I Think Buffy Sees Dead People....

[ChiliDog]

Buffy, who is already not the most self confident pooch in the pack, has started a new "shtick".

 

We are finally able to coax her out of the apartment building and onto the grass and to go for a little walk (BIG progress for the little girl!).

 

She is best first thing in the morning when the streets are virtually empty and it is light outside.

 

She does not like darkness, people on the sidewalk, cars, busses, bicycles, anybody looking at her, anybody approaching her, anything that makes a loud noise, anything that floats on the breeze, anything that zooms down from the heavens (think those "helicopter" things that fall from the trees in the spring) - you get the idea.

 

 

Here's the new problem. As I mentioned she'll go for a little walk now but she will suddenly stop and cry. So we turn around and begin walking home. Every 2nd or so step she will turn around as if checking to see no one is walking behind her. It gets creepy because even though I know there is no one there I end up looking behind us, too.

 

Now don't forget thisis 1st thing in the morning, no one around, not a soul on the street!

 

It's like she's seeing ghosts!

 

Step step turn, step step turn... all the way home.

 

What can she be looking at or looking for or afraid of?

[Batmom]

Could be those helicopter things (maple seeds ).

 

Joseph, who is not spooky, hates bugs and things falling from the sky. Once he's encountered one, unless he has something better to do he is really creeped out and is a bit afraid there might be another one. Something else to do -- obedience, a toy, etc. -- can help.

[Guest bigbrindlebunny]

Aw, poor baby, and poor you. Those are a lot of issues to deal with, particularly first thing in the morning.

 

Here's a stray, strange thought - does her hearing seem OK?

[Guest Tenderhearts]

Something else to do -- obedience, a toy, etc. -- can help.

 

Agreed. Randy is the same way outside of his domain. Fortunately I have a fenced-in back yard so he feels safe there for playtime/doing his duty/running.

 

I use a cheerful sing-song voice, and although he loses most food motivation when spooked enough, really tasty things like cheese, little cut-up pieces of hot dog, will direct him away from the 'scary stuff'.

[ChiliDog]

Yeah I take her and sing to her while we are walking.

 

I tried clicker training with snacks but, as was mentioned, she has NO food motivation once she's "oot and aboot".

 

Her hearing is fine IN the apartment (that's where we tested the clicker) - she'll jump up from a deep sleep when I click

 

Poor girlie - I wish wish we could get her a house with a backyard..... (ours , I meant! I'm not planning on giving up on her!)

[Guest krystolla]

What happens if you stop, let her look for as long as she wants and wait until she gets bored of looking? I used to walk a golden retriever who was crazy about sniffing things, he'd glue his nose to something and not want to move. What worked with him was waiting until he was done sniffing, done looking around and finally sitting there being bored. Eventually he realized that walking was more fun than sitting around being bored.

 

It might work for ghosts too.

[ChiliDog]

What happens if you stop, let her look for as long as she wants and wait until she gets bored of looking? I used to walk a golden retriever who was crazy about sniffing things, he'd glue his nose to something and not want to move. What worked with him was waiting until he was done sniffing, done looking around and finally sitting there being bored. Eventually he realized that walking was more fun than sitting around being bored.

 

It might work for ghosts too.

 

 

I'll try it! Maybe I'll actually SEE the ghosts too

[sabrina]

What happens if you stop, let her look for as long as she wants and wait until she gets bored of looking? I used to walk a golden retriever who was crazy about sniffing things, he'd glue his nose to something and not want to move. What worked with him was waiting until he was done sniffing, done looking around and finally sitting there being bored. Eventually he realized that walking was more fun than sitting around being bored.

 

It might work for ghosts too.

 

 

I'll try it! Maybe I'll actually SEE the ghosts too

 

or patrick swayze

[crazygang]

Tellington TTouch apparently helps behavioural problems as well as health issues. We are going down this route with Snowy at the moment.

