Growling

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned a great book called "Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson. I really think that every dog owner should have this book and should read it carefully.

One of the hardest parts about owning a dog is understanding them. And, to us, a growl is a scary thing. To a dog, it is supposed to be scary.

A growling dog is telling us that s/he is feeling like their personal space is being invaded. It means "Leave me alone." It means "You scare me and I want you to go away." It means "I am warning you. Please don't make me take evasive action."

So, we have to figure out why our dogs are growling, determine if we can help them with the problem and then help them. We should never punish a dog for growling.

If a dog is growling because it is afraid, which many rescue dogs are, then we need to analyse the environment and figure out what is causing their fear. At that point, we need to either remove the thing causing the fear or move the dog to a place where it isn't afraid. This protects the dog and the people around it. We do not want to inadvertently push the dog over its limits.

Then, we need to try to help the dog get over whatever it fears. I have talked a bit about this here.

Jelly Rolls, Hotdog Rolls, and Alpha Rolls

My dogs and I have a strong relationship filled with mutual respect. They have earned my respect by showing how forgiving and resilient they are when a new foster come home, when they are introduced to new situations and how incredibly intelligent beings they are. I feel that I have earned their respect by being a kind, loving, and confident leader. I am not dominating them. I am leading them. To me, there is a huge difference. One makes me look like a dictator. The other just puts me at the head of the household as the one who has responsibly to and for everyone else.

We practice the "Nothing in Life is Free (NILIF)" program in my home. I enjoy giving special food, treats and toys to my dogs. However, since the pack only gets these things once they have earned them, they aren't spoiled.

For instance, when I decide that everyone would get a biscuit, we practice NILIF. This is how it goes:

• I walk to the kitchen and open the biscuit jar. All the dogs rush into the kitchen behind me.
• I wait patiently, staring off into space, for said pack to figure out what I want from them.
• Ella is usually the first. She sits (look, she has done her work!).
• I say "good sit, Ella" and hand her a biscuit.
• Little doggie lightbulbs flicker on above the other dogs heads.
• One by one, each dog sits: Good sit, Maggie. Good sit, Blackie. Good sit, Duchess. Good sit, Robbie. Good sit, Bear. Good sit, Spirit.

With a new foster, sometimes the task at first is merely to take a treat from my hand once all the other dogs have gotten theirs. Then we work up to sitting with the others. No fighting and no stealing treats. No jumping, either. No treat for misbehaving - once the dog settles, THEN they get the treat.

Please notice that I do not ask them to sit. I am merely waiting for them to figure it out.

NILIF goes both ways. If I want well behaved dogs, then I have to work for it. If they want a treat, then they have to work for it.

So, how do I deal with bad behavior?

First, I try to prevent it. If that doesn't work, I will give time outs in crates and separate rooms.

For instance, I like to give bully sticks to the dogs at least once a week to keep their teeth clean and their breath fresh. Seven dogs = seven sticks, right? Wrong! I always have a couple of extra sticks in various spots, in case someone gets up and has their stick taken - there is usually one lying nearby that they can chew on.

Should two dogs decide to go for the same stick and start an argument, I immediately ask them to Stop! in a calm, loud voice (to penetrate the snarling) and take all sticks away from all dogs. Everyone then gets a time out for a half-hour or so or we go do something else, like go to another room.

Another way to use NILIF is at the dinner table. My dogs, at my home, have learned that if they wait quietly, they will get a treat when I am finished with my meal. I did this by completely ignoring them while I was eating and every once in awhile giving them a treat for laying or sitting quietly. Seems a little counter intuitive, doesn't it? It does work, though. It does take some time, too, and all family members have to do the same thing or it won't work (if you have a child slipping the dog food through the whole meal, this method probably won't work).

All of these things that I do help to make my household harmonious. Not quiet, mind you, but harmonious.

Do I ever alpha roll them, like some trainers suggest? No. I don't need to. And, dogs don't alpha roll each other, either. The submissive animal rolls itself. My dogs and I co-exist as a team, remember, so I certainly do not expect them to be submissive to me nor do I expect them to submit to me - what they do, they do of their own accord, because it makes sense to them - because we are a team. Because of respect. Because I ask, not command.

Remember, they respect me and I respect them. I am a benevolent leader and I think about problems and watch for them before they become problems. That's my job, as the one with the bigger brain. I have a routine that I stick to, morning and night. I provide enough things for my dogs to do to keep their minds and bodies active. I know that they are dogs, not furry humans. I make sure that I teach them what I want them to do, rather than punish them for doing something I don't want them to do.

Give

Robbie is a dog that loves to play fetch and tug, often at the same time. In fact, I never had to teach Robbie (or Bear) to bring a toy back. They realized on their own that if they brought the toy back, then I would throw it again. And, they would have a fun game to play. Bear brings the toy back and drops it near me.

