Changing a negative to positive
Dog training tips from an expert.
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Question - My eight-month-old rescue dog, Billy, who I have had for three months, is very scared of men in work boots, high-vis shirts and straw hats.
He cowers when they come near and starts to growl.
He has not tried to bite them though.
I get any workmen who visit to stay standing up, away from him and ignore him. Is this the correct thing to do?
Why do you think he is doing this?
Answer - I would assume your dog has been hurt or scared by a man wearing the above distinctive clothing at some stage in his short life.
It may have been a physical scare or something as simple as a sudden movement.
A man standing up would be very threatening to a scared young dog.
Get workmen to sit and make no eye contact with Billy and then as visits continue, get them to throw a high-value treat near Billy so he starts to associate them with pleasant things.
Eventually Billy may come up to the men and feed from their hand.
They should talk to him quietly but shouldn't try to pat him.
Workmen could also just go about their business without engaging with Billy at all.
This eventually will allow him to believe they are of no threat.
You can also start to wear a hat around the house, then as he gets used to that, wear a high-vis shirt and work boots.
You could even go so far as to get some work boots from a charity store and fill them with bones and nice treats.
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