"retraining" help
We've noticed a couple of things and need some advice. She came from a not so great setting and learned a couple of things we want to "undo." For example, I can't get her to come into the house, although she was raised in a house - I've had to pick her up and carry her in each time. Second, she won't go past one room of the house - not up the stairs to the kitchen or onto the slate hallway to go out. So...I pick her up again to go out. HELP!!! How do we retrain her so she'll come in and out???? (BTW - I had to pick her up into the car first time, but now she just bounces right in. Bright girl). I'll post pictures and a longer intro later. Ann |
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| Congrats! And I bet she will be a great friend for Ralph to play with. Chewie loves playing with our rescue girl Maggie (the coonhound). We just need to calm down the play periodically!
A couple ideas to get her moving in the house and through doorways: Check her toenails. A lot of the time if the nails are long, dogs don't like to go onto hard/shiny surfaces in a new area. Bribe her with treats and lots of praise. Make any little success seem like the greatest thing since sliced bread! Get her moving by using Ralph. I assume he is fine with these areas. Have him go the same time you are getting (or hoping to be getting!) her to go too. Another thing - if at all posible, don't lift her to move her. She probably has already learned you will "save" her, and probably even likes the touch and attention. Any bright dog soon learns to manipulate the situation. What starts out as a real fear can quickly turn into a habit! I can't wait to see pictures. I bet she is a cutie.  |
| that happen to me with my dooy girl try and give he treats to get her in it took my dolly months to come into the bed room but she was a very severe abuse case |
| Ooh good luck! I'm so excited for your new family member! I agree with trying lots of love and treats - although with the combination of breeds she will probably thrive on pleasing you and learning. Once she understands what the rules in her new house are I bet she will thrive!!! Even a game of tug every time she takes a step the right direction might work wonders! |
| You might be making too much out of the thing. When I got Barney I tried coaxing, treats, etc. to get him to come down the stairs. At that time we was in a beginning obedience class. The trainer suggested I put the leash on him and walk down the stairs as though it was the normal thing to do. I did and he did. End of issue. Of course first get him used to the leash and walking with you. As he follows you into the house/room, whatever, give him lots of praise - forget the cookies, they'll only make him fat. |
| Ludo went through a phase where he was frightened to go through any doorway he hadn't been through before. He got over it pretty quickly, but it did seem very odd at the time. Like Got Sheep said, use treats and Ralph and give her plenty of praise.
Also you might want to be cautious about unintentionally startling her near the places she's afraid of. If you have one of those screen doors on a spring that slams shut, on that door, make sure not to let it slam when she's around. |
George wrote: forget the cookies, they'll only make him fat.
Hi, George! Welcome back.
I just heard that "forget the cookies they'll only make'm fat" phrase 17 times this past Sunday morning during an infomercial selling a version of the collar-formerly-known-as-a-shock collar and promising you could have a fully trained dog in less than ten minutes when it finally dawned on me that this is the newest slam against more positive trainers. Made me chuckle. What are people using for treats to make their dogs fat? Donuts? Strips of bacon? Training treats are tiny and soft so they can be inhaled. You don't want a dog who stops and takes time to chew while you're busy training. People can use diced apples or their dog's daily kibble portions one piece at a time they have a fat dog, so that's no excuse. Having said that, I agree with you except for the leash - you don't need it. Dawn's advice is wonderful and very insightful, but there is an even simpler way IF you have a dog who wants to be with you AND you can safely & efficiently do so: Leave her. In fact, ignore her. If she wants to be with you, she'll get over her fear on her own. This is how I deal with fosters who don't know how to do stairs and so on. "You want to be with me and the rest of the dogs, you'll get over it." And they do. If I want to up the ante I pay special, loud and happy attention to the rest of the dogs. Most dogs want to be where the action and the companionship is. Resident puppy who's here for bootcamp was doing carpeted stairs her first night here at 8 weeks old. Basement stairs - spookier, but I seem to do a lot of laundry and everyone HAS to escort me up and down every time - by nine weeks old. I just let her figure it out on her own and she's motivated enough to do so. Beats dragging her around on a lead which is why I didn't teach her to walk on lead till she was nine weeks old and getting where she needed to go (and some places the big dogs wish she couldn't go   ) without any issues.
Always tap into the dog's own motivation/drives whenever you can. Simple is good. Kristine |
Mad Dog wrote: Dawn's advice is wonderful and very insightful, but there is an even simpler way IF you have a dog who wants to be with you AND you can safely & efficiently do so:
Leave her. In fact, ignore her. If she wants to be with you, she'll get over her fear on her own. This is how I deal with fosters who don't know how to do stairs and so on. "You want to be with me and the rest of the dogs, you'll get over it." And they do. If I want to up the ante I pay special, loud and happy attention to the rest of the dogs. Most dogs want to be where the action and the companionship is. Resident puppy who's here for bootcamp was doing carpeted stairs her first night here at 8 weeks old. Basement stairs - spookier, but I seem to do a lot of laundry and everyone HAS to escort me up and down every time - by nine weeks old. I just let her figure it out on her own and she's motivated enough to do so. Beats dragging her around on a lead which is why I didn't teach her to walk on lead till she was nine weeks old and getting where she needed to go (and some places the big dogs wish she couldn't go ) without any issues. Always tap into the dog's own motivation/drives whenever you can. Simple is good. Kristine Thanks for the compliment.
When I said to use Ralph - that was what I meant for the group enthusiasm. You just (as usual!) explained it way more clearly and thoroughly. |
| All,
Thanks so much for the good advice. It has been a couple of hectic, but happy days. I'm pleased to report that Jesse, true to her breeds, has caught on quickly. I had a good talk with Nancy H (MN OES Rescue) and she gave me the same tips. By Sunday morning she was mostly over the slate and stairs to come in, buy the second walk she was running to the door. We let Ralph lead to the car and getting in - that worked well. She will now go through the house on her own and settles back on "her" (read was Ralph's) cushion. Still a few issues of whose bone is whose, space for food dishes (she got too close to Ralph at dinner time while waiting), and, human error here, dropped treats. She's getting the hang of a gentle leader and also a martingale collar, but much work to be done with the leash. Also working on getting her into the crate at night. On the really positive side, Ralph really seems to like her. Was licking her on the way to the park today; they've found their own space in the car; and Ralph does watch out for her around other dogs. Karen has some good pictures. As soon as I get them, I'll post. Tired, but happy.... Ann, Karen, Ralph, Jesse, and all the puzzled cats. |
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