# Fear of large objects?



## Brandon (Mar 19, 2010)

today while at my dogs first dog training lesson, my dog princess was doing great. Then the trainer went to one side of the room and picked up a big blue tube,(the kind your dog goes through) my dog immediatly tried to escape and coward down in the corner that was close to us. This isnt her first time with this problem. The trainer also said once she smells it, stays by it, or anything of that nature, give her LOTS of positive re-enforcement. does anyone have a solution to this problem other than the trainer said?


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Have you tried "petting" the scary tube? When my dog was a pup, he used to be afraid of dumpsters and the like. I would just go up to the dumpster and pet it. The first few times he hung back, then gradually approached, after a while, he was fine with it. Perhaps you could try this after class when it's quiet.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Mary Beth said:


> Have you tried "petting" the scary tube? When my dog was a pup, he used to be afraid of dumpsters and the like. I would just go up to the dumpster and pet it. The first few times he hung back, then gradually approached, after a while, he was fine with it. Perhaps you could try this after class when it's quiet.


That's a good idea. 

I tend to try to ignore my puppy when they are over-reacting. Then I go up to the 'scary thing' with my happy voice going strong (puppy is usually behind me  ) and I touch/pet/explore/am amazed/interact with the item. Usually this tends to get the curiousity of my pup flowing so they will creep forward to see what the heck I find so fascinating. 

Course then I start feeding all the treats to my pup. Throwing the treats on the ground around the 'scary' thing getting the puppy to get closer.

Then we leave it alone until the next week. When sometimes my pup then acts like they love it and were never scared at all!

Tons of teeny yummy treats with a really hungry puppy always helps. Not forcing the issue. And how I ACT. Not reassuring and interacting with the scared puppy (which confirms the scary situation to the pup). But ignoring the pup and me being the BRAVE one to interact with the new thing and be the 'leader' to show it's ok!


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