-
@Janina what a precious story and experience for your son! And congrats on finding a vet that can support you with medication for Joy. Never knowing what’s going to spook her is the only predictable thing, it sounds like. That’s so difficult!
I once worked with a hypervigilant, feral puppy whose owner was soooo committed to her – bless him! One thing we did (after medication) is we taught the position “peekaboo” which always gave the pup a safety station. You can teach it when the dog is not afraid (obviously) and then work toward helping the dog find that space while “out and about” in slightly stressful environments, then move toward cuing it when she spooks (or just before, if you can!). Teaching the pup that the safest place is between your feet can really be helpful if they feel the need to move when spooked. Here’s the link to that graphic/game.