Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizzie07  Poor Beemer, it is heartbreaking to see a dog in terrible fear.
When I first started clicker training, no one I knew really knew much about it. I started with a Karen Pryor book, then got a video by her on clicker training. One of the segments in the video was her (or someone) working with a horse that had been horribly abused and was too afraid to go into a stall or the grooming area. So she started clicker training him to get go into the stall. It was one bit of the hoof at a time, but eventually the horse voluntarily stepped all the way in and more.
Maybe you can try something similar with Beemer. Try hard to get him to "act" happy, wag a tail, tilt his head in a happy cute way, something like that, and click that behavior. If you make it fun to have fun and make him think he is in control, ie getting you to click when he is having fun, maybe you can change his behavior in the building.
My only other suggestion would be to put Beemer in a puppy class somewhere else, even a Petsmart, make sure he has the time of his life "training," and then try a puppy class in the building where you were going. Or a puppy agility class, even, but a class where the dogs around him are less threatening and not really dogs, but puppies.
I really feel for you and Beemer. It takes a lot of work to get past a traumatic event for a dog, especially a sensitive dog. Please keep us updated as to what seems to help and what doesn't. I really want to know. |
Kristan,
Thanks so much for the suggestions! I think that would be a great idea. If I'm going to try to take him to that room every day, I want it to be somewhat close to training. I think that would be a great time to train "happy" into him. I also really like the idea of a puppy class. I don't know if Petsmart would let me bring an 18 month old dog to puppy class but he doesn't even weigh four pounds so they might. I'm sure my school would let him sit in on a puppy class down the road when we're ready.
I really appreciate your suggestions and I will let you know how it goes. I've read up a little on trauma in dogs and apparently it's a very long hard process to overcome.