Mia is frustrating me a lot lately

[Laurelin]

This dog will test me in any way possible I think.

Training is going with her this week but not well. I cannot figure out what is going on here. She will do the obstacles, she will do the commands EXCEPT for sit and down. I feel like a crap trainer. In the event I can get her to actually sit, she'll stay and hold it like a pro as I walk around. Getting her to actually sit or down though is ridiculous. This is something we've been doing since I got her and it's now out the window.

It's not training though that is getting me down. I just feel she's regressed a lot as far as fear around strangers. I'm not even sure why this is happening. My trainer seems to be Mia's least favorite person on the planet, which doesn't help. We've had weeks of her just feeding Mia and trying to establish a positive connection. Mia follows her around, tail wagging now but if my trainer even just looks at her, mia shies.

I took Mia and Summer both out to the agility field last night by ourselves and the trainer and they did have fun. I think it helped some to just have some non class time where Mia could spend some time around the trainer without working. Summer of course thinks the trainer is the best. thing. ever. and tries to get in her lap and lick her all over.

Then last night Mia would just not settle down. She had a tennis ball and kept shoving it in this little open area under the portable stairs to the bed. She'd get it stuck in there and then pitch a fit when she couldn't get it back out. So I took it out and tried to go to sleep. It was 1 am about this time and she rolled the ball back up under there and started cryibng again. I tried waiting her out. I tried distracting her and getting her to go to sleep. Almost 1 hour late I gave up, got up and gave her the ball because she just wouldn't shut up. She carried it over to me and put it down next to me then curled up and fell asleep. So I slept with a tennis ball last night. *sigh*

I'm just really down because I caught myself thinking yesterday 'I shouldn't have gotten this dog, I should have just gotten something else'. It broke my heart that I caught myself thinking that because I just adore this dog.

Our homework this week is to take Mia around to stores and just have random strangers feed her.

 

[JacksonsMom]

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble. I know how much you love Mia.

Sometimes I wish Jackson would change too. I've always wanted a dog that loved everybody, and Jackson is different. He's really shy and would prefer not to be touched by strangers. He sounds like Mia... he will go up and want to follow someone, or sniff them, but the minute they reach down to pet him, he puts his ears back and backs away like he's scared. This dog, as has Mia, has been socialized out the wazoo and you think he wouldn't be like this.

How is Mia with family or people she knows? Or is she just a mama's girl? Jackson LOVES my family and close friends. Even if he sees my aunt for example once every few months, he will greet her with kisses, and hugs, and excitement. He loves all my family, including grandparents, parents, siblings, cousins, etc. It's just the stranger thing. It takes him a looongggg time to warm up to people.

He's gotten significantly better though. My little cousin plays little league ball, so starting last summer, I began taking him to the games and letting the kids give him treats. So he learned that most kids have treats and learned to love them. However, he is still nervous with unknown children in his house (when they run, he will sometimes bark and chase them). Yet he lives with a 3yr old and half the time with a 6 year old, and he loves them to pieces, they can get in his face, steal his food, do whatever and he could care less.

Anyways, now I'm rambling. But I feel your pain. Sometimes you just look at your dog and are like WHY?!? Humans have never done anything bad to you. ever. Why are you like this?! But it's also really rewarding when training begins paying off. When Jackson goes up to a stranger, and actually "asks" for petting, or allows petting, on the inside I am sooo super proud. For anyone with a super friendly dog, this would be no big deal! lol.

 

[Laurelin]

Mia has a very small handful of people she likes and that's it. Me, my two sisters, my dad, and ironically summer's breeder. She's getting to like my soon to be step-sister Jamie as well. She will let any of those people do whatever with her. She's SUPER affectionate to the people she likes.

I'm going to try getting random people to give her treats. Maybe that will help some. It is very frustrating a lot of the time though. I think it's really hindering our progress since she's still not comfortable with the trainer yet.

 

[Lizmo]

(((((((hugs))))))))) I think everyone goes through these types of stages at least once with there dog. I have with both my dogs.

How long has she known this trainer? Maybe just give her more time?

