To Dog People: Input on Scaredy Dobergirl

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sirenmoses

sirenmoses

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Dec 12, 2006
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Got ms B as a rescue, had her over a year, will dig up previous posts.

I know she's sound sensitive: dropped items make her spook, the clicking of my toaster oven sends her sulking away, and I've worked around it.

But today I've things to cook, in that toaster oven. She's sunbathing in the yard, so I think it's safe, I start the timer clicking. Many burgers later, as I'm about to finish w/a stir fry, she comes to me, for help.

Tail between her legs, sure she's next for whatever the horrible thing is, she comes to me, her entire body shivering, asking if I can keep her safe. I tell her helpful words, which I mean, and calm her with love and pets and sweet words, and all the time I'm thinking how can I help this dog to let go of her fear.

She's trusted me so far: to take her from the pound, to scritch her belly and play-bite when she feels safe -- how can I get her to trust me on this bigger (to her) thing?

Could stop what I've been doing, keep her 'safe', but I'm also reluctant to change my life patterns for a dog, and I don't care to live w/a dog who caint learn, so I wait until she's gone outside again to finish up the fry.

An hour later when I feed her dinner, her tail is high, she's not afraid anymore.

Now what?
 
When dogs I've had hear something drop, they go from sound asleep to knocking over furniture to come see if it was food. Can you teach the dog to associate a soft click with a treat, then move up to louder sounds? Sounds tedious, but it's all I've got.
 
She's lucky she has someone willing to do what you've done so far. No telling what she went through with her previous owner.
As a kid. I remember a vizsla we rescued, she would squat and piddle everytime a man came to the front door.:frown:
 
scottm said:
Can you teach the dog to associate a soft click with a treat, then move up to louder sounds? Sounds tedious, but it's all I've got.
Click to expand...

do this ^^^^^

/thread
 
Associating treats with noise is a good recommendation. We do this when we teach dogs to do the teeter in agility class... for weeks before we even put them on the teeter we'll drop the thing to make it's loud noise and as the big "bang" happens we all treat our dogs. Soon that sound is exciting to them. You could start with something like a clicker :)
 
Sit with her while someone else makes the noises. Start with the soft noises first and when she is no longer scared, go to a little louder ones, etc.

One of our rescues was a real spook. It took him about a year to start saying :meh: to things when he was with the wife. It took him about 4 years to do the same with me.
 
The clicker they sell for training is kinda loud at first if you have a sound sensitive dog. I have used juice bottle caps with rescues before with success.

24301k.jpg
 
OK, this is about as hippy as I get. However, I have to say that this works. I've used it on my dog and I've seen it used on other skitty dogs. It takes practice, but it's amazing if you get it right.

How to apply the TTouch Body Wrap

It's an ACE bandage. You wrap it around the dog and it applies pressure to points and really does calm them down. It's part of Tellington Touch (TTouch) training and I do have to say that I think this stuff works.
 
maybe have you or someone else hold her in a loving embrace on the couch, and then set off the toaster with your arms around her?

other comments on starting with quieter noises and working up sound good to me too?

is it every loud sound or just the toaster that sets her off?
 
KayakPanic said:
maybe have you or someone else hold her in a loving embrace on the couch, and then set off the toaster with your arms around her?
Click to expand...


If that was meant to be funny - then I give you props. If not, I just shivered a little.
 
scottm said:
When dogs I've had hear something drop, they go from sound asleep to knocking over furniture to come see if it was food. Can you teach the dog to associate a soft click with a treat, then move up to louder sounds? Sounds tedious, but it's all I've got.
Click to expand...

I agree with the airplane guy.
 
Maybe she's just sad that you're making burgers in a toaster oven. I know I am.
 
sirenmoses said:
Got ms B as a rescue, had her over a year, will dig up previous posts.

I know she's sound sensitive: dropped items make her spook, the clicking of my toaster oven sends her sulking away, and I've worked around it.

But today I've things to cook, in that toaster oven. She's sunbathing in the yard, so I think it's safe, I start the timer clicking. Many burgers later, as I'm about to finish w/a stir fry, she comes to me, for help.

Tail between her legs, sure she's next for whatever the horrible thing is, she comes to me, her entire body shivering, asking if I can keep her safe. I tell her helpful words, which I mean, and calm her with love and pets and sweet words, and all the time I'm thinking how can I help this dog to let go of her fear.

She's trusted me so far: to take her from the pound, to scritch her belly and play-bite when she feels safe -- how can I get her to trust me on this bigger (to her) thing?

Could stop what I've been doing, keep her 'safe', but I'm also reluctant to change my life patterns for a dog, and I don't care to live w/a dog who caint learn, so I wait until she's gone outside again to finish up the fry.

An hour later when I feed her dinner, her tail is high, she's not afraid anymore.

Now what?
Click to expand...



dump the dog on a rural road....
 
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