Perry (as I've mentioned previously) is terrified of everyone and everything new. He generally cowers/ runs away, but also 'reacts' (barking at this point) as what I would consider the intermediate stage (not so afraid that he needs to flee, but still afraid enough to let us all know that he doesn't like this person being there!)
This was reinforced even more yesterday when one of Perry's vets (the one who deals with the travel paperwork for us, he has another vet for regular/ day-to-day stuff), came over to the house to do his health certificate for our trip on Friday. When the vet entered the yard he got barked at (though to be fair, Perry could have been barking at the night guard who he doesn't like/ is still afraid of), and then he ran away. 'Come' and other commands that he does pretty well don't work so well (at all) when he's majorly distracted or afraid, like this (and they're hard to work on since he's not often in this situation). When we went in the house he refused to come anywhere near the vet or even come to me when I was sitting on the couch (the vet was at the other end of the couch and Perry could have come to me without going near the vet but even that was too close) - even with the incentive of what I refer to as 'puppy crack' (his absolute favorite treat). You could tell he wanted the treat, he was doing that sort of rocking step thing they do where they take a step toward you and then back pedal. When I picked him up (no comforting, no nonsense picking up) and brought him onto the couch with me (between me and the vet, but still far enough away from the vet), he was terrified - leaning into me (again, no comforting), panting heavily, staring intensely at the vet (not taking his eyes off him) - and the vet even said that his eyes were dilated the whole time (and when he took his temp, it was even elevated from the fear/ stress). Even when I turned him so that the vet could examine him (checking lymph nodes because of potential tick fever, taking his temperature) he had his head turned and was staring a hole through the vet. He's not reactive, didn't growl (even too afraid to growl!) and no snapping or trying to bite, but I know that if fear isn't dealt with those things may/ will come.
The problem has been that here in Kampala, there are no training classes (there are trainers, but they do one-on-one work) or opportunities to socialize/ expose him to different people, dogs, etc. I'd asked a trainer that I was introduced to and one of Perry's vets. So, it's not been something that's easy to deal with. For the people who do come around often, there might be an initial reaction like this (though not often as bad as this) and afterwards he may bark at them and not want to go to them, but he'll be curious about them and circle around, etc. so it does get better with repeat exposure.
Luckily this isn't just about the negative. There are two (hopefully) positive steps. (1)we've made an appointment with a behaviorist in the US while we're there. We probably won't be able to do more than 2 visits with her, and I anticipate that she's going to tell me things like we need more controlled exposure/ socialization, etc, but I'm hoping that there may also be some things she can tell us to do, given our circumstances, that will help. (2)In talking to the vet yesterday, he's said that there is actually a dog/ puppy play group here in Kampala once a week where people bring their dogs together to play, socialize, etc. So, when we're back in June, we're going to check that out and hopefully will be able to attend that and start working on his fears in those groups. (3)My husband is currently in the US (has been for the last couple of months because he has to maintain his residency for his green card). Before he left, even after months of exposure, Perry was still afraid of him - cowering, running away, growling when Dawit entered the room. Made Dawit feel like an ogre and made him want nothing to do with him. He's been referring to Perry as psycho and has said that he would totally ignore him, not deal with him, etc. Well, earlier this week he was visiting one of our in-laws in DC who has a small (I'm thinking bichon, but might be havanese) dog. Dawit was really surprised at how friendly the dog was, even with strangers, loved the attention, would come to get the attention, etc. So when we were talking yesterday he said that he realized that there must have been something that happened to Perry (probably pre-rescue) that traumatized him to the level that he is at (i.e. not because he's inherently psycho) and seems a lot more ready now to work with him/ work on it together, and not take it so personally. So, hopefully progress on that side too - and hopefully he'll also listen to the behaviorist (even if she tells him exactly what I've told him) on what we need to do to get the two of them comfortable together.
Wow, that was a long post but fingers crossed that these things together will move things forward.
This was reinforced even more yesterday when one of Perry's vets (the one who deals with the travel paperwork for us, he has another vet for regular/ day-to-day stuff), came over to the house to do his health certificate for our trip on Friday. When the vet entered the yard he got barked at (though to be fair, Perry could have been barking at the night guard who he doesn't like/ is still afraid of), and then he ran away. 'Come' and other commands that he does pretty well don't work so well (at all) when he's majorly distracted or afraid, like this (and they're hard to work on since he's not often in this situation). When we went in the house he refused to come anywhere near the vet or even come to me when I was sitting on the couch (the vet was at the other end of the couch and Perry could have come to me without going near the vet but even that was too close) - even with the incentive of what I refer to as 'puppy crack' (his absolute favorite treat). You could tell he wanted the treat, he was doing that sort of rocking step thing they do where they take a step toward you and then back pedal. When I picked him up (no comforting, no nonsense picking up) and brought him onto the couch with me (between me and the vet, but still far enough away from the vet), he was terrified - leaning into me (again, no comforting), panting heavily, staring intensely at the vet (not taking his eyes off him) - and the vet even said that his eyes were dilated the whole time (and when he took his temp, it was even elevated from the fear/ stress). Even when I turned him so that the vet could examine him (checking lymph nodes because of potential tick fever, taking his temperature) he had his head turned and was staring a hole through the vet. He's not reactive, didn't growl (even too afraid to growl!) and no snapping or trying to bite, but I know that if fear isn't dealt with those things may/ will come.
The problem has been that here in Kampala, there are no training classes (there are trainers, but they do one-on-one work) or opportunities to socialize/ expose him to different people, dogs, etc. I'd asked a trainer that I was introduced to and one of Perry's vets. So, it's not been something that's easy to deal with. For the people who do come around often, there might be an initial reaction like this (though not often as bad as this) and afterwards he may bark at them and not want to go to them, but he'll be curious about them and circle around, etc. so it does get better with repeat exposure.
Luckily this isn't just about the negative. There are two (hopefully) positive steps. (1)we've made an appointment with a behaviorist in the US while we're there. We probably won't be able to do more than 2 visits with her, and I anticipate that she's going to tell me things like we need more controlled exposure/ socialization, etc, but I'm hoping that there may also be some things she can tell us to do, given our circumstances, that will help. (2)In talking to the vet yesterday, he's said that there is actually a dog/ puppy play group here in Kampala once a week where people bring their dogs together to play, socialize, etc. So, when we're back in June, we're going to check that out and hopefully will be able to attend that and start working on his fears in those groups. (3)My husband is currently in the US (has been for the last couple of months because he has to maintain his residency for his green card). Before he left, even after months of exposure, Perry was still afraid of him - cowering, running away, growling when Dawit entered the room. Made Dawit feel like an ogre and made him want nothing to do with him. He's been referring to Perry as psycho and has said that he would totally ignore him, not deal with him, etc. Well, earlier this week he was visiting one of our in-laws in DC who has a small (I'm thinking bichon, but might be havanese) dog. Dawit was really surprised at how friendly the dog was, even with strangers, loved the attention, would come to get the attention, etc. So when we were talking yesterday he said that he realized that there must have been something that happened to Perry (probably pre-rescue) that traumatized him to the level that he is at (i.e. not because he's inherently psycho) and seems a lot more ready now to work with him/ work on it together, and not take it so personally. So, hopefully progress on that side too - and hopefully he'll also listen to the behaviorist (even if she tells him exactly what I've told him) on what we need to do to get the two of them comfortable together.
Wow, that was a long post but fingers crossed that these things together will move things forward.