8 month old GWP with minimal socialization

[windswept]

I need your advise. I am wanting to become more involved in NAVHDA and run a pup in the NA test.
I bought an 8 month old pup a few days ago. She has spent her entire life at her breeder's place with a lot of interaction with other adult and young dogs her age. But I am guessing that she has had no exposure to life outside of the large exercise area that she shared with several other dogs. She is very well bred, has a nice strong prey drive and an excellent nose. I've had her in the field and she really has some wheels! The problem is she seems afraid of almost everything other than other dogs. I realize that it will take time to expose her to everything she needs. The first step was to get her accustomed to walking on a lead which I've accomplished so I should be able to start exposing her now.
I guess my question is do you think in the next few months she will be able to overcome what she has missed between her 8th week and 8th month of life or am I just swimming upstream?
Thanks

[CDN_Cocker]

I think you are going to have a very difficult time. By 8 months most dogs are pretty set in their ways mentally/socially. However if you like the dog and aren't looking to replace her, then get her out and expose her to everything (carefully, an 8 month old is harder to control than an 8 week old). Take her to the park, for walks, for car rides, have company over, go to other people's houses.... whatever you can possibly do... and do it lots. My one dog is absolutely unbearable in the car... she whines and whines and whines. So from the time I brought my other pup home I have always had him in the car a lot. If I'm running out to the store quick, or dropping/picking up the little one at school, I take the dog with me. And it paid off, he loves the car. As soon as he gets in he lays down on the passenger side floorboards and never makes a peep. The key is consistency and making it positive. If something undesirable happens when trying to socialize, try not to make a big deal of it (for instance if a car drives by and it scares her). Just ignore it and keep on moving or doing whatever you were doing as if it is normal and nothing to worry about. Eventually she'll catch on.

[Sharon]

I'd be concerned. I had a dog like that once. As they age , by about age 2, a still fearful dog , can become a liability - fear biter ... as happened with mine. Can you overcome it? I wasn't able to. Put the dog down at age 3.
The dog was a very good hunter. In hindsight, I might have kept the dog and muzzled her in public. I had no children. Then again a fear biter is totally unpredictable. You can't always foresee what will set them off.

[ultracarry]

I got rid of one like that. Perfect dog in the field.... But I couldn't walk in my back yard without the dog freaking out for two minutes ... Then he would come around , take him hunting and he would be fine... Started getting worse with time and decided to give him back to the breeder before a friend or myself got bit. I won't ever buy a used dog again that hasn't been socialized properly .

[gonehuntin']

I also think you're in for a mighty tough hall here. What you're describing to us is a dog that is "kennel blind", that is she's been raised in the company of dogs and not people. Dog's like that require a TON of socialization and time. You are also probably finding her to be very hyper when you're gone and possibly destructive. If you keep her in a kennel, she is probably a filthy kennel dog.

There's a reason people buy pups and start them from scratch and you're seeing one of them now. If you are determined to keep the dog, try and have the whole family give the dog as much attention as possible until she bonds with the family. They are very difficult dog's to work with though.