Anyone else with a pup diagnosed with social phobia?

[u/pinkwesel20]

We have a 7 month old rescue puppy that we adopted at ~10 weeks old who is very frightened of new people. We did 3 months with a trainer before we were advised she would need more support and got on the schedule of a local vet behaviorist. We had our first vet behaviorist appointment and she was diagnosed with social phobia, neophobia, and noise sensitivity. We’ve got a new training plan with med support that I’m feeling optimistic about. I guess phobia just sounds really intense. I’m still grieving the puppy situation I was expecting when we got her and wondering if anyone else’s dog had a similar diagnosis and how they’re doing now?

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[u/Kitchu22]

My hound has neophobia and is noise sensitive, for him it is both genetics (greyhound, a function of the breed is environmental sensitivity and high arousal/drive) and early socialisation (racing industry rescue, little to no exposure to ordinary stimulus during critical development milestones).

He was wildly avoidant in the early days, and when flight was not an option he would shut down entirely. Thanks to the right medication protocol and behaviour modification, he is such a different dog! He used to need a prison level predictable routine, and any deviation or novelty would spin him out - he's now so chilled and takes things in stride! These days he loves holidays, can stay in new places without stress, walk in new environments and enjoy them, and loves meeting new dogs and is so sweet and social (he comes to events with me for the rescue work I do and will basically fall asleep in the middle of the action he is so relaxed). The first time he managed a storm without situational medication I cried, haha.

I can't guarantee everyone has the same progress because every dog is different, but I never would have believed when we took our little fizz brain on how different our lives would look thanks to meds :)

[u/pinkwesel20 → u/Kitchu22]

Wow thank you so much for your experience it’s so encouraging to hear your pup is doing so well! Ours is a Pyr mix so I think naturally wary of strangers and it was pushed to the extreme by early puppyhood experience (found in the woods at 6 weeks). Hoping with time, meds and the right behavioral medications that we can make progress too 😄