Help!!!Reacts to wheelchair

[Daisy Duke]

If you have been into conformation rotts at all, you will see daisy has her first show in april...only one problem...Our judge will be in a wheelchair. My great aunt lives with us, and when I showed daisy her wheelchair, she almost jumped out of her skin. She was fine after a while and about a half pound of treats so we started to walk, and gave her treats all the while, but she is so weary, and any time it rolls past her she freaks....what can I do??

[GraceAAA]

Hi there,
Am I reading correctly that your great aunt lives with you and has a wheelchair?
If so, than you have a wonderful training opportunity? Are you familiar with clicker training? If so, you can click and treat Daisy's confident behaviors...such as interest in the wheelchair, touching the wheelchair, looking at the chair, walking beside the chair.
Also, you can find other situations similiar...like walking in the parking lot of a grocery market next to a clanky carriage, borrowing/renting a rolling walker, pushing a TV cart by her, etc.
Just try to be creative with your thinking...and find as many ways to positively expose Daisy to as many things as possible. Remember...do not reassure/say "it's okay" when she is being fearful...only praise when she is being adventurous and curious.

[Judi W]

I have observed/shown under two different judges in wheelchairs. They do an excellent job being very aware. I've not seen any that do much rolling up next to the dog. They have their ring procedure set up so that the handler brings the dog to them. What you need to practice is bringing the dog up to a seated person in such a position that the judge can examine the dog without having to move their chair around much if at all. Of course if you do not present the dog in such a fashion, the judge has no choice but to move themselves.

The other thing is keep working on her to "get over it"...........

[2rotties2luv]

When my first rottie, Sierra, had her first evaluation test to become a therapy dog, it turned out she was fearful of crutches. I decided to try to desensitize her and I borrowed a pair of crutches. I put the crutches in a place she couldn't avoid, by propping them against the wall about 10 ft from the door out to the back yard. So every time she went out into the yard, she had to pass the crutches. At first she raced past them, looking over her shoulder to makle sure they didn't try to "get" her . I had some friendly conversations with the crutches, a tactic often mentioned here by Judi W and other experienced trainers. As Sierra got used to them, I moved them little by little closer to the door. After about a week or so, I could walk around carrying them or even using the crutches with no reaction from her.

If your relative doesn't use thewheelchair all the time, I would suggest leaving it out where your rottie can see it and hopefully become used to it while it's not moving. Also having her approach your relative sitting in the wheelchair from the front while the chair is stationary is a good exercize as well. Have the relative give her treats while sitting in the chair too. Hopefully, she'll become desensitized to the wheelchair in short order.

[LisaS]

one of my vets uses a wheelchair - and I've never had a problem with any of my dogs with her. even Titus - who would react if a traffic cone got left on the sidewalk - took her using a wheelchair in stride - no reaction at all. So when I read this thread I was trying to think - what does she do / how does she act when using her chair that the dogs just take it in stride.

I think some of it is that the person in the chair is comfortable/confident with dogs - so maybe if you can sit in the chair and call your dog over - or have someone else that knows your dog & is confident with your dog can be in the chair when you bring her over to it ... if you see where I'm going with this - if your aunt is nervous with your pup she might not be the best person to practice with at first.

[livertw]

Daisy was leery of my neighbor's motorized wheelchair when she was younger. Daisy barked when my neighbor went to her mailbox. I explained to my neighbor that I would like to have Daisy get used to the chair and the sound of the battery. My neighbor suggested we go for walks together and asked me for some doggie treats. It took about a dozen sessions in the driveway, on the sidewalk, and in her back yard with the chair coming at us and backing away. It worked like a dream, especially when Daisy discovered that our neighbor always had some kibble for "such a good dog!"

[Daisy Duke]

Thanks all for the ideas. My DD and her friends have been working with Daisy and the wheelchair daily. Thanks to persistance on there part and a ton of treats from whoever was in the chair at the time she is quickly coming around!