Coins in a can was my savior in training Buddy not to bark. I have used
this trick for 4yrs when necessary. There are times when he will
howl when I leave. I hear him from downstairs. It's such an ery sound.
I run back up and take the can out and leave it by the front door telling
him I will shake it if he's not quiet. Then he hides under his blue chair
and all is quiet again. One day last week when I got home we went for
our 25min walk and home again for dinner. He would not eat. He kept
jumping up on me to pick him up. Then he would hide under the bed.
What the heck is wrong with him I thought? I felt his nose, cold and wet.
He was certainly upset. I thought maybe someone banged on the front
door if he were barking but no one has ever said a thing in the 5yrs I have
had him. Just thinking of something to make him this way. About an hour
later I got him to settle down and eat. The rest of the night was uneventful.
I forgot about the incident until the samething happened Tues night. Now
I'm getting upset because something has upset him and I don't know what
it was. He would not eat and only wanted me to hold him. He's no lightweight
either, so hold him I did. I sat on the couch with him talking to him, he was
shaking. I was beside myself with worry. I thought about the day and all
we did in the am before I left, then I thought about the "COINS IN THE CAN"
and how I left it by the front door because he was howling again when I left
on Tues. OMG he's petrified of it all of a sudden and was fearfull all day while
I was gone. How horrible do I feel. So yesterday I did not use it. Listened
to him howl for a few minutes and left for work praying no one would say a thing. When I got home we went for a walk and he ate his dinner with
excitment like always. So I have come to the conclusion that Buddy is
all of a sudden fearful of that can. How awful to think how scared he
was all day while I was gone looking at that can by the door and waiting
for it to jingle. I feel terrible. I can't belive this has just happened all of
a sudden. Sure he runs if I jingle it, that's the purpose but to, out of the
blue be petrified of it is strange to me. Never a dull moment living with
this canine I tell you. As soon as I solve one problem he finds yet another
for me.
Maybe I should go into doggy psychiatry, heavens knows he has trained
me well enough.
Sorry this is long but couldn't shorten it.