# can someone tell me what it means......



## emjworks05 (May 30, 2008)

I wasn't where to post this or if this is the right spot to ask this, but what does it mean for a dog to have weak nerves? and what is the result of a dog having weak nerves?


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

I want to know this too.









I read it on another thread. 

I think Wisc. Tiger has a dog that has this. 

I was wondering if I did too. 

I think it just means they are afraid of a lot of things....I could be wrong though! 

Hope you get an answer soon!


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## tracyc (Feb 23, 2005)

My understanding of the term is that it means the dog is born with a temperament that makes him fearful, skittish, or even agressive at times when a normal GSD would not show those reactions. 

I guess you could say it's like a mental illness. It's not something that the dog can help, or has control of. I think a dog can have a bad case of weak nerves, or just a little. In the wrong hands and in the wrong situation, a dog with weak nerves that lashes out in fear agression could be very dangerous. 

Training, socializing and conditioning to situations can help improve the way a dog responds--whether they have "weak nerves" or not, IMO. But a truly weak nerved dog is one that you might not ever trust 100% how they will respond to a stressful situation. A good breeder wouldn't breed a dog that showed evidence of weak nerves. 

I'm sure there are breeders/experts here that could explain it better. But that's my understanding of what it means.


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## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

Weak Nerves in dogs can display in many different ways. 

I have a weak nerved dog that has huge sound sensitivity problems. She doesn't have strong enough nerves to handle many routine noises. Something happened when the genes were matching up that things just didn't come out right for her.

There are more but I am tired tonight, so I thought I would give your one example.

Val


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

Thanks Val. 
Not to hyjack the thread, OP. 

I have only had Shadow for 7 months, he has gotten over some things but new fears come up too. 
He is never aggressive, at all. He just wants away from the new thing or sound. 
My son was blowing bubbles outside today, he just wanted away, I made him stay next to me, so he could see it was OK, he buried his head behind my legs, and left the first chance he got. 
He might be just unknowing because he is young and a rescue. 
I am not sure yet.








The strongest thing he has done is lay on his side and pee. 
I am tired too, good night. There's always tommorrow!


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## emjworks05 (May 30, 2008)

Thanks all!


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: Daisy1986Thanks Val.
> Not to hyjack the thread, OP.
> 
> I have only had Shadow for 7 months, he has gotten over some things but new fears come up too.
> ...


Some of this can be the dogs age- he is still a baby and has a lot to learn. INstead of forcing him to stay try a happy tone like "awe that is nuttin to worry about and move him past it and onto something positive.


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## dd (Jun 10, 2003)

I agree that forcing the issue is unlikely to work. What you need to do is build confidence and desensitise slowly. When got my rescue, everything was new to him and he was often afraid - loud noises were the worst. I had him out for a walk and they were roofing one street over - he wanted to run home. We did go home that day but came closer the next day, and moved away at a measured pace. It took a long time, but now he will walk right by a roofing job or someone slamming things into a dumpster and not even seem to notice. You will need to be patient, but I am sure it will improve with baby steps.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

The term "weak nerves" can mean a lot of things depending on what definition the person using it has for it. But typically it refers to a dog who is skittish or fearful and can't handle pressure. Dogs who show shy, skittish or fear aggressive behavior in inappropriate situations would be weak nerved. It's genetic. While it can be improved somewhat through training and socialization, these things just cover it up and give the dog some coping skills to deal with his fears. It can't be made to go away entirely.


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## pink33 (Sep 10, 2008)

My dog has aggresive behavior. he is loyal to family, but not just anyone can walk in, or else will be bit. she is 4 years old. my ex never got her the proper training. Is it to late to do so?


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: pink33My dog has aggresive behavior. he is loyal to family, but not just anyone can walk in, or else will be bit. she is 4 years old. my ex never got her the proper training. Is it to late to do so?


Welcome to the board!

It is NEVER too late to start training. You might not get quite as good results as if it had been started earlier, but you can still improve the situation tremendously. Just make sure you find a good trainer who is familiar with GSDs or other working breeds, and has experience dealing with aggression problems.


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## pink33 (Sep 10, 2008)

Thanks for the info. I grew up with german shepards and never had this problum. This dog is spoiled, with no training or exercise. I didint know if it was Weak Nerves, or just no socialization.


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

Yes, Amaruq,
This is what I am hoping it is his age. Not genes or weak nerves. 

When he came to my home at around 6 mo we think, he could not go up stairs or through doorways, or on slick floors. 
He would turn in circles. 

He is doing great with all of those things. 

His worst fear so far is BBQ grills. He stays completely on the other side of the yard. It is sad because in summer we cook out a lot. He sees the signs that the grill is coming out, when DH grabs the grill lighter or lighter fluid, and takes off. 
Poor baby. 

He is a work in progress.


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

I will try not to force him to stay. It just seems that if I do not, he is not going to face his fears just run. 
Like with the grill, he will just go inside or lay on the other side of the yard. 

I guess I just need to be paient. Give him time to trust us. It has only been 7 months. His personality comes out every day. Also he has had health issues so that has tremedously delayed things! He is not completly out of the woods yet with that. 
Thanks for your advice.


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## dd (Jun 10, 2003)

I bet he will eventually move closer and closer to the grill, once he realises it's used for cooking! Sounds like he's doing better already. Good luck and thank you for taking the time to work with him.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

To desensitize him to the grill you can drag out the drill and start paying with him and his fav toy wherever he is in the yard and gradually move closer to the grill. If he LOVES the ball for example start tossing the ball closer and closer to the grill and then toss it so he has to go BEYOND the grill. It might take time but he will learn that it wont hurt him. Especially when he gets close enough to smell how YUMMY it smells.


