bullysheful
New Member
Mine is most afraid of fire of course but also he can't stand techno music , at least some of the sounds in it.
What is your dog most afraid of?
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jasperaliceuk
Experienced Member
The dustpan and brush! If any of his toys roll near it he will stand there barking and growling at it. We have to retrieve his toy to quiet him.
All I can think is that he says it moving and doesn't associate me with being the other end of it. He'll quite happily chase it. Then he can't figure out why it doesn't move at any other time. Odd boy!
Sue
All I can think is that he says it moving and doesn't associate me with being the other end of it. He'll quite happily chase it. Then he can't figure out why it doesn't move at any other time. Odd boy!
Sue
storm22
Experienced Member
storms is afraid of my grandparents neighbours cat, that thing terrioized him as a puppy, now even after it passed (it got hit by a car it was like 19years old) storm still goes round the long way incase that cat is under the bush,
koda is pretty much a chicken, she get scared of alot of things still silly puppy things, shes scared of the cows down the road at the moment and the big drain pipe that swallowed storm, he runs through it under the road and she went down to look where storm went and he came out the other end and barked behind her, well she fell in the creek and now doesnt want to go over the drain, and storm tries to herd her towards it cause he loves it and wants to share
koda is pretty much a chicken, she get scared of alot of things still silly puppy things, shes scared of the cows down the road at the moment and the big drain pipe that swallowed storm, he runs through it under the road and she went down to look where storm went and he came out the other end and barked behind her, well she fell in the creek and now doesnt want to go over the drain, and storm tries to herd her towards it cause he loves it and wants to share
maggies mom
Well-Known Member
Fireworks!!!!! Recently she fell into a swimming pool and was freaked out. Later on in the evening someone was letting off fireworks and she panicked and tried to dive into the hot tub. She had a really bad evening. I felt sorry for her!!!
gardengirl
Well-Known Member
I am very lucky that I have a dog who adjusts to almost anything. I guess that's why he made a good therapy dog. But there is one thing he does not like. I'm not sure it's fear, it appears to be mostly dislike. And that's water. For swimming, I have to help him into the water because he won't do it himself. And when I turn on the hose he goes the other way. It's really weird because he learned that from my older collie who would do exactly the same thing. Otherwise, nothing bothers him. I can even touch his paws with the vacuum before he will get up and move. Funny.
maxkaurasky
New Member
My oldest is extremely gun shy, and doesnt like fireworks either. I think the other two learned it from him. Im talking shaking and hiding and crawling in my lap. And none of them are small, lol.
), every member of the public transport system, etc...
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
Rottweilers, german shepherds, i think it is fear that motivates his aggression towards them, and now--MOST RECENTLY-- thanks to me not preventing him from leaping into a river, NOW, Buddy is afraid of water.
But, on the bright side, he used to be afraid of the dark!!!?, and he is 85% over that now. He used to be afraid of the computer-printers, and is maybe afraid of deers, too. SO SOME FEARS CAN BE OVERCOME!!!
But, on the bright side, he used to be afraid of the dark!!!?, and he is 85% over that now. He used to be afraid of the computer-printers, and is maybe afraid of deers, too. SO SOME FEARS CAN BE OVERCOME!!!
Most fears can be at least 70% overcome, in my opinion, DEPENDING on the reason for the fear and the degree of fear, personality of the pet...
Mud is pretty much fearless, except when it comes to storms. But she's almost perfect now. I think it's just the thunder that bothers her, and now she will just kind of become magnetized to me if it's thundering. I don't coddle her, but she's now to the stage that she's kind of just growing herself out of it. She can come to me if she's uncomfortable but I'm not going to ask her to come to me or coo and tell her it's okay. I also try to do some simple, relaxing training to keep her mind occupied. She also does not like shotguns or other sounds of thunder-like volume.
Zeke is afraid of shopping carts, strangers, loud voices, loud noises(but getting better!), quick unexpected movements, life without tennis balls, dogs that are bigger than him...hmm....that might be it. Doesn't like storms but isn't really anxious or anything during them. Just doesn't like them.
Rusty pretends to be fearless. But sometimes he's a big chicken...he's afraid of kids....think that's all for him actually. He also doesn't like mud or being dirty in any way, lol!