 

[Snark]

Sorry Mia's being such a pill... (and I don't think you're a bad trainer!)

Riley does the same thing with strangers - he'll act friendly then duck away if he thinks the person has focused on him or wants to pet him. He's a lot worse with men and won't even take treats from them (this includes my dad, whom he sees weekly - Dad's deep voice usually freaks him out for the first hour or so). I do take him everywhere I can, so it's not like he never sees strangers...

The trainer I had for his puppy class saw him doing this at Petsmart and had me take the guy's hand and hold it out to Riley. It worked, he sniffed the man's hand (and mine) and then let the man pet him. Maybe it reassured him that I was touching the guy, too?
Of course, Riley isn't nearly as complicated a personality as Mia... Are you sure she's not a cat?

Oh, and if I don't make sure he gets out to run just before bedtime (the 10 o'clock zoomies); he will keep me up most of the night. (I used to be able to wear him out in the house, but he's gotten too big and we have to go out in the yard - doesn't matter if it's raining, thundering or dry.) I'm hoping once Riley gets out of teenage-hood, he'll be more willing to settle down at night without the bedtime play session.

My agility class starts in another week and a half; can't wait to have Riley show off everything he's forgotten... sit, stay, come... what was my name again?

 

[Laurelin]

She's only known the trainer a couple months. Thing is, it seems to be just not improving. But the trainer understands and has dealt with these things with one of her schnauzers.

Sometimes I really think Mia is a cat and not a dog, actually.

 

[AGonzalez]

See I kind of prefer a dog that doesn't love everyone it meets, but that's me. Lacey still doesn't like strangers, she's just tolerant of them - i.e. stranger approaches, can reach down and pet her, but she doesn't really enjoy it.
Is there anyway you can put toys up in (maybe in a solid colored, not clear, tub and lock the lid) so she can't harass you with them when you don't feel like playing? It kind of doesn't give her much in the way of an option, and she won't fixate as much because she can't see the object - like the tennis ball stuck in the stair?

Just an idea.

 

[PWCorgi]

(((((HUGS)))))

I'm just really down because I caught myself thinking yesterday 'I shouldn't have gotten this dog, I should have just gotten something else'. It broke my heart that I caught myself thinking that because I just adore this dog.

I think we all have that thought at one point or another, especially when they are young and evil!

As for the not liking a lot of people, I feel you there. It can definitely be frustrating, especially when it's a day to day thing. Frodo thinks my trainer is the best thing ever because she ALWAYS has the best treats, but there are some days where he still acts like she's scary. Frodo snarked at my friend who tried to hold his harness the other day and it was so frustrating because he *knows* her and sees her multiple times a week!

This too shall pass

 

[Laurelin]

See I kind of prefer a dog that doesn't love everyone it meets, but that's me. Lacey still doesn't like strangers, she's just tolerant of them - i.e. stranger approaches, can reach down and pet her, but she doesn't really enjoy it.
Is there anyway you can put toys up in (maybe in a solid colored, not clear, tub and lock the lid) so she can't harass you with them when you don't feel like playing? It kind of doesn't give her much in the way of an option, and she won't fixate as much because she can't see the object - like the tennis ball stuck in the stair?

Just an idea.

She still fixates on them. If she can't see them it's generally even worse. Usually she's very good about leaving me alone when I want her too. It's just lately she's being bratty.

I also like more standoffish dogs too. Summer is way too friendly for my tastes (she's like a lab- all over everyone if you let her). I just wish Mia was more confident around strangers instead of fearful. She can walk all around people until they pay attention to her and she then reacts. On her own, she's pretty much just disinterested in other dogs and people.

 

[AGonzalez]

Awww bummer. I'm sorry to hear.

 

[Laurelin]

I'm hoping she goes back to pre- last week. She was pretty good before last week.

 

[Beanie]

I'm wondering if instead of having strangers give her treats if instead they had a tennis ball and threw it for her, if that would help? She wouldn't have to go up to them to get the tennis ball the way she would have to go take a treat (though of course she COULD go up to them and take a ball from their hand)... but obviously she is very driven for the ball, so it might work to try to channel that...

