BBP
Well-Known Member
Little collie is turning into a bit of a pessimist and seems to have lost a lot of confidence since lockdown started. I’m wondering if you have any good ideas for building it? He is coming up to 3 years old.
He has always been very sociable with people and dogs, nicely mannered, not over the top or over submissive. He used to live with my partner and had a lot of people and dogs around him day to day. He then moved in with me a year ago and although no dog friends here he had a bunch that he would meet when staying with my parents whilst I was at work.
A few things happened in one go in April. He was attacked by two off lead collies whilst he was on lead. Thankfully one of them wasn’t really meaning it and the one that really did was muzzled, but still a scary experience for him, and his first ever negative dog experience. In relatively quick succession he had a few others that would run up and get in his face. He is always on a lead/longline, so that doesn’t help. He also went into vets around the same time for his shots and was done in the car park. But reacted really badly to being jabbed, yelped and cowered, and panicked when they tried to do kennel cough. Previous times at vets he has been fine and friendly.
Since lockdown he hasn’t had any dog buddies as he is staying with me and I go out for longer country walks. But when we do meet another dog he gets very tense and snaps first if they get in his face (I don’t really blame him, but it’s more that his body language now seems to start things, whereas before dogs seemed really chilled around him). He makes it harder because instead of walking with me away from them he drops flat to the floor. Which means either the other dog gets chance to get close, or I have to physically move him, which I think adds to the pressure he feels under.
He is also becoming wary of people touching him, as he just lives alone with me. He was so frightened at the last two vets visits, even on anti anxiety pills the second time, that they couldn’t touch him at all (without forcing him which we didn’t want to do). Obviously this isn’t good in case he needs emergency treatment at any point. Plus I feel like my social happy little dog is now expecting the worst from everyone.
I’m planning to contact a couple of dog schools to see if I can get him to training with a small group of under control dogs, so he learns he can be around them without a fight or pressure to interact, just focus on ‘work’. Plus some experienced dog trainer people to handle him and their own dogs to get him less wary. He has just started agility and seems to really enjoy what we are doing so far.
What else can I do to boost his confidence? Thinking of finding a scent work class.
(May also be relevant that I’ve had a bit of a rough ride emotionally since lockdown, relationship break up, potential loss of house, illness of relatives and myself, and BBP stress, so I’m not sure if I’m transferring to him? I try not to!)
He has always been very sociable with people and dogs, nicely mannered, not over the top or over submissive. He used to live with my partner and had a lot of people and dogs around him day to day. He then moved in with me a year ago and although no dog friends here he had a bunch that he would meet when staying with my parents whilst I was at work.
A few things happened in one go in April. He was attacked by two off lead collies whilst he was on lead. Thankfully one of them wasn’t really meaning it and the one that really did was muzzled, but still a scary experience for him, and his first ever negative dog experience. In relatively quick succession he had a few others that would run up and get in his face. He is always on a lead/longline, so that doesn’t help. He also went into vets around the same time for his shots and was done in the car park. But reacted really badly to being jabbed, yelped and cowered, and panicked when they tried to do kennel cough. Previous times at vets he has been fine and friendly.
Since lockdown he hasn’t had any dog buddies as he is staying with me and I go out for longer country walks. But when we do meet another dog he gets very tense and snaps first if they get in his face (I don’t really blame him, but it’s more that his body language now seems to start things, whereas before dogs seemed really chilled around him). He makes it harder because instead of walking with me away from them he drops flat to the floor. Which means either the other dog gets chance to get close, or I have to physically move him, which I think adds to the pressure he feels under.
He is also becoming wary of people touching him, as he just lives alone with me. He was so frightened at the last two vets visits, even on anti anxiety pills the second time, that they couldn’t touch him at all (without forcing him which we didn’t want to do). Obviously this isn’t good in case he needs emergency treatment at any point. Plus I feel like my social happy little dog is now expecting the worst from everyone.
I’m planning to contact a couple of dog schools to see if I can get him to training with a small group of under control dogs, so he learns he can be around them without a fight or pressure to interact, just focus on ‘work’. Plus some experienced dog trainer people to handle him and their own dogs to get him less wary. He has just started agility and seems to really enjoy what we are doing so far.
What else can I do to boost his confidence? Thinking of finding a scent work class.
(May also be relevant that I’ve had a bit of a rough ride emotionally since lockdown, relationship break up, potential loss of house, illness of relatives and myself, and BBP stress, so I’m not sure if I’m transferring to him? I try not to!)
