Went to the New Forest Show today, with family and Merla. A good time was had by all, including dog. I did get the impression Merla was looking for the scurry though, as the last few shows we've visited have had the opportunity for some retrieving fun! Not so here, although I think she likes seeng all the dogs and people, and is generally pretty good at walking sensibly. Two people commented how calm she was for a young dog, and one of those was on the Guidedogs stand! We enjoyed the gundog display by Mullenscote (that made her prick up her ears!) and even managed to calmly watch some showjumping in the grandstand without causing a major disaster. Mostly good then......except for ....THE LION! Obviously not a real one, a guy in a lion suite on the Lions' Club stall. Honestly, I've never seen my dog that scared. Ever. Poor little love didn't know what to make of it! She wasn't even interested in a treat I feel dreadful for not anticipating her genuine terror So add to socialisation requirements....people dressed in furry animal suites! Better go spectate at next year's London marathon!!
Re: Beware of the lion! Poor Merla. London marathon is a good idea kath. It's not something you think to proof for really. :-\ I think Julie did freshers week or something similar. Fancy dress anyway. A man dressed as a lion is a bit odd when you think about it. At least she didn't think he was a giant cuddly toy and try and make it squeak. . Souds like a great time though despite the freakish lion. ;D
Re: Beware of the lion! [quote author=Merla link=topic=7147.msg98161#msg98161 date=1406663645] Obviously not a real one, a guy in a lion suite on the Lions' Club stall. Honestly, I've never seen my dog that scared. Ever. Poor little love didn't know what to make of it! She wasn't even interested in a treat I feel dreadful for not anticipating her genuine terror So add to socialisation requirements....people dressed in furry animal suites! Better go spectate at next year's London marathon!! [/quote] Oh bless! I hope she got over it. Sounds like she did really well in the busy crowds though! Yes, I ticked off people in animal suits (found a young medics pub crawl from one of the London teaching hospitals : ) but still came a cropper over stone lion statues! Had to mess about putting sea biscuits on their paws for ages! Charlie was shaking! We managed in the end. He pees on them now. Obviously, lions - in all forms - need close attention on socialisation check lists!
Re: Beware of the lion! Mmmm, it's a tricky one isn't it? Better get it sorted by Haloween! Might just have to hire a soft animal suit and get OH to put it on piece by piece ;D ;D ;D I mean, it's not a very common thing, but I don't think I'd want to be needing to avoid people-dressed-in-animal-suites for the rest of her life :
Re: Beware of the lion! From your post it sounds like she was very scared - their furry minds sometimes.... Charlie has just decided my veg garden steps are the scariest thing in the world. And he's been trotting up and down them since he was 10 weeks old (stopped when he was injured though). I do think a generally well adjusted, well socialised pup can get used to new things, even if a little older. It's impossible to tick off absolutely everything during socialisation, we all come across the odd hole. Getting your OH into a animal costume sounds just the ticket! It probably is worth sorting. After all, it's not that unusual to make it not worth bothering. Well, where I live it isn't, anyway.
Re: Beware of the lion! Kath I think this is a pretty common problem. I think the forum members would benefit from a step by step video diary of your desensitisation technique. We would find it invaluable. ;D ;D Our scary item was the fibreglass woman outside the sweetie shot in Inverary :
Re: Beware of the lion! I think I'd have been scared of a man dressed up in a lion costume too! We haven't come across many things....randomly some balloons blowing in the breeze outside a house freaked him once and I can burst a balloon right next to him,odd ??? Also,he's never been the same about the treadmill in our house after he tried to get on it with me and shot off the back ;D I smile only because he wasn't hurt....it was only going slow!
Re: Beware of the lion! [quote author=drjs@5 link=topic=7147.msg98193#msg98193 date=1406671967] I think the forum members would benefit from a step by step video diary of your desensitisation technique. [/quote] ;D ;D ;D That would be one for the archives!!
Re: Beware of the lion! We had a similar thing with our previous Lab, Cocoa. She got out the car on one walk, froze and then started barking. It was completely out of character as she was a totally laid back dog. She was barking at a big concrete dog on a gatepost. Lesson: you can't proof them against everything!
Re: Beware of the lion! Oh bless her , but it was a lion after all Funny the things that spook them , we pass a garden on our village walk where the owner has his wheelbarrow propped up against the wall , but one morning it was standing on the wheels, oh dearie me, Sam kicked off big style at the monster
Re: Beware of the lion! Reminds me, Lilly freaked out at the bird-scarer. Not the noise it made. It was seeing the cannister sitting 15ft away from the track in the field.
