Need advice: rebuilding trust with my dog after past mistakes
Looking for practical advice, not judgement as that's unlikely to help.
I’ve made mistakes with my 2 year old dog in the past where I lost patience and handled her badly a few times. That stopped a year ago and I’ve completely changed how I approach her, but I’m not seeing much of an improvement. If anything, she seems to have become more sensitive in close interactions over time.
Current behaviour:
- At home / close contact: she sometimes cowers or trembles when I approach or try to touch her. This is inconsistent, but seems to be happening more frequently over time, and I struggle to understand the triggers
- On walks / play: she’s the opposite - very excited, demanding games, high energy, engaged. However, literally as soon as she's back - you can see the anxiety creeping back in
- With other people: she can approach me and interact, but shows some submissive / cautious behaviour
I've tried giving her treats as I walk past, she tolerates that, but as soon as that stops, anxiety triggers return. I've tried ignoring her, or looking past her. Those attempts have lasted around a month each, and resulted in no improvement. She seems to anticipate a reason to be anxious, and any positive attention that's later withdrawn is perceived negatively. Eg. me shutting the study door when at work is treated as a rejection and hence - results in fear when I emerge from the study.
Would anyone have any suggestions on how to go about restoring the trust? Feels like we're both walking on eggshells. Rehoming is not an option.
I know I contributed to the problem, and am trying to fix / improve, please offer constructive suggestions.