Please Help - Dog is scared of storm drains

[wookiemofo]

I have a 1 year old Mini Schnauzer, no real other behavior issues... asside from maybe being a bit spoiled.

Just recently he has developed this odd fear for storm drains, to the point where he'll either stop dead in his tracks a good 20+ feel away, or scamper to the middle of the street to walk directly between but as far away as poosible from both drains.

I can remember when it first happened, we were on a long walk on the first nice spring day... when you could hear the water rushing through one. He got the same reaction, but I thought it was the car that was driving by. I picked him up and walked down the street a bit and set him back down.

Can anyone help recommend a method for correcting this? I do have a drain on my yard (corner lot), this morning I brought a treat out there and sat right over the drain until he would come get it. Is this proper?

Thanks for all your help.

[Karen]

You need to be the one main actor here. Keep him on a leash, and practice "heal" so he is close by you. Then go for a walk on a street you know storm drains are. When you are approaching one, do NOT tense up - dogs pick up on that. If he starts to get scared, redirect his attention to you, and keep walking like it is nothing. It may take many times of doing this, but you can overcome it, just a quick tug to say "focus on me," and ignore the scary drain ... and he should overcome this.

[sweet72947]

When you picked him up, you reinforced to your dog that drains are something to be scared of. Get some treats and walk him somewhere where you know a drain is. Take him as close to the drain as he is comfortable with and give him a treat for being calm. Gradually take him closer.

Karen's advice is good too.

Good luck! :)

[cali]

like the ithers said, you need to be careful not to confort the dog or reward the dogs fear, my Toller is also afrraid of storm drains, the first time she heard the water slowing into one she froze up. I did not pick her up or coddle her or try to praise her along, I just gave a tug on her leash said "common, lets go" and kept walking, I paid no attention to her fear at all. and because I acted like there was nothing wronge from the get go she is now perfectly fine, she still slows down a little when passing, but she doesnt freeze up. put her in a collar or harness she cannot slip out of and take her for a normal walk, pretend the storm drains dont exist, do NOT alter your behavoiur in any way when you pass a drain, if she freezes up, DONT STOP, just keep walking and say "common lets go" in a normal voice, and keep on going.

this freezing up with fear is a new one on me, I have dealt with fearful dogs but non have ever frozen up, Leck does, and it actually makes ignoring the object of fear easier. for example Leck and Misty are both afraid of the vacuum cleaner, Misty freaks out and starts in after the thing, Leck just freezes up, it is a lot easier for me to walk over to leck if she is in my way, pick up her frozen self set her down out of my way like she is an object and continue on my way lol much easier to deal with then a dog that attacks and barks at the darn thing :p

[Keturah's Mom]

Hi, my Talitha is living proof you don't want to take any notice of what they are afraid of. When she was a pup she was no bigger than a minute and when she would hear thunder crack she would run to me and she was so cute (all 2 lb of her) that I would pick her up & love her, well she is 7 now and progressed one event to another (thunder, rain, wind and now when she sees the trees moving in the back yard she is afraid .... and there is no going back. :( I did learn and have not repeated that mistake with the other 5 but it is really sad to watch her shake and be so fearful knowing if I had been a little smarter she wouldn't be this way.

[lizbud]

Believe it or not but my dog Smokey was once afraid of a fire hydrant.
There is one on my street where we walk everyday.he would always try
to bolt to the other side of the street when we approached it. I first tried
to pull him closer to it & that was a big mistake on my part. It took longer
than need be to cure this. By just walking him everyday down the same
street & praiseing him we we nearerd the hydrant, he did eventually get over
it altogether. The only time he stops by it anymore is to smell another dog's
scent. (no praise needed now).