My German Shepherd puppy fears loud sounds. How can I help him cope?

Oh dear, poor Axel! Some dogs have innately anxious and nervous personalities, and German Shepherds (it appears that Axel has a fair amount of Shepherd in him from the pictures!) are known for anxiety issues. Continue gently trying to socialize Axel with new people and surroundings, and offer small treats and gentle encouragement as he is introduced to a new situation. Some dogs also benefit from thunder shirts ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24037 ) for anxiety, as well as calming pheromone collars or diffusers ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=33000 ). If all else fails, consider consulting a veterinary behaviorist to discuss behavioral modifications to try at home, and possible anti-anxiety medication. I hope that all goes well!

Hello. This is a great age to start to introduce Sweety to new experiences. Puppy classes at Petco or another training facility will widen her world to different sights, sounds & people. Overcoming innate fears are a difficult thing to teach a dog on your own, but a professional trainer can guide you to make Sweety a confident & well mannered pet. Take care.

You can make a kennel or a safe place for him to go for comfort when this happens. It often helps to keep a white noise machine on that can help mask some of the sounds. When a sound comes try to comfort him an give him a treat to help minimize the anxiety

You may try to find a CD or other audio recording of traffic or even motorcycle sounds. Once you find one, play it in your house at all times at a low level. Gradually increase the volume. This helps the brain to become adjusted to the sound and normalize it. You should also get a high-value treat. When you are on a walk with him as soon as he sees a motorcycle call his name and give him the treat. Standstill and continue giving him the treats as long as the motorcycle is around.This can help to create a positive association with the motorcycles. You must be consistent and the treats must be very high value. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

At 12 weeks, I highly doubt that Cortes has developed a severe dislike or fear of any particular person since my assumption is that you were his first owner. He may just be a fearful puppy that is going to require a lot more work and patience than the average dog. The other possibility is that there is a physical problem that is causing him discomfort whenever you try to contact him. If he is in some sort of pain for some reason, he may even be anticipating the contact and reacting to it beforehand. GSDs are one of the most dramatic breeds and are much more likely to act like that and do things like that than your average mutt. If you are able to rule out that there is no physical issues for sure, than I think you should consider contacting a trainer right away. Most trainers will work with you as long as your pup is at the very least Rabies vaccinated. I would stay away from puppy classes for the time being, instead using a one-on-one trainer to help you out. In terms of things you can do at home, Cortes needs to be continually rewarded for the behaviors and actions that you desire most. In a case like this, you have to take baby steps. By this, I mean if he even starts to make steps in your direction without a negative reaction, he should be rewarded with praise and treats. A bigger reward should be given for even great accomplishments. I think teaching the touch command in this particular instance would be a great idea. This will allow you to communicate with and play a game with Cortes without actually having so touch him physically. The idea of the game is to have your dog touch his nose to your hand or to an object of your choosing. There should be many different tutorials and videos all over the internet that will show you how best to teach a dog this effectively. I know it's hard and it sounds like Cortes might be harder than others, but don't give up just yet! It's all very new for the both of you. Hope this helps!

Unfortunately, Pluto's window for maximum socialization is already closing (ends around 10-12 weeks in most German Shepards), so really for the next couple of days, you want to expose him to as many dogs, people, sounds, floor surfaces, types of clothing, etc that you possibly can. To specifically answer your question, any type of dog you want him to interact well with in the future is a good type of dog to introduce him to this weekend. Make sure to have lots of yummy treats and leave the situation if Pluto is scared of something, but short of scaring him, expose him to everything! Good luck and enjoy your adorable pup!

The key to giving a dog confidence is good basic training. Get her used to the concept that you are the boss and make her listen to you when you meet strangers. Take her lots of places that she can socialise but ignore her when she is barking and interact with her and the strangers when she is settled. If you are having trouble with socialization I would recommend puppy classes or a dog trainer.