CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Puppies => Topic started by: KellyT on March 08, 2012, 09:52:04 PM
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So proud of Hazel! she had her first puppy class tonight.
Originally we weren't going to take her, as I've trained the other 2 and my mum's dog at classes previously, and I felt confident we could manage obedience at home, and we were going to use friends and family members dogs as our socialisation 'training'.
However, we've quickly realised that whilst Hazel is great with cockers, well, our 2 girls .. and fine with people coming into the house, she is petrified of other dogs and strangers in the street (as well as cars - parked and moving, fences, plant pots .. the list goes on)
She simply shuts down or tries to run away :'(
So we booked into a puppy class for the 'mass socialisation' side, and who knows maybe I could use some help with the training :lol2:
I fully expected her to sit and shake, being totally unresponsive and try to run away. :embarrassed:
We struggled to get into the hall, bless her, and she sat shaking like a leaf during the introductions. :'(
By the time we'd done some sits and downs she'd relaxed a bit. Then they were allowed off to socialise however they felt - she was let off with the smaller more gentle dogs and she slowly paced around, warily, but she sniffed them, and allowed them to sniff her, though she never wagged her tail really. She also allowed other owners to touch her and talk to her.
By the end of the class she was holding her tail up a bit, instead of between her legs and she wanted to approach some of the other puppies.
It isn't much I know, but it was so nice to see her with dogs and people who she doesn't know and be relatively in control of herself and not completely scared to the point of not functioning, or fleeing. Fingers crossed we keep progressing :D
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It isn't much I know :D
Oh but it is much :D
Well done Hazel, and you too. I'm sure you know not to overface her and to let her take it at her own pace, but she's made a great start this evening :D
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Woohoo Go Hazel, well done guys :luv:
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You're right, it's not much, it's A LOT!!! :banana: Well done Hazel, you are a very brave and clever little girl :luv:
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thanks all :D
Proof it has turned something on in her brain is that when we went to Crufts on Friday my dad's girlfriend came to sit with our girlies for a few hours - they have a very tall lurcher (saluki / greyhound cross) - her name is Jodie and she is a real sweetheart, gets on well with M & J.
Friday was the first time she was introduced to Hazel ... who promptly tried to get her to wrestle, but Jodie is all legs and tail and not built for cocker wrestling like M & J are :lol: So they decided a tag team game of 'steal the tuggie toy' was the best option and all 4 of them played together. :D :D
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Hazel you are a good girl xx
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Bless her. Well done Hazel.
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Yep sounds like a good
confidence builder ;)
We spent ages working on our Ellies
lack of socialisation(left in a garden
until she was 1 :-\)
and although she sometimes still
is a bit unsure she has changed so much
in the last year she even went to visit
a Great Dane in the park a few weeks
ago :D
Strangely enough Max the Longdog(saluki/greyhound)
is her boyfriend and he's a right cocker
tease it's really funny to watch him teasing
Keira and Eliie and just waltzing off with
the little legs chasing him!
steffxxx