Robbie, on the other hand, wants to play tug before he really lets go of the toy. He will often drop the ball and then try to grab it before I can pick it up. Sometimes, he grabs fingers instead of toys, which doesn't break the skin, but does hurt. So, Robbie and I have been working on “Give.”

First, though, I want to explain why I use the term“give” instead of “drop it.” Say, out loud, the term“drop it” as though you are talking to your dog. Do you find that your voice automatically lowers a bit and you become a little more stern or serious?

I grew up giving dogs commands. I did not ask them to do something: I told them to do something. Now, I prefer to think of my relationship with my pets as a partnership. I give them things they need and they, in return, worship the ground I walk on (just kidding). Seriously, though, I want my partnership with my pets to be loving and caring.

Now say the word “give.” It doesn’t have the same tone, does it? It is more difficult to make that word stern, at least for me. You could also use the word“trade.”

So, in order for Robbie and me to work on “give,” we need a few tools:

• A toy. If Robbie resource guards toys from me, I would choose a low value toy for this, like a rope toy, since he doesn’t really like those. Since Robbie doesn’t guard, I am going to use a fleece tug at first and work up to a ball.


• High value treats. Wellness Pure Rewards Jerky is great for this. So are tiny pieces of dehydrated hot dog. I have prepared for training by making all my treats about the size of a pea (use scissors). And, as a side note, biscuits do not make good training treats. They are bland and most dogs don’t go crazy enough for them. Instead, use what I call “puppy crack.” This is any treat that a dog will do anything for: Duck Breast, Jerky, Chicken, hot dogs, cheese, etc.


• A treat bag is also helpful, since many high value treats are greasy. The bag keeps your pockets clean. I prefer the Gentle Leader French Hinge Bag.

So, Robbie and I go to a quiet place and I give him a few treats to get him warmed up. Then I offer him the tug. He starts pulling and I show him the treat and click when he drops the toy to take it. We repeat this many times over many sessions. Each session might only be a few minutes. We always end our session with a really good tug and then a “jackpot” of treats. When he lets go the final time, I give him 15-20 treats right in a row.

The next step is to have him place the toy in my open hand. It might take awhile and my clicker will come in handy for this. As soon as Robbie brings me the toy and nudges my hand with it, I’ll click and then give him a treat. We’ll do this for a few sessions.

Then I’ll expect him to nudge the toy in my open palm. Click then treat. He WILL figure this out on his own, trust me. I’ll just wait patiently until he figures it out, with my hand open so he can get the hint. Then he’ll have to drop the toy in my palm. Click and treat each time.

Once he consistently drops the toy in my open palm, I will show him my open palm, say“give,” and when he does, click and treat. I might have to help him here by shaping this a little. He might just drop the toy for a second at first. Then 2 seconds, then three until he lets go of it and lets it be for as long as I want. The clicker is really helpful for this, since timing is everything.

Once Robbie is successfully giving me a toy in my open palm when I say “give,” I will start randomly giving him treats – maybe every three times or every fourth. This will help the behavior be resistant to extinction (he will remember it for a very long time and do it without treats). Eventually, I won’t need to clicker at all and only once in a while will I need treats. And, for Robbie, the playing of tug or fetch is reinforcing in and of itself, so treats might not even be needed.

By working with Robbie in this way, I will have accomplished a number of things:

• Robbie has learned how to politely play with toys and to give them up when asked.


• Robbie has learned to think for himself while we were training – he has to figure out what I want.


• Robbie has become more confident, since his problem solving skills are improving.


• Our relationship is stronger, since we worked as a team towards a common goal.


• I have a better trained dog and I haven’t had to use punishment to do so!

Right now, Robbie and I are still on the first step. But, I know where I want us to go in the future, so am able to measure our progress and will rejoice when we reach the final goal.

Medication Tricks (or, How to Fool Maggie)

Maggie Mae has seasonal allergies. She has a runny nose and goopy eyes and tends to reverse sneeze quite a bit. Most of the time, she is OK without medication, but when I woke up the other morning and found half of my pillow soaking wet from doggie snot, I realized that something had to be done!

So, Miss Mags gets her medicine once a day. It took a few days to figure out how to give it to her. Here is what didn't work

1. Hiding the pill in cheese, meat or treats.
2. Feeding it to her in her food bowl with her dinner.
3. Plopping yogurt on it and expecting her to miss it.

Here is what did work:

1. Grinding up the pill and mixing it with yogurt and then adding the entire concoction to her food. At first, she didn't like it. Now, she eats it all. Thankfully, no more doggie snot.

