Spooky puppy problems

[ChocolateMouse]

Ah man, we haven't even tried cats yet....

A really nice update today... This morning we went on a walk and Hermes only spooked on 3 trashcans on the whole walk! He's improved quite a bit since trash night last week! We'll see how he holds up tomorrow when there's twice as many cans out.

We did find a New Very Scary - the caution tape strung 1' off the ground at the end of a freshly redone driveway. The caution tape near the front loader is, of course, Not Scary, but the caution tape on this driveway is Very Scary. And it's not the redone driveway part - he's happy to walk by the caution tape on either side of it. But approaching it is spooky.

His triggers continue to baffle me of course. He's now so totally used to the front loader and back hoe that he'll climb on their treads and into the buckets. But a parked pickup truck is The Worst Thing Ever To Ever Exist Ever(tm). He'll walk past trashcans for the most part now but a cardboard box on the tree lawn is Way More Scary Than Those Giant Rolling Green Boxes Please Help.

Yesterday G came home from his business trip as well and Hermes was very scared of him again. Hermes reacts very strongly to him despite having been fed meals by and gone on walks with him. We may have figured out a better way of managing it though. We think he might be triggering on being looked at too intently. So I asked G to start interacting with him without looking him in the face and it's going very well! Hermes is letting himself be pet and even walking right up to G and sniffing his face.

We also met a neighbor today, a small older lady who Hermes has also dubbed Very Scary. He took a treat from her and did tricks in front of her but not much else. Still, all around a positive interaction.

 

[microchick]

 

[WhoDatChick]

Got caught up in this thread... update on Hermès... ?

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Thanks for asking! He's doing well, but still progress is slow.
We've brought him out to the local gameshop my partner co-owns a couple times to socialize. He'll take treats from people and sometimes even pets after a few treats. But despite almost everyone he meets feeding him new people are still the biggest spook of them all.
Mind you, once he's met someone a few times he loves them. He climbs on their laps, licks their faces, etc. He's ultimately getting along great with my friends and family who visit but still spooks at people.
Trashcans are finally, at long last, safe. And he's met several dogs owned by my family and friends and done great with them. But still, whenever we encounter something new or out of place he's there on the end of his leash trying not to get closer without bribery. He's desensitizing to common objects well, but every new thing and person is still scary.
Ultimately, our goal right now is to keep exposing him to more things until he's constantly seeing new things so new things ARE the every day normal, but that's tough.

We have a followup for his tapeworms and shots in a week with our regular vet. And then we schedule his neuter appointment.
Right now he has mastered his bells to go out to the bathroom and generally settled in. At this point he also knows sit, come, down, leave it, paw, wave, beg, off, quiet, go crate, and go up. He knows good boy and no, and we often play a hot and cold game with lost pinecones in the front yard while playing fetch. We're working on stay, which is challenging for him still, and how not to chew on things he's not supposed to as he still sometimes tries to eat our shoes, floor, etc. He's also gotten much more used to his crate and will happily sit and chew on a bone in it if he's bored.

All around good progress but still overwhelmed when it comes to new things.

 

[WhoDatChick]

That’s great.. and he’s a lucky boy to have you taking the time to train and love him... sounds like you’re doing a great job!

 

[lcwmt]

Thanks for asking! He's doing well, but still progress is slow.
_snip-
All around good progress but still overwhelmed when it comes to new things.

He's doing great and so are you! He's barely 3 m.o. now, right? (18 weeks at your first post)??
He's learned a lot and will learn more as time goes on.
Some of it may feel like 2 steps forward, 3 back as he adjusts and things solidify for him but he'll get to a reliable behavior point.
And maybe he will never be a people dog but that's ok. He can learn to settle and watch if that is appropriate.

Our new pup just turned 5 m.o. She has learned quite a bit and is past her "I'll decide" phase but is still very cautious about new places and new people. I was gone for 10 days in July - bad timing but not negotiable. She lost ground as a result but has bounced back now that daily routines are in place again. These dogs with early handling issues can be a challenge but oh, they are worth it! have fun.