How can I help my dog overcome her fear of water spray bottles?

A few things you can try is first turning off the fountain and emptying it, and tossing a few favorite treats in it. When she shows interest/takes the treats be sure to give lots of praise for it. Once she seems OK with that, you can then add in water but not turn it on. If she shows interest or drinks from it, again praise and give a treat. Once she's fine with drinking from it off, you can then turn it on, and again, treat and praise when she shows interest/drinks from it. She'll quickly learn this is a good thing, instead of a scary one!

Baths can be fun or really scary. I would work in desensitizing your pup about baths. You c am do this by making the bath a positive experience. I would work with really yummy treats and putting them in the tub. No bath. Just getting used to getting in the tub and having a treat. You could even start putting his food in there (as long as she can reach). Keep working on this until she goes in and out easily on her own without much coaxing. Then next time I would have treats in one hand and turn the water on and off. Keep offering lots of treats and praise. Still no bath. Do this daily until she’s no longer worried about the water. Then you can start to work on getting her wet and progress until she’s comfortable with that too. Secret trick is smearing peanut butter (all natural of course!! Make sure it has no sweaters and NOT XYLITOL, it’s highly toxic). It usually keeps them busy working on that while you bath.

Poor Star! It sounds like she's a very anxious girl, if she's afraid of so many things. You can work with her on this by taking tasty treats with you everywhere you go - if she sees something that makes her nervous, praise her and give her a treat. If she wants to move closer to investigate, let her do this - if she would rather move away, that's fine too. It's very important not to force her into situations that scare her or make her uncomfortable, as this will only make the problem worse. You might also want to try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to see if this helps. A veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer would also be very helpful for you, if you feel like you need some hands-on guidance - your vet should be able to refer you to someone in your area who can help, if needed.

Dogs are situational learners and can sometimes make some very weird connections. I recommend to start clicker training her. You will also need some very high value treats or a high value toy. Whichever she thinks is better. Basically start in the house near the doorway with you and reward her for coming near you. Gradually work your way out the door. What you are trying to do is produce a positive association. It is very important that you remain calm and try not to get frustrated her as she will pick up on negative energy. You can also start feeding her in the back yard or playing out there to continue the positive association. Also give her positive reinforcement for looking at you frequently or when she is afraid. This will teach her to look to you for action. This will be a slow process. Be patient and keep her on the medication for now. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I certainly sympathize with your situation. My own 2 year old dog is the same way. The key to training him is to expose him to situations that are not too scary for him, but improve his confidence. This is not a quick or easy process, and will need to be continued long term. I have found the best method to be a desensitization and counter-conditioning system. When Max encounters something that is slightly scary for him (not too overhelming at first), ask him to sit or lie down for a treat. The goal is to get him to do something that he is comfortable with and receive a treat (positive reinforcement) for doing that behavior instead of being afraid. Do not give him any reinforcement (verbal or otherwise) for fearful behavior, but try to ignore it. Instead reward the behavior you want to see. It would be a great idea to have a trainer try to help you start this type of training program, so you might ask your vet for a recommendation on a trainer. I have been using this on my dog, and it works well, but requires a lot of work. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Instead of focusing on the bad things, try to be positive when she does good things to give her more confidence. Doing an obedience class together may help improve your bond and make her feel more secure

I hate to hear that about Paisley. This is an instance where clicker training can be immensely beneficial. You will need either really high value treats or a really high value toy. Once she knows that the clicker sound means a reward is coming, start by having her in the crate and you sit near the opening. Hold the reward toward her but don’t look directly at her (looking at them can be intimidating). As soon as she makes any motion toward the reward, click and treat her. She will gain confidence and you will work on drawing her further and further out of the crate. This is going to be a slow process to have patience and don’t get frustrated. She will pick up in the negative energy. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.