Stupid train...

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

We live one mile from a train yard and for many years have been used to the sound of trains going through, hearing the whistle muffled by the walls of our house and on occasion hearing them back up to a new string of cars to lock onto...a thunderous noise if you are outside.

A couple times after dark it has startled Meg just at potty time, so we vary it a bit and try to miss that going on.  Two nights ago they backed up to pick up cars and it was much noisier than normal and last night each time I took her out she headed right back to the gate to go in.  I put her in the middle of the yard, yard light on, I always with her, my husband joined us and nothing doing, right back to the gate waiting to be taken in.  We brought her in and she could not relax, stared at the door, wouldn't join me on the couch (said I would never do that but she loves a good cuddle) and wouldn't lay on the floor even if I got on the floor with her, got up and paced and then watched the door again.  We finally put her in the crate where she laid down and relaxed.  She is all right overnight for potty habits but that really stretched it.  Of a morning it is always dark when I take her out the first time, still dark again this morning, done her business but headed right back to the gate to go in.

So I am wondering about this.  Should I walk her near the train yard so she can see what goes on and be close to the noise and possibly get used to it.  I feel kind of mean even thinking about doing that but honestly I can not control the trains and there is no schedule here, all freight trains.  We have four major industries here that use train cars, when they want one moved they call the train yard, they unhook engines and go move the cars, come back, hook up and haul coal away.  We can't just avoid being outside when trains run.

Any ideas would be welcome, it breaks my heart to see her this anxious.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think for now I wouldn't take her closer to the noise.  I'm thinking that you rescued Meg and that she's probably still insecure about many things.  She's not used to the noise yet and so she's anxious.  For now I'd always be with her in the yard and just stay really calm....don't even acknowledge the noise.  If she's nervous in the house I would crate her...that seems to be a safe place for her when she feels comfortable.  I think it will just take a little time.  I'd be real careful though about acting too "sympathetic" to her anxiety.....I think that almost justifies for them that they SHOULD be feeling anxious. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

When I adopted JD, he was very undersocialized (fear of strange objects and sounds is a socialization issue) and I was advised to expose him to as many new sights and sounds as possible. Done to an extreme, this is called "flooding", and there is some controversy about it, but what we did worked for us. We just started going to different places where there was a lot of activity and sounds...walking past schoolyards at recess time, going to a downtown shopping area at lunchtime, standing outside the auto repair garage while I got my oil changed, taking a walk down the street when the garbage trucks are out doing pick-ups, that kind of thing. It has to be done slowly and gently, with lots of praise and treats and you have to maintain a very calm and confident attitude. As Jane said, you don't want to be overtly sympathetic when she displays fear. I was told not to say "It's okay", because the tone conveyed that there was actually something to be afraid of. Instead, I was to say "good boy" in a very positive upbeat tone and keep moving.

I would walk her nearer to the train yard so she can see that the noise doesn't hurt her, but I would take baby steps. Maybe just walking in the neighborhood when you know there will be noise and activity, then gradually getting further away from the house and closer to the train yard. As you said, you can't avoid being otuside when the trains run, so she does have to get comfortable with them.

[BG and Gavin]

I would do activities with her in the yard while the noise is going on.  Put a leash on her, walk her around the yard, practice  obedience (sit, shake a paw etc.) and give treats.  Overall give her a competing response - while he is paying attention to you and shaking a paw etc. she can't attend to the train noise.  Does she like to play fetch?  Maybe throw the ball around and play in the yard while the noise is going would be the next step.  Then after than graduate toward walking by the trains.  I agree with Jane and would not cuddle during those times, just act like nothing different is going on.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Activities in the yard while the trains are running is a great idea. Also, JD was much more fearful of things outdoors when it was dark outside, so exposure to the nosies in the yard during the daytime may help.

 

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I would do the same.  I would even just start off with giving her treats just for being out in the middle of the yard and not running toward the gate and then add in the obedience once you can keep her in the yard and focused on you.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

All good advice.  Key is for you to remain visible calm and not "baby her".  Instead do a fun activity as suggested, introduce a new high value toy that she only gets in the middle of the yard.  You will probably get baby steps, maybe just a look at the toy or a sniff.  Timing is everything you want to reward her when she is at her calmest most disinterested in the train.  You can try feeding her and gradually moving her food dish toward the door and then toward the midle of the yard.  Go slowly, expcect set backs, stay very normal, it's no big deal attitude.

 

You might try clicker training in the house. A clicker gives you good control at hitting that exact moment when her brain is moving in the right direction.  Lots of helpful articles on clicker training online.

Any interesting fun stimulus, even well know commands can distract her. 

Teaching "watch" can be helpful. Watch means making and maintaing eye contact between dog and human.  Begin by standing in front of her and click and reward or reward when she looks at you, then ad the watch command.  slowly move to her side so she must turn her head to watch you.  Use watch to distract her from the train.  This command helped a lot with Roo's extreme interest, almost fear, in other dogs on a walk.  We would sit for several minutes with his back to the crazy chihuahua gang and his eyes on me.  I tried to reward him at first constantly and then longer and longer apart.  After awhile the chihuahuas meant nothing other than watching me for a possible treat as we passed.  

Practice lots for short times with and without the train.  Set her up for success, but expect setbacks and just back up a bit and then go forward.  Stay calm, no sympathy, just patience and relaxed attitude.

 

 

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

Thanks for the great feedback.  Last night she started getting very anxious in the house and we knew it was potty time, no train around at the time but she still did not want to go out.  I put the lead on and out we went, she didn't make it to her yard before she peed.  I took her ahead out and walked her around but she stayed slightly anxious after we came back in.  I find it odd that she doesn't seem to be bothered in the dark at morning time, only at night. 

She is doing pretty well on ignoring distractions during obedience walks at the park (luck squirrels) so I think you are probably well on the mark for doing some of that during train episodes.

I love all the great feedback on this site.