How can I help my 9-month-old dog scared of outside and other dogs?

Question

Hi, my pet name is Coco she is 9 months old a daniff cross breed between great Dane and bullmastiff. Now that she is 9 months old she is very fearful and scared of outside i think this is because till the age of 6-7 months we didn't take her out for walks she used to pee and do potty in our house. Now we used to take her outside everyday and she's​ scared of wild dogs and even small pups. Please help me how to make her brave and strong?

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry to hear that Coco is so frightened of being outside! Unfortunately, what you are describing is very common in dogs that did not receive adequate socialization as young puppies - all pups need to get "out and about" to see the world and have lots of different experiences during their socialization period, which is from 6 to 16 weeks of age. It sounds like Coco didn't get much socialization during this period, which is likely why she is so fearful now. It will be difficult to get her comfortable with the world at this age, but not impossible. You will need to take things very slowly and make sure that being outside is always a fun and positive experience for her - this may mean simply sitting on the porch with her feeding treats or playing with a toy for a few minutes, then taking her back in. You can work up from there as long as she is comfortable. Ideally, it would be best to work with a veterinary behaviorist on this - he/she can evaluate Coco in person and help you put together a detailed plan to help work on her anxiety. Prescription medication is also helpful for some dogs with severe anxiety like this, so you could discuss this option with your veterinarian as well.

How can I help my 9-month-old dog scared of outside and other dogs?

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