Question: My Cairn terrier has never really liked loud noises. When we have thunderstorms he runs all over the house and yard barking like crazy trying to chase it. A few months ago he started doing the same thing when he heard the lunge whip crack in the round pen. He would start running laps around the outside of the round pen barking like crazy at the passing horse's feet. Now he has started doing it all the time whether or not the person in the round pen is cracking a whip. If I go up and stand right next to him and tell him "NO!" he will stop for as long as I stand right there next to him (or if I put him on a leash). How do I get him to stop doing this even when I am not right next to him?
Answer: A basic Tellington TTouch principle is that when we change how an animal feels in his body--his self image--his behavior changes. We see common associations between tension in particular parts of the body and specific behaviors. Dogs that are sound-sensitive and fearful (horses, too, for that matter) usually carry tension in their hindquarters. They may have clamped tails or dislike being touched behind the hips, and they may show it with a range of behaviors--some as subtle as sitting down or turning to face the person doing the touching, both of which conveniently move their hindquarters out of reach! The simplest TTouch technique to reduce this tension is the Body Wrap.
The Body Wrap can be made using an elastic support bandage. For your dog a 2" wrap is probably best. Place the center of the wrap on the front of the dog's chest. The ends are then crossed over the shoulders, crossed again under the abdomen and fastened together on the top of the loin, with a knot just to one side of the spine. The wrap is not snug, but is not so loose that it will fall off. It should not be left on the dog when he is unattended, and when outside he should be on a leash or in an enclosed space.
I suggest that you put the wrap on for the first time in the house, where the stress is minimized. Allow him to move a bit with the wrap on--perhaps take him for a walk. When you go near the horses for the first time, move him around within sight and sound of the activity, but far enough away from it for him to feel safe. Praise him often with quiet words and touch.
If he has a tendency to pull on his collar, use a Balance Leash. This is made by forming a "necklace" with the leash in two hands and putting it around his chest, passing one end under the leg that is farthest from you, and the other through the collar on your side--it can still be attached to the collar, but without contact. (You may need to fasten two leads together since he's a small dog and this configuration needs a length that is three times the distance between him and your hands.) The Balance Leash makes a kind of harness that will allow you to keep him beside you without pressure on his neck. Dogs that pull on the collar can become more excitable and reactive, so it's important to avoid having tension on the collar.
Keeping him beside you allows him to see that you are calm and makes it easy to reach down and touch him. Your intention is that he experiences feeling comfortable in a situation that was previously related to mindless running and barking, and that he develops some self control. Notice if there are small signs that indicate his stress--increased respiration, for example--and move a bit further away from the activity.
Losing control is not fun. We find that when animals discover that they can be calm, cool and collected, they become so, so we set up situations that help them maintain their composure. You may need to do this several times until you can be right at the fence, but if he's calm, learning and having you telling him how great he is--it can be lasting.
The wrap, as well as other TTouch techniques, does not simply modify the behavior--it changes the animal. Many people have had the experience of putting a wrap on their dog when nothing is happening and finding that the dog stays calm during the next thunderstorm or fireworks display even when the wrap is not on! I trust you will find it helps your little guy--with his behavior at the round pen and with his thunder-phobia.
