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Post by cma88 on Mar 14, 2005 16:12:43 GMT -5
Hello all. I am having some behavioral issues with my dog and I was hoping I could get some input. I have a 1yr old female, medium-sized mixed breed dog. She was from a shelter situation, dumped off as an accidental litter. She was and always has been an amazing companion. Submissive, sweet, loving, etc. I socialized her and enrolled her in puppy obedience lessons. When she was about six months, we took a hiatus from formal training. She was a very shy pup to begin with but with her training lessons, she blossomed into a wonderfully social dog that I was extremely proud of. She had good bounce-back and solicited attention from every man, woman and child she met. She would melt in a stranger's arms. When she was about 7 or so months old, her socialization stopped because of some very bad family issues I was having at the time. I know it was my fault for not continuing her socialization. Well...I have started taking my dog out for the past two or three months now. I was expecting some shyness but not what I got. She is absolutely terrified. Terrified hardly describes it. She doesn't urinate or defecate but she is scared to DEATH. She will not and cannot loosen up in Petsmart so we stopped going there. She panted the whole time and ran from people trying to pet her. So we tuned it down a notch. I've tired so many methods...people as hotdog machines (didn't work), making her look at things she's scared of (made it worse) and buying various books on the subject. I talk in a very high, excited voice and encourage her to look at things she is scared of. It works but only with things she's minimally nervous about (trash or something similar and small). Nothing has worked. She seems to be getting even worse. I've NEVER had an aggression problem...no snapping, hair raising or the like. She is just scared of everything. She won't walk up to someone's porch, she won't veer off any of our usual walks without freaking out, she won't even enter our local (small, not busy) post office. Nothing. No go. Please HELP!
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Post by sibemom on Mar 14, 2005 18:20:02 GMT -5
Take a few steps back and really look at your dog ;D If she was a shy pup to begin with and came out of it from exposure then that is what you have to do again. Do it slow, and make sure you do not put her in a position where she could be harrassed or threatened by another dog. Just get her out there, don't give into her fears, be matter of fact and praise and give her a treat when she accepts something new ;D She is at that age where YES AGAIN she might be going through a fear phase. Just keep at it but go slow, take your dogs pace as the speedometer
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Post by cma88 on Mar 14, 2005 20:18:31 GMT -5
I agree with you on the fear stages. I've researched a lot about them. My girl is about 13 months old, having been born sometime in early Dec/late Nov. Yet my dog is getting worse with the more freedom I give her. I allow her to run from things she is scared from and I encourage her to investigate them. Most of the time she does not. So I allow her to come up to scarey things on her own terms rather than force her. Yet now I think my dog's playing me for a fool. She is now "scared" of her crate yet she will run to it like greased lightening when it's breakfast time. She was crate trained properly and positively and has had absolutely no bad experiences or has ever been scared of it before. Ever. Even as a young, shy dog. She's always enjoyed her crate. Now that she has more household freedom due to her being very well housetrained, she starts the "I'm terrified" game when it's crate-time. Despite hotdogs, treats or toys. What's going on? Should I force her into the post office or around things that scare her while I try to be as calm and confident as possible? Should I continue to allow her to come up to things on her own time and just wait? My only reasoning why I should "force" her into minimally scary situations is that now that I've allowed her freedom to run from frightening things, she has only regressed and gotten worse. Things she used to do she will not anymore. She was improving a few weeks ago and now it's worse.
