Owen and the Flyswatter

[areese]

I did get Owen from a rescue and was told he belonged to an older woman who could no longer care for him. Why he was dumped in a county shelter I do not know...I do know he barked and growled at people there so no one wanted him but it's cuz he was scared-he's afraid to death of cages and crates so it prob. was his first experience with them. He's shy but not aggressive and we've never had any problem with that.
O was kinda wimpy when we got him but I never thought he had been abused...just traumatized from 3 weeks in the shelter...he had only been with the angel rescue woman who got him out of there for a week when we got him.
But there was a hornet in the house and I got the flyswatter to kill it and when Owen saw the flyswatter he turned tail and RAN and hid shaking in our bed. It broke my heart. Who could EVER hit Owen???? He's an ANGEL. He's had free run of the house since I got him and aside from a tiny pee problem the first couple of days, and the infamous thanksgiving day poo, he's not done ANYTHING bad ever. He's PERFECT. The thought of him being smacked with a swatter makes me want to cry.
Although I had no such sad feelings for the hornet. I got stung THREE times last year. I hate those evil insects. I'm sure they have a purpose but I surely dont know what it is.
Owen got a million kisses and a treat. Sweet boy.

[lizzieb38]

:sosad: Poor little guy. Give him lots of:hearts: and:hug99: from us.

[Jen]

Amy you may want to try to desensitize him to it if you'll be using it often. Have it sitting on the floor next to you, call him over, if he comes close give him a treat. If he comes all the way, another treat. If he sniffs it, give him a treat. Slow steps.

Tasha was hit too, as you'll flich if you scold her (usually for barking) and move an arm at the same time--like if I'm cooking and have something in my hand. She wouldn't let us touch het butt or groom her all the way down either--so we did the desensitization and now I can feel around back there (not fun but sometimes necessary).

[areese]

Amy you may want to try to desensitize him to it if you'll be using it often. Have it sitting on the floor next to you, call him over, if he comes close give him a treat. If he comes all the way, another treat. If he sniffs it, give him a treat. Slow steps.

Tasha was hit too, as you'll flich if you scold her (usually for barking) and move an arm at the same time--like if I'm cooking and have something in my hand. She wouldn't let us touch het butt or groom her all the way down either--so we did the desensitization and now I can feel around back there (not fun but sometimes necessary).

Good idea...I worked on it with the clicker. He's clicker trained and loves it so I could quite quickly get him to come touch it. It will take a while before he'll be ok with seeing it in my hand though I think. Now I know why he kept leaving the room when I was making birdhouses-I was cutting dowel rod and he's afraid of the stick.

[Frzframe]

Poor little boy. :( I hope you can work with him so he'll over come his fears.

Although Dudley reacts the same way and he's never been hit by one. He's just a strange and will run and hide when he thinks I'm going to clean house, mainly when I pick up toys because that means the vacuum is coming out of hiding.

[areese]

Poor little boy. :( I hope you can work with him so he'll over come his fears.

Although Dudley reacts the same way and he's never been hit by one. He's just a strange and will run and hide when he thinks I'm going to clean house, mainly when I pick up toys because that means the vacuum is coming out of hiding.

He will already jump up and touch it with his nose when I'm holding it!! (both my dogs know "touch") Clickers are amazing! And of course I'm convinced Owen is a itty dog genius too.... I'm so glad Jen reminded me to do that. I've been doing it every half hour or so... Maybe he wasn't hit. Maybe it's just the noise of it smacking (an insect hopefully) that scared him in the past?????

[Lisa]

You know how much I adore Owen, what I would do to someone who hurt that sweet little boy is unspeakable. :curse: :buttkick: :lowblow: :bleep: