The Birds

[Guest brindleandfawn]

I think Sly may be afraid of geese. Not the up close and personal mean geese that he has never seen, but the flying way overhead, honking at a distance geese. He came back from the yard a couple times shaking and hiding and we were at a loss. He's not a spook and has generally been a big brave boy. We checked for injuries and the yard. Nothing. We noticed he looked up and sniffed the air when we were letting him out after that for a while. Then he refused to go out when a bunch of loud geese were flying over the yard.

 

 

 

 

[OwnedBySummer]

These dogs are such chickens.

[LadyGrey]

I dont blame you Sly, those Geese are pretty invasive sometimes!

 

 

 

[sobesmom]

I've said it before - I'll say it again - Greys are quirky! That's the only way I can define it.

 

If you want to be nice about it - you could say that they "notice" new things more than other dogs do. They pay more attention to their environment.

 

My big, tough, prey-drive-to-the-max no-fear of anything - greys have spooked at ..... balllons...ceiling fans.... bubbles.

 

Just laugh it off. Oh it's FINE, you're FINE. Move on. Don't get too hung up about it, and the dog won't either. Don't let him turn it into a phobia - by you showing CONFIDENCE, not fuss-budgetness. Happy voice, pay no attention, everything is FINE. The dog may show an initial fearful reaction - but it's next move is to look to YOU - to see if there's a reason for the concern. Show him that NO, there is NOT. You're fine, happy, unconcerned - he will be too.

[GeorgeofNE]

Maybe he read George's saga about the Ebil Birds of the North and Chikken Arms and the Poo Slinger?

 

 

That's one of those things I tend to just ignore and make my dog deal with. Sometimes dogs have quirks, and I know there are people who give in to them, but I'd be inclined to act completely normal and perhaps distract him with a cheery voice and a "let's go!" and off on your walk!

[Charlies_Dad]

Our Charlie is similar. While he is not a spook, he does not like things flying overhead. He is terrified of ceiling fans (common Grey thing I believe) but get him near a flagpole and he cowers behind you trying to get away. He keeps careful watch of planes in the sky when he catches site of them. And yes geese as well especially if they are low enough. Not sure whether it's just the unknown of things flying overhead or whether there is anything in the past that could make them act this way. I can only recommend that when you walk Sly, keep a tight leash in the event something does fly over as he may bolt.

[EllenEveBaz]

Baz's job was barking at anything in the air -- birds, planes, balloons, even big leaves in the fall. (Someone who runs a hot air balloon company told me that every ride had a soundtrack of dogs barking across the county.) Baz didn't seem afraid as much as indignant -- how dare you enter my airspace?

 

I think most animals, including humans, have at least something of an instinct to be careful of threats from overhead -- maybe your boy's has been heightened somehow. I hope you don't have a lot of geese in your area.

[Guest brindleandfawn]

Thanks everyone. And yes, in hind sight we should have acted cool. Instead we freaked out- - talked baby talk, hugged him, acted hyper concerned, etc. He was shaking and shivering all over. Yes. We are idiots. He is a foodie so we offered him enticing food. No dice. Then we used the magic word - WALK and rattled the leash. He overcame his fear for the coveted walk. Next time we'll ignore him. Hope it's not too late. My DH reminded me that Sly once lost his mind over a hot air balloon so I guess it has to do with things overhead. Oh and yes - it appears that this year we are on the goose skyway to the south. Now I'm going to go try to find George's saga. He always gives good advice!

[Guest ryeamans]

My Charlie is afraid of a lot of different things. If he hears a noise he's not familiar with (usually if it's loud), he lowers his head in fear a little bit. He's mostly afraid of kids though Haven't had any geese fly by yet!

[Guest lasharp1209]

I've said it before - I'll say it again - Greys are quirky! That's the only way I can define it. If you want to be nice about it - you could say that they "notice" new things more than other dogs do. They pay more attention to their environment. My big, tough, prey-drive-to-the-max no-fear of anything - greys have spooked at ..... balllons...ceiling fans.... bubbles. Just laugh it off. Oh it's FINE, you're FINE. Move on. Don't get too hung up about it, and the dog won't either. Don't let him turn it into a phobia - by you showing CONFIDENCE, not fuss-budgetness. Happy voice, pay no attention, everything is FINE. The dog may show an initial fearful reaction - but it's next move is to look to YOU - to see if there's a reason for the concern. Show him that NO, there is NOT. You're fine, happy, unconcerned - he will be too.

 

Yep

 

They just finished building a school down the street from us and the first time we walked outside and heard a voice over the loudspeaker, Blade froze and turned right around to go back inside. NOPE - I made him just keep on walking, no big deal, talking in a happy voice, walking him by his collar to give him more security but not making a big deal over it. Same happened the first time there were football players practicing on the field. He hasn't shown the slightest hesitation since. He just needed to conquer his fear once, and now he walks on by with not even a passing glance.

 

A few things will take a little more time and conditioning - fear of large groups, especially large groups of kids for example, but those are different from these little "flipping out over nothing" things.

[Guest Bamn]

Auggie hates hot air ballons (the school near our house seems to be a good landing pad). He pouts his mouth and almost barks every time. The geese should be gone in a month. Sorry.

[Guest Houndstown]

Justin was the opposite. I think he WANTED to be a goose. Whenever he was playing in the back yard and a flock of geese would fly over he would stop what he was doing and just stare at them. He'd do the greyhound head-** thing and sometimes even follow them until he was stopped by the fence. It was sweet. We used to say he would be a trick pilot if he was human!