Comments on: The Problem of Patience – Train Your Dog Month Challenge

By: lauren

lauren — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:29:01 +0000

i am not actively participating in the challenge, but this post really made me think. in particular, it was the end that got me:

“…I expect my dogs to have good life skills. To be able to travel comfortably to us and share our lives.

Honey expects me to be patient and to have the wisdom to know what life skills are most important.”

my husband and i always had this vision of us going out to cafes & bars while our dog lounged at our feet. and then we wound up with desmond. he started out OK with that kind of thing, but his leash reactivity only got worse and, at this point, i think we have to face the reality that desmond’s not ready to handle situations where he needs to be calm when he sees living things that he wants to greet. meaning, we have to face the reality that we can’t all relax at public dog-friendly places (other than off-leash areas) right now, and depending on how he does with our reactivity behavior modification, we may not ever get there with desmond. i think he’d want us to know that perhaps this particular life skill isn’t all that important.

By: Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner

Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:41:42 +0000

We have a DoggyRide trailer for Chester and Gretel. Our experience has been similar to yours. At first we left them inside with the wheels off. They loved sleeping in there. Then when we went on our first real trip they did fine at first and then started to cry. When they are inside the trailer and it is stopped they have to problem – it’s just when we are moving so it is leading me to believe they might have motion sickness or something. I haven’t tried anything for motion sickness yet but plan to this spring (along with taking a lot of shorter trips to get them used to it again). I would be interested to hear how your training goes and if you find that motion sickness has anything to do with the crying.

By: Yay Pets

Yay Pets — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:07:22 +0000

Aw, Honey will get it! And then she will have so much fun! Wait, what? Guinea pigs? Awesome.

By: Greyhounds CAN Sit

Greyhounds CAN Sit — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:13:23 +0000

Good luck with this, Pamela. It does sound like you’ve got your work cut out for you and I know you’ve already had some great suggestions to try out. Beryl would probably be fine as long as she had at least one duvet to lie on:) But I doubt making it extremely comfortable would do the trick with Honey. Wish I could give you a magic cure but I’ll be watching your progress with great interest.

By: houndstooth

houndstooth — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:27:37 +0000

In reply to Pamela. No, we never did. After she leaped out and fell on the cement floor, my heart couldn't take any more attempts. She gashed her leg really badly, and I kept thinking how much worse it could be with a senior dog. She just hated it so deeply, I didn't have the heart to try any more. Now I think Bunny would ride in it like the Queen of England when her senior years approach us. She'd do anything not to be left behind and Lilac could have cared less!

By: 2 brown dawgs

2 brown dawgs — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:53:23 +0000

Good luck to you. I bet with a little patience, you will be traveling with Honey in no time. It is good that you are going back to the beginning (trailer in the house). That is what we do when we get stuck in training, go back and simplify. 🙂

By: Kristine

Kristine — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:08:49 +0000

When it comes to tackling fears or anxieties, I don’t think it’s possible to be too slow or too patient. Given time and enough positive experiences, I know Honey will eventually grow comfortable with her trailer, even if she never loves it completely. She will certainly love the opportunities it brings her.

Shiva doesn’t have nearly as many fears as she used to, but she continues to be terrified of deep water. Since we are surrounded by lakes and swimming is one of my favourite activities, I find her reluctance really frustrating. I know she would love it if she just gave it a chance. Maybe I need to go back to the beginning as well.

Good luck!

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 22:20:10 +0000

We wish you all the luck with Honey! I seriously need to do this with Luna and things that move close to her like big boxes and such.

By: Amy@GoPetFriendly

Amy@GoPetFriendly — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:12:05 +0000

It sounds like you have your work cut out for you! Does Honey have a blanket or bed she really likes? Maybe putting that inside the cart with her, when you get to that point, would help. Locating my thimble full of patience becomes even harder when I’m training the dogs to do something and I’m really invested in the outcome – like you are. I’m rooting for you – if you can accomplish this, you can do anything!

By: melF

melF — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:05:54 +0000

I so admire you for taking this one task on. I cannot imagine how hard it must be to try and get Honey to be fine with riding along in the cart.

I am also not a person who teaches a lot of tricks to my dogs although I did with so many of my dog clients. I think I need to change that. Jasper knows how to weave through my legs and bow and all the regular stuff you teach your dog, but I haven’t asked him to do anything else. Now is the time.

BTW – Is it possible Honey gets car (i.e., cart) sick? You didn’t mention it before when you had a car, but was wondering. I know ginger snaps are supposed to help alm the stomach. Worth a try I guess. Wishing you much success Pamela!