I think I must add a pill to each food bowl at dinnertime! Each dog has his/her own needs - it is for this exact reason that everyone now has their own crates (and, my dining room has no space):

• Ella gets a pink thyroid pill at dinner.
• Duchess gets a green thyroid pill at breakfast and dinner.
• Blackie get a Rimadyl at dinner.
• Robbie gets either a DGP pill or Rimadyl at dinner.
• Maggie gets an allergy pill at dinner.
• Bear gets a digestive support pill at dinner. (We are going to try Honest Kitchen's Perfect Form soon, though).
• Spirit doesn't need any pills.

A coworker once asked me how I kept track of it all. It isn't hard to remember what each dog gets. What is hard is when I forget the order I put the pills in the bowls and I have to figure out what is in them!

Fearful Dogs

Shelties tend to be a breed that is very shy (or, in other words, fearful). They tend to be afraid of all the normal things that fearful dogs are afraid of: children, strangers, cars, etc. Some will just run under the bed and hide. Others will bark aggressively in order to frighten away whatever is frightening them. And still others will be pushed beyond their limits and start nipping and biting. Most dogs who get to this stage are called "fear aggressive."

Helping a dog overcome its fears is a time consuming task. However, the rewards are huge. And, there are a lot of resources out there to help a fearful dog.

Trainers

Going to an experienced, positive method dog trainer is one of the most important things a person can do if they have a fearful dog. I really stress the positive method part, since punishment will only worsen a dog with fear issues. It will not make him better. If you would like help finding a positive trainer in your area, please e-mail me (or, leave a comment and I will e-mail you).

Books

Patricia McConnell - Cautious Canine ($6.95)
This short book outlines a step by step approach for helping a dog overcome its fears. McConnell writes in an easygoing and straightforward style that even an inexperienced dog owner can follow. I give a copy of this book to any adopters who adopt a fearful dog. *Any book by Patricia McConnell is worth buying and reading!*

Nicole Wilde - Help for Your Fearful Dog ($24.95)
This book is much more comprehensive than Cautious Canine. It also has a step by step approach, but includes help for anxiety and phobias, too. Ms. Wilde is a respected dog trainer.

Jean Donaldson - Culture Clash ($17.95) and Dogs are From Neptune ($16.95)
Culture Clash is THE book I recommend for all dog owners, whether they have a fearful dog or not. "Dogs are NOT humans. Dogs ARE clever and complex creatures that humans need to take the time to understand in order to live together successfully."
Dogs are from Neptune has specific case studies and treatment for dogs with aggression.

Websites

Shy Dogs FAQ

San Francisco SPCA Article

Veterinary Partners

Foster Dog #7: Spirit

Miss Spirit, aka Sunshine, aka Mystic, is a little adorable Pomeranian Sheltie mix. Looking at her markings and coat, it is easy to think “sheltie.” But, when she turns her head and you get a profile – she definitely has some pom in her!

Spirit is foster #6 (well, really #7, if Duchess and Blackie do not count as one). She was spayed last Thursday and is just now feeling a little better (she is zoom zooming outside). The stitches itch, though, and she has a hard time bending to lick them, so gets a little frustrated! The noises she makes!

She is a timid little girl who has an easier time dealing with people than other dogs. She is starting to play with Robbie – since he never leaves her alone and is always pestering her to play. She is also good with Ella and Maggie. The first night she was here, she slept on the bed with her head on Maggie’s rump. And, if the play gets too rough, she will often run and hide behind Miss Mags.

Spirit can take or leave Bear, whom she is having a hard time communicating with, since Bear only responds to canine body language, especially sheltie body language. Spirit tends to vocalize her displeasure with the close proximity of other dogs and Bear can’t hear, so she often feels the need to nip at him. THAT is body language he can see and understand, so he now tends to give her a wide berth. But, Spirit doesn’t seem to be any more timid around Bear than the other shelties.

Blackie, however, gets into growling contests with Spirit. Of course, both are on the bed and both think that this is THEIR place to be – no other dogs up here, thank you very much. Well, the rule in this house is that bed privileges go only to those who have earned them. And, I am the only one who decides who is on the bed. Any excessive growling or snarkiness, and you have lost your bed privileges for the night.

First, everyone must learn the cue “Off the Bed.” I teach each and every foster (and my own permanent dogs) this term. First, we practice jumping up and down off the bed – I use treats to lure them. Then, we do this while I use a hand motion and say “Off the bed.” I eventually phase out the lure and then just reward when they are on the floor.

I also teach “Get on this bed.” Which is actually taught in my household as a game, since once they jump on the bed, we play sock muzzle or belly rubs or feet catching, depending upon how safe it is to play such games with each dog.

