One Step Forward, Three back?

This morning I took Sally for a walk, do her business, etc. She was very skiddish from the get-go. My neighbor decided to rent a room to a guy that has turned the backyard into an autoshop. He's a nice guy, but...

Sally did not respond well to the power tools, revving engine, and loud clanking. So I walked her through my neighbor's yard to the front yard and then out to the street. More noises! Cars, stupid barking dog across the street (anybody have any mace?), helicopter overhead...it was too much. She never relaxed.

I determine her feelings by her tail. Normally it is tucked so far between her legs, she looks like a he. Every now and then it relaxes to hang straight down the the ground which is better than the full-curved tuck.

Instead of pushing it, we walked back and she belined for home to her crate. When she marches home it feels like a dog that loves to walk, pulling full steam ahead rather than her typical sheepish creeping.

So, it's a one step forward, three steps behind kinda thing. She requires a lot of time and patience.