Staffyluv Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 We got Ziggy from the pound when he was about 6 months old. He is now about 16 months old. He was very scared and would crawl on his belly to come up to people and other dogs. He would not go anywhere near males for a good couple of months when we first got him and even now, if someone is wearing a hoodie or cap he is very wary. He sleeps on my bed of a night and last night I saw a reaction in him that concerned me. I picked up the remote control to the TV in my room to turn it off and it didn't work - the batteries had died.. But being lazy, I tried it a few times and because I was sort of waving it over the top of him (based on where he was laying) - he froze. He started shaking and let out a little whimper and it was like his whole body was frozen... He was awake, not asleep. I put the remote down and got, walked around the bed with a happy, do you wanna go out mate - to try to bring him out of it but he had crawled to the edge of the bed and wouldn't look at me - he was terrified.. All I did was point the remote at the TV (over his head because he was laying near me) and try to click it a few times and said a few bloody bugger its.. It was more an annoyed voice, not angry, that I had to get up to the TV.. It was like he thought I was going to take to him with the remote or something - you know when a dog is so scared they drop and curl up on the ground - well that is what he was doing.. I think it took me about 10 minutes (well it seemed like it) to bring him around and even then he stayed curled up in a really tight ball. Why would he react like that? Any ideas? He has never been mistreated here and he gets plenty of attention and training. This morning, he seems fine again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Sounds like he had been hit with a remote in his past life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meea Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 He remembers what a beating is. Poor bugger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiesha09 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 He could have been hit previously with a remote or a stick or something that looked like a remote. Obviously you haven't ever hit him but perhaps it just brought back the memories and fear. I don't think that they ever forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 My dogs both have strange reactions to completely random things. One of them is a rescue but the other has never had a hand lifted to her in her life. I think sometimes people come to the conclusion too easily that a dog has been beaten, when realistically, they are just having a naturally wary reaction, especially if they are soft to start with. If you saw one of my dogs when I get the hiccups you'd probably think she'd been abused. Don't know what the problem is, but she finds them terrifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Or he just might not have ever seen a remote before and was scared of it. My dog used to be scared of most things - spoons, tiny sticks crunching on the ground, vacuum, broom, her bed....because she was kept outside and caged 24/7 for the first few years of her life. I'm pretty sure she was never attacked by a spoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Poor fella, I can imagine how you would have felt to knowing how frightened he was. His first 6 months may have been hell and what ever happened to him is deeply ingrained, they don't forget! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronda Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 I'm pretty sure she was never attacked by a spoon. I'm sorry, but cant resist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 Or he just might not have ever seen a remote before and was scared of it. My dog used to be scared of most things - spoons, tiny sticks crunching on the ground, vacuum, broom, her bed....because she was kept outside and caged 24/7 for the first few years of her life. I'm pretty sure she was never attacked by a spoon. He has seen the remote in my hands plenty of times.. But I must admit that the way he was laying, sort of under my arm so it had to come over the top of him to turn the TV off... He is pretty soft, so maybe I just startled him (although he wasn't asleep).. I just felt bad for the poor guy, he was totally terrified. Even when I went to move him, it was like he was frozen - nothing moved and every muscle was so tense... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Hard to say, it could be from an experience or as wuffles said sometimes they just have strange reactions. Lili will bolt out of the room if I open a soft drink bottle, she's never been hit with one :laugh: I hope he's feeling better now :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huga Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Sid hits the deck when I put his collar on for a walk. Hates it, but gets excited for the walk. Has Never Been hit in his life, I think it's more to do with coming over the top of his head. They all have their quirks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollywaffle Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 poor little boy...you can only imagine (reluctantly) what he was subjected to before you came into his life Staffyluv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iggy mum Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 I'm pretty sure she was never attacked by a spoon. I'm sorry, but cant resist Where on earth did you find this?:laugh: The "and again, and again, and again" got a bit long in the tooth but silly and funny anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sares Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Sid hits the deck when I put his collar on for a walk. Hates it, but gets excited for the walk. Has Never Been hit in his life, I think it's more to do with coming over the top of his head. They all have their quirks. Same, my Ruby is scared of her harness… she is fine once its on and we are walking but the moment I pick it up to go for a walk she runs away from me and doesn’t come near me, even if I have her favourite treats (and she is very food motivated!). We had had her since a pup so I know she has never ever been abused in any way. She is also terrified of the blinds but I know why. When she was 8.5 weeks, she was playing with a bouncy ball inside and the ball went behind the blinds, she went in to get it and got tangled in the blinds. She totally panicked which made things worse because she barked and tried to get out quickly but took some of the blinds with her. It didn’t hurt her at all, she just freaked herself out. Now if her ball goes under the blinds, she will stand there until I get it out for her. Also – on the topic of remote controls – Ruby lays on a cushion at our feet while we sit on the couch to watch tv, once the remote accidentally fell off the lounge and plonked right on her head! WOOPS! She didn’t notice with her tough bulldog head, she just looked at me like I was weird when I freaked out thinking she was hurt. But maybe something similar happened to your boy? Either way, poor thing! Glad he is feeling better today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 Sid hits the deck when I put his collar on for a walk. Hates it, but gets excited for the walk. Has Never Been hit in his life, I think it's more to do with coming over the top of his head. They all have their quirks. Ziggy used to be like that with collar and lead but he sits lovely for them both now. Even at the park (just him and I), when he is not on leash and playing with his ball, if I say lets go - he runs to me and sits to have his lead put on.. He seems totally fine today.. You may be right huga about me coming over his head - maybe he was drifting off to sleep and I startled him (I honestly thought he was awake but you know how easy they fall asleep).. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BonJosie Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Just a few weeks ago my husband and I came home from a kids' party with one of those party whistles. I blew it a couple of times and our beagle just cocked her head and looked confused. My husband blew it and she flipped out. Hid under the table panting, wouldn't go near him for the next hour or so. Very, very weird. I did think she had a slight limp, so maybe she stepped on something or got a muscle twinge just at the right moment to think the whistle-blowing caused it. That said, she is a massive sook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Ziggy was probably reacting more to the "bloody bugger" voice than the action that went with it... possibly he thought that he'd done something to warrant being told off? Dogs are funny things... I have one who absolutely hates her feet being touched, but has never had an incident that we had to handle a sore foot - another sometimes acts like she's about to cop a beating, but has never been hit... dogs just are methinks... *grin* T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumabaar Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 (edited) My 7.5yr old Kelpie still shakes, howls then hides if she sees a cockroach....... She was VICIOUSLY attacked by one at 6mths of age (read one flew up as she was stalking/tormenting it and touched her nose :laugh: ). Mind you I also run screaming at the sight!! Edited August 2, 2012 by Jumabaar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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