The Fearful Dog Thread

Thanks for the advice on taking Brenna out more. I know I need to work more on obedience with her at home, so that is a good next step, I guess. When she first came to us, she was too fearful and nervous for me to really work with. She would grudgingly sit for me, but it was more out of submission and fear than anything. We have, however, figured out what makes her "tick"--hot dogs! She LOVES them and will even follow hubby around the house if she thinks he has one in his hand! So, that is great! Yesterday I got her to sit and then lie down, all for one piece of hot dog! I was so happy.

She is also getting more relaxed during our walks around the neighborhood, which she has always loved, but has had some rotten experiences as well. We live on a country road with no sidewalks, so we just have to scoot off to the edge when a car or truck goes by...Also, one house along our route used to have a couple of nasty dogs that would randomly be outside roaming free without supervision, and one day, one of them threatened us. That really set Brenna back, but I wrote the people a polite, but very serious letter informing them that if this happened again, I was going to call Animal Control. I haven't seen the dogs again!

Anyway, I'm enjoying reading about all your dog's good days and not so good. It's nice to have some people that understand where I'm coming from!

I brought Cheyenne with me to training with the rest of the dogs Sunday. He just hung out at base camp with the rest of the dogs waiting for their turns tethered to a tree as the others are. As I went for a turn into the swamp I can hear him whine for me. It was the first time since he has been here that he actually seemed dependent on me for my presence. It was a feel good moment. When i got back to camp..I took this picture.


First full body wag.

He met the other dogs wonderfully. He sat with the rest of the team duing our end of the day pow wow and everyone got to pet and cuddle with him. Some even got on the ground and he allowed them to give him tummy rubs. It was a great day.

We get back home and he reverted a bit. But I think it will eventually be ok. The biggest task was getting him in the truck for the hour ride. And he did great with that too..

The farthest I've traveled with Tiberius is to the next town...its about a 10 minute drive. lol. It would be my first road trip with a dog...but I bet it'd be fun Tiberius loves McNuggets..but they have to be cold...he won't eat them warm..he is odd

Here is a pic of Tiberius and Johnny...they were nose to nose before the camera clicked.

Donatello is slowly continuing to climb out of his shell... (However, he's so smart, and bright, that I know he still clearly remembers everything that was done to him.) Meaning that if I did one thing to scare him he'd be back in his shell.

Every night, he knows when it's bed time... I don't know how, and I don't know how. lol! I take him out one last time, put him back on the sofa gather my things for bed then walk over and grab his old leash... He's off the sofa down the hallway and waiting... (I take his old leash to bed with me, because in the mornings he used to make a mad-dash from my room down the hallway and leap onto his spot on the sofa. Well at 7:30 in the morning, and even though he's a tiny dog, that's still a lot of commotion.) So every morning I put the leash on him and walk him next to me... I've been doing that for over a month now... I should start weening him off...

ANYWAY... He's gotten so smart that now all I have to do is walk in the direction of the bin that I keep his leashes in and he's off the sofa and down the hallway... BUT ONLY when it's bed time. I could go to that bin every hour on the hour all day long and pull out any leash and he's ready to go outside... But by-golly if he doesn't know when it's bedtime!

Oh, and when I take too long to follow him back, he'll come out of my room and look down the hallway- If he sees me he'll wag his tail and look at me as if to say "Well c'mon slow poke!"

It used to be an every night hassle to get him to come to bed with me in my room. He got so used to sleeping out in the living room on the sofa with me, that I would have to fight tooth and nail for him to come with me... I'd have to put his old leash on him to follow me to my room, coaxing him with words would freak him out and he'd pee if I'd reach down to pick him up...

My family marvels every night when he does this... : ) I love it!

Hmm...Wally's still a bit put-off by kids, especially little ones. I'm starting to think it's their voices (high-pitched) that's doing it. Trying to think of ways that I might can help this aside from just happening to be out with kids around.

Thought about making a high pitched sound and then c/t when he looks at it and not being afraid (almost turn the high-pitch voices almost like clicks), but then it will be hard to simulate a high-pitched kid's voice and I know a dog's hearing can't be fooled.

Whenever there's the chance, the "Look at That" game is always in effect - just wish I could get more opportunities. Like the last few days, it's been hard because of the constant rain so the kids aren't out.

He didn't freak out with all the yard work and such going on. Groundskeepers and their large, loud lawnmowers - other guys with leaf blowers and weed whackers. He even went potty about 10 feet from a worker with his leaf blower nearby. He looked at him (and the tool) but kept peeing and staying under control.

Now it's thundering - going to be another test for him since he'll be needing to go out soon so no way to "wait it out" unless the storm happens to pass.