Dog afraid of fire in fireplace, please help

A friend of mine has a similar situation . . . . one fourth of july, someone threw a package of black cats into the fire and it obviously made a lot of noise.  The dog will not go within 20 feet of a fire since that time.  No coaxing or treat or reward will do it.  I'm sure some shaping training could do it, but they have no iterest in trying.

I would use shaping, click and treat when he goes near the fireplace (without a fire at first). It will probably take lots of time, but I think eventually you can get him to be unafraid [].

First, don't let your mother within a hundred feet of this dog on the Fourth of July or your next six months of work will be out the window.  I would have said worse, but won't since it is your mother...[:@] (I can't imagine being so cruel as to laugh at a frightened dog - sorry if I offend you by saying so, but it was your responsibility to remove him from her cruel treatment...If you are young, and still live with her, it's a good reason to go to college so you won't need to as an adult.)  Keep the dog far enough away from the fire where he will take food, and feed the livin' life out of him whenever the fireplace is on.  That's classical conditioning - fireplace starts to predict food.  Gradually,. move an inch at a time closer and keep feeding until he can do it in the same room.  Tell anyone who thinks it's fun to toss firecrackers at a dog that you plan to report them for cruelty.  And do it.  That is emotional abuse just as it would be if done to a child!!!!! 

As much as I try to I can't get over how cruel people can be[:@]
 
All positive experience around the fire, and then some....
 
Hey, how about throwing some cherry bombs around your mom next 4th of July? Did I overstep  my boundaries?

ORIGINAL: spiritdogs

First, don't let your mother within a hundred feet of this dog on the Fourth of July or your next six months of work will be out the window.  I would have said worse, but won't since it is your mother...[:@] (I can't imagine being so cruel as to laugh at a frightened dog - sorry if I offend you by saying so, but it was your responsibility to remove him from her cruel treatment...If you are young, and still live with her, it's a good reason to go to college so you won't need to as an .)  Keep the dog far enough away from the fire where he will take food, and feed the livin' life out of him whenever the fireplace is on.  That's classical conditioning - fireplace starts to predict food.  Gradually,. move an inch at a time closer and keep feeding until he can do it in the same room.  Tell anyone who thinks it's fun to toss firecrackers at a dog that you plan to report them for cruelty.  And do it.  That is emotional abuse just as it would be if done to a child!!!!! 

What she said!

ORIGINAL: spiritdogs

First, don't let your mother within a hundred feet of this dog on the Fourth of July or your next six months of work will be out the window.  I would have said worse, but won't since it is your mother...[:@] (I can't imagine being so cruel as to laugh at a frightened dog - sorry if I offend you by saying so, but it was your responsibility to remove him from her cruel treatment...If you are young, and still live with her, it's a good reason to go to college so you won't need to as an adult.)  Keep the dog far enough away from the fire where he will take food, and feed the livin' life out of him whenever the fireplace is on.  That's classical conditioning - fireplace starts to predict food.  Gradually,. move an inch at a time closer and keep feeding until he can do it in the same room.  Tell anyone who thinks it's fun to toss firecrackers at a dog that you plan to report them for cruelty.  And do it.  That is emotional abuse just as it would be if done to a child!!!!! 

 
I know.  I am young.  I actually hit her once that day![]  That's how much I care about him, I'd even hit my own mother!  And yes, I took his leash off and let him run down to the basement.  Believe it or not, that was like the only time she's done anything like that to him.  She actually is nice to him other than that, though.  I guess I just have a twisted family.[&:]
 
Oh yeah, thanks for the advice, I think I'll try it.

ORIGINAL: snownose

As much as I try to I can't get over how cruel people can be[:@]

All positive experience around the fire, and then some....

Hey, how about throwing some cherry bombs around your mom next 4th of July? Did I overstep  my boundaries?

 
There are no boundaries!  I feel the same way about this situation as the rest of you do.[sm=devil.gif]

I can picture your mom having a blast at the poor dog, thats mean indeed, your mom needs to be in time out herself  hehe []  i bet she is nice but that time she was acting like a brat [sm=no%20no%20smiley.gif] , she should help you with the rehabilitation since she is the one to blame, the last thing we need right now is to tell you to go away from your mom because what she did in one single ocasion (too many broken families this days), i bet if you talk to her (if you havent already) and tell her that what she did was wrong she will understand and say sorry
 
Really important not to feel sorry for your dog because you will be nurturing the behavior that you dont want to continue and that will slow down the rehabilitation progress