Weirdness From The Evil Beagle

[huski]

Ok, so Daisy has started refusing to go out onto the grass in the backyard. We've been in this house for almost six months and this is a new problem. The grass doesn't have any prickles or anything in it, and the other animals have no issues walking on it. But every time Daisy goes outside, she refuses to go on the grass and will only walk out along the side bit that has pebbles on it. If I take treats out with me she will follow me very reluctantly but won't walk straight onto the grass.

She has NO problems walking or training on grass any where else, it's just the little bit in our yard. What could possibly be causing this? How do I fix it?

[Staranais]

How weird. Is she in the yard when you're not home - could she have had a bad experience out there somehow? Dogs can make the strangest associations when something scary happens.

Will she TID on the lawn if you ask her to work?

[The Spotted Devil]

Do you shape/clicker train with her huski? Not sure what's caused it but that's how I'd fix it

[huski]

How weird. Is she in the yard when you're not home - could she have had a bad experience out there somehow? Dogs can make the strangest associations when something scary happens.

Will she TID on the lawn if you ask her to work?

I don't know if she had a bad experience, at least she hasn't to my knowledge.

She won't work in well in drive out on the grass. She used to, and if I give her her drive command word she WANTS to come out and will hang around on the sidelines trying to and if I coach her enough she might come onto the grass a bit but she keeps trying to get back to the side bit and will give me a bit of drive but not her normal standard.

Do you shape/clicker train with her huski? Not sure what's caused it but that's how I'd fix it :p

Yeah I do TSD, but even if I take food out and try to train her she is still wary and doesn't want to come out onto the grass. She'll run to me to get the food but will run back to the side lines where the pebbles/rocks are.

ETA: I will try and get a video so you see what I mean!

Edited November 6, 2010 by huski

[Staranais]

Oh weird, she is really freaked about it then. Not sure if I'd want to try to lure her right onto the grass if she was totally freaked, it might devalue your reward as much as making her happier about the grass, if you know what I mean.

How about just desensitising? i.e., go out with a bag of delicious things, sit far away enough from the grass that she's noticed it but isn't freaked, & stuff her little mouth with yums. When she's engaged with you & relaxed, move a bit closer. But never taking it so far that she's jittery and unengaged with you.

Or do same thing with TID, just do sessions as close as you can to the grass while you're still getting maximal engagement & drive from her, and then just gradually work closer.

I'm not a trainer, but that's what I'd try first if my girl was really genuinely freaked about something.

[huski]

Hmmm ok how weird! I just took her out with a container of treats and she started out walking along the side bit and then had no problem coming on to the grass.... bloody beagle!

I am wondering if it's a habit she's picked up since we've had all the wet weather? She got used to walking along the side bit when the yard was all wet and muddy? The only other time she's done this has been when I accidentally walked her out on the field at the local park when it was covered in prickles.

If I take her out with no food, she only walks along the side bit.

Edited November 6, 2010 by huski

[sheena]

Hmmm ok how weird! I just took her out with a container of treats and she started out walking along the side bit and then had no problem coming on to the grass.... bloody beagle!

I am wondering if it's a habit she's picked up since we've had all the wet weather? She got used to walking along the side bit when the yard was all wet and muddy? The only other time she's done this has been when I accidentally walked her out on the field at the local park when it was covered in prickles.

If I take her out with no food, she only walks along the side bit.

It's bindi season....are you sure you don't have any in your grass....they are very tiny. Have you walked on the grass in bare feet yourself ?

[huski]

It's bindi season....are you sure you don't have any in your grass....they are very tiny. Have you walked on the grass in bare feet yourself ?

Yeah I made a point of doing so to make sure there weren't any little prickles or something in there - and the other animals aren't fazed by it either.

[JulesP]

No new pots or other landscaping?

[huski]

No new pots or other landscaping?

Nope. It's a pretty small yard and we haven't really done anything to it since we moved in.

[The Spotted Devil]

Oh how I love Beagles :p

[OSoSwift]

Okay most things have been covered.

Have you tried getting down at her level on the grass and also remember to look up incase something overhead may have made a noise or bang and scared her. Sorry that's the only suggestions I have ????

[huski]

Oh how I love Beagles :p

Hahaha TSD she's such a PITA sometimes! I have been thinking of posting about this issue for ages as I've tried getting her to train out on the grass etc and she wasn't keen, then today she happily trotted out when I took food out with me! Grrr!! If she goes out on her own or without knowing I have food she still only walks on the side bit.

Okay most things have been covered.

Have you tried getting down at her level on the grass and also remember to look up incase something overhead may have made a noise or bang and scared her. Sorry that's the only suggestions I have ????

Haven't done that - will give it a go (luckily I did poo patrol today... lol)

[kathq]

Is there a chance she has been stung or harassed by a big bug out there.?. Coco has similar behaviour if she sees those big flies we get up here. Tries really hard for me but wont stay with me bolts back to the back door. She has been stung by one previously.

[corvus]

I think there comes a point where it doesn't matter what is causing it, the animal just needs counter-conditioning. It's always nice to know what you're counter-conditioning, but the reality is sometimes a guess is as good as you'll get. You know she doesn't like the grass in your yard, so just counter-condition her to like it again.

[huski]

Thanks everyone so much for all your input. I am going to work on it and see how she goes. I think something freaked her out (or she was being a princess about walking on wet/muddy ground) and now she's gotten into the habit of not walking on the grass.

Edited November 7, 2010 by huski