Lyric And The Cowboy Hat

***Carrie*** · 10-18-2004, 08:16 AM

This is a story about a cowboy hat.

This goes to show a little piece of Doberman temperament....how very, very sensative and observant they are to their enviornment, how anything out of the ordinary raises a red flag to them. This is why socialization and showing them as many things as you can possibly think of is so extraordinarily important so they don't fly off the handle and get the bad rep they sometimes have. Here's an example of something I never thought of exposing Lyric to. Of course, because he has such a stable temperament, he didn't fly off the handle, but observed for a while until he was comfortable with this. It's interesting to note the difference in his temperament and my other 3 dogs. They couldn't care less about the hat and they never saw one either with the exception I think of Bonnie, my Lab. They just trust everyone and everything and figure it's just one more weird thing humans do. Whatever....LOL. But not Lyric. He questions EVERYTHING and needs to know just what is going on here.

I thought I had put my cowboy hat away a long time ago when I was through with horse shows. Well....I met a guy. He came to visit me and he was wearing a big, black cowboy hat. I thought Lyric was cool with most everything, but I guess....come to think of it, he really hasn't seen a cowboy hat. (I never socialized him to one. Who would have thunk it?)

He growled at my suitor quite menacingly but just for a few seconds. Then this macho man took off his cowboy hat and showed to Lyric. Lyric sniffed it and thought he'd get to bite it and play with it, having no further fear of it.....that is....until it went back on this dude's head. He was fine with the Cowboy and fine with the hat.....just not the cowboy wearing the hat. It took about a 1/2 hour until he was totally OK with it.

After I called my daughter to report all the details of my first visitation with this cowboy.....the warm reception he received from my dog, I decided the next order of business was to dig out my own cowboy hat out of a trunk and start wearing it every day for several days.

Thank goodness, this nice gentleman gave me a second chance and came to visit me again, this time with more favorable results. LOL.

kjm · 10-18-2004, 09:55 AM

How funny, Carrie. I'm glad you have Lyric to be so protective over you! LOL! And good luck with your new suitor! That's very exciting!!

stardust · 10-18-2004, 10:44 AM

heheh that is a cute story. rocky would never notice a thing like that, its nice to hear about a dog that is as inquisitve as your dog

sheltiepups · 10-18-2004, 11:52 AM

lol that's a cute story.. that poor dude!

sthrnbelle · 10-18-2004, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carrie

Then this macho man took off his cowboy hat and showed to Lyric.

Obviously he is a dog person.

Congrats on your potential new guy.

His masters voice · 10-18-2004, 02:51 PM

Funny the way some dogs react to things, Shadow has something about motorcycle helmets, if a motorcyclist follows me while im in the car he barks constantly until he or I change direction.

Lil'Paws · 10-18-2004, 05:09 PM

That Lyric is one smart dog. If Lyric aproves he must be a pretty good guy.

***Carrie*** · 10-18-2004, 05:38 PM

O-o-o-o-ohhhhh yeah! He's good. LOL.

We were dancing in my living room and Lyric even thought that was fun. We tried line dancing and I got Lyric between us and taught him a little side stepping left, then right, then back up, then between my legs with a toy for a lure. He's just starting to get the idea a little teensy bit. That would be fun to join one of those free style dance lesson things. Maybe Lyric could meet a nice lady friend. LOL.

Shadow has a thing about hats too? Funny.

Thanks guys for your nice wishes. Who knows...?

10-18-2004, 08:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
*Carrie* Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: north panhandle of Idaho Posts: 7,545 Rep Power: 291	Lyric And The Cowboy Hat This is a story about a cowboy hat. This goes to show a little piece of Doberman temperament....how very, very sensative and observant they are to their enviornment, how anything out of the ordinary raises a red flag to them. This is why socialization and showing them as many things as you can possibly think of is so extraordinarily important so they don't fly off the handle and get the bad rep they sometimes have. Here's an example of something I never thought of exposing Lyric to. Of course, because he has such a stable temperament, he didn't fly off the handle, but observed for a while until he was comfortable with this. It's interesting to note the difference in his temperament and my other 3 dogs. They couldn't care less about the hat and they never saw one either with the exception I think of Bonnie, my Lab. They just trust everyone and everything and figure it's just one more weird thing humans do. Whatever....LOL. But not Lyric. He questions EVERYTHING and needs to know just what is going on here. I thought I had put my cowboy hat away a long time ago when I was through with horse shows. Well....I met a guy. He came to visit me and he was wearing a big, black cowboy hat. I thought Lyric was cool with most everything, but I guess....come to think of it, he really hasn't seen a cowboy hat. (I never socialized him to one. Who would have thunk it?) He growled at my suitor quite menacingly but just for a few seconds. Then this macho man took off his cowboy hat and showed to Lyric. Lyric sniffed it and thought he'd get to bite it and play with it, having no further fear of it.....that is....until it went back on this dude's head. He was fine with the Cowboy and fine with the hat.....just not the cowboy wearing the hat. It took about a 1/2 hour until he was totally OK with it. After I called my daughter to report all the details of my first visitation with this cowboy.....the warm reception he received from my dog, I decided the next order of business was to dig out my own cowboy hat out of a trunk and start wearing it every day for several days. Thank goodness, this nice gentleman gave me a second chance and came to visit me again, this time with more favorable results. LOL.

10-18-2004, 09:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
kjm Schnauzer Slave Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 533 Rep Power: 93	How funny, Carrie. I'm glad you have Lyric to be so protective over you! LOL! And good luck with your new suitor! That's very exciting!!
	__________________ The Schnauzer Squad (just the two of us!): Karli and Boone "He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."

10-18-2004, 10:44 AM	#3 (permalink)
stardust Join Date: May 2004 Location: wisconsin Posts: 423 Rep Power: 93	heheh that is a cute story. rocky would never notice a thing like that, its nice to hear about a dog that is as inquisitve as your dog
	__________________ I love my Pomeranian

10-18-2004, 11:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
sheltiepups Semper Fidelis - Marines Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: somewhere Posts: 2,438 Rep Power: 132	lol that's a cute story.. that poor dude!
	__________________ Breezy & her shelties Thank you Dawn, for a wonderful siggy :) 2cutepups

10-18-2004, 05:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
Lil'Paws ~w/Dachshund~ Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: ~Western~NC~ Posts: 1,662 Rep Power: 120	That Lyric is one smart dog. If Lyric aproves he must be a pretty good guy.
	__________________ ~ Dachshund means Love ~

10-18-2004, 02:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
His masters voice German Shepherd Dog Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: In the dogs kennel avoiding the wife and kids. Posts: 199 Rep Power: 90	Funny the way some dogs react to things, Shadow has something about motorcycle helmets, if a motorcyclist follows me while im in the car he barks constantly until he or I change direction.

10-18-2004, 05:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
*Carrie* Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: north panhandle of Idaho Posts: 7,545 Rep Power: 291	O-o-o-o-ohhhhh yeah! He's good. LOL. We were dancing in my living room and Lyric even thought that was fun. We tried line dancing and I got Lyric between us and taught him a little side stepping left, then right, then back up, then between my legs with a toy for a lure. He's just starting to get the idea a little teensy bit. That would be fun to join one of those free style dance lesson things. Maybe Lyric could meet a nice lady friend. LOL. Shadow has a thing about hats too? Funny. Thanks guys for your nice wishes. Who knows...?

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