One thing we love about our daily walks is that it makes the pooches' world 'big'. Going out each day, and exploring different neighborhoods, the pooches have become familiar to the new things we might encounter: feral cats, noises from the train, and lots of drunk people at outdoor patios.
Though one thing our pooches have never gotten used to: statues. When I first adopted Miss M we used to walk by a huge lion statue that was stationed outside a martial arts studio, and normally over-confident Miss M would cringe in fear. Not to mention the first time we walked by the statues at the Rock-n-Roll McDonald's.
So we have been practicing walking by at a distance, while letting the pooches approach in their own.
Mr. B is so brave:
Though we did consider it a success that she was able to be "walked" by the statue.
Do other people's pups have a fear of statues? And can any Chicago people recognize where we are?
In Case you Missed It:
Incorporating Training on Daily Walks
Our Graffiti Safari
In Case you Missed It:
Incorporating Training on Daily Walks
Our Graffiti Safari
21 comments:
My pups have probably never even seen a statue, now that I think about it. I love Mr. B and Miss M being "walked" by the statue. I could see Mr. B as thinking he is making new friends. :)
We visited my mother in law in Florida and a park had all these beautiful huge swan statues that our mastiff was TERRIFIED of. She wouldn't even go near enough to give a sniff. Like Ms. M, she's usually SO fearless and outgoing, so it was very shocking.
Mugsy isn't afraid of human statues but he is a "slow" when it comes to animal statues. He will freeze in his tracks and sniff like crazy to try to find the animals smell only to realize is a porcelain bunny or mini deer. Always a good laugh. The only time he has freaked out at a statue was last Thanksgiving. We were walking in a neighborhood and one house had a huge inflatable turkey in their front yard. Mugsy was focused on something else and when he turned around to see this huge turkey, he barked like a girl and bolted in the other direction. Who knew pitties were such scardy-cats.
We are having a problem right now with those big inflatable Halloween lawn decorations. They boys are petrified of them.
Sam
My pibble boy used to have a fear of holiday yard blowups on our walks. It all started with a very obnoxious decoaration where a witch popped out of a pot. I started taking treats on our walks and would treat him from a comfortable distance from the yard decorations. He slowly came to associate the decorations with treats and now he barely notices them. Success!
When we took Roadie with us to Portland last summer we found that animal statues were a curiosity, human statues were weird and that skeleton pirates are not to be trusted. The last one was a mascot to a glow in the dark mini golf place that we had to walk by everyday many times a day because it was right next to our hotel. The first day Roadie wigged out, so I was determined to get him past it. Meeting and greeting the statue like it was a person, yes I "shook hands" with the hook. By the time we had to leave Roadie would only grumble at it when we had to walk by it. If we had a few more days I think we could have gotten him over it.
Pallo is afraid of some statues, but not all of them. Koira will occasionally startle when she notices one, then walk up to it to sniff, then she is okay. Pallo won't take my word for it, he thinks statues are freaky.
Roxy's blind, so she's far too cool to be afraid of statues. But big baby Cash definitely dislikes them! He sidesteps as to not let them out of his line of vision...suspicious creatures.
Are you guys in Bronzeville? I'm going to have to try and find a statue to introduce Tank too...
Are you guys in Bronzeville? I'm going to have to try and find a statue to introduce Tank too...
Mr. Cecil gets a bit nervous when we walk by porcelain figurines in some of the gardens around here. There's one in particular in the shape of a cocker spaniel that makes him antsy. I find it so amusing that he often can't see a treat dropped under his face on our patterned rug, but he can spot a fake dog 30 yards away.
Statues do tend to throw most dogs for a loop. Looks like your two are quite relaxed, though.
It's so funny what even the most worldly pups can freak out about. Mine have be skeptical of a couple of stumps, a tulip plant on the sidewalk, a stuffed alpaca and an angel statue at my mom's house. Go figure!
Have you seen this video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8DiOthAKek
I don't have a fear of statues... but canes make me go bonkers!
-Corbin
Maxwell Street!!!!!
Haha this is too funny!!!
Although Max is fine with statues, I have severe automatonophobia. You'd never get me near that 'lady' sitting on the bench! I'm on team Ms. M on this one!
I have helped a few clients whose dog's are terrified of statues. One popular walking spot around me has a statue of a giant horse next to the path- even Skye gives it the evil eye as we pass.
Orange traffic cones make my girl stop dead in her tracks. Not sure if it's fear, or if she thinks she's discovered some new strain of rabbit, but she "stalks" them.
I don't think I've ever put the dogs in the path of a statue (except at the Nelson-Atkins Museum Sculpture Park) - I am not even sure they would notice them if I did... experiment for this weekend! :)
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