Our dog is an awesome, I mean, neurotic dog
January 20, 2018 4:45 PM Subscribe
Our tiny terrier mutt is a lovely, well behaved dog at home, but anywhere else turns into a nervous wreck. Anyone have a dog like this and manage to turn them into a robust traveling dog with training?
By way of background, we adopted our eight pound terrier when she was about six months old. Her life history to that point was living in a couple of different animal shelters, so her early socialization outside of that environment was nil. Even never having lived in a house before, she was easy to house train, aced her puppy classes, knows all the basic dog commands, is very tolerant of our kids (even the overly handsy two year old), is super friendly with guests (sometimes too friendly, but that’s a separate askme).
Now she is almost four years old, and I’m wondering if we should start trying to expand the scope of her life a bit with a professional trainer. Ever since we adopted her, even a short car ride ended up with a crying, sweating, shaking, hyperventilating dog scenario. Taking her to someone else’s house made her nervous, shy, growls if someone gets in her personal space. Tried hiking trails, she was over the top barking at every dog on the trail. Stayed a weekend at a dog friendly house with friends after a three hour car ride, she panicked the whole way there, barked at ever person she saw (not typical behavior for her), was obviously ill at ease and unwilling to let us out of her sight the whole time.
We’ve kind of given up on the dog traveling effort, although she gets frequent walks in our neighborhood, which she loves. But, most of the places we travel are within a three hour driving radius and dog friendly (e.g. camping). We’d love to bring her, but right now we board her, because at least she’ll be safe, and not potentially escalate into fear agressive behavior.
Has anyone had a dog with a nervous temperament re: getting outside the home turf and managed to train them to be a happy traveling dog? Or is this something (with our limited funds and time) we are better off accepting as a personality trait?
oblig
By way of background, we adopted our eight pound terrier when she was about six months old. Her life history to that point was living in a couple of different animal shelters, so her early socialization outside of that environment was nil. Even never having lived in a house before, she was easy to house train, aced her puppy classes, knows all the basic dog commands, is very tolerant of our kids (even the overly handsy two year old), is super friendly with guests (sometimes too friendly, but that’s a separate askme).
Now she is almost four years old, and I’m wondering if we should start trying to expand the scope of her life a bit with a professional trainer. Ever since we adopted her, even a short car ride ended up with a crying, sweating, shaking, hyperventilating dog scenario. Taking her to someone else’s house made her nervous, shy, growls if someone gets in her personal space. Tried hiking trails, she was over the top barking at every dog on the trail. Stayed a weekend at a dog friendly house with friends after a three hour car ride, she panicked the whole way there, barked at ever person she saw (not typical behavior for her), was obviously ill at ease and unwilling to let us out of her sight the whole time.
We’ve kind of given up on the dog traveling effort, although she gets frequent walks in our neighborhood, which she loves. But, most of the places we travel are within a three hour driving radius and dog friendly (e.g. camping). We’d love to bring her, but right now we board her, because at least she’ll be safe, and not potentially escalate into fear agressive behavior.
Has anyone had a dog with a nervous temperament re: getting outside the home turf and managed to train them to be a happy traveling dog? Or is this something (with our limited funds and time) we are better off accepting as a personality trait?
oblig
It sounds like separation anxiety to me. She seems to associate car rides with the possibility of being taken somewhere and abandoned. So I would suggest starting by taking her on one block trips, at the end of which she gets a treat and gets to walk home with you.
posted by Jane the Brown at 5:35 PM on January 20, 2018
posted by Jane the Brown at 5:35 PM on January 20, 2018
I have a terrier who became a raving lunatic after I moved to Portland OR. He just could not let go of all the other dogs, gardeners, mail carrier, bicyclists, and squirrels. Walking him was an embarrassing nightmare. He was a lot like your dog in that he does well in a class about manners, but this wasn't about manners. I did research on dog behaviorsts. I found someone who's teaching philosophy I liked. It was expensive for me ..$100 an hour. Took 4 sessions and lots of training in between. He is a touchy dog. It's just how he is. Today on his walk he gruffed at another dog, hard stared a group of bike riders, barked at the mail carrier, and responded to every "look at me" request I made, breaking his focus on the things that trigger him. I considered it a successful walk. The trainer used desensitization techniques. Slowly increasing his tolerance of stimuli that triggers him.
He is not a perfect dog. He is a dog that likes routine. Change sets him on edge a bit. I use the techniques she taught me and 90% of the time they work. The rest of the time I carry him home.
I am a big fan of Patricia McConnel. I'm not sure I spelled her last name right but she has many books and others here like her as well. I think you can work with your dog to make things better. Good luck.
posted by cairnoflore at 6:06 PM on January 20, 2018 [1 favorite]
He is not a perfect dog. He is a dog that likes routine. Change sets him on edge a bit. I use the techniques she taught me and 90% of the time they work. The rest of the time I carry him home.
I am a big fan of Patricia McConnel. I'm not sure I spelled her last name right but she has many books and others here like her as well. I think you can work with your dog to make things better. Good luck.
posted by cairnoflore at 6:06 PM on January 20, 2018 [1 favorite]
Our dogs were terrible in the car (whining, shaking so hard it was really vibrating) until we moved across the country. After five straight days of being in the car they were completely cured, and now we take them on hikes every weekend. I think maybe try short trips but a lot of repetition so she knows you're always a team, even in the car.
posted by masquesoporfavor at 6:50 PM on January 20, 2018
posted by masquesoporfavor at 6:50 PM on January 20, 2018
If you're boarding her and (presumably) taking her to the vet regularly, then she's also likely associating car rides with bad things happening to her. If she was in multiple shelters as a puppy, then presumably car/van rides also ended in abandonment then. I like metahawk's suggestion of shorter rides, lots of treats, no scary new places at the end of them, lots of positive reinforcement.
posted by lazuli at 9:17 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by lazuli at 9:17 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
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Start with get in the car, get a treat, get out. Hopefully, it won't take long before she is happy to get in the car ("Treats!"). Then it is get in the car, start engine, back up to the end of the drive and pull forward then TREAT. Then drive around the block. If she starts to freak out, have someone in the back seat next to her to tell her wonderful she is. Keep it within her limits. She likes walks, drive some place just a few blocks away (still in her usual neighborhood so nothing and scary and new to walk past) and take a walk and then drive home. Take in little steps - don't change too much - so she can be successful.
Taking her to someone's home (when you have the car part solid), I'm wondering if she would like it if you took her kennel with her so she has a safe familiar place to hide and then come out to investigate on her own terms. If not, plan on holding her and giving her lots of calming support as you take her into a terrifying to her new place. She needs you to the safe base, as she gets more confident she will begin to explore but only if she knows she has you there to protect her. So, I guess you need to plan on spending a lot of time monitoring her when you do these visits - if that isn't fun or practical then you are better off not pushing her into something that will just reinforce how scary new places are.
Also, "dog friendly" often means other dogs - that is whole another set of fears and one that I think is harder to address.
posted by metahawk at 5:07 PM on January 20, 2018 [11 favorites]