I just wanted to be of encouragement to any of you who have really hard dogs to handle. My dog Cody (a rescue) is really hyper. He is a jack russel mix and had some problems as a puppy at the shelter before the rescue organization got him. He is a real handful, but I can see progress, and he is becoming a very obedient dog and a joy to own. He was a real land shark, snapping and biting like crazy, jumping, running, and doing everything at top speed. I have to watch him closely when he plays with my other dog Bindi or he can get really riled up.
However, I have tried to be consistent. Now, I can see the payoff, he is doing extremely well. All of a sudden it just clicked with him. He is still a wild indian in the activity level, but is more attentive, and desires to please more.
I just wanted to let any of you who have a real handful, not to give up. Keep up what you are doing, it will pay off in the end.

Now for my question. TOnight my husband took a broom stick out of the garage and brought it into the house. As soon as bindi say the stick, she was crawling on the ground. We have never used a stick in an intimidating way, or ever hit her with anything. So, since we got her from a rescue organization, who got her from the animal shelter, could it be someone had hit her with a stick? She was visibily upset. Could this be a sign she was abused? She is usually a confident dog and not given to timidity or nervousness. We were saddened to see her so very scared. but were wondering if this could be a sign of abuse.
Thanks

Sharon, thanks for the words of wisdom. I don't have any advice to offer about the broom stick.

I have a couple of questions about the hard to handle dog, tho. I have read your posts on here and it seems you are doing a terrific job with your dogs.

I just got the Leerburg Basic Dog Obedience today and so I have spent the evening watching most of it.

My little dog seems to have a lot of prey drive and (after I was watching this video) I think she is probably about even tempered so far as soft vs hard dog.

But the barking. I mean barking, barking, barking. I have not been very successful with that. I mean, she is a prolific barker and will bark at the presumed sound of a leaf floating in the next town.

I started aversive training last week with the barking and it was doing a little bit of good. But if, for instance, she is in the car with me, or if someone comes to the door or if other people are involved in any capacity, there is no way I can make her stop barking.

She wants to please with training as in sit, down, etc., but the barking is really something else.

With your Cody, did he also bark a lot or was it all prey drive?

 Quote: nora ferrell

But the barking. I mean barking, barking, barking. I have not been very successful with that. I mean, she is a prolific barker and will bark at the presumed sound of a leaf floating in the next town.

I started aversive training last week with the barking and it was doing a little bit of good. But if, for instance, she is in the car with me, or if someone comes to the door or if other people are involved in any capacity, there is no way I can make her stop barking.

She wants to please with training as in sit, down, etc., but the barking is really something else.

Nora, what specifically have you tried? If you post your own thread on this topic I think you'll have many great responses. Be sure to include what you are already trying: by "adversive training" do you mean collar corrections, no-bark collars, e-collar, etc?

And Sharon, with adopted dogs it's something you're always going to wonder about. Could she have been abused by someone? Sadly, it's certainly possible. But it's also possible that maybe there was something else she was picking up on...your husband's body language threw her for example, or she just happened to twist a nail in the carpet at the same time (not saying that's likely, but it's possible).

But if the treatment is the same whether she was abused with a stick or not, IMO. Try hard not to "reassure" her when this happens. It's hard, I know, but try because as you probably already know, it's counterproductive.

If you're sure her fear of the stick wasn't a one-time fluke, then I would begin desensitizing her to it. Unfortunately, humans carrying around stick-like objects is a fact of life and it would be great to gradually get her over this. Try VERY gradually (with the stick at a distance) paring the stick with something positive. Maybe having her eat her meal while it's flat on the floor on the other side of the room and very gradually (over the course of days or weeks depending on her level of fear) moving it closer watching her confidence level with it closely.

If she's that afraid of it, I would start with whatever position she finds least threatening (flat on the floor, upright, or NOT in a human's hands, whatever you determine) and after you eventually have her close to it comfortably, then I would start over with the stick in a different, less comfortable position and at a distance again.

Try not to rush it, and pair it with something great like a meal or a really tasty tidbit.

I'm sorry your dog reacted this way...but you can get her over it. And when you see a dog overcome their fears it really is a wonderful thing to see. Especially if you helped it happen.

Good luck.