When you are dealing with something that an animal is afraid of, the best approach is to find his "comfort" distance from the thing that scares him. A busy street makes this a bit more difficult, as you have to find a way to give him that "distance". If you have a car, maybe transporting him to a less busy area might make a good start. Perhaps a side street, where he is comfortably away from busy traffic. You could then walk toward the busy street, pausing as soon as you see some sign of anxiety, and retracing your steps just little until he is in his "comfort zone" again. Gradually…...with the use of bribery and rewards......ask him to approach closer to the scary stuff. Liberally reward him for being there, then retreat. The idea is to not force, let him decide when he is ready. If he feels he can retreat at any time, he will have more confidence. This approach may take awhile, but is less likely to create a permanent aversion. (it works well with spooky horses).
SA/New foster and boarding
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Chopper is a very recent (48hrs) foster, so he's having some separation issues as is. On the 14th, the fiance and I are leaving for a planned-for-a-year vacation. We're attending a music festival and have had our $100/night no-pets hotel booked since last year, so Chopper needs to stay behind for four days.
Not sure what the best way to go about this is…
I'm planning to just board him in a nice kennel in the area (Suites, beds, outdoor play areas, private runs, and 24hr staff.) and hope for the best.
No one I know is comfortable watching him, with his biting and crate screaming, and leaving him home with a sitter is definitely NOT an option (he screams, howls, digs, and whimpers all night long, as is, screams the entire time he's in a crate, and I live in an apartment.)Any thoughts?
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take him in to the kennel for a weekend.
It will cost you some $$ but you will be able to see if he can "handle it" or you will have to get someone to move in and keep company with him.
