Off Topic The Goodhand Arms

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Whiteley Saint said:
Have spent half of the night up with my dog who's scared of thunder. I'm sure one day he's just going to have a heart attack. More due this afternoon. :(
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I heard somewhere that comforting a scared dog merely reinforces his right to be scared. Like enabling. Hard to do, but best to ignore. If the human isn't scared, the dog will settle down eventually. Obviously not a quick fix, but apparently works in the long term. No point in whining and running around if Mummy doesn't comfort me.
 
fran-MLs little camera said:
I heard somewhere that comforting a scared dog merely reinforces his right to be scared. Like enabling. Hard to do, but best to ignore. If the human isn't scared, the dog will settle down eventually. Obviously not a quick fix, but apparently works in the long term. No point in whining and running around if Mummy doesn't comfort me.
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Yes I've read that and we tried it for years but it doesn't work. I usually just sit on the sofa and he sits next to me quivering and panting. At least it stops him pacing about but the sofa gets a bit damp from the drips off his tongue! We all act like nothing is happening and even the cats carry on snoozing but it makes no difference.
 
fran-MLs little camera said:
I heard somewhere that comforting a scared dog merely reinforces his right to be scared. Like enabling. Hard to do, but best to ignore. If the human isn't scared, the dog will settle down eventually. Obviously not a quick fix, but apparently works in the long term. No point in whining and running around if Mummy doesn't comfort me.
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That's my theory with kids too...no irrational fears in my family.
 
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No rain in south west Wales overnight, no thunderstorm and a beautiful June morning. The sky is blue, the birds are singing outside my office window, no cars are revving in the car park, I'm off to Wimbledon for a few days next week but not in work for the whole two weeks - all is right with the world :emoticon-0157-sun:
 
fran-MLs little camera said:
And I didn't know how old he was...you are supposed to be able to treat old dogs new tricks, but best to start behavioural stuff early. No point in making him think you have been stolen by aliens. :)
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He was fine up until he was about 5. No bad habits picked up from us. We put him in the kennels (he'd been before with no problems), when we got back he was ridiculously pleased to see us. It was only when we got him home we saw how skinny he was. Since then he hates thunder and fireworks neither of which bothered him before. We can only assume there was a bad storm and all the dogs got wound up which set him off. He didn't look like he had eaten much for a while judging by his weight and the fact he was really hungry. Needless to say we now go on holidays in this country and take him with us.
 
Saint Helen said:
No rain in south west Wales overnight, no thunderstorm and a beautiful June morning. The sky is blue, the birds are singing outside my office window, no cars are revving in the car park, I'm off to Wimbledon for a few days next week but not in work for the whole two weeks - all is right with the world :emoticon-0157-sun:
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Wimbledon as in The Tennis ?
 
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