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Poor you. Shadow will be fine. Just don't repeat that motion for the next few days, and as RR said, let her come to you. Give her treats, toys, just don't bring your hand over her head until she's over it.

 

If this makes you feel better, I tripped and half-felt on my 2.5 months puppy (because of Chris who yelled at me thinking I was going to open the front door and let the puppy run out - I was reaching for the coat closet!). Ouzo was scared and shocked, but when he saw me on the floor crying and holding my ankle (after checking the pup is still in one piece), he rushed to kiss and lick me, as if it was his fault. I had a twisted ankle for the next week (due to the crazy moves I did while falling to avoid the puppy) and the puppy didn't even associate my fall with his scare.

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I'm probably going to sound silly here, but whenever that happened, right away I said in a high pitched voice, "I'm sorry did I give you an owie?" And I would pat & kiss their owie and then they would stop cringing, because they realized that I didn't mean it.

 

Now if i trip over them, or fall on them(my balance sucks with the neurological stuff) they don't cringe at all, but wait for their kiss...lol!

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I dont think that sounds stupid! If I hit Riven on accident (which happens frequently - I am usually asleep and aiming for Rohan for biting me), I immediately, say sorry or something and love on her. IMMEDIATELY. Just so she understands everything is ok. I honestly think they know if it was an accident if you just act like you're sorry immediately.

 

I wouldnt worry much, dogs forgive pretty easily. She just has to trust, and as long as you dont try to force it, it will happen, likely sooner rather than later!

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I got her into bed after some coaxing, and she curled up against me and stayed there all night... she's never cuddled like that before. She seems fine now except when shes in the bed (thats where she was last night). I still feel REALLY bad, but I think she'll forgive me! Thanks guys, last night I felt like she'd be terrified of me forever.

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I'm glad Shadow's getting over her fright. :D I have to laugh at some of y'all's stories, though.

 

I have yet to do anything heinous to the collies, but my poor little paint horse Quanah, suffered through all my first-horse klutziness.

 

I was so excited, after a lifetime of horselessness, to finally have a pony that at first I literally couldn't take my eyes off him. So the very first day I had him, I was walking backwards, talking to him as I led him out to the pasture. Naturally I tripped, and pin-wheeling my arms for balance as I went down, managed to strike him hard across the face with the free end of the lead rope! :D I ended up flat of my back on the ground in front of him and looking back I am still amazed he chose not to take revenge. :D

 

He wasn't as stoic a week later, when I failed to open a gate wide enough and led him into the electric fence. :rolleyes: He tore off across the field, and it took me a good fifteen minutes of walking him down before he stopped snorting and bolting off when I got within reach of him. Naturally his halter and lead rope were still on him, so we had to make it up right away.

 

Most critters, luckily for us, seem to realize they're dealing with the physically challenged :D and have a lot of patience with the shortcomings of their lame humans.

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I'm probably going to sound silly here, but whenever that happened, right away I said in a high pitched voice, "I'm sorry did I give you an owie?"

Not silly at all. I always say "Oops, sorry Senneca" and pet her if I accidentally bump into her or trip over her (and she has that knack of getting under my feet that it happens pretty often). She knows from my tone and expression that I'm not upset with her.

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Oh my eyes and ears, I can't tell you the number of times I've tripped on, accidentally hit, or kicked, my guys. Some of it is in the context of working and they take it in stride then. But even in the house, I just say "Oops, sorry" (DON'T make a fuss or use the squeeky voice!) and give them a wee pat to let them know I didn't intend that as a correction - not like I'm in the habit of correcting them by flinging myself on them or kicking them in the ribs!

 

A really bad accident or something really strange will make them a bit gunshy for a while but as long as you don't make a huge deal of it, it will be fine. The real question in your mind should not be, "How can I make it up to Puppy?" but rather, "how can I use this to teach them the appropriate response to challenging and scary circumstances?"

 

Do you want your dog to come slinking up to you, trembling, and act appeasing (lip licking, peeing, tail held low)? Or do you want your dog to take it in stride and watch you confidently to gauge whether to chalk it up to "Stupid things Humans do" or whether you expect some response ("Get out of my way" "Don't bite that sheep").

 

Remember that when you pet your dog you are reinforcing whatever they are doing at the moment and telling them, "Yes, that's what I want!"

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My dogs learnt a long time ago that I am a klutz! I am forever kicking them and tripping over them. Even now Delta still takes a few steps back and throws me a dirty look.

 

You should see me at agility! We have been doing so much handler work lately and trying to perfect movements that I am forever tripping myself up and treading on the dogs. Everyone recognises the high pitch squeal now :D Mind you I have no idea why they come right in close as soon as I slow down...

 

I don't think I could ever live with little dogs, Id be forever tripping over them. Although apparently little ones are better at keeping out of your way...

 

As for Shadow, Im glad she is getting over her fright. I wouldn't make too much of a fuss over it or you will make her think there is something wrong. I usually give a quick pat on the head then carry on as though nothing happened. Although I have been known to swear at them when they have tripped me over trying to push past me in the hallway :rolleyes: I have never gone overboard with the apology though.

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I wouldn't make too much of a fuss over it or you will make her think there is something wrong.

 

Agreed!

