SheltieChe
Forums Sage
http://www.lolabuland.com/?page_id=0
What do you think?
What do you think?
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training fearful dog
- Thread starter SheltieChe
- Start date
lovemyshelties
Forums Enthusiast
It's an interesting concept. I will share this with our trainer and let you know what he thinks.
Very interesting...
I have an example of the treat situation with Kyara:
She is terrified in some situations but others she is perfectly fine. On a visit to my parents house, she is always herself and does not do the shy dog routine. I think this might be due to the fact that there are other dogs there she can play with, same thing at my brother's house.
At my mother in law's house it's a different story. Kyara is terrified. MIL is very sweet, with a soft voice, loves animals but doesn't have a dog. Ever since Kyara was a baby she ran away from her which broke my MIL's heart so we tried various things. None worked. So my MIL sticks to giving Kyara cheese and table scraps (which I frown upon but thinking it might get her to like her more, I let her continue to do so).
Several months later, the story has not changed. Kyara will get very close to MIL at the table if we are eating, she even puts her head on her lap but when she is given a treat she eats it and runs off. She is just as scared if not more of my MIL. Spends the whole evening at her place lying either at my BF or my feet, in a watch dog/nervous state. Refuses to play inside of the house with any of her toys.
Finally, whenever I have strangers try and give treats, it just seems to make her panic more. From reading this, maybe I caused this association just like Silvia with LO.
I still think it is sad to think that there is a limit to the progress fearful dogs can do. Especially coming from this trainer who does wonders with her dogs! I like to believe that more time and different techniques could work but sometimes it is not possible to practice and in those cases, yes we should protect our fearful dogs and avoid scary situations with them.
I have an example of the treat situation with Kyara:
She is terrified in some situations but others she is perfectly fine. On a visit to my parents house, she is always herself and does not do the shy dog routine. I think this might be due to the fact that there are other dogs there she can play with, same thing at my brother's house.
At my mother in law's house it's a different story. Kyara is terrified. MIL is very sweet, with a soft voice, loves animals but doesn't have a dog. Ever since Kyara was a baby she ran away from her which broke my MIL's heart so we tried various things. None worked. So my MIL sticks to giving Kyara cheese and table scraps (which I frown upon but thinking it might get her to like her more, I let her continue to do so).
Several months later, the story has not changed. Kyara will get very close to MIL at the table if we are eating, she even puts her head on her lap but when she is given a treat she eats it and runs off. She is just as scared if not more of my MIL. Spends the whole evening at her place lying either at my BF or my feet, in a watch dog/nervous state. Refuses to play inside of the house with any of her toys.
Finally, whenever I have strangers try and give treats, it just seems to make her panic more. From reading this, maybe I caused this association just like Silvia with LO.
I still think it is sad to think that there is a limit to the progress fearful dogs can do. Especially coming from this trainer who does wonders with her dogs! I like to believe that more time and different techniques could work but sometimes it is not possible to practice and in those cases, yes we should protect our fearful dogs and avoid scary situations with them.
SheltieChe
Forums Sage
Very interesting...
I have an example of the treat situation with Kyara:
She is terrified in some situations but others she is perfectly fine. On a visit to my parents house, she is always herself and does not do the shy dog routine. I think this might be due to the fact that there are other dogs there she can play with, same thing at my brother's house.
At my mother in law's house it's a different story. Kyara is terrified. MIL is very sweet, with a soft voice, loves animals but doesn't have a dog. Ever since Kyara was a baby she ran away from her which broke my MIL's heart so we tried various things. None worked. So my MIL sticks to giving Kyara cheese and table scraps (which I frown upon but thinking it might get her to like her more, I let her continue to do so).
Several months later, the story has not changed. Kyara will get very close to MIL at the table if we are eating, she even puts her head on her lap but when she is given a treat she eats it and runs off. She is just as scared if not more of my MIL. Spends the whole evening at her place lying either at my BF or my feet, in a watch dog/nervous state. Refuses to play inside of the house with any of her toys.
Finally, whenever I have strangers try and give treats, it just seems to make her panic more. From reading this, maybe I caused this association just like Silvia with LO.
I still think it is sad to think that there is a limit to the progress fearful dogs can do. Especially coming from this trainer who does wonders with her dogs! I like to believe that more time and different techniques could work but sometimes it is not possible to practice and in those cases, yes we should protect our fearful dogs and avoid scary situations with them.
If a dog is truly fearful of approaching strangers, all you will achieve is pairing up fear with cookies when you ask strangers to give cookies to your dog. It is classical conditioning but it does not pair up what you think.
Now if your dog only unsure/ worried about strangers doing same task and accepting cookies from strangers will work. Fear is strong emotion to solitary stimuli. Anxiety is general state. It is often mixed up together and people can not see the difference and use same approach trying to work it out.
You might achieve better results if you take away pressure of dealing with MIL- next time there give her large marrow bone and see where she takes it, put in that spot her doggie bed and every time she goes to visit MIL let her have some long lasting treat in that doggie bed. Taking away pressure of meeting and dealing with MIL might be better fear reduction program and eventually your pup will come around.
That's super interesting!!!.... and I definitely see the benefits of creating trust in that you'll never ask anything of them that they're scared of... BUT... what about when fears are of everyday things that cannot be avoided? (ie. passing cars... but you have be around cars, because you need to walk your dog, etc)
It's easy for her when her whole life is those dogs... everything she does revolves around them... she can walk them in the hills away from all distractions and fears... her recommendations don't necessarily suit people who have regular lives, live in regular places (ie. cities), etc. When you don't have control over how many strange dogs, people, noises, etc that your dog faces in a day... then there has to be some way to at least get them over the hump to where they can tolerate it. Maybe they'll never love the situation, but they have to be able to tolerate it without shutting down.
It's easy for her when her whole life is those dogs... everything she does revolves around them... she can walk them in the hills away from all distractions and fears... her recommendations don't necessarily suit people who have regular lives, live in regular places (ie. cities), etc. When you don't have control over how many strange dogs, people, noises, etc that your dog faces in a day... then there has to be some way to at least get them over the hump to where they can tolerate it. Maybe they'll never love the situation, but they have to be able to tolerate it without shutting down.