Working on getting her use to people

[KikiDeAnime]

Our 3 year old GS/DS mix named Hazel Grace has never liked people/strangers. I constantly told my parents when she was a puppy that we need to take her out more to get use to people but they never listened. Now Hazel Grace is terrified of people and this week has started growling/barking when people startle her.
Once I got my driver's license last month, I started taking her out to walk around pet stores and my workplace as much as possible to work with her through this.

It was going okay despite her backing away when people approached but she was doing fine.

A half hour ago we were at my workplace, Wilco, and she lunged at my co worker. She didn't bite her but it still was scary. I felt embarrassed and scared because what if that had been a child?
My co worker said it was fine and that she wasn't angry at all. We both weren't expecting my dog to do that so it was quite the surprise.

For anyone that has gone through this, what advice can you offer?
I would like for those who have gone through this to only be the ones to answer, please.

 

[Percheron chick]

You are correct that she needed to be exposed as a pup but it's not a lost cause. You're on the right tract but you are trying to do too much too fast. Going to PetSmart or home Depot is too much. Read your dog. Start with loading up your pocket with dog cookies and just go outside the house. Walk down the street 100 ft. Turn around go home. Walk past the house. If she shows any sign of stress, go home. Pass that test? Now add a random friend. Have them walk down the other side of the street. Pays them no attention? Close the distance. Read your dog. Before she can focus on the stranger and start to puff up her chest. Turn around and release the pressure. Once she's not paying attention to the friend,. Sit. Cookie. Do it again. Do it again. Walk past the friend. Sit. Cookie. Just keep building on it. Add a dog. Add a second person. Read your dog. As soon as she focuses on the boogie, release the pressure by walking away from what she is looking at. Keep building on it. When she's ready for PetSmart, go mid week when it's deserted. If she starts to pant or shut down, get out. Too much too fast. When a dog is on a leash they often feel obligated to protect their person or they are trapped and things quickly escalate. Read your dog and get her right to the edge where you are expanding her comfort zone then go in another direction.
Something that works really well with horses is to put the fearful item in front and have them follow it. Say my horse is fearful of bikes. I will follow a friend on a bike down the trail reducing the distance between us until they are bored and don't care. At that point the friend can ride towards me, turning around and ride away. Before you know it they are riding along side us.

 

[cassie]

I am not an expert on this but I do have a couple suggestions. Make sure she knows the basic commands like sit, stay, down. Even if she knows them it might be a good idea to enroll her in an obedience class anyway. That would expose her to other dogs and people and how to act in unfamiliar situations. Until she gets more confident and socialized it might be a good idea to put a muzzle on her when you take her out. You don't want her biting someone when she gets frightened.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Our 3 year old GS/DS mix named Hazel Grace has never liked people/strangers. I constantly told my parents when she was a puppy that we need to take her out more to get use to people but they never listened. Now Hazel Grace is terrified of people and this week has started growling/barking when people startle her.
Once I got my driver's license last month, I started taking her out to walk around pet stores and my workplace as much as possible to work with her through this.

It was going okay despite her backing away when people approached but she was doing fine.

A half hour ago we were at my workplace, Wilco, and she lunged at my co worker. She didn't bite her but it still was scary. I felt embarrassed and scared because what if that had been a child?
My co worker said it was fine and that she wasn't angry at all. We both weren't expecting my dog to do that so it was quite the surprise.

For anyone that has gone through this, what advice can you offer?
I would like for those who have gone through this to only be the ones to answer, please.

You would do the same as what you would do with a foster dog, take her to pet stores and places but make her sit when you talk to people, dont make people pet her and dont for a couple months just interact from a far have her sit or lay down but dont have people focus on her have them ignore till she gets curious