Oscar being such a chicken is so surprising for me because my last two dachshunds were not afraid of anything. Vince and I were talking yesterday about when Speck was afraid of a piece of lamb we were smoking. It was about in 2005 and we always used the smoker out on the patio. On this particular day we had some piece of lamb in the smoker. Speck would not go outside! We always wet out the back door, near where the smoker was. I finally picked him up and carried him out and he ran as hard as he could to get away from the smoker and then he wouldn’t go back towards it to go back in. I picked him up and carried him and he was squiring and trying to get away from me. He did not want to walk by the smoker. Then, for weeks, he would take a long route around the smoker . . would not go near it!
That was the only time I remember him being afraid of anything.
Yesterday Addie was going downstairs and Oscar started squealing. I waited and he kept squealing. I thought maybe she had stepped on his foot or something. I went downstairs and asked Addie why he was squealing. She didn’t know. He didn’t seem hurt. Then she figured it out. We have a folding wood “fence” that we use to keep him from going up the stairs. I always walk up to the fence from the side where Oscar sees me and move it. Addie stopped at the bottom of the stairs and pulled it towards the stairs but Oscar couldn’t see her – just saw the fence moving and it scared him half to death!
When I went outside with him, and the neighbor walked over, that scared Oscar. She wanted to reach out and pet him and I told her he might bite. He had snapped at someone the other day but I think Oscar perceived their actions as aggressive. The neighbor sat down on the ground and I handed her a few pieces of kibble that were in my pocket and Oscar went right to her and let her pet him so I’m hoping he isn’t going to be a biter. My first dachshund was a biter. Speck wasn’t but once he got older, he was a bit snippy but that seems to happen with old people too. Not naming any names! 🙂
montanaclarks says
Emmi is a crabby old lady–She looks like a puppy and people are always wanting to pet her but I have to tell them, “don’t touch!” She has never bitten anyone but there is always a first.
Cindy F says
Our lab was afraid of so many things when we first got him. He was 10 weeks old and I worried about that being part of his nature. We took him to puppy classes for socialization and then took him everywhere we could. He was afraid of people too when we’d take him on walks but eventually he got over that but it took awhile. He still worries about the outdoor grill if it smokes and if I run the blower above the stove on high he starts to worry. That started when I first had smoke in the oven from broiling salmon and ever since then he stays away from the kitchen area when I run it. He is also still suspicious about men coming to the house to work on something. But….if we introduce someone to him outside before they come in the house he’s better. You can train a dog on so many behaviors but it seems some dogs have their own innate nature that is hard to overcome.
Liz says
.. Is Oscar afraid of thunderstorms with the lightning and thunder?
We are already under another tornado watch in OK and KS. The NWS hasn’t called it for SW MO, yet. We had over an inch of rain this morning, and the temp is rising,with strong hot southwest winds and cold northwest winds. The dry line is forming and the storms are starting to pop up. Many of us still have memories of the May 3, 1999 F5 tornado that hit Moore. I think that one still has the record for the highest recorded winds (over 310mph). Hang on to your hats!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
So far, Oscar hasn’t paid attention to storms but we haven’t had enough of a storm since he’s been here to even scare Rita.
I’ve been watching the weather and so far, no warnings so far. Our trusty weather guy says 5 – 11 will be our biggest chance of severe weather.
You stay safe! Those dates when there were awful tornadoes stick with us. We have that date coming up May 22.
Liz says
We also have May 13, 2013 as the second F5 Moore tornado…I was outside at a memorial service, looking across the lake at the clouds and having that feeling. But, we were far enough away from those storms. The May 3rd one was scary since the movement was toward me and I was on the road. Again, I walked out of work and just felt something was wrong. I found scraps of paper in my backyard.
And, it is raining and rumbling. Time to turn off the computer… and watch the TV guys trying to out do each other in coverage. It is nice to have so many storm chasers out there as well as 3-4 helicopters filming the storms. It is just a bit alarming when they get down to the street level on the storm path. Nothing like hearing the tornado is going along Danforth Rd when you live about 1/2 mile off Danforth. On that one, it moved north at the last mile or so and yes, I was in the closet.
danielle says
Dogs do much better when strangers get down closer to their level rather than stand over them. That is intimidating and can be perceived as aggressive behavior – which cn frighten them and cause them to defend themselves. Your neighbor seemed to know exactly what to do!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Never thought of that but it makes sense. Thanks for sharing that info.
Cilla says
Great. Keep those kibbles in your pocket. Food means friends. Plus she was respectful of Oscar to go down to his level. Great encounter.