Dogs....Cigarettes.... - Page 1

So,  I mentioned something before about Auggie acting odd about a person who was smoking.  Otherwise he seems to be fine around anyone (typically when we're stopped he either ignores strangers, watches the suspicious ones, and some people he likes to be pet by), and typically now (he's just at  9 months of age now) if we're going into a building, store, etc he's focused and walking along like he has some kind of purpose lol.  But I went to Tractor Supply last night and he was fine at first.  Then when we walked outside he sniffed the ash tray (I didn't realize at first it was an ash tray, it's oddly shapped, and goes up as high as his head, but none the less, it's where you throw cigarettes when you're done with them lol) and acted spooked for a few seconds, when he turned around he didn't recognize the person who was with us (whom he knows very well) and took a few seconds to become clear headed again.  After that a few seconds he was fine, but will he ever get use to this?  When he was going through fear stages I did games with him (usually the plastic bag was the devil to him back during those times) where I'd set a few up in the yard, put pieces of dog food in them, and then I'd go and let him outside.  Fearful response to the first bag (the first time), smelled the food.....ate it....saw the next bag and bull rushed it as he did every single bag after that....every time or day we would do that after that.  No issues with that now, he typically investigates most things and of course he's not going through a fear stage now.  But apparently that smell of cigarretes either is just very overwhelming (I couldn't smell it this time), or he's relating it to something negative.  But he did come to his senses in a few seconds. I did not have treats or anything with me at that time, so I couldn't divert his attention.  Will he ever get use to it to the point he pays no attention to it though?

Guy, you over think things, I think. LOL  If it is his first cigarette, he probably got a little light headed is all, and that will go away, the more he puffs gets used to this new smell. It is a bad habit though, and I'd just keep him away from ash trays.

Maybe I am over thinking it lol.  I didn't mean to let him take a sniff, I didn't even know it was there at first.  Tonight however we went back, he didn't pay attention to it at all.  And we were walking around the Main Street area, tons and tons of people around, kids running around playing (in the "Holland Park" area) , people taking pictures, and everyone just talking.....I could smell cigarettes at one point and Auggie started sniffing up in the air, but it didn't affect him one bit this time.  I got asked again tonight if he was a Belgian Malinois, and even yesterday one woman told her kids not to pet him because "he's a service dog".  

Gotta Light????

ROFL, Steph. 

Guy - just thought:  maybe its possible that the first sniff of the 'ash-bin' was more
intense 'cos somebody had just chucked a butt in that was still burning  ?

He's a dog, Guy, geez....give him a break

Blitzen, I'll bring Kit Kat bars next time.   No really though, I didn't know how sensitive dogs were to this before.  I think I've somehow avoided this with my other dogs which is crazy as much as I've taken them places.  

Krazy Bout K9s, haha. 

Hundmutter, that's very likely.

Who's sensitive?

Me as an ex-smoker (yah, I know) am extremely sensitive to cigarette smoke. I pretty much hate it, refuse to tolerate it, can;t stand it and a smoker who smokes in a closed environment for extended periods of time smells like a nasty acidic puke mixed with rotten body tissue...


so who is sensitive now? lol