Juliet has a hearing problem when it's time to come back inside. She happily trots away toward the neighbor's house to see if their little dog Tibow can play. She sometimes comes back if I squeak a toy, but consistantly refuses to heed to my voice. Love, treats, and all the positive reinforcement on earth has not changed her attitude toward taking her life in her paws with the hawks that circle our yard by day and the owls and other critters that are looking for a tasty tidbit of a dog at night.
Juliet is a rebel and I reached the end of my rope at midnight last night when she took off into the cold night air. I could hear an owl! We have bears and coyotes! I grabbed shoes and a robe, found a squeak toy, and ran out into the freezing night air to save my dog from who knows what! She finally came to me, but not after I soaked my slippers in dew and locked myself out of the house, where everyone was snuggled in bed and fast asleep. We got inside and there was not a happy welcome home party for Juliet. I fussed! I yelled at her and told her how angry I was!
Why won't she come when I call her? She knows the "come" command! I scolded her and threatened and rambled and growled about how very upset I was. I was scared and lost my temper, the biggest taboo in dog training. Today Juliet is sheepish. She is afraid to go outside, tail tucked under.
Toileting has been such a challenge with this dog, and I am concerned that I may have crossed the line, confusing her into thinking pottying outside is bad. She isn't excited at all about going outside and instead clings to my ankles, fearful that she is doing something wrong. I have confused my dog and I am ashamed.
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