Mud is pretty much fearless, except when it comes to storms. But she's almost perfect now. I think it's just the thunder that bothers her, and now she will just kind of become magnetized to me if it's thundering. I don't coddle her, but she's now to the stage that she's kind of just growing herself out of it. She can come to me if she's uncomfortable but I'm not going to ask her to come to me or coo and tell her it's okay. I also try to do some simple, relaxing training to keep her mind occupied. She also does not like shotguns or other sounds of thunder-like volume.
Zeke is afraid of shopping carts, strangers, loud voices, loud noises(but getting better!), quick unexpected movements, life without tennis balls, dogs that are bigger than him...hmm....that might be it. Doesn't like storms but isn't really anxious or anything during them. Just doesn't like them.
Rusty pretends to be fearless. But sometimes he's a big chicken...he's afraid of kids....think that's all for him actually. He also doesn't like mud or being dirty in any way, lol!
ruffmuttk9z
New Member
There is actually new research that says coddling dogs while they are afraid is not as harmful as people once thought it was. In fact, it's thought now that it could actually be helpful. They're comparing it to parents that coddle and reassure children when they are afraid. I don't remember where I read this but I'm thinking it was in an issue of The Bark. I just wanted to throw that out there because some people have been told that coddling only reinforces fearful behavior in dogs but they're finding that's not true.
Personally, I just ignore most fearful behavior in my dogs. Not because I think coddling is harmful, but because I'm just not a sympathetic, coddling type of person. I just don't acknowledge fear at all one way or the other really. I don't praise unfearful behavior. I just ignore those problems altogether and they typically go away.
My dogs are mostly afraid of silly things:
Rascal - Those automatically refilling water bowls. Too bad for her that's all we have in this house!
SoBe - Punishment. I don't know it for a fact but I suspect, based on his behavior, that he was abused before I got him.
Mojo - Brooms.
Tally - Nothing really.
Rumor - Nothing really.
Dizzy - Big trucks. I have no idea why.
Tank - Sudden movement behind him.
Stella - New people.
Secret - Nothing.
Fury - strange men and children.
Fiyero - Nothing yet, hopefully it stays that way.
Personally, I just ignore most fearful behavior in my dogs. Not because I think coddling is harmful, but because I'm just not a sympathetic, coddling type of person. I just don't acknowledge fear at all one way or the other really. I don't praise unfearful behavior. I just ignore those problems altogether and they typically go away.
My dogs are mostly afraid of silly things:
Rascal - Those automatically refilling water bowls. Too bad for her that's all we have in this house!
SoBe - Punishment. I don't know it for a fact but I suspect, based on his behavior, that he was abused before I got him.
Mojo - Brooms.
Tally - Nothing really.
Rumor - Nothing really.
Dizzy - Big trucks. I have no idea why.
Tank - Sudden movement behind him.
Stella - New people.
Secret - Nothing.
Fury - strange men and children.
Fiyero - Nothing yet, hopefully it stays that way.
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
OH i'm so glad to hear fears CAN be removed/reduced in dogs...there is hope.
PLus, Buddy did get 90% better with his fear of the dark...there IS hope.
Buddy started to act like he was going to be afraid of thunder, and i made him play games with me. He seemed to forget there was thunder...wish that would work with his fear of water.
Isn't it interesting to see what other dogs are afraid of!?...shopping carts, and life without tennis balls, ha ha hahhhaaaaaaaaaaaa!
PLus, Buddy did get 90% better with his fear of the dark...there IS hope.
Buddy started to act like he was going to be afraid of thunder, and i made him play games with me. He seemed to forget there was thunder...wish that would work with his fear of water.
Isn't it interesting to see what other dogs are afraid of!?...shopping carts, and life without tennis balls, ha ha hahhhaaaaaaaaaaaa!
