Question:

My dog, a 1/ 1/2 year old lab, has generally always been care free, friendly, and pretty much fearless.  We live in a large city (NY) and, from the time she was a small puppy, she never reacted badly to noise, traffic, people etc. (only the occasional growl at another dog). Three days per week, I take her to a "doggie day care" place, where she plays with other dogs during the day.  To get there, I walk a different route than I usually do when I otherwise walk her.   She has always seemed very happy there. Over the past month, when she realizes that we are walking in the direction of day care, she resists.  At one or two points on the walk, she gets very scared (ears and tail down, etc.) and tries to dart from the main avenue we are walking on, down a side street.   First, I thought that something must have happened at the day care place, some sort of abuse or something. But then I realized that its only the WALK that she is afraid of.  Once we get there, she is happy and races in the door with her tail wagging.   And, in the evening when its time to take her home, she resists leaving(but is fine when we get home)…again leading me to believe that she is afraid of something on the walk home.   She is fine when we don’t walk on the street (7th AVenue) that takes us to day care…her usual walks are on more subdued streets. Weird. I can’t figure it out.  I am not aware of anything happending to her on that walk that would be different from other walks etc. The only thing I can recall is a few times this winter when her feet were hurt from walking in salt thrown on the street. I try to avoid it but can’t always.  Once it hurt her feet a lot and she shrieked, and this happened on the walk to day care. Could it be the memory of her feet hurting from the salt? I’m totally at a loss.  I want her to get over this, but don’t know how (whether to keep taking her on the walk so she realizes that its okay, or to walk somewhere else for a while, …or, to comfort her and fawn over her, or to act like everything is normal). She seems to enjoy the day care place (and needs the freedom and exercise which I can’t otherwise give her), but I still, in the corner of my mind, wonder what happened there. Any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated (also, any recommendations for good dog behavioral trainer in NYC wold he helpful).

Response:

> I understand spray cooking oils can be used to combat the iceball problem – > don’t know how it does on salt

I’ve tried Pam to protect against salt and other, harsher de-icers. It didn’t stop Orson from getting burns (nothing visible, but his feet obviously hurt him and he didn’t want to keep walking), but maybe I didn’t apply it thoroughly enough. I’ve had better luck with Vaseline, I think because it’s so thick. But I’ve abandoned that in favor of booties. Cate

Response:

Hello KrisHur,

> Looks like everyone else thinks it’s the memory of the salt,

Yup. Probably is. > me too, it must have be excruciating.

I dunno. I’m not comfortable going barefoot anywhere. YMMV. > NY Dog Spa absolutely can wash her feet as she comes > in, they have a set up for grooming so there must  be a > way.

Probably so. > As far as training goes, I’m not sure if they do behavior, > but Follow my Lead has excellent trainers. They are on the > upper west side though.

Yeah? You think they’ll be able to advise them HOWE to get the dog over spooking at the entrance? I doubt it…. You can get all the information you need to PROPERLY handle and train your dog using non force, non confronatational, scientific and psychological methods, in the Wits’ End Dog Training Method manual available for free at http://www.doggydoright.com The Wits’ End Dog Training Method manual is provided compliments of  the BIOSOUND Scientific Elves as an alternative to Doggy Do Right (and Kitty Will Too). Your pal, Jerry "The Phony," Howe. j;~}

Response:

>Yeah? You think they’ll be able to advise them HOWE to get the dog over >spooking at the entrance? I doubt it….

They actually work with dogs, not sitting in front of a computer all day playing with their dicks, like you do.

Response:

I understand spray cooking oils can be used to combat the iceball problem – don’t know how it does on salt Nancy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I also live in an oversalted city. I am convinced that most people are > saltaholics when i see the mounds of salt they put out. Currently, i use a > lotion on my dogs paws to keep the salt from burning their feet. I can’t > remember the name of it, but if you go to a quality pet supply store, they > should be able to get you going with something. I think i’ve heard people > recommend bag balm for dog paws. I was actually looking for soemthing that might > keep my dogs’ paws from getting ice balls & the woman at the place recommended > this lotion (called Skin Works?). Here is their web address: > http://www.A1petsupply.com/index.html > They cater to the sled dog/pulling dog community but also carry very high > quality pet foods & supplies. Good Luck! > Phyl & the menagerie > Thanks. They do wipe off her feet there.  But, if we step in the salt on the > way, it hurts her right away so I’m not sure how much good the post-walk > wipe off does. > I bought some of those boots, but she won’t keep them on. She hate’s them > (somehow, my patient explanation of how much help they would be to her > didn’t impress her…). > So, I have now bought some of that wax they sell for this purpose. > Hopefully that will do something (other than have my landlord kill me for > tracking wax through the hallways!). > : Looks like everyone else thinks it’s the memory of the salt, me too, it > must > : have be excruciating. NY Dog Spa absolutely can wash her feet as she comes > : in, they have a set up for grooming so there must  be a way. As far as > : training goes, I’m not sure if they do behavior, but Follow my Lead has > : excellent trainers. They are on the upper west side though. > : > : > : > : > : —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– > : http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! > : —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

