Perfect In The House, Terrified Outside

[Guest cogito]

My Gretel is just like that...and she's been here for a couple of years now: bold a brass in the house (actually the pack 'leader' these days), but does the panic-y flippy thing if a leaf blows across her path on a walk (whether walking with another of the pups or alone). Like you, we use a harness.

[ChiliDog]

Hi Donna, just breezing through and I saw this and I readily admit I haven't read the replies so apologies if I am repeating.

 

My Stella was very much a homebody, she was confident, comfortable and downright joyous in our home and our neighbourhood but outside of her 'comfort zone' she was a neurotic pupcake, heck it was major breakthrough when she decided it was in fact okay to go counterclockwise around the neighbourhood instead of the usual way Going in the car was cause for drippy nose, panting and vomitting, not motion sick but sick from stress over going somewhere.

 

I spent the first couple years trying to overcome this by carting her all over and working on calming her, then finally figured, you know what, why bother. It was a little more inconvenient to me, I would have loved to 'take her to greyhound events' etc but she was happiest being in her own little kingdom and there was no harm in that so we let her. She had walks twice a day through her neighbourhood where she knew what to expect, where the other dogs were, where the friendly people with snuggles and treats were etc.

 

I miss that sweet crazy quirky girl though we are head over heels in love with our Jeff Gordon who is much easier going.

 

Thanks for your reply.

I have wondered about NOT exposing her to things out of her comfort zone (but, hey Buffy - you've GOT to go out to pee & poop )

anmd have figured we'll play it by ear and see how the spring/summer goes. If we see she is REALLY unhappy then there is no reason for us to contribute to her unhappiness.

 

I will add, though, that last November we did a big indoor dog show here in MOntreal and she was fabulous. She quivered like a scared rabbit until we got to our booth but once at the booth lay down proudly beside her daddy :

 

 

 

So, like I said, we'll give it a shot again this year

[Guest GreytgroupLeader]

Hi Sis,

Mac here. I know how you feel. The outside world can be very scary at times. I still don't like walking by garbage cans. I think they're out to get me. My Momma thinks it's no big deal and makes me walk by them. Each day I start to enjoy my daily walks more and more. I even stand by the front door now waiting for my harnesss to be put on.

 

I think you should channel some of Geisha's energy. Chase tells me that Geisha wasn't afraid of anything. Momma says she was pretty special. I sure wish I could have met her.

 

And, Buffy, if you were here today, we'd be outside in all this white stuff that appeared last night. Chase had to go out and blaze a path for Mike and Me. He's one crazy Lab.

 

Hang in there Sis, the world gets bigger and better

 

Mac