post the video on You Tube and copy and paste the link onto here
Yes, this forum doesn't allow direct videos due to spammers. YouTube is the best way, but I think vimeo or tictok works too.
We are very patient and nurturing and do everything right by him in every way possible to ensure he’s happy and healthy.
With "normal" dogs this is always the best. With extreme fear-based dogs patience and nurturing can actually reinforce their behavior. They need a strong, strong leader. As you mentioned, he was better for a while and is now regressing - have you regressed to petting him, telling him "it's ok" and giving him time to study his fear-trigger? It really sounds like you were doing well for a good while! I'm guessing his problems are genetic based to begin with, and that's a tough thing to work around because you can only get so far with training. The bolting is pretty sad, and the fact that he doesn't feel the prong collar is suggesting that he is not trying to be disobedient but is truly terrified. I wouldn't worry about the collar digging in. If it wasn't for that collar you could lose him - a bolting dog sometimes doesn't stop running.
A short story with a friends dog who was fearful and would hide at anything new in the house: Shelter adopted puppy, retreat & cowered in her crate at every new thing or noise that happened in the house. At about 6 months old summer came around and they turned on the ceiling fans. The puppy wigged out, terrified, shaking, they cooed and coddled, but nothing worked so they turned the fan off & puppy was fine. They tried every day with same results, trying food, treats, favorite toys etc. When my friend asked me what I'd do, I said turn on the fans and leave her to herself in her crate. (the crate door was always open as she liked to sleep there and also her safe place to hide). Go about your business, go to work, don't talk to her, don't coo to her, don't say poor baby, it's ok. By the end of the first day the puppy was slinking around the house, not liking it, but not getting any feedback from the humans about it one way or the other. By day two she was almost normal, just glancing up at the ceiling fans and then scooting away for a minute, then forgetting about them again. By day three she ignored them and has been fine ever since. Also this same dog screamed when doing toenails so of course they stopped at every whimper and said that's enough, she's scared. That got to the point of them never being able to do toenails and they had the vet do it for a few years. I insisted that we could do it and I would help. We have to muzzle the dog, the guy holds her and I trim the nails. But she's not afraid, she's mad because she learned early that "she didn't have to" and now she DOES have to. She will absolutely bite if not muzzled. This is where coddling and giving in to what started as fear and turned into the dog learning to control the human who lost leadership.
I know you have an entirely different type of problem, but hoping you might get a glimpse of what happened with the puppy & fear of ceiling fans and look hard at the human behavior your dog is observing.
He will drop down on the sidewalk and not move (sometimes there’s nothing specific even there), he turns around at random during a walk and stands backwards with his elbows flared out (I call this his gorilla stance) and refuses to move unless I get in front of him and turn him around.
I'm not entirely sure, but this scenario is telling me he's in charge not you. He drops down on the sidewalk and doesn't move? What happens if you pop the leash and insist on coming with you? Same with turning around and refusing to move unless you get in front of him and (physically?) turn him around. He's making you do a song and dance, you are no longer his leader.
Your dog is gorgeous! - I understand your frustration and I admire your will to want to make things better. I hope I don't come off as blaming you & your bf for his behavior, your dog does seem to have a true panic button and that's never an easy thing to deal with. I hope you can load your videos, as that can tell a better story of what might help.
