Weird Behaviour from my rescue mutt - Clicker Training for Dogs?

[unclebilly]

I was trying to figure out which BBQ lighters were working / not tonight before I lit our bonfire. These are the Costco ones that click when you pull the trigger.

My wife told me to stop bugging our dog (I never noticed but across the room, the dog was freaking out with every click).

Why would my rescue dog be afraid of quiet clicking? It was unbelievable the way she reacted and went upstairs to hide with her tail between her legs.

Clicker training by her first owner gone wrong?

She appears to be Carolina Dog (Dingo) crossed with a standard poodle or greyhound. She has many Carolina Dog traits but is very tall and cut like a greyhound or poodle. She also barks which Carolina Dogs do not.

[dad911]

Maybe she hasn't heard it before? Don't know why, but our dog (which we had from a pup) is fine around my saws, compressor and nail guns, but goes nuts with small electric motors, the whole house vac (he attacks it) and quadcopters/helicopters.

[stomachmonkey]

Like people dogs have their quirks.

Our Schnauzer who we got as a pup would freak if you made a gun with your hand / fingers. If you pointed it at him he'd attack.

One of my Mastiffs, the female, was freaked out by Timberland work boots. Whenever I'd put them on she'd run and hide.

[Tobra]

Maybe it is more than just clicking to the ears of a dog.

[svandamme]

maybe a previous owner used to zap the dog with the electric ignitor thing
It's not extremely painful, but the electric discharge can be felt, like a small sting

[GH85Carrera]

We had a dachshund that would go out the doggie door and to the far part of the yard if he heard electronic beeps. The microwave buttons, computers or any gadget that made beeps freaked him out. We never did figure out what set him off with beeps.

[ossiblue]

All the posts reflect possibilities for the dog's reaction. Bottom line, you'll never know. If you only use the lighter occasionally, just be aware of the dog and make accommodation. Or, if it's important, you can desensitize the dog to the sound through reward training. The more secure the dog feels in your home, the longer she lives with you, the easier it will be to train the "fear" out and replace it with indifference.

BTW, it's possible the dog was abused and burned using such a lighter. We never know the trauma some of these rescues have suffered, but they tend to be very grateful and loyal to their new, loving, owners.

[aigel]

It could have a high frequency component that sounds a lot more intense to the dogs ears than yours. They have much better hearing than humans in the high frequency range.

I doubt it is clicker training gone wrong. It is associated with a treat / praise, so that'd be tough to mess up even if the PO was not a good trainer.

Dogs can be weird if they haven't heard a noise previously. You can desensitize the dog, i.e. feed / give treats when the noise is made (first afar / very quiet) and then work your way up. I would do this at any rate. You don't want your dog to be afraid of weird things and quirky for life. You can teach him that it is harmless. You almost owe it to him.

Similar training, starting with feeding / making noise is done from early age on hunting dogs to get them used to loud noises and eventually gunfire.

HTH

G

[unclebilly]

Outside, the clicking from the igniter doesn't seem to bother her - I tested His again today.

Inside, she does not like it - also confirmed this evening.

We've had her almost 2 years and she has lots of quirks but this is something that took us by surprise.

She does still chase our cows so we are going to try a slick collar to resolve this. We have tried everything else.

[gduke2010]

I have A Carolina dog . She's my second one and yes they are quirky . Katie was scared to death of the TV when I brought her home . Then I gradually got her to watch cartoons like Scooby Doo . Now she likes the Warriors basketball and nature programs . She gets really excited and charges the TV when lions are attacking an impala. Loves watching wild dogs but I think the lions scare her a little bit.

Clicker training worked real well for her

[gduke2010]

Watching Scooby Doo

[aigel]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

Outside, the clicking from the igniter doesn't seem to bother her - I tested His again today.

Inside, she does not like it - also confirmed this evening.

We've had her almost 2 years and she has lots of quirks but this is something that took us by surprise.

She does still chase our cows so we are going to try a slick collar to resolve this. We have tried everything else.

Sounds like it should be easy to train outside with the clicking and some treats where she isn't scared and then move it to the inside of the house.

Shock collar to break from running cattle? Be sure to read on how to use a shock collar before you get going - most people use it way too aggressively. Be careful the dog doesn't become collar wise (still will chase without shock collar on). But I do have to say, breaking a dog from chasing certain animals or snake breaking them is very effective using an electric collar.

G

[gduke2010]

Btw, Carolina Dogs don't respond well to shock collars. Maybe call a good trainer

[wdfifteen]

I just asked our Pit Bull rescue behavior person about this. She has seen all kinds of neurotic dogs. She says to ignore the dog's startle behavior. When you hear the sound don't do anything differently, especially don't react to the dog's reaction. Acknowledging that you heard the sound reinforces the dog's idea that it is something to pay attention to. When the dog remains calm through the sound, give it a reward.
She has saved dogs whose owners brought them in to be put down because of extreme fear of sounds - dogs that get so afraid they jump through glass windows and try to dig through the floor.

"You can desensitize the dog, i.e. feed / give treats when the noise is made (first afar / very quiet) and then work your way up." This is the exact opposite of what she recommends.