Thanks. They do wipe off her feet there.  But, if we step in the salt on the way, it hurts her right away so I’m not sure how much good the post-walk wipe off does. I bought some of those boots, but she won’t keep them on. She hate’s them (somehow, my patient explanation of how much help they would be to her didn’t impress her…). So, I have now bought some of that wax they sell for this purpose. Hopefully that will do something (other than have my landlord kill me for tracking wax through the hallways!).

: Looks like everyone else thinks it’s the memory of the salt, me too, it must : have be excruciating. NY Dog Spa absolutely can wash her feet as she comes : in, they have a set up for grooming so there must  be a way. As far as : training goes, I’m not sure if they do behavior, but Follow my Lead has : excellent trainers. They are on the upper west side though. : : : : : —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– : http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! : —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

Looks like everyone else thinks it’s the memory of the salt, me too, it must have be excruciating. NY Dog Spa absolutely can wash her feet as she comes in, they have a set up for grooming so there must  be a way. As far as training goes, I’m not sure if they do behavior, but Follow my Lead has excellent trainers. They are on the upper west side though. —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

the > group members are West Siders, and someone might be able to give you help > here.

Avrama, you’ve unwittingly answered a question of mine. We recently found we might move to NYC, and of course the first thing I thought of was the major lifestyle change for Orson. I have so many concerns–nothing that, I think can’t be worked out–but concerns nonetheless. So I went to www.riversidedog.com and found links to other sites that are helping to put my mind at ease, including www.urbanhound.com. Of the people I know in New York, none owns a dog, so there’s no one that can give me practical advice on things like barking and neighbors (Orson’s an alerting-type barker), dogs in shops (have to go look up that thread from the other day where you were talking about this), dogs on mass transit & taxis, etc. Actually, your having lived in Ithaca and NYC is particularly useful. What would you say is the most important thing for an NYC dog owner to know? I’m so full of questions. Not the least of which relates to the OP. ie, will Orson become a scaredy-cat among the masses of people? I hope not. Man, I never thought heeling was that important in the context of our lives. Looks like it’s time for another obedience class, with more emphasis on that. Cate

Response:

> The only thing I can recall is a few times this winter when her feet were > hurt from walking in salt thrown on the street. I try to avoid it but can’t > always.  Once it hurt her feet a lot and she shrieked, and this happened on > the walk to day care. > Could it be the memory of her feet hurting from the salt?

Sounds likely to me.  Maybe she needs booties on snow days-I kid you not, they make them for dogs.  You should also ask the doggie day care if it would be possible for you to rinse off her feet on snow days.  I’ve never taken my beast to a day care but I would think they have some set-up to wash dogs, accidents do happen. .or, to comfort her and fawn over her, or > to act like everything is normal).

Act like everything is normal.  But, you must make some provision to protect her paws.  Whether you get her boots, or take a different path, or a taxi ride is up to you.  But you must avoid that stuff, and arrange to wash it off her feet if she steps in it.  In some cases it is not even salt, but some other chemical. You have done a fine job of observing your dog and analyzing what happened. I would go with your idea of a problem with the stuff on the pavement.  Good luck! jdoee and Stacey Dog, who both live in rainy Seattle – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> My dog, a 1/ 1/2 year old lab, has generally always been care free, > friendly, and pretty much fearless. snip

Response:

There’s almost always far too much salt on Seventh Avenue, except where the sidewalk isn’t cleared or salted at all.  What part of 7th Avenue are you talking about? Remember, the West Side is crowded, noisy, and all too often there isn’t even room between the cars for a dog to go into the gutter and dump a load. All of which leads up to unpleasantness for the dog. group members are West Siders, and someone might be able to give you help here. — avrama & baruch the academic factor <>the most beautiful dog in the world is the one who looks at you with love. <>

