Comments on: Escalator Vs. Cracked-Out Dog. Guess Who Wins?

By: Honey the Great Dane

Honey the Great Dane — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:59:43 +0000

Aww…I think you did a great job with Loki! I can just imagine from your descriptions what it was like! It can be so frustrating at times. Honey can be a big chicken about silly little things (like plastic bags caught on fences, flapping in the wind…duh, really scary) and sometimes, I really lose patience with her too, so I know where you’re coming from. We’ve never been on an escalator (don’t know if the step would be wide enough for her!) but we have walked close to the bottom of one which led out onto the street (we’re not allowed to take dogs into shopping malls) and Honey freaked out just at the motion of the moving steps going up next to her – and she wasn’t even on it! I just ignored her behaviour and kept walking her back & forth in front of it and making her sit and do other obedience exercises and focus on me (so I could reward her for those things, rather than inadvertently reward her fear) – eventually, she did calm down but I don’t know if I could ever try getting her ON the escalator!!

I think it’s fantastic that your training group takes you to all these different places to practise training – wish we had a group like that near us!

Hsin-Yi

By: Life With Dogs

Life With Dogs — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 02:32:36 +0000

I wonder if it messes with their depth perception.

By: Mochi

Mochi — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:46:04 +0000

Great job Juno! I think I would have been waiting with Loki. The escalator would have probably freaked me out too!

Mochi

By: Sagira

Sagira — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:12:39 +0000

I wish they had that kind of training around here. That would have helped Sagira out a lot. But instead she is now fear barking. Not sure where we went wrong….

By: Sierra-dog

Sierra-dog — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:58:53 +0000

WOW! That is fantastic that Juno went up and down with no problems! Dexie was a guide dog puppy that the peeps raised, and that was the #1 rule- NO escalators! That was for the professional trainers at the school only. It’s a big deal that Juno was able to do that!
Sounds like so much fun to be able to train indoors at a shopping center! You must have a really fun training group. Wish I could join. I follow LL everywhere- but that would be the ultimate test, up those stairs that disappear? Hum… I wonder. The treats would have to be REALLY good!

Keep up the good work, Juno!
Better luck next time, Loki!

Loads of Licks,

Sierra-dog

By: Steve & Kat

Steve & Kat — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:23:37 +0000

Poor Loki. I’m not sure what Steve and Kat would do with escalators. They were okay with the elevator when we’ve stayed in hotels with them, but the escalators are different. Luckily they don’t have fear issues, so maybe the would follow in Juno’s paw prints.

For the record, it’s hard not to try to force your dog. Guilty. Don’t feel too bad, you’ve done lots for Loki.

By: achieve1dream

achieve1dream — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:45:18 +0000

You should try clicker training with him. Just click him for each step closer he takes or even for just looking at it. It works great for getting over fears.

By: The OP Pack

The OP Pack — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:22:58 +0000

Heck our Mom is not crazy about going down escalators either. Maybe it would have worked better if he had to go down first. Could he also “hear” something high-pitched that bothers him?

Kudos to the princess – she never ceases to surprise us.

Woos, Phantom and Thunder

By: Twinkietinydog

Twinkietinydog — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:34:37 +0000

Poor Loki, I clearly saw him praying for mercy, with is beautiful long legs crossed. I think you’re brilliant, my furiend. If you do it once, they’ll ask you to do it again. Let Juno think she’s the “good” one, as long as you know what you’re doing.
As for the momma, sorry I haven’t addressed your Shopaholicism. Well, I just did, but I think that you shouldn’t change a thing. You should go right out and go nuts at some pet store. My IT was purchased at a Petco Go on, buy your babies all they need, because they need everything! Who needs gas, when you have two happy furry teddy bears cuddling with you at night? Huh?
Twink!

By: Dennis the Vizsla

Dennis the Vizsla — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:35:39 +0000

hello loki its dennis the vizsla dog hay wow stares wot moov??? that sownds eeven skarryer then a room wot moovs!!! i say avoyd avoyd avoyd!!! ok bye

By: The Army of Four

The Army of Four — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:55:54 +0000

Escalators? We don’t need no stinkin’ escalators!
Tail wags,
Storms

By: Jack a-roo

Jack a-roo — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:01:55 +0000

Since there are no escalators in dog-land, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. You’re just a back-to-the-land kinda cracker dog. I mean, woo cross the NitWit bridge no problemo, right? Maybe they can find woo a NitWit escalator out in the woods to practice on.

jack a-roo & now moo too

By: KB

KB — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:40:57 +0000

I find it so hard to remember that my one fearful dog doesn’t get over her fears using the same methods as I’d use on myself. In myself, I don’t tolerate them… I just make myself do it. I keep trying until I finally do. K is my first dog with any fears, and my first reaction to one of her irrational fears (a metal plate on the sidewalk) was that we’d stay there all night if needed to get her to stand on the darn thing. Needless to say, it didn’t work, and that kind of method has NEVER worked with her.

My best example for K is the teeter totter. I have an agility course that we built on our land but K decided that the teeter was the scariest thing on earth. I’d cajole her, try to lure her with treats, try to heel her straight over it: basically I tried everything but she just looked so scared. Finally, I gave up. She’d run free on our land, and for a long time, she didn’t even go near the teeter. Well, believe it or not, over time, she started checking it out. Then, she put one paw on. Then, all four.

About that time, I read about a purely positive way to teach the teeter, and K was ready to try because she’d decided *on her own* that she wanted to do the teeter. It’s now her fave obstacle in the yard.

One thing that I learned through the process was never to sound disappointed in her. But, just as important, never sound too overjoyed when she’s still working through the fear. The joy seemed to put pressure on her to do it again that she couldn’t handle. She’d freeze up and we’d have to take a break (like days of break). Now, with the teeter, it’s ok for me to be as overjoyed as I want. But, I know that with new fears I need to keep the same tone and demeanor regardless of whether she’s shrinking away or trying to overcome the fear. I need to act like we’re doing something as boring as watching paint dry.

Sorry to be so long-winded, but I thought that my experiences might in some tiny way help you. In the big picture, escalators themselves aren’t important… but learning to bounce back from fear is more important.

By: Sugar

Sugar — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:52:35 +0000

Oh sweetie, no worries. It will happen one day. I still have freak-out moments in crowds– but crazy lady lures me with string cheese, and life improves. Oh, and YOUR crazy lady’s reaction? Just roll your eyes and keep telling yourself that she’s “only human.” Yes, HUMAN. Not a gorgeous creature like you and I.
What more can I say?
Luv,
Sugar

By: Frankie Furter

Frankie Furter — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:57:32 +0000

Poor Guy. Whatever part of it scared him it must be big and bad. Maybe he pinched his toenail or something. PeeS My mom HATES the DOWN one.

By: Mack

Mack — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:22:46 +0000

I kinda think the stairy thing looks a little scawy myself…

By: Khyra

Khyra — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 07:52:56 +0000

Fur what it is worth, he did khop the khrossed paws pawsition…

Pantyloons&Jodhpurs,
Khyra