[yorkietalkjilly]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful post. That sort of training you describe is all I know and the very training technique that I have used with all my dogs, the one that got him unafraid to start with, so naturally we started over at square one with the curtain and rod on the floor, covered with the treats, etc., and are all the way back to him not jerking too badly as I touch it and treat, etc. as I pick it up and move it about, rehang it.

To try to get him back after such a big regression a bit faster to avoid generalizing his fear, I just wanted to try to divorce myself from this salamander/curtainrod falling incident and bring in another person to show him apart from me that this piece of equipment in the room is just that - equipment - and not scary, since I am, apparently, no matter how effectively I positively reinforce, not really able to remain calm and relaxed enough as he is progressing more slowly this time around.

When I read about your trouble with Beemer in the room where he was scared and how he is reacting more slowly in coming back from his scare, it seemed like the two dogs were kind of in the same boat with their trainers - us, and wondered if Tibbe might make a faster breakthrough this time with another, uninvolved person to bridge this problem. Because apparently, no matter how I have schooled myself to relax, get unemotional, breathe deeply, detach and just train him not to fear, he still associates me with the curtain rod fear. It kind of sounded like your little Beemer might be associating you with his fear situation, too, since you've tried everything else as have I. Reading your story with Beemer sounds so like mine with Tibbe and it made me start wondering if it is us they can't get past. That is when I wondered if the uninvolved person might provide me a faster bridge to where Tibbe needs to get.