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> My dog, a 1/ 1/2 year old lab, has generally always been care free, > friendly, and pretty much fearless.  We live in a large city (NY) and, from > the time she was a small puppy, she never reacted badly to noise, traffic, > people etc. (only the occasional growl at another dog). > Three days per week, I take her to a "doggie day care" place, where she > plays with other dogs during the day.  To get there, I walk a different > route than I usually do when I otherwise walk her.   She has always seemed > very happy there. > Over the past month, when she realizes that we are walking in the direction > of day care, she resists.  At one or two points on the walk, she gets very > scared (ears and tail down, etc.) and tries to dart from the main avenue we > are walking on, down a side street.   First, I thought that something must > have happened at the day care place, some sort of abuse or something. > But then I realized that its only the WALK that she is afraid of.  Once we > get there, she is happy and races in the door with her tail wagging. And, > in the evening when its time to take her home, she resists leaving(but is > fine when we get home)…again leading me to believe that she is afraid of > something on the walk home.   She is fine when we don’t walk on the street > (7th AVenue) that takes us to day care…her usual walks are on more subdued > streets. > Weird. I can’t figure it out.  I am not aware of anything happending to her > on that walk that would be different from other walks etc. > The only thing I can recall is a few times this winter when her feet were > hurt from walking in salt thrown on the street. I try to avoid it but can’t > always.  Once it hurt her feet a lot and she shrieked, and this happened on > the walk to day care. > Could it be the memory of her feet hurting from the salt? > I’m totally at a loss.  I want her to get over this, but don’t know how > (whether to keep taking her on the walk so she realizes that its okay, or to > walk somewhere else for a while, …or, to comfort her and fawn over her, or > to act like everything is normal). > She seems to enjoy the day care place (and needs the freedom and exercise > which I can’t otherwise give her), but I still, in the corner of my mind, > wonder what happened there. > Any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated (also, any recommendations > for good dog behavioral trainer in NYC wold he helpful).

Response:

Thanks.  Actually, I’m talking about 7th Avenue in Chelsea.  I live in the West Village and walk her up 7th to 18th Street to the NY Dog Spa.

: There’s almost always far too much salt on Seventh Avenue, except where the : sidewalk isn’t cleared or salted at all.  What part of 7th Avenue are you : talking about? Remember, the West Side is crowded, noisy, and all too often : there isn’t even room between the cars for a dog to go into the gutter and : dump a load. All of which leads up to unpleasantness for the dog. : the : group members are West Siders, and someone might be able to give you help : here. : — : avrama & baruch : the academic factor : : <>the most beautiful dog in the world is the one who looks at you with love. : <>

: > My dog, a 1/ 1/2 year old lab, has generally always been care free, : > friendly, and pretty much fearless.  We live in a large city (NY) and, : from : > the time she was a small puppy, she never reacted badly to noise, traffic, : > people etc. (only the occasional growl at another dog). : > : > Three days per week, I take her to a "doggie day care" place, where she : > plays with other dogs during the day.  To get there, I walk a different : > route than I usually do when I otherwise walk her.   She has always seemed : > very happy there. : > : > Over the past month, when she realizes that we are walking in the : direction : > of day care, she resists.  At one or two points on the walk, she gets very : > scared (ears and tail down, etc.) and tries to dart from the main avenue : we : > are walking on, down a side street.   First, I thought that something must : > have happened at the day care place, some sort of abuse or something. : > : > But then I realized that its only the WALK that she is afraid of.  Once we : > get there, she is happy and races in the door with her tail wagging. : And, : > in the evening when its time to take her home, she resists leaving(but is : > fine when we get home)…again leading me to believe that she is afraid of : > something on the walk home.   She is fine when we don’t walk on the street : > (7th AVenue) that takes us to day care…her usual walks are on more : subdued : > streets. : > : > Weird. I can’t figure it out.  I am not aware of anything happending to : her : > on that walk that would be different from other walks etc. : > : > The only thing I can recall is a few times this winter when her feet were : > hurt from walking in salt thrown on the street. I try to avoid it but : can’t : > always.  Once it hurt her feet a lot and she shrieked, and this happened : on : > the walk to day care. : > : > Could it be the memory of her feet hurting from the salt? : > : > I’m totally at a loss.  I want her to get over this, but don’t know how : > (whether to keep taking her on the walk so she realizes that its okay, or : to : > walk somewhere else for a while, …or, to comfort her and fawn over her, : or : > to act like everything is normal). : > She seems to enjoy the day care place (and needs the freedom and exercise : > which I can’t otherwise give her), but I still, in the corner of my mind, : > wonder what happened there. : > : > Any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated (also, any : recommendations : > for good dog behavioral trainer in NYC wold he helpful). : > : > : > : > : > : :

Response: