Reflection Issues.. - Maltese Dogs Forum : Spoiled Maltese Forums

**AshleyAndSophiePup** · 12-06-2012, 04:50 PM

Sophie: I keep seein dis uder puppy in my house. She's sooo coote, in fact she wooks jus wike me, but de onwy fing awoud to be dat coote in my house is ME.

Sophie has discovered her reflection, and she REALLY doesn't like it. She starts barking and growling. I tried picking her up and putting myself in the reflection as well and tapping on whatever she's looking at, but she just shakes like she's afraid of it, and the second I put her back down she starts barking again. I feel like she's becoming territorial, which if I understand correctly, isn't want I want her to do. I want her to be open to other animals and people. So far she's loved everyone and everything she's met, she doesn't mind when other people come over. Though we've always gone to see other dogs instead of them coming over. Is this really her being territorial? Is it normal? I really want to train her not to bark her head off at everything, what can I do to tell her no barking other than just saying 'no', because that's not really working.

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**eiksaa** · 12-06-2012, 05:07 PM

If saying no to barking is not working, try saying YES to no barking.

Could you try giving her treats as soon as you put her in front of the mirror and before she starts barking? As soon as she starts barking the treats stop. As soon as she stops, resume the treat inflow. Then gradually increase how long you wait before you treat her.

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**maltese#1fan** · 12-07-2012, 07:21 AM

Sophie is still young so I think she will grow out of it and will eventually get used to the "other dog" in the house. Bella did the same thing when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She would even try to sneak up to it or try to go around the back of it to find the dog. Now she totally ignores the "other dog". However, she will bark at the tv when she hears a dog there.

**Leila'sMommy** · 12-07-2012, 07:25 AM

Maybe she can't figure out why the other puppy won't play with her. Just to find out if she's being territorial, do you have someone with a puppy/dog you could invite over to visit and see how she does?

**TLR** · 12-07-2012, 08:45 AM

Here's an interesting article.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...self-in-mirror

**WeeGrace** · 12-07-2012, 12:30 PM

Daisy did same thing even pawed the mirror etc went to the other side to see it. Now she doesn't bother with her reflection. She struts i front of it and admires herself. We hold her up she she can look in the mirror one and actually cries when we take her away lol

**WeeGrace** · 12-07-2012, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLR

Here's an interesting article.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...self-in-mirror

Again another Very interesting article Tracy where do you fin all of these articles

**Zoe's Mom88** · 12-07-2012, 01:00 PM

Zoe also stares at herself in the mirror....I am not sure what she thinks or who she thinks it is. But eventually they just get use to it and don't have a reaction.

**Lacie's Mom** · 12-07-2012, 01:49 PM

When Lacie was a puppy, we lived in Southern California and our Condo had a corner fireplace on the floor with the black kind of shiny face on it. The doggie door was right next to the firplace. Several times a day, Lacie would see this "other puppy" in the fireplace and go tearing out the doggie door to play with the other puppy -- but the puppy was never outside where she thought it would be -- it was just in the fireplace. She would come back in, see the puppy in the firplace and go back out to look for it. She would bark and bark at the other puppy and it would bark at the same time. We never got past this stage. My DH said that when we moved to New Mexico, we needed to make certain that we left the "fireplace puppy" in California with the fireplace. LOL

The really funny thing is that in the master bedroom, we had mirrored closet doors between the master bedroom and master bathroom and when I had to leave Lacie, we put up a baby gate to keep her in the master bathroom. Her bed was right in front of the closet mirrored doors and she never barked at that reflection -- just the puppy in the fireplace. I don't know why.

Anyway, Lacie is very well socialized and does wonderfully with other fluffs, so I don't know that seeing and barking at her reflection is an indication of how Sophie will react with a REAL fluff.

BTW -- your post made me remember the fireplace puppy and made me start laughing all over again remembering Lacie and her reactions.

