My Dog Thinks I'm Going to Hurt Her!

In class today, someone pointed out that, on the recall, Sunna comes to me eagerly, until she is a few feet away. Then she cowers off into a corner!:eek: Something happened to this dog in her first 5 years. Cesar Milan can say all he wants about dogs living in the present, but their past influences their behavior.

We tried my standing in a corner, with the sides "blocked" off. She came straight to me. Still she turned sideways and tried to lie down. At home, she does come without the cowering. Before you think it: she is not showing any fear of other people -- they are not around; the fear is of me. And I am standing there, praising her.:confused:

Any suggestions?

kjd

Thanks, MaxHollyNoah.

Sunna is also shy with people but I encourage her everytime she approaches a new person and she is getting better.

What really surprised me was, once I stopped using treats in class, Sunna began heeling beautifully. She doesn't have her head facing me, as you see in many obedience dogs, but she does have her eye on me. She stays in proper position and that is all I ask. If she were facing me, I'd be tense for fear I'd step on her or accidentally run her into something.

Her stand-stays are perfect. It is probably the one good thing she got from her previous training. Her sit-stays are iffy because she'd rather be down. (I still hold the leash.) Her down-stays aren't as solid as I'd like, but they are better than most of the dogs. (Leash off as I am further away.) Her comes are a lot better than in the beginning, when she didn't want to come at all. Now, I sometimes have to take her back to position because she is following me. (Proof she doesn't really fear me.)

The cowering when being corrected is on the down-stay at home. I told her down. She stayed until she decided she preferred to move. When I call her back to down where I told her, she cowers and leaves.

When I got home today, I tried a come. She came right to me, no cowering, and allowed me to encourage her into a straight front. So this is something that happened to her in class with her previous owner. I changed the command from "come" to "front" for two reasons. One is that calling her to come at home usually means to come into the house or away from people on the side walk -- I don't need her to come sit in front of me. But "front" requires the straight sit in front. The second reason was to break the idea that it was bad to get too close to me in class if I called her to come. Unfortunately, she is too smart not to realize it is an alternative to "come."

Although she is more interested in food at home, she is not interested in toys. However, my trainer said she'd gotten her GSD at 3, no interest in food or toys, and has now gotten her excited about both. If she can do it with a 3-year-old, I should be able to do it with a 6-year-old. (OTOH, her GSD poops and pees on command; gets all food, exercise and fun from her owner. No playing with other dogs.) This is tops on my list.

I don't see Sunna as hating class. She doesn't like to go to church and shivers and cries if she thinks we're headed that way. (It's the waiting alone in the car.) Doesn't react that way to class and actually is eager to jump out when we get there. Still, a break might help her. OTOH, she really did much better when I was in a "safe" corner. So she may gradually get the idea from that. Also, I think I may try a treat when she gets to me on the come.

Once we've been voted in as members, and the weather turns nicer, I'll take her out of class for a bit and see if that does help.

Just had a thought. If we can get to class early enough, so we have a double ring, I may try calling her from the single length, then, when she gets to the dangerous distance, turn and run.

Thanks for your encouragement. There are times I feel we'll never make it.

kjd

Thanks, Skully.

You don't have to agree with anyone -- we don't mind.

I do think it is possible that Sunna will take a food reward for the recall (thanks, I keep calling it by the command), but you don't know her aversion to food in the ring. (Maybe she was an AKC judge in a past life?) We've tried steak; we've tried cheese; we've tried liverwurst; we've tried even my trainer finally gave up. And she is much better when she doesn't have to avoid those treats in front of her nose. At home, OTOH, she will happily take them. This is definitely a class thing. Since she can never tell me why she acts this way, I have to convince her that whatever it was will never happen again. It is sad because the recall is usually the easiest and most favored command for dogs. You can tell she wants to come to me until she gets that certain distance away.

A friend pointed out she never has this problem at home. So it is something that will have to be fixed in the ring. On the good side, fixing it will bond us even closer.

Thanks again,
kjd

Thanks, KOPCaroline.

Let me make one correction in your reply. When he is your umpteenth dog, you will still be learning! I knew most about dog training after I'd trained my first dog. Then, each successive dog has taught me how little I really know.

Your suggestion is right-on for this particular problem -- cowering when she breaks a stay. She is more apt to break at home, where she's had more than a year of being able to move around at will. I don't yell, but I do get stern. I'll try your method and see how she does.

Yeah, two examples of cowering, but, I think, for different reasons. This will certainly not work for the recall, as the command, at this point, is more a release word than a command (now you can come to me). As she gets closer, I get happier and more excited. Then she cowers and circles away into a corner.

Thanks again,
kjd

Thanks, MaxHollyNoah,

Nope, Sunna does not get excited with the other dogs in class. One class, she touched noses with the young dog next to her. But when that dog lifted his paw in an attempt to play, she turned away from him. She actually has a reputation for being a calm dog.

I'm not sure the other dogs in class are ready to be called by strangers. Several have very high prey drives, as can be seen when the little ones fly by.

Today, while upstairs with me, she started barking at the sound of people outside. When she didn't stop when I said "No!" I called her to me in a rather angry voice. She came right over! Definitely a different dog at home!

Cat food is indeed a favorite of dogs. Since it costs little in time or money to get some, and the package is easily ignored once Sunna rejects it , it is certainly worth a try.

If Sunna hated class, I'd pull out. However, she has overcome the stress she used to feel when in the clubhouse. She appears to be eager to get inside and start class. The adoption application had one question along the lines of "how long will it take for her to adapt?" and my response was "as long as it takes."

Whatever occurred during her first obedience classes, we [I]will [/I]overcome the negative effects. The day [I]will [/I]come when she will sit at one end of the building, I will stand at the other and snarl "Sunna, front!" and she will charge me with glee! For the recall should be the one command that a dog [B][I]knows [/I][/B]is always a good command, regardless of the feelings of the owner.

Class is on Thursday. Let me try out some of these suggestions and get back to you later Thursday or Friday.

As you said, "it takes patience to be patient." Each of my dogs has reaped the benefits of what I've learned from my mistakes with the previous dogs. (And taught me I still have lots to learn!)

kjd