 

Hope this helps

[Remolacha]

She probably does see (or hear) something you aren't aware of. I am constantly forgetting how much better their senses are than ours! It could be something you wouldn't even notice, since she's afraid of so many things. Or, it could be those invisible things that cats see all the time

[greysmom]

Cash does this all the time. She has particular areas of the house that she will stare at, like she sees something, where there isn't anything at all that I can see. Buffy might be hearing something she can't identify, or it's echoing behind her, something below/above human perception.

 

Cash also isn't fod motivated when she's fixated and scared about something. She'll even walk away from her food bowl mid-meal if she gets that way. I haven't found any food to be sufficiently yummy for her to take from me in those instances.

 

If Buffy responds to the clicker, have you tried using it on walks?? She already associates it with good things, so it might be worth trying. Also, if you can't anticipate and lure her forward with a really super yummy treat, you might try this: when she wants to stop and turn around, actually turn and walk her in the direction for several steps, then resume walking forward. It may look pretty crazy, but you need to keep her feet moving so she doesn't stop and stare and get stuck.

[ChiliDog]

Tellington TTouch apparently helps behavioural problems as well as health issues. We are going down this route with Snowy at the moment.

 

Hope this helps

 

One of our adopters has taken the TTouch course - I'll give him a call and see if he will see Miss B.

Thanks!

 

Cash does this all the time. She has particular areas of the house that she will stare at, like she sees something, where there isn't anything at all that I can see. Buffy might be hearing something she can't identify, or it's echoing behind her, something below/above human perception.

 

Cash also isn't food motivated when she's fixated and scared about something. She'll even walk away from her food bowl mid-meal if she gets that way. I haven't found any food to be sufficiently yummy for her to take from me in those instances.

 

If Buffy responds to the clicker, have you tried using it on walks?? She already associates it with good things, so it might be worth trying. Also, if you can't anticipate and lure her forward with a really super yummy treat, you might try this: when she wants to stop and turn around, actually turn and walk her in the direction for several steps, then resume walking forward. It may look pretty crazy, but you need to keep her feet moving so she doesn't stop and stare and get stuck.

 

 

We've tried the clicker on walks and she's almost oblivious to it

In her safety zone (the apartment and the apartment hallway) she will sometimes LOOK at the clicker and then LOOK at me as if to say "pickituppickituppickitup!!"

Outside, though...

 

And she doesn't physically turn her whole body she keeps looking back over her shoulder. When I try to turn her the way she is looking she again starts looking over her shoulder !

 

<sigh> she's a nut!

[cleptogrey]

have you done a work up at the vet lately? sounds like something might be off. stange things can happen when their chemistry is not balanced properly.

[djsgreys]

No advice but

 

I have a backyard . . . . . and her boyfriend!

[ChiliDog]

No advice but

 

I have a backyard . . . . . and her boyfriend!

 

[SPDoggie]

Just wanted to sympathize as Kingsley, our shy boy, will constantly look over his shoulder, sometimes at nothing, but often at people who are walking *way* far behind us. Some times we just have to stop and wait for the people to pass us and then continue on our way.

 

I'd try letting her look, but then try to keep walking... don't always turn around and take her right home when she first shows signs of being "concerned" with the outside world. If you stand there with her, confidently, and continue walking, maybe over time she will get more-and-more used to being outside and learning that she does not need to always be on her guard.

 

Sounds like she is already making strides, and this will continue! (we just know with these shy ones is can take a long time)

[ChiliDog]

Just wanted to sympathize as Kingsley, our shy boy, will constantly look over his shoulder, sometimes at nothing, but often at people who are walking *way* far behind us. Some times we just have to stop and wait for the people to pass us and then continue on our way.

 

I'd try letting her look, but then try to keep walking... don't always turn around and take her right home when she first shows signs of being "concerned" with the outside world. If you stand there with her, confidently, and continue walking, maybe over time she will get more-and-more used to being outside and learning that she does not need to always be on her guard.

 

Sounds like she is already making strides, and this will continue! (we just know with these shy ones is can take a long time)

 

 

Thanks - it's amazing how a little girl of 50 lbs can make it feel like you are tugging 50 TONS!

 

We're taking her with us to the kennel in VT tomorrow to let her run about unfettered and free. We'll see how that goes