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Originally Posted by Jess87  We're working on outdoor potty training and for the most part, it's going ok considering Dexter has only been with us for 5 days. One problem we have is when we go outside and the neighbors' dogs are out. There is a lab that is catty corner to us that is friendly but barks when he sees us. Same thing next door. There is a another lab that is quiet until his buddy, a coon hound, gets to barking. All of these big scary barks literally make Dexter run for the hills. I try to avoid going out when I see those dogs out there as I don't want him to be scared of the outdoors but sometimes when you gotta go, you gotta go.
Any suggestions to help Dexter ease his fears? |
That is tough but if you will just keep taking him out often, the dogs should get accustomed to your bringing him out and begin to ignore him. This happened when I first got Tibbe and the neighborhood dogs soon settled down. It sure stopped him up for a time though and interrupted his potty training for about the first two weeks. But I kept taking him out every dang 30 minutes so in time, it got to be old hat for the dogs to see us out and they began to ignore us except for looking up sometimes. When I first potty train a dog, I take them out every 30 minutes the first two weeks to imprint them with the idea of the whole thing and it sure works to defuse neighborhood dogs quickly. Also, totally ignore the barking dogs and they won't bark with the hopes of getting your attention, another reason they will bark sometimes. In fact, as soon as one starts barking, turn your back or walk away from the direction the bark is coming from. Even in another yard, they won't like that and can learn in time that remaining quiet might even get you walking toward them and giving them some attention. And no matter how wildly they bark now - in time they will grow bored with that when it gets them nothing but silence and non-attention from you.