Carla came to us as a very frightened puppy after being kept in a stable for the first 8 weeks of her life with no view of the world outside. Everything frightened her, especially loud noises and cars. Even the sound of the washing up being put away in the cupboards would send her running for cover. Once we knew about the information in 'Oooh - it's going to get me! How to help your dog overcome anxiety and fear' ebook, we realised we were trying to rush her into accepting things, so we slowed down and gave her space and time to relax. When we started to keep her 'circle of safety' large enough, she started to improve and, gradually, that circle started to get smaller. Although she will always be shy, she is now outgoing and meets new people readily and happily.

By Pat Seymour