hello, don't know if this has been covered before, I've seen a few recent posts about getting puppies used to fireworks recently, but just in case this is useful for anyone.....Cuillin at the age of fifteen months developed a real problem last winter with unusual (in dog minds!) lights appearing in the dark. when we went to the park for morning wees in the dark, the sight of other dogs wearing their flashy collar lights, human's head torches, and bike lights, appearing in the darkness really gave her the jip and we had regular Bark in The Park mornings, poor soul. She is a right ninny mind you, but might be worth getting pups used to this kind of thing in advance as well....we are about to start a programme with her with my pals wearing head torches in dusk etc to try and prepare her for this winter....
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... It's a great idea. Gotta think about things from the dog's perspective. A summer puppy will not have seen people in big coats and other heavy winter gear either. Good excuse for a family dress up
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... So much to do! Amy freaks out if any of us wear something different. It had crossed my mind she hasn't been walked in the dark.
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... Alfie went balistic first time he saw someone with a towel on their head! You just don't think of these things do you!?
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... Also half dressed boys, Amy just hurt my youngest by jumping on him, because he had taken his shirt off!
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... Lots of scary things... but good things too.. I can't wait for Charlie to see snow! (And that's a lovely thought right now, in this heat).
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... It's funny what sets them off, isn't it?? Simba was extremely cautious of hay bales in a field, and I tried to encourage him to approach one, sniff it out, etc, but he wasn't having it so I didn't force him. In that same field was a working pump jack - huge, tall, mechanical, moving clanking thing....dog went right up to the chain fence surrounding it, kept sniffing around it with the thing looming over him, going up and down - I practically had to drag him away! I think whatever he smelt cancelled out any trepidation he felt....a reminder to me about how much the nose rules these dogs!!!!
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... Poppy was completely freaked by snowmen last winter. Not sure how you'd prepare a puppy for that now, though!!!
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... A LOT of cotton wool...I think I'll risk Charlie coping ;D ;D ;D
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... That might be a challenge Karen! Lilly's scary thing last year was a bird scarer. Sitting innocently in the field, doing nothing, about 5m away. Along comes Lilly on "Marley's track" out the back of our house and you would think someone was trying to murder her the amount of barking she was doing. Next day, a few wary glances. After that, no reaction at all, even when it went off in the distance. I expect it was the colour that was the issue - a bright orange. But the snow.....just great.....wow....puppy's first snow
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... Amy was toilet trained on "snow". The silly thing is still frightened by barking dogs in the gardens and remembers them now and sometimes I struggle to get her past the next day.
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... Well....Lilly seems not in the least phased by the current thunder and lightening storm. Still flat out on the bed jac
Re: Suggestion about scary things in winter.... Simba has also been wary of: a bag of recyclables blown into the yard during a storm, the garbage bins lined up on the curb the first time he saw them after coming to us, a hub cap that had come off a car and was under a mailbox, and a black bag stuffed with clippings on a neighbour's yard. Despite all that, I wouldn't characterize him as a fearful dog. Just cautious about new things. Once he checked out all those things, he was fine.
