Dear Dogfather,
I have a question regarding my 6-month-old collie mix, Ziggy. I got Ziggy from the local shelter about two weeks ago, and have been very happy to have him so far. However, he has a pretty serious issue with being in new environments. Whenever he gets attached to a place he feels is safe, he no longer wants to leave, and when he finally does, he is pretty fearful of the outside world.
What can I do to help him get over this?
Thanks!
GG
Dear GG,
Congratulations on your new family member, and especially on getting a shelter dog. If Ziggy could actually comprehend how lucky he is to have been plucked out of a shelter to be your companion dog, he’d be totally cooperative. But alas, being a dog, he’ll never “get” that were it not for you, he might have been like one of the millions killed because they were just another one of the “too many dogs” in shelters.
The first 12 weeks of a dog’s life are critical in forming “attitude” toward the world around him. GG, you’ll never know what Ziggy’s exposure to the world was like the first few months of his young life. “New environments” have very different meanings to you and Ziggy. You’re talking about going to a friend’s house that Ziggy’s never been to, just to hang out, or simply getting in a car and getting out in a different neighborhood. No big deal! But based on Ziggy’s responses, try thinking of it this way: You’re born and raised in an institution, never go outdoors, and get no education. Then you’re put on a plane and moved to an abode on the edge of the Sahara, where every time you go outdoors the heat of the sun hits you like a hammer and the snakes are terrifying. From there it’s off to live in Greenland for a short stay, and before this, you had never even seen snow. Next stop, a boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, enduring a couple of storms at sea, to be followed by a stint living on the Orinoco River in Venezuela with the tarantulas.
So, what to do when you finally get a parking spot on Main Street in Vineyard Haven and Ziggy won’t exit the car? Well, you can sit in front of the open car door with a treat trying to coax him out, but you’ll eventually get a ticket, because cars aren’t allowed there overnight. I’d just grab the leash (attached to a harness, not a collar) and happily say, “OK,” and with no muss or fuss pull him out of the car and start walking to Mocha Mott’s for an outdoor seat for ice cream and coffee. He would sit, or stand if he’s too nervous to sit, and hang out, watching the world go by. Every once in a while I’d pet him, and give him a piece of people food if he showed the slightest sign of relaxing a little. The only time he would get people food is when he’s handling new sights and sounds and smells. The most stable dog is afraid of nothing. Expose Ziggy to as much of the world as you can, with a deliberate, calm demeanor until his attitude is, “Been there, done that, no big deal!”
Good luck,
The Dogfather