12-06-2012, 04:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
AshleyAndSophiePup Maltese Guru Name: Ashley Dog's Name: Sophie Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Western Washington Posts: 934	Reflection Issues.. Sophie: I keep seein dis uder puppy in my house. She's sooo coote, in fact she wooks jus wike me, but de onwy fing awoud to be dat coote in my house is ME. Sophie has discovered her reflection, and she REALLY doesn't like it. She starts barking and growling. I tried picking her up and putting myself in the reflection as well and tapping on whatever she's looking at, but she just shakes like she's afraid of it, and the second I put her back down she starts barking again. I feel like she's becoming territorial, which if I understand correctly, isn't want I want her to do. I want her to be open to other animals and people. So far she's loved everyone and everything she's met, she doesn't mind when other people come over. Though we've always gone to see other dogs instead of them coming over. Is this really her being territorial? Is it normal? I really want to train her not to bark her head off at everything, what can I do to tell her no barking other than just saying 'no', because that's not really working. Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App __________________ Ashley & Sophie

12-06-2012, 05:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
eiksaa Maltese Guru Name: Aastha Dog's Name: Gustave Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 2,286	If saying no to barking is not working, try saying YES to no barking. Could you try giving her treats as soon as you put her in front of the mirror and before she starts barking? As soon as she starts barking the treats stop. As soon as she stops, resume the treat inflow. Then gradually increase how long you wait before you treat her. Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App __________________

12-07-2012, 07:21 AM	#3 (permalink)
maltese#1fan Maltese Guru Name: Karen Dog's Name: Bella (and Heidi at the Bridge) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Mount Joy, PA Posts: 831	Sophie is still young so I think she will grow out of it and will eventually get used to the "other dog" in the house. Bella did the same thing when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She would even try to sneak up to it or try to go around the back of it to find the dog. Now she totally ignores the "other dog". However, she will bark at the tv when she hears a dog there. __________________ "In a perfect world every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog"

12-07-2012, 07:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
Leila'sMommy Maltese Guru Name: Pam Dog's Name: Leila Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: West Columbia, SC Posts: 1,043	Maybe she can't figure out why the other puppy won't play with her. Just to find out if she's being territorial, do you have someone with a puppy/dog you could invite over to visit and see how she does? __________________

12-07-2012, 08:45 AM	#5 (permalink)
TLR Maltese Guru Name: Tracey Dog's Name: Ben Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 2,749	Here's an interesting article. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...self-in-mirror __________________

12-07-2012, 12:30 PM	#6 (permalink)
WeeGrace Maltese Guru Name: Grace Dog's Name: Daisy Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Ireland Posts: 555	Daisy did same thing even pawed the mirror etc went to the other side to see it. Now she doesn't bother with her reflection. She struts i front of it and admires herself. We hold her up she she can look in the mirror one and actually cries when we take her away lol

12-07-2012, 01:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
Zoe's Mom88 Maltese Guru Name: Barbie Dog's Name: Zoe (Kyra my Angel in Heaven) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,465	Zoe also stares at herself in the mirror....I am not sure what she thinks or who she thinks it is. But eventually they just get use to it and don't have a reaction. __________________

12-07-2012, 01:49 PM	#9 (permalink)
Lacie's Mom Super Moderator Name: Lynn Dog's Name: Lacie, Tilly and Secret Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico Posts: 14,325	When Lacie was a puppy, we lived in Southern California and our Condo had a corner fireplace on the floor with the black kind of shiny face on it. The doggie door was right next to the firplace. Several times a day, Lacie would see this "other puppy" in the fireplace and go tearing out the doggie door to play with the other puppy -- but the puppy was never outside where she thought it would be -- it was just in the fireplace. She would come back in, see the puppy in the firplace and go back out to look for it. She would bark and bark at the other puppy and it would bark at the same time. We never got past this stage. My DH said that when we moved to New Mexico, we needed to make certain that we left the "fireplace puppy" in California with the fireplace. LOL The really funny thing is that in the master bedroom, we had mirrored closet doors between the master bedroom and master bathroom and when I had to leave Lacie, we put up a baby gate to keep her in the master bathroom. Her bed was right in front of the closet mirrored doors and she never barked at that reflection -- just the puppy in the fireplace. I don't know why. Anyway, Lacie is very well socialized and does wonderfully with other fluffs, so I don't know that seeing and barking at her reflection is an indication of how Sophie will react with a REAL fluff. BTW -- your post made me remember the fireplace puppy and made me start laughing all over again remembering Lacie and her reactions. __________________ Lacie, Secret & Tilly

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