 

When I stumble into or towards a dog, I talk (and apologize) to them in a quiet friendly voice while I right myself, to let them know my state of mind in case they have doubts about it. If they come for a reassurance pat (Kessie) they get one. If they are a little worried and keep their distance for a moment (Kyla), I walk on to where I was meaning to go in the first place, with all the usual politeness rituals (not focussing on them, giving them time to move out of the way, etc). Afterwards I act like it never happened. They don't even remember these events (otherwise they'd not keep tripping me up anymore, right? :rolleyes: ).

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Good points are made here. But also 2 things going on. First is initial reaction when hurting dog and second is if dog acts scared if you try to 'make things better' right away.

 

 

When I do actually step on doggie toes (I happen to get Diesel fairly often) I always say, 'Did I get you?' with a smile on my face and do make it a point to give him a quick pat or rub. And he's fine with it.

 

However, if my dogs did act scared when I tried to give that immediate affection, then I would do as I suggested above and wait for the dog to come to me :rolleyes:

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Rebecca said it! "The real question in your mind should not be, "How can I make it up to Puppy?" but rather, "how can I use this to teach them the appropriate response to challenging and scary circumstances?"

 

My youngster is pretty resilient - but I've now taken to occasionally saying "OH HECK!" (or whatever....) when I have NOT done anything bad or klutzy or injurious to myself; he immediately looks at me with that "Oh my, what did I do now?" and might start to shy away. I immediately just say, "Good boy! Come here!" and give him a pat. He's gradually learning that when I sound mad, it isn't about him (well, usually!). Then there's my old girl - for whatever reason, Sophie is ALWAYS the one I manage to step on, hit accidentally, etc. I do "make up" right away - but she's never shown that she remembers it from one "incident" to the next moment.

 

diane

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No I thought she hit her with the car as well. When I saw that it was just a fellow clumsy person I was relieved :rolleyes:

 

Managed to get Rose caught between my legs today. Stupid cat thought she would take a short cut by running between my legs while I was walking normally, her head went through the gap, then she got squished and pulled by the neck as my left leg moved forward. I was positive I had done real damage as she would have been flung about by the neck but she just took off down the hall. 10 mins later she came out for a snuggle- animals are so forgiving.

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I have accidentally stepped on, tripped over, dropped things on and even once caught Quest's front feet on fire (while trying to make pancakes). I always apologize and if it's within reach offer a treat for my clumsiness.

 

I think we've all had those little freak accidents, especially the longer we live with dogs. My worst was when my Sheltie grabbed at my sissors as I was trimming her. I put a little 1/2 inch slice right in the side of her tongue. What a terrible moment. As her mouth filled with blood, the two of us stared at each other in mutual horror over what had just happened. She came through that trauma fine and healed up nicely without a permanently forked tongue.

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Add another one to the list of people thinking she meant with the car!!!

 

So far I don't remember a time that I've been clumsy and hit Stormy BUT I do have a horrid tendency to drop things on him *sigh*. So far he keeps forgiving me.

 

Lori

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once caught Quest's front feet on fire (while trying to make pancakes).

 

This sounds like a story worth sharing! I just cannot put two and two together here. This is like the rescue dog who got dyed yellow and purple last summer . . .

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I never go near the stove, so when I decided to try and make pancakes, Quest got curious. He stood up on his hind feet to check things out and I suddenly smelled burning hair. Both his front feet were in flames. By the time I patted the fire out of his feet, the pancakes were scorched and had to be tossed out. I went back to microwave cooking only. And Quest was absolutely fine, just needed a little of the singed fur trimmed off his feet.

Barb S

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Ack.. no not the car! I don't drive LOL.. I just faint if I get behind the wheel =P

 

Shadow got her revenge! She tripped me and either cracked the end of my wrist bone, or, at least, severely sprained it. Dad's not sure which, but he says just to leave it and if it gets worse I get an x-ray. At times I love living with a doctor hehe. When I went crashing down Shadow came tearing back to me and licked my face like crazy, think I scared her when I yelled. Was worried I'd hurt her, but she's fine... and all better from being clobbered, not even head shy in bed now *relief*

 

As for small dogs, I had a chihuahua before Shadow, one of the reasons I gave her away was because I'm a klutz and I was terrified I'd crush her somehow. She got stepped on a LOT. Nowadays its ME who gets stepped on by the dog, you'd think with 4 feet she'd not need mine too =P

 

I too would like to hear about this rainbow dog!

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I think BC's get stepped on a lot more than most dogs because their always right there, either under you or right behind you. I don't have any stories that can live up to Barb's :rolleyes: but I have my fair share of tripping, stepping, falling, and bonking stories too. I always just say "sorry" in a really nice soft voice. Sometimes I'll give him a hug or something but most of the time I'll just talk to him and pet him and he's fine.

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I had a rescue dog who I didn't realize was reaching through the wire of his kennel and quietly taking things stored off the shelf next to the kennel, and tearing them up. He never flung stuff around, or dragged anything into his kennel where I'd notice it. Then one day I came home and his head and shoulders were purple from a bottle of sheep marking spray he'd chewed up, and half the rest of him was bright green from a packet of raddle he'd managed to burst open.

 

I wasn't thinking clearly and immediately went and hosed him down. Raddle is made to mix with liquid and although it's made to wash off safely eventually, dog hair is finer than sheep wool and he was left with a sort of orangey-yellow tinge. And the marking spray hardly came off at all - his right shoulder was quite purple for a couple of months. As you might remember from art class, yellow and purple are complementary colors, so he was quite a flashy beast for a while!

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