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Post by Brooke on Mar 14, 2005 22:55:09 GMT -5
I agree, slow is the way to go here. I also agree that you need to emphasize the good with a reward as often as possible right now. Any step in a positive direction needs to be rewarded. I also agree that this is probably a fear stage but at the same time I'm almost wondering if she is training you. Are you giving in to the crate problems? Put her in the crate and leave her be. If she's being good then she should get her reward but if she's causing a fuss she gets nothing. That includes attention of ANY kind. You have to remember as hard as it may be to not give in it's not going to kill her. She is in a safe place. Any giving in is only going to prolong the behavior. At this point I also feel that the bigger deal you make out of a situation... the bigger the situation may be becoming. Coaxing can be ok, to an extent, in some situations but sometimes the more attention you give towards a situation can often reinforce the unwanted behavior. You've told us a lot about how your dog reacts but not so much about how you are reacting the the situations. How are you responding to her behavior. Are you making a big deal out of it? Are you coddling her? Are you hovering over her? Are you sheltering her? Petting her when she's acting terrified? If you are doing these things you may be reinforcing her fears per se. Lets think about it this way for a second. Lets say to them this feeling can be the equivalent to you probably being stranded out in the worst part of town at 1am in the morning. You don't know whats going to come. You don't know who you can trust. All you know is the one person you are familiar with hugs you, shelters you and coos at you in some foreign language whenever something new appears or approaches. See where I'm comin from at all?? Don't confirm the feelings. Just be non-chalant about them. Act as if there is nothing to worry about. Don't pressure her into situations she's not comfortable with such as meeting people or investigating things. The more comfortable she feels with you as a protector and a leader the more confident she will become in the environments you are taking her in. She should be at least following you places. Don't coax her just continue to walk. Don't drag her just tell her to "come on", give her a tug and continue to walk. If she gets up quickly give her a treat as you are walking. These types of things are non-negotiables. Crating...walking...ect.... Ignore the unwanted behavior and for at least the beginning reward the good behavior and eventually phase out the reward. This is desensitizing. Also I would HIGHLY suggest that you begin some --> NILIF training... I think it will bring out a WHOLE lot of confidence in your pupper.
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Post by cma88 on Mar 15, 2005 6:42:58 GMT -5
Thank you all for your help so far.
As for the coddling question, no I steer far from that. I either totally ignore her or encourage to investigate something. No petting, no holding, no "Awwwpoorbaby" stuff while she's scared.
As for her crate problems, I just put her in there. If she goes in herself (rarely), she is rewarded. I've also started putting here in there before she gets to come in the living room. She must go in her crate first for a few minutes.
Regarding the NILIF, I've already started that.
My main issues is is that she's getting worse. Things she started out scared of, got used to and now she's scared again.
Any idea when this fear stage will end?
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Post by cma88 on Mar 15, 2005 6:52:40 GMT -5
Also, how is my dog going to overcome her fears if she refuses to investigate anything? Anything off in the distance that scares her, she hits the end of her 30ft line and won't go an inch closer to it. Even an inanimate object.
Treats and toys are of no use to her. She's a low-drive dog so I cannot bribe her. She doesn't like them much even in comfortable situations.
I just feel like crying. I've tried everything. All I want is my old dog back. All I want is for her to be less scared of the world.
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Post by Aussienot on Mar 19, 2005 2:25:20 GMT -5
Ok, you can't pick the whole world at once. Name one thing you'd like her to be more at ease with.
Can you get her (on leash) 100 feet from a scary thing? If not, can you get her 150 - 200 feet from a scary thing? 300 feet? Find the distance where she is not bothered, and reward her for being not bothered. This is her tolerance distance.
Over the next few days or weeks, work on getting her closer 1 foot at a time. Gradually desensitise her, but never move so quickly that she begins to stress.
And don't force. Never force a fearful dog, especially around people. It's good to have her on leash, but never have someone walk towards her and force her to accept their attention. That's how fear biters are created. Never force her to approach - let her choose to approach or not.
I understand your frustration. I did everything right with Sailor the Labrador. I picked a good breeder, I met the parents, I puppy trained, I socialised to plan, I continued training until two years of age, and guess what? I still have a shy, timid, soft as butter submissive who hates new situations and is uncomfortable around new people. I can expect a reasonable amount of behavior and obedience from her, but social butterfly she ain't never going to be. Sameness, dullness and routine she loves. She is more confident when she knows what to expect.
Did you move during the period when you life was in crisis? Behvior is learned in context of setting, and a new setting means learning starts all over. Don't blame yourself. You're trying. But lets be realistic about your dog's temperament, and break her training into steps that are manageable for her.
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