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Yup! It only takes one evil fly to totally undo a poodle. Here’s the story...Last night Bobby and I went to his last night of his Obedience Class. We are both feeling good, happy and the weather was perfect. Such a lovely night it was.
He’s been doing very well for the most part so I was looking forward to class. We arrived at class, took our places and did our usual routine. About 5 minutes into class a lone fly started buzz around him. He was beginning to get distracted a bit but I didn’t think too much about it, at first. Obedience class is hard work though so this was definitely an extra distraction he did not need. He was doing fair but I could tell he wasn’t able to focus well and I was starting to feel frustrated, which I’m sure he felt. I was getting mad at the fly. I tried to be calm and did all I knew how to do. The fly just kept relentlessly pestering him though, flying around his head, his nose and to make a long story short, about halfway through class, Bobby fell apart.
Things escalated and I couldn’t get him to do anything. He was not able hear anything. He had a very wild look to his eyes, like he couldn’t really see me or hear me. I felt so bad for him but it was getting harder and harder to even control him. My poodle boy, who is quite good at these things, at least most of the time, couldn’t even sit. He just wanted out of there. There was a soccer game going on across the street as well so he was WAY, WAY over stimulated. It was just too much for both of us. Even his beloved hotdogs wouldn’t help him to sit let alone anything else. This is a dog who will do anything for a hotdog. Having to wear masks doesn’t help either as I couldn’t give him my normal calming signals.
I finally decided we were done and we walked outside. He was a different dog once we were outside. He was calm, walked well and not bothered by the soccer game. We went back in at the end but he just couldn’t do it. It was like he was panicked and it was very overwhelming for him and for me. I was almost in tears because of a darned fly!!!!!
So my heart was sad as we will soon be starting his CGC class and now I’m doubting myself and his abilities. He looked for that stupid fly at home until he went to bed. Then I got super freaked because I’m worried he’s going to have a fly phobia. He’s back to normal today, thank goodness.
I decided when we go back for his next class we are going to get set up on the other side of the room and hope and pray he doesn’t remember that stinking fly. Just needed to get that off my chest and I sure could use some encouragement too. Thank you!
He’s been doing very well for the most part so I was looking forward to class. We arrived at class, took our places and did our usual routine. About 5 minutes into class a lone fly started buzz around him. He was beginning to get distracted a bit but I didn’t think too much about it, at first. Obedience class is hard work though so this was definitely an extra distraction he did not need. He was doing fair but I could tell he wasn’t able to focus well and I was starting to feel frustrated, which I’m sure he felt. I was getting mad at the fly. I tried to be calm and did all I knew how to do. The fly just kept relentlessly pestering him though, flying around his head, his nose and to make a long story short, about halfway through class, Bobby fell apart.
Things escalated and I couldn’t get him to do anything. He was not able hear anything. He had a very wild look to his eyes, like he couldn’t really see me or hear me. I felt so bad for him but it was getting harder and harder to even control him. My poodle boy, who is quite good at these things, at least most of the time, couldn’t even sit. He just wanted out of there. There was a soccer game going on across the street as well so he was WAY, WAY over stimulated. It was just too much for both of us. Even his beloved hotdogs wouldn’t help him to sit let alone anything else. This is a dog who will do anything for a hotdog. Having to wear masks doesn’t help either as I couldn’t give him my normal calming signals.
I finally decided we were done and we walked outside. He was a different dog once we were outside. He was calm, walked well and not bothered by the soccer game. We went back in at the end but he just couldn’t do it. It was like he was panicked and it was very overwhelming for him and for me. I was almost in tears because of a darned fly!!!!!
So my heart was sad as we will soon be starting his CGC class and now I’m doubting myself and his abilities. He looked for that stupid fly at home until he went to bed. Then I got super freaked because I’m worried he’s going to have a fly phobia. He’s back to normal today, thank goodness.
I decided when we go back for his next class we are going to get set up on the other side of the room and hope and pray he doesn’t remember that stinking fly. Just needed to get that off my chest and I sure could use some encouragement too. Thank you!