Progress....................

I am really going very slow with his "stranger" counter conditioning.  This week, when we go for walks and he looks at someone, I give him a treat and say good boy.  When we go to the neighbors, we sit about 4 feet away and visit and give him pets and treats.  He loves their dog so he likes to go there.  When my kids friends come over, we are putting him in the laundry room behind a baby gate and having them toss him treats.  No petting. Today, my son's girlfriend held a treat in her hand.  Doris, our behaviorist, said he needs to come up and smell and take the treat, and do not reach you hand out to give it to him. Don't look at him. He did just that, came up, smelled the treat and took it.  No problems.  I think we will slowly continue with this in the coming week.  Treats outside the laundry room from strangers and he needs to approach for them, no looking at him as it may scare him.  Taking our time here.  (thank you to the Fluffy Dog rescue volunteers who have volunteer to be the strangers to him)