Hello All,

My name is Patrick and I rescued a 3 year old Siberian named Layla from the pound. She is a great dog, loving, playful and very obedient (unless walks are involved, then she goes nuts until she gets what she wants!). But I am running into a serious fear problem with her....

For years I have been in the Radio Control hobby and I have many vehicles in all shapes and sizes, electric, gas, nitro, etc. But she is terrified of nearly all of them! (Ironically the loud gas one she doesnt seem to mind as long as she is on the opposite side of a screen door)

Especially my electric cars that make that high pitch whining sound from the gear mesh. Even if I am outside, with all the windows closed and shutters closed so she cannot see it, if she hears that noise, she goes ballistic, she will hide under the smallest crawl spaces, claw at the windows, jump, try her best to get away at all costs. I think her previous owners may have tormented her with radio control cars!

Heck, even if i have youtube playing a video with one in it, that sound happens, she's gone!

I need your help desperately guys! I have thousands invested in this hobby and cannot simply give it up, nor can I give up my precious Layla. I see many videos where dog owners use their RC vehicles to exercise their animals, that is my ultimate goal! I want her to chase them, not run away in fear.

Please tell me what you can in how I can desensitize her to these things and ultimately help her to accept them as a fun toy to engage in play with.

Thank you!

Regards,

-Patrick

Have you tried using the cars in an outdoor fenced area where she can run and watch the cars? Maybe chase them (I take NO repsonsibility for the condition of the car i she catches it )

Or, start a systematic desensitization process with her at home using treats - start with just seeing the car, the graduate to holding he car and the control in the room, "bzzzzpt" it for a second, give her a treat, put the car down, let her smell it, do that 2-3 times and then put it away/. When she can tolerate the noise for a tiny bit, increase the lenght of time a bit - maybe 10% more. THis will be slow and may not be succesful.

I have a noise sensitive dog - thought I would use a dremel on his nails. Ain't gonna happen. Vacuums, dremels, blenders etc send him running for the hills. Though he is not so reactive 2 years later as he was but I have also not really focused on it when I realized the dremel was a no-go.

@amymeme

Thank you I will try this method first! PS the dog in your signature looks just like my Layla!

It wont be easy though...she doesnt mind being in the room with the cars when they are off and just sitting. But if I so much as touch one, shes gone, so it wont be easy.

Would still like to hear more from the rest of the community for their thoughts on the matter!

P.S.

I tried your treating method, and it worked to some degree. It was hard to get her to follow me into the work shop, but I lured her in, and eventually got her to eat a treat off the hood of my Rally car, after which she promptly escaped into the living room, lol. but I did work to some degree! I will try another exercise tomorrow.