Hand shy
So many of our dogs are scooped up all the time. Some are cuddle bugs and just love this. Others, not so much.
Even though they are tiny – and not so tiny – we scoop them up, every time they come to us. “Mommy’s angel! Come let me stroke and pet and love on you!” And you know what – sometimes the ungrateful wretches, who don’t realize we got them to be our outlet for all things love, don’t want that. They want to run around! Play! Be DOGS! Well then!
I can duck faster than you can pet!
Often, every single time we call our dogs or they come to us, we grab them. OR – we get a shy dog – or – well, my grandma taught school a long time ago, and she said that the teachers would walk around the classroom and sort of wave their hands toward the kids. They would know the ones that ducked got smacked around at home. Hand shy. It happens especially with our re re re re homed dogs.
I may be big, but I still don't want my nose smacked!
We don’t want hand shy dogs. We want to be able to grab their collar when we need to. We want to be able to scoop them up when we want to. We need them to come all the way up to us when we call them. We don’t want them slinking around like we beat them – what WILL the neighbors think??
The neighbors think I'm utterly adorable, that's what they think!
So – we want to practice. Start calling them to come when all you do is treat feed. Just call, drop a yummy piece of something between your feet and then let them come get it. Then don’t do anything else, but give them a release word. (A release word means ‘you did what I wanted! yay!’) Do this repeatedly till your hand shy dog is confidently trotting all the way up to you to get that treat.
Confidence? I need me some of that.
Then do the same thing only leave your hand down there. Bend over – you can do it! Treat is on the floor, hand is dangling. Repeat. Still don’t grab at the dog. Build confidence.
Now, next step IS to grab your dog. Then immediately let go. So its, treat, handle dog’s collar and let go again. Don’t scoop. Your goal is to get your dog to think that “good things happen when she calls me to come and grabs my collar! I don’t always get picked up and cooed at like I’m a small infant child!”
She said that like it was a bad thing!
Remember, ‘come’ should mean PARTY! in your dog’s mind. When you wave your hand over their heads, that should also mean something good happens.
Sometimes this can all happen over a weekend. Sometimes it will take a few months. Patience IS a virtue.
My dog Hates….
I’ve been told long long lists of things ‘my dog hates’. Who knew these fluffy bundles of joy had so much dislike building up inside them?
They seem to take ‘sudden’ dislikes to certain things: men, men with hats, men with uniforms, worker men, (oddly very few dogs seem to dislike women as a group). Trucks. Balloons. Squirrels – tho I think that is a really a love/hate. Other dogs. People outside their family. Their crate. Newspapers. The Vacuum. The NAIL CLIPPERS!
I hate nail clppers and faces in my face.
“How do I make my dog Like <insert hated object here>?”
Okay – for the most part you can’t. Example – My dad used to tell us “Your mom worked hard making that dinner. Eat it! Like it!” Now he could make us eat it – but there was No way he could make us Like it. However – because of this attitude, I’ve tried a lot more things, on my own, than I would have otherwise, and have found, to my surprise, some I do like.
I hate being left alone.
But you can do a couple things. One is laugh. I used to watch a friend’s little doxie baby who attacked the vacuum ferociously every time I turned it on. She said ‘You’re a dog trainer! Make him stop!” I said – “but every time he does it, I laugh so hard it makes the vacuum chore too much fun!” Attitude. Laugh.
I really really really hate males. But for my dad. I put up with him.
The other thing is desensitization. Turn the vacuum on for a couple hours every day. Surely doggie will get tired of barking and attacking at some point. Have a party and ring the doorbell over and over and over. Every time it goes off – have dog do the active behavior you want him to do, instead of bark and attack the door.
I don't like running dogs. Make them stop!
Another thing is focus. If your dog starts barking hysterically at that man in a hat- get his attention and get him to focus on you Instead. “I see a scary big man in a hat, I look at mom!” You have to practice this – its hard to get their attention when they are focused on something they hate.
I used to bite. But I got neutered, trained, and while no one trusts me totally yet - so far so good!
The other thing is of course MORE exercise. Wear their sorry selves out so they are too tired to attack foolishly.
Last night I started a little chihuahua in class who ‘hates kids’. And rightly so from the description of what happened. We will be working using all these things. We may never make him love and adore children, but hopefully he is going to learn to tolerate them without snapping and attacking.
How could any dog not love these faces??
Sometimes that is the best you can ask for.
But he’s wagging his tail!
Although some of them are male, most dogs can multi-task. That means, they can wag their tails and bite you all at the very same time. Its true.
That wagging tail does not always mean “I’m in a great mood!” Sometimes it means ‘leave me the $#@& alone!” And you better be listening.
My entire body wiggles when I'm happy! and sometimes I pee a little...
Dogs communicate with us in a variety of ways – and sometimes the same gesture or movement means different things at different times. Sometimes the tail wag does mean HAPPY DOG! Other times it means “watch out”.
Look for other body language signs, too. Is his hair standing up on his back? Is he giving your the Alpha Dog Stare Down? Is he avoiding any eye contact at all? Is he showing you how pretty his teeth are while making funny noises in his throat? Or is he Not Moving at all but for that very slow tail wag back and forth?
Hey! Me and you - let's have a Discussion!
Yawning. In the first week classes I see a lot of yawning going on. Does NOT mean your dog is tired. They could be tired, but because they probably don’t Get Enough Exercise they probably aren’t tired. Yawning is often a stress sign, a sign they are a tad bit anxious. Think back – you probably were a bit anxious your first day of school too. This will pass and they will soon be having a great time.
Bored? Who could be bored in such an exciting class??
Sometimes they will lick their noses and not because I put peanut butter on it. (Its hard to bark and lick your nose, so often I distract with peanut butter). But that is “worried, mom!’ sign.
Sometimes a stressed dog will just shut down, lay down, and pretend they aren’t there at all. Kinda like I do at the dentist office “I’m thinking of something that does NOT involve being here at all!”
Classic avoidance!Dogs don’t communicate the same way we do and sometimes what they think they are saying is not at all what we are hearing.
But all I want is one little sniff!
Yes! Just like human males and females. Now, you’ve got it!
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