My friend has a standard poodle that is now a year old. The poodle, Jazzy, has some wierd quirks that my friend doesn't understand. For instance, she will be laying asleep on the floor and if anyone moves (changes position, coughs, gets up) the dog freaks and crouches as she scurries from the room. She does not do this 100% of the time and there are one or two people that she doesnt do it at all with. She does fine on agility at home, on her own equipment, but shuts down when taken to an indoor facility that does agility with the same equipment. She has been to the indoor place 4 times now and is no better. She often will crouch and bolt through doorways, bolts away from some people but then goes right up and rubs against others, has an indoor (timid) personality and an outdoor (robust) personality, but that all goes down the tubes in certain scenarios. She is easily dominated by other dogs and fights back due to fear. Any ideas on how to help work this dog out of her current ways? what is this type of dog called? She surely isnt dominant! lol. Any help or advice appreciated.

Ian

Have they had the dogs vision checked. A friend once had a dog that was simular & didn't do well at night or inside and they found that it was a vision problem also partly a socialization as a puppy. They helped the dog adjust but going to training sessions and just sitting on the sidelines for indoor stuff and slowly worked into doing things using a lot of praise and treats. Took a while but they said it was all worth it.

Thanks Sandy! That never even entered my mind. I was blaming it on the fact that she didnt get the dog untill it was 6 months old and it had been raised in an ex pen in a basement. It had other dogs, peole, etc around, but no real person to bond too. I think that may be part of her problem but what you said about vision makes perfect sense to account for the unexplained things!

Ian