[yorkietalkjilly]

First of all get a vet exam, thorough check up. Any sudden behavior change requires that.

If she's not ill, injured or in pain, ask for a light sedative for her for a few days use to help calm her for now and buy a Thundershirt and a white noise machines to play 24/7 for the den and one to use in the bedroom at night to drown out ambient noises some and make her life easier for now. Try not to soothe her during her periods of acting nervous - she will interpret that as your agreeing with her nervous reactions and only escalate. Distraction with wild, fun play sessions with a ball or tugowar or foraging toy filled with luscious treats can also work to distract an anxious dog.

Start working with her to teach her "Watch me" - to focus on your eyes for longer and longer periods of time, teaching her how to control her impulse to move and look away, for a quick bite of boiled chicken and your instant praise when she's able to hold her focus a bit. Keep increasing the time she must "watch me" to get her treat and praise until she can control herself and focus on your eyes for as long as a minute at a time. Being able to get a nervous, anxious dog to learn how to control their reactions that way is huge and if you make it a fun game that she wants to learn how to do for her rewards, she will love it, growing in confidence as she's able to focus longer times for your joy in her and her paycheck treat.

Life enrichment toys, games and activities will help her gradually learn how to accept and deal with stresses and new situations while having fun playing. Always keep her busy working, start her on daily short, frequent obedience training sessions 2-3 x daily, no longer than 5 mins. at a time and frequent, short walks so that she doesn't have time to work herself into a long fear session.

Have sessions that teach her how to build her self-confidence while dealing with new things by encouraging her to approach them and touch them, gently teaching her there is nothing to fear in new, odd things. Sit on the floor with her every day with a pile of new things - an old-fashioned alarm clock that ticks, a pot from the kitchen, a book, a stick from a tree outside and a piece of paper you rattle a bit. Each day add something new and take away something old, adding one things that is jangly or noise at times. Bait and encourage her to approach each thing and touch it with her nose using the word "touch" or "bump" it. When she does, lots of smiles, praise and an instant, special treat. This exercise teaches a dog not to fear, builds enormous self-confident and reassures an anxious dog about their world.

By the time you've worked with her in these things for a couple of months, she should be less nervous and anxious, enjoying her life a lot more and lots of busy activities will keep her body and mind busy moving and working to control that stress level.