Attached Dog - Advice Please

[Justchillin]

Hi all

Some might remember or know of Missy my recent addition whom I rescued a few months back (kelpie x lab 2 yrs old). Well from the time I got her she's become very attached to me, crys when she's not inside and when she is she won't leave my side and won't go outside when i try and get her out in the morning to go to the toilet even when using treats. While she is outside she crys on and off, she'll play with Lucy (which is getting better) but then she'll walk around the balcony crying and jumping up at times to look through the window to see if I'm home. When I try and get her out of the morning nothing works, she just looks all sad and runs to the lounge and won't move even luring with treats doesn't work. I have tried to use a strong tone, used calm ones but when I am firm she gets REALLY scared and will run under my desk and try and hide. She came from a home where she was caged all her life (so I have been told) and seems she was verbally and probably physically abused so it's really hard trying to be firm with her as she'll just show so much fear and try and hide. I'm worried about the neighbours and more worried about her, does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do?

Cheers

Ben

Edited June 18, 2008 by Lucy'sRun

[westielover]

I have a fearful dog who is very, very sensitive to voice tones. I never use a firm or angry tone with him because his response is to run and hide / cower etc. I find what works best is to speak to him in a happy/exciteable tone but at a normal volume - he in turn gets excited and responds better because he seems to forget his fearful nature during times of excitement. Try to ignore fearful behaviour and reward confident/brave behaviour. If you accidentally reward fearful behaviour by patting her when shes showing fear then she will think she is being rewarded for that behaviour and will continue to behave that way. If you need to correct her on anything - try introducing a simple 'uh uh' in a calm but assertive tone and see how she responds to that. My dog responds well to 'uh uh' if I ever need to correct him on something. You just need to find a tone & volume which does the trick

Try luring her outside in the morning with an happy/exciteable tone and then reward her with a treat when she's outside (you need to be outside with her - don't try just shoving her out) and see how that goes. It took months for my dog to walk past me when I held a door open. It also took months for him to accept a treat from me when outdoors.

I always say that my pound dog was kept in a box in his previous life ..... it's like they are starting over and have never been expoed to the many things a normal dog in a normal household is exposed to. The big thing is to gain her trust and let her know that you will never hurt her. She will become braver in time.

[Jean26]

Dont know what advice to give ya.

Hope things settle down for you.

[cwm]

Hi Ben,

The poor girl obviously has a self confidence issue and now you're the best thing that's ever happened to her, so she obviously is scared you'll disappear.

I think it's something that will just take time.

Have you thought about trying some homeopathics that may help her a little?

Holistic Animal medicines

or

Bach flower essences

Pet Homeopath

[Justchillin]

I have a fearful dog who is very, very sensitive to voice tones. I never use a firm or angry tone with him because his response is to run and hide / cower etc. I find what works best is to speak to him in a happy/exciteable tone but at a normal volume - he in turn gets excited and responds better because he seems to forget his fearful nature during times of excitement. Try to ignore fearful behaviour and reward confident/brave behaviour. If you accidentally reward fearful behaviour by patting her when shes showing fear then she will think she is being rewarded for that behaviour and will continue to behave that way. If you need to correct her on anything - try introducing a simple 'uh uh' in a calm but assertive tone and see how she responds to that. My dog responds well to 'uh uh' if I ever need to correct him on something. You just need to find a tone & volume which does the trick

Try luring her outside in the morning with an happy/exciteable tone and then reward her with a treat when she's outside (you need to be outside with her - don't try just shoving her out) and see how that goes. It took months for my dog to walk past me when I held a door open. It also took months for him to accept a treat from me when outdoors.

I always say that my pound dog was kept in a box in his previous life ..... it's like they are starting over and have never been expoed to the many things a normal dog in a normal household is exposed to. The big thing is to gain her trust and let her know that you will never hurt her. She will become braver in time.

Thanks to those who responded

I have made some progress, she now comes outside with the lure of a treat I have stopped the assertive tone of voice like you suggested and it's working much better. She is still sooky when she's outside at night, I've been going out there and using "noooooo" in a calm but meaningful voice, I'll keep at it.