AKB Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 We're still making progress, but just when I thought Arthur had gotten as brave as could be- maybe even brave enough to go to obedience school next session- he has met a new foe. It is a Halloween welcome mat. Mostly black, with a little ghost who says 'Boo!' in friendly white letters. Perhaps Arthur can read, I don't know. Perhaps, like my husband, he thinks it is far too early for a Halloween welcome mat. For some unfathomable reason, it perturbs him. He will not even step onto the porch until I have fully opened the screen door, which allows him to slink past the foul beast without touching it. He had been getting much better about new things/moved things in the yard, but so far he is having none of this welcome mat nonsense. His first few months must have been either very bizzarre or very isolated or both because he certainly has odd reactions to new things. If one of us sweeps or vacuums he sulks for hours. Poor baby. I got him some super tasty treats today, so as soon as the weather is aggreeable we are going to work on getting in the car, and when that is okay with him, we are going to try circling the block without vomiting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Sounds like that's one pretty scary door mat! Ghosts are spooky things you know My best suggestion is give him time. It took Black Jack almost four months to even start to feel safe with me, and he knew me for about five months before that. But once he got to where he did trust me it's been great ever since. He's been doing new things, trying new things and just enjoying life. Time and respect grows trust. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKB Posted September 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Thanks. I've never had a dog with quite so many issues- I'm trying to find a balance between moving as slowly as he needs and not letting him fall into crippling habits. I think I accidentally set him back a bit a few weeks ago, I turned on the tea kettle, he indicated that he needed to go outside, so we did, and when I opened the door to come back in the house the tea kettle was sceeching. He looked at me like, "Oh no way I'm going in there, lady." I had no choice but to scoop him up, carry him into the house, and turn off the kettle. I think he has since forgiven me. He's such a strong little dog, he's been through so much. I can't believe how smart he is (doormats aside). We're lucky he found us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Festerling Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Sounds like he might just be as lucky to have found you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKB Posted September 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Well thanks, he's so sweet though that I'm constantly amazed that such a nice dog just wandered into my yard. What are the odds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WoobiesMom Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 From a fellow skittish dog owner, it can be perplexing at times can't it? Woobie sometimes spooks at the strangest things, likes logs in the forest. It can be really hard to judge when to push and when to wait. Have you tried clicker training? You could try luring him with a treat and rewarding him the moment a paw touches the mat. I hadn't thought about Halloween, that should be a FUN night for Woobie! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg's mum Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I have read everything I could find on 'soft dogs' and how to help them. Meg is simply a wuss about some things. I can't have her on the property within ear shot when I vacuum, run the air compressor, or the carpet cleaner. I think she is hearing a high whine the just scares her silly. She will not go into a room that has a silent vacuum in it, or cross the vacuums path. She is terrified of the bicycles if we are rolling them but not if they are standing still. We have had Meg since she was 7 weeks old and she was the most timid of the bunch. To my knowlege, nothing traumatic outside of falling brooms, bears, coyotes, bobcats and owls have ever threatened her in any way. Oh...and anything that vibrates or feels like pin pricks.....I can't brush her... no matter what. No amount of desensitization will make her comfortable with it. On the other hand....she will jump off a cliff and into six foot high blackberry brambles to get a ball....and retrieve it. She will chase bears and coyotes and bobcats...and airplanes and birds with a little kick in her step and curl in her tail. She will leap, and I mean leap straight into a ballistic arc over any fence if it means Daddy or a ball is on the other side. Megs mum sighs.......good luck..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKB Posted September 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I haven't tried clicker training- I've read about it a little though. I wonder if there are clicker classes in my area? I should look into that. Ingrid and Pasqual's obedience classes were just the basic positive reinforcement type. I worry sometimes that maybe I'm just expecting too much too soon. He really has gotten so brave- when we first brought him in the house he was frightened of such odd things like doorways, and opening drawers, all kinds of things. He's come really far pretty quickly, it's just that there is no predicting what will frighten him. That's cute that Meg chases airplanes- I will never forget when Ingrid first discovered airbourne birds- she looked at me like "Hey- you never told me there was stuff up there! Did you know there was stuff up there? " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKB Posted September 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 He stepped on it! No coaxing, apparently it's not at all scary today for some reason. What a weird dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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