Does Your Dog Have Any Fears?

[corgimom]

Okay, I have a question here.

Took Cody for our normal walk through the same area. With it being spring, lots more birds are around. We walked past a heavily wooded area and there were birds screeching everywhere. Felt like I was at the rain forest at the zoo.

Anyway, I could tell that this frightened Cody, he started to speed up, and then he would stop and kept looking behind him as if he thought something was going to come after him. What I did was have him sit and then gave him a treat -sort of thinking this will get his mind off of what he was hearing.

Now he sort of did the same thing on our walk the other day(in the same location)

So, should I change my route? what should I do when we pass that area to help him realize that nothing is going to attack him?

Once we were about 2 blocks past the area where the homes were, he went back into his calm walking mode.

Any advice?

[Dillydoodle]

That is a good question, I actually had a similar situation this morning with Dillon but the noise was not birds, it was a HUGE flat bed semi truck filled with lumber that was backing up and doing a 5 point turn ( apparently he was NEW at truck driving , or just half asleep). Dillon was going along fine and something on the truck spooked him and he darted back and between my legs and i swear i nearly fell on him. Gus seemed to not care one little bit about this large truck. I stoped Dillon. I made him sit and watch the truck and when he seemed to relax a little, i gave him the cookie. I was always taught not to give praise or comfort to a dog when in that fear mode as you are rewarding that state of mind. So i give firm command to sit and as he focused on me and tuned out the truck (which was helping me with my training going back and forth over and over again) he got a cookie.

I think in your case, i have had similar situations before where something was making a noise and Dillon would constantly be looking behind him - when he looked behind , i would give him a leash correction and would ask him to heel... giving him a job to do... this way he was not focused as much on the noises and what is behind him and was focursed on heeling and watching me.

I hope that helps.. the one thing i wouldnt do is treat him if he is showing the fear... and i would not avoid the area on your walk, use it as a training opportunity. maybe start walking with him in a heel before you get to the scarey spot, treating him along the way, and that way he is more focused on you and his cookies through the scarey spot ...

Emilie

[Jespah]

Well, having gone through some consulting with a behaviorist on dog fears recently I have a couple of suggestions. Don't avoid the walk - he will hear birds in other places and if he remains afraid, you will have to move to accommodate new routes!

Keep doing that same walk. In a firm voice correct his pulling with no, or however you do it. Make him sit occassionally along the route where he hears the sound and make him stay, if he doesn't try to get up or move - then treat him. The treat shouldn't be a distraction - it should be a reward for doing what you want him too. He needs to learn that nothing will happen to him that's related to the sounds, it probably won't take him long - he's a smart boy.

[corgimom]

Thanks you guys.

Emilie, I did do the leash correction and it didn't do a thing, he kept looking behind him every few steps as if he thought the screeching birds were going to get him. Also with giving him the treat, I did make him sit, so he did have to do something for the treat, but I will keep working at it as you guys suggested and hopefully soon those loud birds won't bother him. We don't have many birds in our yard, as we are in a new subdivision that is getting built up more and more, where they basically plowed down all the trees and then you start over once the house is built. I have not seen a squirrel in the 5years that we have lived here.

He also seems afraid of the sound of those staple guns that carpenters use while working on homes; sounds a bit like fireworks.

[sutulu]

For the most part, loud noises frighten Tucker: thunder and fireworks in particular.

Lulu seems frightened by the occasional "new" thing: I had to get in the water (lake) the other day to tie off my docks so I put on my wetsuit because the water temp is around 40 something.

The wet suit is now hanging off my master bath door. It had been there for almot 48 hourse before she noticed it. What a hoot! She started barking at it, cautiously approaching it, finally getting close enough to sniff it.

It was funny to watch her.

[Jespah]

Rupert is afraid of banging noises too - we've had some brats running around our neighbourhood shooting cap guns and poor Rupe is beside himself.

One important thing when they are afraid - if you comfort them vocally by saying "good boy" or "it's okay" - you are reinforcing the behavior. In other words - they react by pulling - you say "it's okay" in a soothing way they think you are approving their behavior. You need to tell him no in a firm voice. You aren't telling him not to be afraid - but to not do what he is to respond to the noise.

[disraeli ears]

Rhys is afraid of thunder, RAIN, and umbrellas - sensing a pattern here? ;)

Andy doesn't like it when other dogs "get up in her grill" - hee hee - ie, get up in her face. She bears her teeth - it makes her nervous. Other than that, I don't think she's afraid of anything.

[The Chipmunk's Mom]

Susan:

A little off topic but are you a certified diver? I got certified a few years ago and we dove with the manatee in Florida and then went to Blue Springs. Great trip.

Chip is afraid of a few things but he is getting alot better now. Dale interestingly enough has never shown fear of any sort. He didn't even go through the fear stage.

[Jane Austen]

Duchess is anxious about a lot of things like vaccuums, rakes, lawnmowers and motorcycles. She wants to bite them.
One of the weird things that bother Duchess and make her afraid is doors that click when being wafted by a breeze. Two bedrooms at the end of a hall tend to do this when the windows are open. They move and almost shut making a clicking noise as the metal parts touch. This noise sends her running downstairs to hide in the basement. If we take her outside she will struggle against coming back in. It took a few instances of this happening before we connected her anxieties to the noise.

[sutulu]

Bonnie:

My wet suit is from my sailing days.

I always thought I wanted to dive but I spent some time w/ divers at a Club Med. When they started talking about all the precautions one has to take, I decided I could see all I needed to see with a snorkel and mask.