 

[PWCorgi]

I'm wondering if instead of having strangers give her treats if instead they had a tennis ball and threw it for her, if that would help? She wouldn't have to go up to them to get the tennis ball the way she would have to go take a treat (though of course she COULD go up to them and take a ball from their hand)... but obviously she is very driven for the ball, so it might work to try to channel that...

oooh, good idea. or she *only* gets to see or play with tennis balls with strangers present. Not forever, but for a while.

 

[AllieMackie]

I'm wondering if instead of having strangers give her treats if instead they had a tennis ball and threw it for her, if that would help? She wouldn't have to go up to them to get the tennis ball the way she would have to go take a treat (though of course she COULD go up to them and take a ball from their hand)... but obviously she is very driven for the ball, so it might work to try to channel that...

^ I also like this idea! It seems like it might be a good way to get people involved with her without her having to get too close to them at first. Perhaps it would be a good stepping stone before treats, too.

 

[Lizmo]

^^^ I'll third that idea.

I also think you might need to put the tennis balls up...and have them come out only when you want. She seems to be pretty obsessed with balls, so it might be good for a break. I had to do this with Blaze. Everyone in my family kept asking 'why are you putting all his balls up?' Because he was so obsessed with them, that's why. Balls only came out when we played ball, and only when he was obeying commands he knew (like recall and such). Otherwise, the ball went up. I didn't want a dog who, when a ball was present, was like 'ball ball ball ball ball ball' and couldn't focus on something else. *shrugs*

 

[Renee750il]

I looked at the title, then checked the date to make sure it wasn't an old Mia thread

But hey, it may be something going on with the planets -- we now have a new rule at our house, as of last night: NO BARKING ON THE BED. The last couple of nights Tallulah has been insistent on standing over my head, barking out of the front window at something. Bad enough, but when I make her stop a couple of times and she jumps back up to do it again, Kharma corrects her, then I'm on the bottom of the pile, separating two bitches who are cussing each other right over my head. Kharma's not a problem -- she knows where her feet are and never so much as grazes me. Tallulah, on the other hand . . . well, I'm glad she's a little dog

So, there's something going around that's making our little hellions crank up. This, too, shall pass

 

[Laurelin]

I'm wondering if instead of having strangers give her treats if instead they had a tennis ball and threw it for her, if that would help? She wouldn't have to go up to them to get the tennis ball the way she would have to go take a treat (though of course she COULD go up to them and take a ball from their hand)... but obviously she is very driven for the ball, so it might work to try to channel that...

My trainer has been playing ball with her. She will play ball super excitedly with anyone who is willing. So far it is not translating outside of ball playing yet. And she will not return the ball to the stranger, she will bring it back to me every time.

I hope it passes soon! I'm about done for. :lol-sign:

 

[sparks19]

I looked at the title, then checked the date to make sure it wasn't an old Mia thread

But hey, it may be something going on with the planets -- we now have a new rule at our house, as of last night: NO BARKING ON THE BED. The last couple of nights Tallulah has been insistent on standing over my head, barking out of the front window at something. Bad enough, but when I make her stop a couple of times and she jumps back up to do it again, Kharma corrects her, then I'm on the bottom of the pile, separating two bitches who are cussing each other right over my head. Kharma's not a problem -- she knows where her feet are and never so much as grazes me. Tallulah, on the other hand . . . well, I'm glad she's a little dog

So, there's something going around that's making our little hellions crank up. This, too, shall pass

I'm thinking there is something up too lol whether it's the planets or something in the air or what.

our dogs have been moderately well behaved lately but barking at every little thing when outside.

hannah hasn't been sleeping through the night nor eating normally

and the last two days have been complete H-E- double hockey sticks for Brian and I.

so something is definitely up.

hope she gets over it soon

 

[jenv101]

My guy hasn't been sleeping through the night this week either! Don't know what is up with him... maybe changing of seasons is making them antsy or something lol

 

[Renee750il]

I'm thinking there is something up too lol whether it's the planets or something in the air or what.

Probably Pluto . . . . or something going on with Sirius