and attention, more stokes and hugs, no matter what just console her when she pees on the floor. Maybe she got beaten for being on the couch so maybe just put a blanket by your couch so she can lay on there instead, Thats all you can do so she knows that she is in a safe environment and that your not going to harm her. It will take more than a month to do all of this. Animals that have been abused do take up more time than others.

I don't think it's just the abuse that makes a dog skittish, I think learning not to trust the human does, so whatever the dogs past may have been, it's not now, you will just have to work on getting the dog to trust again, you have to be very careful with skittish dogs, they are very sensitive to everything & they must slowly gain your trust back & learn nothing bad is going to happen. It takes a whole lot of time to get fear based dogs back to a healthy state.

Good Luck!

It takes a lot of TIME for dogs who have been severely neglected or abused to get over these things.

Next time you vacuum see if your roommate can take the dog for a short walk. As far as being submissive and rolling over and peeing just try and be very gentle and patient - it will go away eventually, unfortunately it's just a slow process :)

Just be gentle and keep at it. There's no way of curing her overnight, but once she realises that you're not going to hurt her she will become more confident.

I'd say do everything you can to build her confidence- don't expose her to the vaccum, always speak quietly and move slowly.

patience - and going to obedience school - and getting her training - and gaining her trust. other than that no there is nothing you can do. trust is earned. sit with her. pull her into your lap and just rub her and pet her and talk to her. tv off. a lot of 1 on 1 will do wonders. treats aren't always the way to the dogs heart. she is afraid of humans. you have to show her that it is ok.

you have 22+ solutions at 8:40-one pm CST in Chicago. in simple terms is going to coach how alluring the hearts of puppy fans could be with all of the tumultuality of international politics and nuclear palms maneuvering happening today. 22 solutions! it somewhat is super. hang in there along with your canine. there is not extra trusting and noble puppy than one that has been rescued. they are well worth each little bit of extra suitable attempt and could pay off you ten fold interior the destiny. In my case it became a three-week old kitten, now 10 years old named Mars. He became deserted by way of his mommy in a chilly warehouse over an prolonged weekend, so each worker took a kitten abode. We cared for him (bottle fed) and he never truly meowed . . . yet by way of being with our different cat and around his "human beings", he finally (years later) has exchange into extra vocal. extra like an "ack ack" sound! he's extremely in music together with his vendors and looks like he can study our emotions and minds and knows as quickly as we want a splash kitty head-butt. His mommy never even taught him to purr properly; they only way we are able to tell is thru putting our palms below his chin (such as you may take the heart beat of a human). think of of 10 years well worth of exhilaration for a years well worth of "starting to be up with kitty". he's a great puppy and that i inform you what, we'd have never, ever left him or our different cat (Neptune - and no, we are unlikely for the full galaxy) to drown in ANY typhoon OR undesirable climate. desire it is stable sufficient for you . . . your puppy will come around and love you; if no longer, i've got been searching for a canine, distinctly a canine it somewhat is been abused because of the fact i recognize the magic which could take place with rescued pets. e mail me and we are able to take him off your palms. God bless and stable success to you the two!

Get a cat , keep her sweater in New England style where it is very cold. cot low /oe/ sleep next to her and /u/ her through obedience school. Listen to her purr. You may learn a thing about strait You may learn to love her or like her anyway lol... Did I take his breath away?

Time! That is the only answer and even that might not heal those wounds.