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
Ruffmutz, thanks for posting it IS okay to coddle dogs who are afraid.:dogblink: I always want to do that, but stopped myself, thinking i would be "rewarding" their fear...but it's okay? AWESOME!! Co'mere Buddy!!:dogwub:
I think it depends on the circumstances. With Zekers, I let him come and be close to me, but I'm not going to pull him to me and wrap him up in my arms if he's uncomfortable. He can look to me for reassurance and comfort, but I'm not going to ask him to...if that makes sense. What we're working on right now is teaching him that everything and everyone in the world is a tennis ball dispenser! He's improving with strangers in leaps and bounds. The shopping carts aren't quite as bad anymore but still scary. It really wasn't until a few months ago that I found this fear of shopping carts. We're also learning to generalize---EVERY tennis ball is fun(and occasionally, even some non-tennis balls!!) not just his tennis ball.
Z's fears used to make him incredibly nervous and he'd be in my lap in a split second. So snuggling him in that sense would not be a good idea....he had to learn that fear didn't mean LEAP INTO MOM'S LAP NOW EVEN IF SHE HAS HER HANDS FULL OR A GIANT COKE IN THEM!! Now he'll just snuggle up close to me. We usually just start some tennis ball fun to take his mind off of it and he opens right up and is happy again. With Mud's storm anxiety, she's always just kind of glued herself to me. That's fine...I do currently and have always used TTouch massage techniques to help her relax during storms. When I first got her she would just freak out, pace through the house, pant uncontrollably, and generally just be a basketcase. Now she's completely calm through storms but still comes to snuggle me. She'll just lay beside me or at my feet for the whole thing and when it's over she's fine. We've trained several times during the storm and she did wonderful with that too. I think if you CALL the dog to you to cuddle, then yes, you could be reinforcing their fear. For instance, if thunder boomed and I hollered in a panic, "MUD COME HERE BABY!!!" And picked her up cooing nervously, "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay...." Then yes, I'd be teaching her that storms are incredibly SCARY and she needs to flee to me everytime we have a storm. But if she comes to me and I pet her I don't think that it's actually reinforcing it, just helps her relax.
Z's fears used to make him incredibly nervous and he'd be in my lap in a split second. So snuggling him in that sense would not be a good idea....he had to learn that fear didn't mean LEAP INTO MOM'S LAP NOW EVEN IF SHE HAS HER HANDS FULL OR A GIANT COKE IN THEM!! Now he'll just snuggle up close to me. We usually just start some tennis ball fun to take his mind off of it and he opens right up and is happy again. With Mud's storm anxiety, she's always just kind of glued herself to me. That's fine...I do currently and have always used TTouch massage techniques to help her relax during storms. When I first got her she would just freak out, pace through the house, pant uncontrollably, and generally just be a basketcase. Now she's completely calm through storms but still comes to snuggle me. She'll just lay beside me or at my feet for the whole thing and when it's over she's fine. We've trained several times during the storm and she did wonderful with that too. I think if you CALL the dog to you to cuddle, then yes, you could be reinforcing their fear. For instance, if thunder boomed and I hollered in a panic, "MUD COME HERE BABY!!!" And picked her up cooing nervously, "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay...." Then yes, I'd be teaching her that storms are incredibly SCARY and she needs to flee to me everytime we have a storm. But if she comes to me and I pet her I don't think that it's actually reinforcing it, just helps her relax.
tenniskitty
Experienced Member
Jewel freaks at firecrackers and Onyx is REALLY scared of storms!!!
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
Oh, Tx, i do understand what you mean, THANKS!!!
bellapup
Well-Known Member
I think the only thing Bella is afraid of is my cat Amos. To put it bluntly, if he was a dog, he'd be Alpha. For no reason he'll run up to her with a paw raised threatening to swat her while meowing loudly as if saying "You want a piece of this??" LOL
Of course he's never hurt her, but he made his point perfectly clear. She gives up the couch for him.
Other than that, I've banished the fear of water, thunder and lightening, fireworks, loud motors, etc...so as far as I know, there's nothing that's scary to her anymore. She knows to stay away from certain things, but she's not afraid of them. She just knows them as "no-no's or leave-its".
Of course he's never hurt her, but he made his point perfectly clear. She gives up the couch for him.
Other than that, I've banished the fear of water, thunder and lightening, fireworks, loud motors, etc...so as far as I know, there's nothing that's scary to her anymore. She knows to stay away from certain things, but she's not afraid of them. She just knows them as "no-no's or leave-its".