Flying objects!!

[busbysix]

Yesrtday afternoon, Raider and I were playing in the backyard, when the Goodyear blimp flew over head. You would have thought the sky was falling by Raider's reaction. Hackles completely up, running toward then away from said blimp. All the while barking as if someone was going ot kill him! Can anyone tell me what this is about? He has never shown fear of anything before - I thought I did the best I could (and continue to do) at socializing him. My older girls thought he was protecting the yard from the evil blimp - I would have thought so to, before I ever found the info on this site. Thanks to everyone here - I KNOW that he was acting out of fear, not protection.

To get to the point, my question to all of you is what could make him so terrified of something so far away? Also, how do I prevent this from happening the next time we are blessed with a blimp sighting. He doesn't do it to airplanes or even helicopters (which are much closer and louder).

Thanks,

Kelly

P.S. My reaction to him when he began this behavior was to knock it off. I didn't coddle him, or tell him it would be ok - I pretended as if what he was doing was annoying, and tried to let him know that it was unacceptable.

[dogsbydoug]

You did what I would have done.

We live near a small airport, so have planes going overhead all the time. Our older dogs are no longer phased by this, but our pup will stop whatever she's doing (pottying included) to stare at the planes and then she'll go hackles up, barking, jumping and 'chasing' the plane.

I laugh at her and tell her to go back to whatever she was doing...often saying "WHAT IS THAT!?" in a happy voice and praising her when she ignores the planes...

[2rotties2luv]

I used to live on a hill which was in the flight path of a hot air balloon club. The hot arir balloons would often fly right over my house, sometimes rather low. Between the bright colors and the whooshing noise of the gas heater, they really freaked out my dogs.

As soon as we heard one, my daughter and the neighborhood children would run to my backyard to watch for the balloon. I would bring the dogs outside, but ignore their carryings on. The children and I would wave and call to the balloon, with lots of happy voices and laughing.

Eventually the dogs learned that there was nothing to be afraid of if a balloon flew over. They would hear the whooshing sound long before we humans could, and they would bark to alert us, but they didn't carry on as if it were coming to kill us all.

So ignore the dog's fearful reaction, wave at the blimp, and have a happy conversation with it, or as was suggested in another recent thread, sing a happy song.

[newbrunswick]

I agree - ignore the behaviour or laugh about it. I think that sometimes for something "new" their reaction is this. Maggie who has been around the chickens since they were a day old, sniffs them out - everything fine...The one day, I was out, throwing bread out for them. They come running and eat the bread. Without thinking, I picked up Maggies stick, and threw it for her. She went running and so did the 20 chickens!!! By her reaction, you'd have thought she had a herd of elephants coming after her. Hackles up, running away as if she thought they were going to kill her. She is so used to the chickens, even 'chews' on their legs, sniffs them out - but because they were all running after her (they thought I'd thrown some more bread for them) - she freaked out... I had to stiffle a laugh as I think she was embarrased (do they feel this???).

[FrankenMonster]

I think it's a combination of things that takes them out of their comfort zone initially - size, noise and shadows contributing to the unsure environment.

I have a fellow that got spooked at PetSmart by a large St. Bernard type prop hanging from the rafters over the dog food isle. Like others have said, the best thing you can do is show them you are not afraid. His confidence should come around as he gets more used to seeing such things.

[Troodie's Mom]

Probably what freaked him out is the way this giant unknown object loomed overhead. His reaction is entirely normal, I think, in an instinctive way.
I once took care of a duckling who had panic attacks everytime a plane went overhead, and he would hide and freeze. This duckling had never been attacked by a predatory bird, but it instinctively knew to be fearful when he saw this shape. Now if we could just figure out why some people are afraid of clowns.

[lilbitotrouble]

Originally Posted by newbrunswick

I agree - ignore the behaviour or laugh about it. I think that sometimes for something "new" their reaction is this. Maggie who has been around the chickens since they were a day old, sniffs them out - everything fine...The one day, I was out, throwing bread out for them. They come running and eat the bread. Without thinking, I picked up Maggies stick, and threw it for her. She went running and so did the 20 chickens!!! By her reaction, you'd have thought she had a herd of elephants coming after her. Hackles up, running away as if she thought they were going to kill her. She is so used to the chickens, even 'chews' on their legs, sniffs them out - but because they were all running after her (they thought I'd thrown some more bread for them) - she freaked out... I had to stiffle a laugh as I think she was embarrased (do they feel this???).

LOL!!! LOL!!! I am now having visions of poor Maggie and the herd of chickens!
OMG! Bless her heart. I'd run too!