socialization

Stockholm Syndrome?

By |2012-10-02T10:28:32-04:00October 2nd, 2012|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I was reading a post in The Crossover Trainer Blog and was struck by the implications of this comment made about her observation of Cesar Millan at his 'Dog Psychology Center'. "........He walked in with me and one could definitely sense he had an effect on the dogs. I concede he does have “something” about him that effects the dogs. " Not sure why there is an implied ...

When in doubt, leave them home

By |2012-09-20T09:49:50-04:00September 20th, 2012|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , |

We'll skip the crowds thank you Recently I spent the day at a booth at a Pet Expo. The dogs and owners I saw could provide me with a year’s worth of blog posts. I met some of the most caring and empathetic people you’d ever find, like the young man who lived with a reactive pitbull who displayed leash aggression. He was ...

Behavioral Medications For Fearful Dogs

By |2009-12-12T21:40:33-05:00December 12th, 2009|Categories: Medications for fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Behavioral medications can help fearful dogs. So why the reluctance on the part of pet owners to use them? I will share what mine was. 1. Medications can have side effects that will affect the health of my dog. 2. Medications are a cop-out. 3. I didn't want to 'medicate' my dog. While there are shy or fearful dogs that can learn new ...

I Can Do That!

By |2009-08-29T16:41:42-04:00August 29th, 2009|Categories: Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Owners of fearful or shy dogs are often told that they need to build their dog's confidence, but just what does that mean? I start with the definition of 'confidence' which is to my thinking, the ability to reliably predict that your actions will have a successful outcome. A dog's definition of 'success' will affect whether or not something actually helps them feel more confident. ...

Creating A Climate For Change

By |2009-06-16T16:05:00-04:00June 16th, 2009|Categories: Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Imagine you have to study for a big exam or are trying to learn to use a new computer program or figure out your taxes. Do you pack up your supplies and go sit in the middle of a busy city intersection? Or perhaps more realistically do you invite the neighbor kids over to play video games in your living room while you replay in ...

Creating The Foundation

By |2009-05-15T19:50:49-04:00May 15th, 2009|Categories: Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Sunny is one of the lucky fearful dogs that landed in his forever home straight out of the rescue after the hoarder that had him and 476 other dogs got busted for operating what was most definitely not an 'animal sanctuary'. It was not the plan and like many other foster caregivers for a fearful dog I could not part with him. Not ...

Taking It Slow

By |2009-05-11T22:43:15-04:00May 11th, 2009|Categories: Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Early during my search for information about how to help my fearful dog Sunny, one rescuer of border collies told me that she 'didn't have the time that I had to work with her dogs'. Her point was that all the DS/CC I was doing might be nice but just making dogs deal with things worked for her, and was faster. I never ...

The Basics

By |2009-04-11T13:10:48-04:00April 11th, 2009|Categories: Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

I'm going to keep this one short and sweet. If you are working with a fearful dog you must at the very least understand the concepts of counter conditioning and desensitization. Desensitization is the gradual introduction and increase in exposure to the things your dog is afraid of. The exposure is only increased when the dog exhibits comfort with the situation or object. Go too ...

Guest Blogger Roxanne Hawn

By |2009-04-02T01:00:02-04:00April 2nd, 2009|Categories: Guest bloggers talk about fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Fearfuldogs: Tell me about your dog Lilly. Roxanne: Lilly is a nearly 5-year-old smooth coat border collie, adopted at 6 months old from a progressive humane society in Boulder, CO. She came in as a transfer. So, she lived in two shelters and a foster home before we adopted her. She passed all temperament testing with better-than-average scores even though she did show some shyness/fear. ...

Thinking is Good!

By |2009-03-26T16:48:51-04:00March 26th, 2009|Categories: Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Studies have shown that thinking and learning can slow or even reverse the effects of aging on the human brain. Learning new skills, like playing the piano or line dancing, doing crossword puzzles or brushing up on quadratic equations, is important for humans at any age. It seems that the axiom, 'use it or lose it' is true for our minds. I thought about this ...

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