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

I will try playing with him more, around it. I tried it before and he cannot take his mind off of it!! 

Oh, and I really feel like it is the fire. Because he reacts to candles and teki torches, too...

I thought it was because it was noisy, until he reacted to other forms of fire. 

It freaks me out to think, someone burned him or something!









I will keep working on it.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Does he just "stay away" from the grill, or is he TERRIFIED? If he is just staying away from it, I would think that is a GOOD thing. That way he isn't getting in the way, or being injured, or causing someone else to be injured by tripping over a dog that is in the way when they are "working" near a hot surface. (Being "leary" of FIRE is a GOOD thing.)

If he is "terrrified" and "freeaking out" then that is obviously a different matter.


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

hmmmmmm, 

well, I think it is leary. I am not sure. We know him well enough to know he is doing something out of charecter, because (hence the name Shadow he is usally near us. 
He gets as far away as he can, and stares. 
If he could not get away, I think he would freak. 

We were at a block party, he saw the tiki torch behind me. He just started backing up and bucking, he was on a leash. 
I was thinking what is he doing, why is my dog freaking out, then I realized what was behind me, the fire. 
So we moved away, he was fine, except he kept an eye on it,







and was not the same, when people were petting him, so I took him home. He was in a nervous state of mind. 

My biggest fear that is why I am trying to make sure I do the right things, is that is will increase and he will act out, or bite someone. I never push him. 
Today, my son was playing with him with a ball (a big one, bouncey ball, usally Shadow will play and bump it with his nose), he was done and came to me and got under the desk, I told my son he is done, leave him alone now, something spooked him, I could tell. 
I have to stand by him, while he eats. My DH said he will not eat if I am not home. I have read other people on this forum that have that problem.


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## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

Is he a rescue? The reason I ask is that you got him at about 6 months. There maybe something that happened in his past that has imprinted him pretty bad. When he freaks at things, get his attention ask for some type of OB command (sit, watch me, front, something except a down) and reward the OB command. You need to get him to understand that you won't let scarey thing get to him, BUT he must obey you. You reward the good behavior, ingore the bad.

DeeDee has her sound issues, I pretty much know how much she can handle and when she is feeling the need to escape. When she is on leash with me and I see it building in her I ask for some OB work, to get her doing something besides worrying about the noise. 

Val


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

Yes he is a rescue. All I know is he was a stray. He was injured. 5 wks in at a shelter while still injured. No one saw the exact problem until he was at my home. He was lame in his back leg. Everyone else assumed it was Pano. 
He had a big hole in his pad. 

Yes I think there might be an imprint with fire. 

"Feeling the need to escape" that is a very good way to descibe what I am seeing. 
Although he can be leary of things, like someone said before, the strongest urges are a need to escape. 

I will try what you said. 

So you think he has weak nerves? 
Has DeeDee ever biten anyone? Shadow has barely growled since he has been here. Only growled a few times when playing with my other dogs, (he sounds like a bear, very cute). 

I am just concerned because I have kids. 
Thanks Val.


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## emjworks05 (May 30, 2008)

Would a dog with separation anxiety have weak nerves?


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## GSDluver4lyfe (Nov 15, 2006)

I'm starting to think my pup has weak nerves as well. He is fine around people (like walking through a crowd) but doesnt like them getting too close to fast or reaching around to pet his head and will bark (no hackles though). Would that be weaked nerved??


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## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

This is just general to what is being posted in this topic. 

Dog's have two defenses to threat or perceived threat, they are fight or flight. With a dog that has soft nerve or weak nerve I prefer to deal with the dog who's first instinct is flight, lot less risk involved.

No matter which the dog's first instinct is the key to <u>management</u> of either type of dog is <u>leadership.</u> I know you are looking at this and going yea yea the same old same old info. But I feel that it is important that you understand that with this type of dog you can't let them make their own decisions, you have to be the leader no questions asked.

So how do we get that type of leadership you ask? That is a good question. I do it through using NILF and doing lots and lots of obedience commands when the dog isn't in a stressed situation. I want them to fully understand what the commands are and I want them to know that they need to obey the command. That puts me in charge in the dog's eyes. 

OB commands I train and feel is very important is "Leave It", that means stop paying attention to X and get you attention where it belongs. "Heel or By Me" is important because I want the dog to understand that his place is at my side, I will decide where and when we walk. "Watch Me" I want my dogs eye looking into mine, when they are doing that they aren't looking at other things. Then there are the usual OB commands Sit, Stay and Down. But the ones I have found to be most helpful are the first three. BUT I will say this again and again, teach these commands at home or in a relaxed situation for your dog, practice these commands over and over until the dog understands. Also when I am training I use the best of the best treats, the dog gets the best rewards when they are training. I always end training sessions with some FUN play and when the dog understands the commands then we incorporate those into our play sessions.

If I have some time this afternoon or tomorrow, I will look around or write some teaching directions or proofing exercises.

Val


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

Thanks for all your help Val.

What you are saying makes sense to me. 

I know this is not easy fix, it will take a while before Shadow gets this. He has been through so much. 
I am very lucky he wants to flight, not bite! 
(I am biase but I think that is the smarter thing to do.)

Even though the best would be for him to have more confidence.


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