[klau25]

so my new 4.5 yrs old rescue Lexi is afraid of my hardwood floor on the first level. she would only stay in the area where it is carpeted. my guess is because she thinks it's ice. her foster mom told me that lexi is afraid to walk on ice cause it's slippery. i need advice on how to fix this behavior. she just got here today and i don't want to stress her out too much since she's still adopting the new environment, but i can see that this can be a big problem if it's not resolved. luckily she's not high energy, so she doesn't need a lot of space. but i would like her to have more space than just my small living room. please help me on this issue since i am kind of clueless as a new owner. Lexi is such a good girl and i am looking forward out new lives together.

 

[GSD_Xander]

I just saw the other day someone post something about little booties they can wear around the house...someone else put no-skid toddler socks on after some alterations...

Let me go see if I can find that for ya!

 

[GSD_Xander]

Here we go, here is the thread:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/senior-dog/150403-booties-hardwood-floors.html

Here are the booties:
Power Paws Dog Socks in 8 Sizes: Stop Your Dog from Slipping | Woodrow Wear

I noticed you said she just got there today - she may acclimate. Hardwood floors, stairs and other stuff can be scary for a dog that's never experienced that before.

If she's truly terrified of walking on the hardwood then the booties may not help unless she knows the hardwood isn't something to fear.

Either way I would start by going and sitting at the edge of the hardwood floor and giving her treats. Then slowly back up just a tiny bit so she'll put one or two paws on the floor to come get a treat. Eventually she'll know that the hardwood floor is not to be feared - it might be easier to do this with the booties.

You could always buy a lot of area rugs too

 

[middleofnowhere]

A good friend's dog that I dearly loved didn't want to walk on slick floors. When I dog sat, I used a carpet runner to get him from the carpet out the backdoor. Consider a series of carpet runners... Worked great in my case.

 

[RA'S Mom]

Dog boots

The boots you are looking for are from a company called Ruffwear, The ones you want are called Bark n Boots with Grip trex soles. You can often find them on E-Bay or your local pet specialty store and should be about 50.00 US. Make sure you buy them large enough because if you don't you could run into problems with the front leg dew claws.

 

[Pattycakes]

I would put down some carpet runners until your dog gets more comfortable in your house. That way she can move around and not feel uncomfortable with the wood floor.

 

[klau25]

yeah i also sent an email to her previous foster mom, she told me to use some cheap carpet runners also. she's still getting used to my place so i don't want to stress her out too much. luckily she's very comfortable w/ the crate, that's one place she's finding comfort in right now. she's not really eating treat or anything right now. i will start training her to get more comfortable w/ the hardwood floor later on when she's more comfortable w/ her new environment.

 

[krystyne73]

I used carpet runners as well when we got new HW floors. After a while I removed some of them and they weren't worried walking on them.

 

[HyperPiper]

Hi
I was just wondering if she has had her nails clipped because Piper once I clipped her nails she was fine walking on hardwood and ceramic floors.

 

[MaggieRoseLee]

Any new surface can be scary for our dogs. And though running on them would be uncontrolled and sliding for our dogs, just WALKING should be something our dogs can be lead thru and taught.

I know for my dogs, adding booties to the already scary floor thing would be adding to the trauma, not helping.

This is kind of like teaching a dog to do stairs, something they just have to learn.

CLICKER TRAINING!!!!!!!! Perfect situation for this.

Watch this abused mule learn to go into a stall using a clicker. It's EXACTLY the same situation. The animal just has to get over the fear, the floor itself (once again when they walk) is something ANY of our dogs can learn.

For some clicker info if you want to start http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...0-intro-clicker-training-perfect-puppies.html

:wub:

 

[klau25]

Hi
I was just wondering if she has had her nails clipped because Piper once I clipped her nails she was fine walking on hardwood and ceramic floors.

yes, they are clipped. she would walk from my living room area to the den where the hallway is hardwood, but she won't go into the kitchen and the dinning room area at all. ideally i want to feed her at the dinning room, but can't since she won't go in. I am feeding her in my living room right now.

