Hello Everyone,
I need HELP. I have had Bridgett now for 2 1/2 months. I just LOVE her to death. She is my buddy. We have started bonding in a special way. I just cannot get her to walk, get close to anyone, in the yard a twig falls, she runs inside. She is affraid of everything, even in the house. I guess I just need to know that it will change. My Brass Babe is at the bridge. This is my second grey. I guess I just need to know that it wil be ok with time. I am trying, we get in the street to walk and she will just not go at all. I don't know what to do. HELP

Molly was the same way when we first got her, five years ago. She was friendly and pretty outgoing, but on walks she would just stop. I remember sometimes she would just stop, sometimes pretty far from the house, and we would actually pick her up like a sheep and carry her. We would bring treats on the walks and bribe her to move, so you might try that. I think we would also bring her stuffy for her to carry but I don't think that worked very well. She got to like the routines and would look for treats from the mail carrier and that sort of thing. But I still couldn't believe how stubborn she was. One thing we learned with Molly is that it can take them a long time to change. I would say it took two years for her to feel completely confident. When my twins were born around that time she came out of her shell much more. I think as she gets older and more used to the world she will be much more confident and she will overcome many of her fears, but might always be a slightly shy girl.

Thank You for your response. We actually had a short walk last night when it was daylight. She seems to do better when it is dark. We passed three people and she did not freeze up. I was very excited when we got back. I am hoping this is a good sign. I will try it again tonight. Again, Thank You.

Are you walking her for exercise only? Do you have a fenced yard where she can go out to potty?
If this is for exercise only perhaps leash walk her around your backyard. Then move up to very short walks in front of your house. When Gracie used to "statue" I learned to immediately do a U turn, take a few steps and U turn again. That plus rewarding when she got things right helped.
Everything may still be too new for your girl. She'll get in the groove eventually.

Thank You. Yes I have a large fenced back yard. She will now go outside in the yard and do her business. This took time, but she is ok with that now. We are just walking for fun, and for her to have fun and see other things. We went on another walk last night, with some success. I will keep trying and I think she will get better. Thank You

It's amazing. I was just going to post to see if anyone could help me with Izzy, and here is someone else asking about the same thing and I didn't notice it before. I've fostered a shy dog before from the kennel, but Izzy being only 5 mos old I don't know what to do for her. She is afraid to go out in our fenced in yard if she hears the dogs barking on the other side of the privacy fence. She is scared to death of the school bus going down the street in the morning or hearing kids out in the yard. She's even scared if the wind is blowing too hard.
I know they didn't have all this at the puppy farm, but even with a harness on her I can't get her to move. She's growing faster than a weed and I can hardly lift her already.
Any suggestions from former gh puppy owners? I know-there aren't too many of those around.

Hi Blanch, I loved the pictures of Izzy, and what you have done for her. We have started taking Bridgett to the Raleigh meet & greets. It is impossible to get her their until she sees another grey. It is then like a family reunion. She cannot get to where they are fast enough. She will even let the people associated with greys pet her and she will get close to them. If another person walks up she will not let them get close. She is still having issues with our walking, and going in the fenced yard. It depends on what is going on in the daylight, at night she is better. We are just trying and being patient, and loving with her. We are sure she will one day soon , just change. How does Izzy do at the kennel if you have taken her?

I've never had that problem, my dogs love to go places and can't get there fast enough.

I would take some real yummy treats with me and treat while the dog walks. Don't treat when the dog stops, that would reinforce that behavior.
Or try clicker training. Once the dog is 'clicker-charged' you can click everytime the dog does the desired behavior. Google for clicker training.
Stay calm and assertive like the dog whisperer, pay attention to your body language. Don't baby the dog while it's scared.

Teach the dog tricks like sit, shake paw, jump through a hoola hoop ring or some silly stuff to boost confidence.

I know, it sounds easier said than done. Hope it helps.

Okay Linda-don't get smart. You know I have a very outgoing greyhound-he just doesn't like his new sister that much yet. He stands in the yard and says "what's her problem."
Izzy is very friendly and outgoing at the kennel-she loves everyone there, but no one usually barks outside at the kennel. I did take her in the kennel itself and when the dogs started barking at her, she wanted back out. When I took her to Mt Airy to the meet and greet last week she wasn't afraid of the people or anything, but it just seems she hears everything in the neighborhood.

She was ringing her bell to go out or at least going to the door. Now she is so afraid to go in the back yard she is starting to potty in the house-seems like we are regressing.
She has learned to sit-for treats-and I praise her all over the place. I guess I'll just keep working at it.

I thought about Izzy today and remember Diesel having one of those "phases" where he would be shy and scared of things, and after a couple weeks he got over it. Maybe it's only one of those teenager phases.

As for Brigett, I think she wants a brother.

Hello, It seems that Bridgett is getting worse. Saturday we took her to the meet & greet and she would not even go inside the center. We had to go and get another grey to come and then she went right in with no problem, not fast enough. Sunday she would not even go into the yard without help. She is just so sweet, and smart. I have seriously thought about a brother, but with working just dont't know if that is the smart thing to do for the grey's. I like the idea of a bell, Blanch, to go outside. I have not heard that before. I am getting me a bell. Bridgett has not used the house, but a great system. I keep taking her places. I took her to the grocery store sunday with wife and was walking her. I had to pick her up two times to get her past a store. Thank for all the input. Blanch I will be egar to hear how and what you are doing with Izzy. Thanks to all. The grey people family is just as great as the grey family.

I found out last night that Izzy will go out in the back yard to potty as long as there are not dogs out in other yards barking, no people in the next yard (they were grilling yesterday afternoon and enjoying the weather) and yet she is not afraid of anyone at the kennel, and the wind finally settled down.
I haven't tried taking her to a shopping center or anything yet. When we did the meet and greet in Mt Airy we parked right next to where it was so she didn't have to walk anywhere. I'm hoping like Christina said with Deisel-she is going through a scary side for a while-in case you didn't know, Christina raised Deisel from a puppy. The thing is, I've had her 2 months now and she had been going out seems like a hundred times a day and wasn't afraid.

Sorry Linda-I was thinking you were telling me I needed yet another grey-whew-not with a puppy. I was always told greyhound puppies are holy terrors-and that was not what my next grey was going to be.