Backing Away
Hi folks. I've been training Caius more and more commands with both intervals of treats or positive touch (e.g. petting, stroking) lately. I've noticed whenever I try to reach out to pet him for doing a good job of listening to me, he suddenly backs away like I'm going to do something bad. He does this quite often. The only time he allows people to touch him is if he's essentially laying down, or comes to you. My boyfriend and I have never, ever hurt him along with anyone else that has come into contact with him.
Caius does this at the dog park, too. He'll approach strangers in a friendly manner, sometimes even jump on them (ugh, trying to teach him not to!), but as soon as they lean down to pet him, he backs away suddenly and runs off to do other things. It also makes it very difficult to get in range of him to actually grab his collar to go home from the dog park, so we end up tricking him with a toy to sit in front of us, and I put the leash on him that way.
Any ideas why he does this? I can't really explain it. You would think he would enjoy being touched. :p
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kari & Quin on
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I think it maybe a corgi thing. Quin does it too.
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Permalink Reply by Lisa && Yoshi on
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I was thinking the same thing. Yoshi does it too. But I think it's because he thinks I'm going to pick him up and put him somewhere he doesn't want to be. I'm not really sure.
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Permalink Reply by Priscilla, CARLY, and Frankie on
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i thought that about Carly , because we have to put her in the crate at night because shes doesnt want to go to bed usually..
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Marie O'Bryan on
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teddy does the same exact thing. he always does this to strangers. he gets so excited to see them bt as soon as they reach down he walks away like "eh whatever" but after a minuet then he wants them to pet him all over. what i have done to help it is if he came up to me and let me pet him i would give him a treat, just something small like bits of kibble. if he kept backing away i would sit and wait until he was in reach show him the treat and as he leans to eat the treat i pet him
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I have been trying something with Quin. She may not be a cuddly dog but I do want to be able to grab her if I need to with out her shying away. So I put my hand down palm up, side ways to her face and when she touches my hand I click and treat, work up to her putting her whole chin in my hand click and treat for progress until she will put her whole chin in my hand every time. Then move away from her a little bit and put my hand down when she walks over and puts her chin in my hand I click and treat then move farther away and start to grab the neck fur a little as she puts her chin in my hand click and treat. Then run around the house tell her to stay and then (I say chin) put my hand down and when she comes running and puts her chin in my hand click and treat. NOW I am going to try it on our walk and see if she can get it out side:) then I will stop treating every time and stop clicking.
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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Many, many dogs hate having people go over the top of the head to pet them. Generally it's only snuggly dogs who learn to like it. In dog body language, it's terribly bad manners to jump on someone's head and going over the top is a dominance gesture. Patting him that way is actually not a reward, but a punishment (not that it hurts him, but punishment meaning an action that decreases the liklihood he'll do something), since it's something he doesn't like.
My male hates being pet that way by us, though he lets strangers do anything. Try coming from the side or behind and giving him a nice massage on the loose skin on the back of his neck, or scratch his back. Many dogs enjoy that, though you should not use it as a training reward.
My male only likes to be petted if he's half asleep or we just got home.
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Permalink Reply by Cindy on
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In K9Ambassadors, which is a program with AKC, we teach dog safety to kids. One of the first things we talk about is to never reach out to a dog or pat them on the head. Let the dog approach you and scratch under the chin.
I know many top obedience dogs that don't like head pats, it's just a dog thing. I have several that could care less and many who hate me reaching out to them to pet them. Again, if you reach towards your dog and he doesn't like it, don't push it. Allow them to come to you.
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca on
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Its a corgi thing, i just talked to someone about it, and they said they go thru a fear stage. Gracie is 9 months old, How old is yours. They told me when you go to pet them , not to go for the top of their head, start under their chin and move your way up. It will should get better.
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Permalink Reply by Lauren on
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Caius will be 7-months-old in five days. I try not to pet his head, rather go to his neck or back.
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Permalink Reply by Monica, Orion, and Laika on
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Some dogs just seem to do this. Orion is all over everyone and wants to be touched all the time so hands can be coming from all angles but Laika will run up to someone all wriggly and happy and when they try to pet her she backs away. When you're reaching for him, try keeping your hand under his chin. Laika typically doesn't flinch away when I reach under her chin or reach down at her back end, so I can reach down and grab her butt with both hands then hold her butt while I put her leash on. Also, Laika loves to play "can't catch me" in my parents' huge back yard and the dog park but she's learned that when I walk up to her pointing at her that I'm being serious and she needs to let me put her leash on, so maybe you can attach some sort of signal or command to getting leashed.
Good luck!
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