I love the water whether in a boat or just floating around on an inner tube! Tucker loves the water too. I am looking forward to summer and hoping Lulu takes to the water more this year than last.

[Dillydoodle]

Dillon doesn't like snow shovels, he MUST bark and attack! He doesn't like the rake ( same type of reaction) Same thing for the lawnmower. He also hates the vacuume cleaner...however he no longer attacks it. I finally broke him of that habit.. see he would lunge and attack the vacuume when i turned it on... and then jump up to the safety of the couch...until the day he lunged at the vacuume and i made it lunge back at him! well he jumped on the couch and gave it a warning bark, and i lifted the vacuume in the air, well he realized this vacuume could "get" him no matter where it was, and it was NOT afraid of little dilly, and that is the last time he has tried to attack it, now i plug it in and he jumps on the couch , lays down and waits for the monster to be done... Gus , well, gus is not afraid of ANYTHING.. he will lay right on the rug i am vacuuming and i have to ask him to move.. The only thing he seems to really not like are metal dog nail clippers, the nail grinder is fine, he will deal with that but nail clippers he really looks sad when you pull those out ( i only pull them out to use on Dillon, Gus gets his ground down with a special dremmel tool but Dillon his HORRIFIED by that and would not stay in the room that it is in!

Emilie

[Merlincorgi]

Gator is still pretty wary of people he doesn't know... until they start petting him, then he's fine and acts like he has known them his whole life. Kids don't phase him anytime.

Checkers is scared of helium balloons (though he seems to have gotten better about this one because the apartments we are at constantly has balloons flying), bubbles (anything that requires a human to breathe out kinda freaks him out), the vacuum cleaner, and also loud noises like fireworks and thunder.

[Fluffypants]

WOW! Jackie is not the only crazy dog that's afraid of balloons and bubbles! I think she just doesn't like things that float randomly above her head - freaks her out. She's also not a fan of thunder or fireworks. She usually goes downstairs and lays in the bathroom until the noise stops. The vacuum is no big deal - she just watches from a safe distance. But she also does not like the sound of metal on metal (like pots and pans scraping together when you get them from / put them away in the cabinet). She hides under the kitchen table . . . until I start cooking, and then she is right by my side, patrolling for crummies. :)

[Dillydoodle]

oh Jess, now that i have two dogs, cooking has become an interesting adventure... I have nearly killed myself and probably the dogs with tripping incidents...now i just shuffle my feet through my kitchen that way i dont step on one....Dillon sits in the most busy corner where i do my cutting and other prep work ( also where it is most likely a crumb will fall) and i swear i have stepped on his toes many times, you'd think he would have learned by now... Gus is a little better at getting out of the way, but sadly his favorite spot in the kitchen is smack dab in the middle ( so every time i have to get soemthing out of the fridge i trip over him..) You'd think they would be scared to be stepped on but nope....

Emilie

[CorgiMum]

Montrose is afraid of bells, like the Christmas ornament type, we have no idea why.

Dylan gets startled by extremely loud noises, as in the wind causing a door to slam shut etc.

I guess on the whole they are pretty secure about things.:)

[Fluffypants]

Oh - forgot one - Jackie is not a fan of the wind, the noise it makes when it blows hard, nor the things it kicks up and blows around. She is a challenge to walk on a windy night! Hard for her to switch from "sentry mode" to "potty mode". She feels like she has to keep her eyes peeled for flying projectiles, I guess. :rolleyes:

Em - Keith and I have started warning each other when we're in the kitchen. Watch out, the dog is behind you. I have come very close to taking a tumble on a number of occasions!:eek: And funny you should mention the busy corner - that's where Jackie likes to be too!

[disraeli ears]

My two have knocked me on my butt a couple of times! Especially because Andy is so small, she's harder to see sometimes.

Rhys always barks and bites at the vacuum; now, Andy does, too. And Rhys is driven crazy by the One Sweep (that rubber bristle broom thing?). It works but I can hardly ever use it because Rhys pounces on it and won't let me move it! It's just a broom! And he's acted that way since the first time I used it! :confused:

[mtoy]

Millie's fears and hates:
matches (lighting them)
birthday candles
vacuum
lawnmower
UPS, mail, any delivery person
dog taller than her
fireworks
thunder

[bunnybutts]

Emma doesn't like loud noises like fireworks, gun shots (we live near wooded land and people do hunt there) and thunder.

for a while Chloe didn't notice these loud noises and it seem to calm Em down that if Chloe didn't think it was dangerous then she would relax. But we had a few really loud storms and both Girls were on edge. Now Em has pulled Chloe over to the dark side and they both dislike loud noises....

One funny (in sadistic hubby humor) thing Emma hates hates hates high pitched wind chimes! She runs in circles barking in a high pitched deranged monkey sounds :D Like when the lion is below the monkey in the trees and they try to run it off.... lower pitched wind chimes don't bother her.

Leah loves playing pranks on Chloe by knocking on the wall - Chloe runs to the door barking... Leah waits till she walks away the knocks again...Chloe runs to the door barking....over and over till I do my Popeye impression "that's all I can stands - I cant stands no more" and I put an end to it :rolleyes:

[Milosmom]

Milo fears kids on skateboards or bikes that ride to close to him. He sees them coming and turns around and tries to head for home. I make him sit and give him a treat to distract him.
I was watching the dog whisperer dude today and he was dealing with a golden with a fear and that is basically the tactic he used. Diversion and not letting them get away with trying to run away. But there is a difference between getting spooked and out right terror. If Milo is terrified of something, then it's either fight, flight or freeze. I remove him because I don't want him to go into fight mode.