Backyards and Resilient Dogs
Since my last entry on the subject,
Glindy has gotten a lot better about going outside. I wish I could
identify a single factor, but I have a feeling it's a mix of
things.
Some of the things that I think have helped are:
- It's too cold for the idiots who live behind me to sit outside
lighting firecrackers. Loud noises probably contributed to her
avoidance of the backyard.
- I no longer give Glindy a choice about going outside first
thing in the morning. She's going; end of story.
- I now wait just out of sight of the french doors when she's
outside, so that I can let her back in as soon as she scratches at
the door. I don't want her to see me, or she'll just want back in
right away. On the other hand, I don't want her to be left outside
too long, either. In my mind, I'm reinforcing that going outside is
not an indefinite exile, and that she can come back in when she's
ready.
- I escort her outside at least twice each day: once at dinner,
and again before bed. This ensures she potties, and that the
backyard is still part of our "pack territory."
- I'm re-landscaping the backyard, so there are all kinds of new
and interesting objects and smells to keep her occupied out
there.
- Drastic landscaping modifications might have changed the
contextual cues enough that she no longer considers it the same
backyard that she wanted to avoid previously. Who can really read a
dog's mind?
Regardless of the reason, the results are what counts. Glindy is
once again going outside, although she still doesn't have the verve
for it that she did before. However, progress is always heartening,
and it's good to know that any trauma I may have caused over the
summer wasn't irreversible.
It's been said before, but dogs are amazingly resilient. All they
really need is love and patience.