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stez1234

stez1234

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Holly is scared of my mum. She will not go near her and shakes in the corner and barks at her. She is the same with my step dad and my friends dad. All of these people are over 50.

I have been out with my mum this afternoon to dunelms to get some curtains.

Anyway came home with a cusion and Holly is now totally scared of the cusion!! She's been barking at it and will not come near the sofa.

Any ideas????
 
I am just going to be saying this on every thread!

I would send it to you if it wouldn't cost me more than you can buy it for but invest in the book "control unleashed" and practice the look at that game.
 
I would get your mum to hold treats- if holly goes near her - click treat.

Dex can be fearful of men (only his reaction is barky barky lunge, bite feet!!) - I get them to do stuff with him, sit, down, paw all for treats
 
Whilst waiting for that book to arrive you might want to try some desenitising exercises. If possible work while your dog is hungry and have plenty of tasty treats and have him on a lead. For example with the cushion throw it on the floor and take your dog as near to the cushion as he is comfortable with. At no point force him but allow him to work at his own pace, everytime he looks at the cushion click & treat. Try to edge closer to the cushion and reward any little progress, eventually you should be able to put a treat on the cushion and for him to eat it. This will take as long as it takes ,if he starts to get nervous take him back further away and start again.Do not try to reassure him because this will just enforce his fears.

With the people who come into the house on no account are they to approach him, just work as with the cushion at getting nearer to them.

Rome wasnt built in a day so dont be despondent if it takes a long time and see if you can get him into a training class.
 
As above , positive association is the best way and no trying to approach her in any way until she is ready to do the approaching herself.
Even something as simple as having your mam come in the house, only allow holly into the room once your mam is seated and ask her to give no eye contact at all and literally place a bone/kong in the room for her but no near your mam, allow her to go and explore it and see if she wants to have a chew, this way she associates something positive with your mams presence.
Try not to just walk straight in on her, place holly in another room and then let you mam come in be seated then holly in, this way you are making your mam entering as low key as possible.
See if you mam would come for a walk with you so that all the meeting are not in the home and holly is otherwise occupied with her walk but you mam is quietly present (a bit like introducing new dogs in a non confrontational and non territorial manner).
The more they are in the same company with the least fuss the more she can be come accustomed in her own time.
Try and get some of your scent on the cushion, sit on it and shout her over to you lol.
If you mam is seated in your home, does holly continue to bark/growl or will she eventually settle but just not near your mam?
 
Holly is fine with her out walking. She will even lick her hand and be fussed. It is just in the house.

When mum sits down Holly will stop barking but will kind of wander to check if she is still there then go and sit out of sight and will just repeat this.

It just makes me wonder what has happened to her in the past??
 
All you want then is for her to become quiet, its fine for her to come and check if she is there, make no fuss when she does this, try and get your mam to throw some chicken in her direction or anything she loves, any little positive is a good thing, but if she barks when she comes in do the whole, holly out mam in and seated then holly in.

With rescue we can never tell sadly, all we can do is try and help them get over their hang ups.
 
stez1234 said:
Holly is fine with her out walking. She will even lick her hand and be fussed. It is just in the house.

When mum sits down Holly will stop barking but will kind of wander to check if she is still there then go and sit out of sight and will just repeat this.

It just makes me wonder what has happened to her in the past??
Click to expand...

You'll never know. My Oh pulled a rawhide bone out of a bag and held it up saying "Dexie look what daddy got you" when we first had him..... dog hit the deck so fast, and crawled into his bed...... so so sad to see.
 
stez1234 said:
Holly is fine with her out walking. She will even lick her hand and be fussed. It is just in the house.

When mum sits down Holly will stop barking but will kind of wander to check if she is still there then go and sit out of sight and will just repeat this.

It just makes me wonder what has happened to her in the past??
Click to expand...

This is the thing with some of us who have rescues we can only guess at what has happened and thats all we can do is guess. Sometimes the behaviour can come out of nowhere and thats what makes it so challenging and ulitmately satisfying when you work to over come it.

Has Holly improved since you changed her food and what are you feeding her now.?
 
lexiedhb said:
You'll never know. My Oh pulled a rawhide bone out of a bag and held it up saying "Dexie look what daddy got you" when we first had him..... dog hit the deck so fast, and crawled into his bed...... so so sad to see.
Click to expand...

God that is heartbreaking.

Stez it is still early days and with her calmer & change in food it will be very interesting to see how she goes on. Lots of exercises for you to try and it will also build a bond between you so lots to look forward to.
 
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