 

[BlackPuppy]

I had new hardwood flooring installed recently and Balto hates walking on it, it's so slippery. I even slip when I'm wearing my slippers. (LOL!) Right now I have a hodgepodge of mats, but I ordered some carpet strips from home depot.

 

[MaggieRoseLee]

yes, they are clipped. she would walk from my living room area to the den where the hallway is hardwood, but she won't go into the kitchen and the dinning room area at all. ideally i want to feed her at the dinning room, but can't since she won't go in. I am feeding her in my living room right now.

klau25, did you watch the videos I posted? If you can get an abused mule to do something it's afraid of. Your issue should also be fixed within a few days....:wub:

 

[Myamom]

My foster was terrified of my hardwood floors. (she had lived her whole life outside) My whole house is hardwood. She stayed on her blanket in the middle of the floor...like her safe little island. I could literally go out for hours and know she wouldn't budge. She did brave the floor to make it outside....and eventually she got over it. I think it took about a week.

 

[Minnieski]

When we first moved into our new house, Minnie was terrified of the hardwood (our old house was tile and carpet). She walked around like she was on thin ice. It took her about a month to get used to it, and she still is careful on it, but eventually she got over it. We were going to put her ruffwear boots on her, but as we had just moved I couldn't find them, and she learned on her own. I did walk with her a few times, because she would get scared in the middle of the floor and I'd hear her crying, so I'd stand with her between my legs and we'd walk really slow together, with my hand on her chest to keep her from bolting (which made her slip and freak out more). That seemed to help.

 

[klau25]

i tried to use treat to get her to go onto the hardwood floor, but it's not working too well. seems like she hate the floor more than she likes the treats. she still isn't reacting to treat very well with me yet. her foster mom said it might take her some times to start taking treat from me. it's hard to train her right now since she's on and off with reacting to the treats. especially when we are outside. she's so distracted and kind of hate walking. always wants to come home as soon as she's done. i tried to use treat to get her to walk but she's just totally ignores me when we are out.

 

[MaggieRoseLee]

Give her time. Try to figure out how to interest her in playing with you too. Tug toys and chasing balls. She sounds overwhelmed and a bit on the timid side so she needs some calm leadership and guidance in this new world of hers.

Did you watch the video?

Do you know what a clicker is.

Your dog is perfect for this training if you will stop and take the time to learn it, for your pup.

 

[klau25]

Give her time. Try to figure out how to interest her in playing with you too. Tug toys and chasing balls. She sounds overwhelmed and a bit on the timid side so she needs some calm leadership and guidance in this new world of hers.

Did you watch the video?

Do you know what a clicker is.

Your dog is perfect for this training if you will stop and take the time to learn it, for your pup.

haha, yes i did. i am thinking about getting a clicker but def need more reading into it. she's a little timid, her foster told me she's a little too submissive and i need to build up her confidence. she has no interest into any toy right now. i got a couple of difference one. tug toys, chase balls and stuff animal. she doesn't pay any attention to them. i think she's still getting used to me and the house and i should just take it easy on her for now.

 

[Zahnburg]

A dog can be induced to do any thing given that two criteria are met:

1. The dog is physically capable
2. The dog is sufficiently motivated

In this case the dog is physically capable of walking on hardwood floors, so then it is a matter of sufficent motivation for her to do so.

What I would do is allow her to see you fill up her food bowl and place it on the hardwood floor. Then just leave it; when she becomes motivated enough she will venture onto the floor all by her self, no clicking, no toys, no treats.

 

[MaggieRoseLee]

haha, yes i did. i am thinking about getting a clicker but def need more reading into it. she's a little timid, her foster told me she's a little too submissive and i need to build up her confidence. she has no interest into any toy right now. i got a couple of difference one. tug toys, chase balls and stuff animal. she doesn't pay any attention to them. i think she's still getting used to me and the house and i should just take it easy on her for now.

Good for you for considering the clicker. Will be a huge influence to help her gain confidence in you and in training in general. The 'no talking' thing is a great way to help them learn to figure it out on their own with no pressure from us.

That mule was ABUSED in a stall, yet fairly quickly, with a good trainer and the clicker got over it's FEAR. In a training atmosphere and in a gradual way to help with it's confidence. Only a good thing.