My sister has a 15 month old Samoyed who has suddenly developed a fear of her next door neighbours washing flapping on the line. It’s been fine up until now, and my sister has had several Samoyeds over the years so is used to their behaviours but she can’t get past this. I wonder if anyone had any suggestions as currently the dog won’t go into the garden if there’s washing out next door.
Samoyed help
- Thread starter SteffiS
- Start date
- Location
- Wellington, NZ
Is it the sight of the washing or the flapping noise? Sight is solvable - erect some sort of mutually agreeable fence/make the fence higher. Noise'll be tougher...block it out by putting in a fountain? 
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Does she have a relationship with the neighbour? If she does, she can enlist her help to work on systematic desensitisation, starting with hanging out something small like a sock and building it up.
It may help to have the dog out in the garden while the washing is being hung up (again, working within the dog's threshold).
If there's no cooperation, I'd use the same "pressure on/pressure off" protocol that I've used extensively with Willow for leaving the house, getting in the car etc, where I work within the dog's limits to eat pretty boring food (eg kibble) and toss one piece in the direction of the scary thing and then one away from the scary thing. If the dog won't go for the "towards" one, back it up and try at a greater distance. The food should be boring because you don't want the dog pushing themselves into the "gagh" zone just for something especially tasty. The tossing the treat away gives the dog some relief and also gets them into a rhythm where they are just ping-ponging back and forth. If the dog doesn't take a "toward" treat, immediately throw one away and then on the next rep make it easier. Don't try to coax the dog into crossing their comfort level. Their tolerance will grow faster from not being pushed.
It may help to have the dog out in the garden while the washing is being hung up (again, working within the dog's threshold).
If there's no cooperation, I'd use the same "pressure on/pressure off" protocol that I've used extensively with Willow for leaving the house, getting in the car etc, where I work within the dog's limits to eat pretty boring food (eg kibble) and toss one piece in the direction of the scary thing and then one away from the scary thing. If the dog won't go for the "towards" one, back it up and try at a greater distance. The food should be boring because you don't want the dog pushing themselves into the "gagh" zone just for something especially tasty. The tossing the treat away gives the dog some relief and also gets them into a rhythm where they are just ping-ponging back and forth. If the dog doesn't take a "toward" treat, immediately throw one away and then on the next rep make it easier. Don't try to coax the dog into crossing their comfort level. Their tolerance will grow faster from not being pushed.
That’s helpful @snowbunny there’s not much of a relationship between her and her neighbour so I can’t see her cooperating. Luckily her Samoyed is very food focused (we think she might actually be a labrador with a Samoyed coat 
) I’ll pass that on to her, thank you.
) I’ll pass that on to her, thank you.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Great! I was wondering if she was going to be one of those that wouldn't move and inch for a piece of prime beef, so it's great that she's food focussed. Even more important to use dull food in that case, so that she's not pushing herself into the "icky" zone to get the delicious snacks. It's more about rhythm and patterning that "move towards the scary thing, get immediate relief" that's important. It's worth playing the game without the washing there, too, so (assuming she's happy to go out then) she gets to practice the in and out of the door without the pressure. To start off with when the washing is out, I imagine that they'll be working well inside the house, away from the door. Good luck to them both!Luckily her Samoyed is very food focused (we think she might actually be a labrador with a Samoyed coat
Oh, and another thought is, could your sister hang washing in her own garden to work on the systematic desensitisation?
- Location
- Canberra, Australia
Amen times a thousand billionty billion and note to myself as well. Too easy to forget....so important to do.
- Location
- Argyll & Bute, Scotland
As your sister won't get cooperation from the neighbour, is there another neighbour that would help with desensitisation? Not sure if a different location would work? I did similar with Charlie's fear of tea towels but that was easier location wise! xx