Shopping Cart Terror
- Thread starter qcescada
- Start date
I would just let her make her own way to it. Dogs eventually get curious enough to explore things on their own. Maybe sit in the hallway with her and let her begin to check it out. Or maybe you could take a treat that she really likes and put it near the cart. That may give her a little push to get near it.
^^ I tried that - she just scoots around me with her tail between her legs. I act the same way I would even if there is no cart and she bolts.
I believe it started when she was four months (she's nineteen mths now) - a white golf cart rolled by with a bunch of plastic barrels which fell off the cart and down the hill. Nothing much happened after because we moved into a house so no carts of any kind. I recently moved to CA from GA. Before the move, I noticed that she didn't care for large white/silver/cream cars, the fedex truck, etc. She hates loud sounds and carts do make them.
natalie - I will try that. Hopefully another cart pops up in the hallway.
I believe it started when she was four months (she's nineteen mths now) - a white golf cart rolled by with a bunch of plastic barrels which fell off the cart and down the hill. Nothing much happened after because we moved into a house so no carts of any kind. I recently moved to CA from GA. Before the move, I noticed that she didn't care for large white/silver/cream cars, the fedex truck, etc. She hates loud sounds and carts do make them.
natalie - I will try that. Hopefully another cart pops up in the hallway.
If you have access to Cesar Millan's The Dog Whisperer tv show, I *highly* recommend that you watch it. (You can also rent the show on DVD) Cesar deals with dogs who have had similar traumas, and many times they are reversible. An important thing to note, do not comfort or baby the dog when she shows signs of fear, because that will only reinforce her behavior.
My puppy is scared of large objects like this too (shopping carts, grills), he approches them very cautiously and gets as low to the ground as he can. If it moves or makes a noise he'll run away from it.
I walk up to it with him and touch it and maybe it shake it a little bit and say "see? It's okay"... Which seems to help him a little.
But if you've tried this and it isn't working, perhaps a different method...
I walk up to it with him and touch it and maybe it shake it a little bit and say "see? It's okay"... Which seems to help him a little.
But if you've tried this and it isn't working, perhaps a different method...
gypsybiker59: I watch his show when I can and I have seen a few episodes where he deals with aggression towards things like carts. My dog is not aggressive, she runs away but I realise that both fight and flight can be expressions of fear. I definitely do not comfort her when she runs from things. If I can find someone to come by with a cart, I think I'd be able to work with her more intensely and try some of his methods because they seem to work.
natalie78: I tried the treat thing once and she left the treat. I think I'll try it again - maybe with a "path" of treats.
leothelnss: LOL. I think shaking the cart will make her lose it. So it would have to be something else.
Thanks for your responses everyone.
natalie78: I tried the treat thing once and she left the treat. I think I'll try it again - maybe with a "path" of treats.
leothelnss: LOL. I think shaking the cart will make her lose it. So it would have to be something else.
Thanks for your responses everyone.
I totally agree! I have the first 2 seasons on DVD. There was an episode about a dog being afraid of an air compressor and one about a dog who was afraid of tile floors and the techniques he applied would definitely fit your situation.
cool. I've seen many pisodes but not those two. They'd both be helpful because my dog is wary (but not scared of) manhole covers. I think the echo bothers her. I also do not encourage that and just maintain our pace when walking - plenty of praise for walking over one without any hesitation. Luckily that's not a major issue - she's just so sensitive to all these sounds we did not have in our previous home but I am determined to help her through it.