kimba1
Posts: 46
Joined: 4/15/2006 Status: offline
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I have a pug/chihuhua who at first would really freak out and shiver and stuff (he'd never heard me make those sounds before, and he especially hates the sound of the crop). Now he just goes away (bathroom usually). I have only a studio where i am now, so i don't shut him in any where, and i woudn't anyway. As a pack animal, that would be telling him that he has done something wrong (in my particular situation, where my dogs have always been full members of the family, and i rarely have them out of my presence), and he would be even more resentful at the sight of my Master. I have found that he has gotten much better over time. My Master is also very good about petting him and he always gets a treat after. Soon maybe he'll even start looking forward to it! I train my dogs to get over separation anxiety the same way -- treats before I leave, and littel attention when i return (well, at least for the first couple of minutes) and that way they kinda like it when i leave. This is hard, but i would suggest starting off slow, and let him get used to it with lots of positive reinforcement when he is good. Have you let him sniff the toys too? If i had a dog that barked too much, when he stopped, i would heavily 'pet and good boy'. when he started back up again, I would turn my back to him and ignore him, so the only attention he got was when he was good. It always worked. Of course, i've never had a beagle, smiles. Whew! sorry to be long-winded! I love dogs!
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“. . . there was about him a suggestion of lurking ferocity, as though the Wild still lingered in him and the Wolf in him merely slept.” Jack London
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