Maggie, Ella and Robbie all sleep on the bed off and on through the night. They usually choose when and where, since they allow other dogs on the bed. Harley and Bailey, the two Siamese cats, always sleep on the bed. So, there is some room for another dog or two. If anyone tries to monopolize the bed, they are asked to get off. If they don’t, I gently pick them up and deposit them on a dog bed of their own on the floor (sometimes, during the night, I do not reinforce with a treat). No yanking collars or anything like that – just gently touching them and then lifting up and to their own bed. Blackie especially responds well to this (he does NOT respond well to touching his collar to move him). Spirit needs a little more work with staying off the bed once she is no longer on it, but once she becomes more confident, she will feel more comfortable sleeping in her own bed occasionally.

KVSSC Club Day

Ella, Duchess, Blackie and I went to Augusta on Sunday for the Kennebec Valley Shetland Sheepdog Club's match - obedience, rally, conformation trials. We didn't have many people attend, but Holly managed to snap a few really cute pictures. One was of Ethan, the best Aussie in the WHOLE WORLD, greeting a sheltie puppy. The other was a picture of Blackie and Duchess - with Blackie making faces!

Downtown Dog Days

Ella, Paula and I attending the Bangor Downtown Dog Days on Saturday. We bought a Aerobie Dogobie Frisbee from Epic Mountain Sports. Robbie really loves running to catch it (and, I can actually throw this one). Ella then runs over to him and they run around the yard playing tug.

We also found a cool ball at the Grasshopper Shop. It was the perfect size for Ella to herd and had cute ladybugs on it. Sadly, once Blackie got ahold of it, he immediately put a hole in it and shredded the darn thing. Oh, well.

At noon, the Franciscans came for a Blessing of the Dogs. Ella twitched a little when the holy water hit her in the head, but really enjoyed the drooley little boy who was patting her during the ceremony.

We went to the Bangor Humane Society to look at the dogs available there (for Paula) and didn't find anything. Then, we drove around looking for a place for lunch. We stopped at Pepino's, a nice Mexican Restaurant, because they had a place where we could park Ella and the car in the shade.

On the way home, Ella was pooped! She slept the whole way with barely a twitch!

Fostering!

Phew! I am participating in a few blogging challenges: Liz's One Local Summer Challenge, S.M.S.'s Book to Movie Challenge and 3M's Book Awards Reading Challenge. Maybe I should come up with my very own challenge! Like, how many dogs can we squish into Stephani's house challenge.

Duchess is losing weight very nicely. She is visibly slimming down each and every day. And, she has become more active and more vocal. When the pack and I play ball outside, she barks at everyone - just like a little cheerleader (or an old hen telling them to settle down).

Blackie is more active, too, but is showing his age a little, since he tends to over-do-it if I let him. Then, he is achy and snarky when the weather cools off at night. I have begun giving him a DGP arthritis supplement each morning to see if that helps. I think it is, since this morning the little s*** stuck his head into the zucchini patch and leisurely ate a small, tender morsel - flower and all. The dog has no shame - none at all. I mean, at least grab it and run - don't just stand there at the outdoor buffet!

And, Spirit is with us. Well, not right at this very moment, since she is recovering at the vet's office from her spay surgery. But, the little angel seems to be fitting in a-OK. She is a little skittish, but slept the other night on the bed curled up next to Maggie (with her head on Maggie's butt). The funny thing is, every time I look at her, I want to call her "Sunshine."

So, should you decide to come visit, don't expect to have any conversation for a few minutes - visitors cause ALL the dogs to talk! At once!

The Week from Hell

Ah, the last week has been so very very long:

• Got bit by a potential rescue dog and had to tell the owner we couldn't take her
• Close friend lost her dog the next day
• Attended an event for work (I really don't like social events)
• Attending a wedding (see above - but this was actually fun)
• Drove to the County and picked up another (very sweet) rescue dog

So, didn't have much energy to post....

Duchess and Blackie Settle In

Over the past few days, Blackie and Duchess have settled into the daily routine very nicely. Here is what we have been working on:

Duchess is perfect just the way she is. She comes when calls. She hasn't had any mistakes in the house since we got her bowels straightened out. Her skin is now a lovely light pink instead of a bright red (from the concrete in the shelter, I suspect). She doesn't look as bloated as she did when she first came home and she has begun looking like a 10 year old - rather than a 20 year old. She does have an appointment with our vet to have her skin and fatty tumors checked.

Blackie is a good boy, too. He comes when called. He loves to play ball. He takes treats gently. However, we have been working on his house training, since he urine marks in the house. When he first arrived, he would lift his leg to mark every 30 to 60 seconds. So, he needed to be tethered to me, be outside or be in his crate.

Over the past few days, he has come to learn that our bedroom is also his bedroom and he has stopped lifting his leg completely there. He still has trouble downstairs, since that is where the dogs tend to spend the day. That is also where the most toys are. He tried to mark the corners and the toys. He still needs to learn that inside is not the place to go, but is doing a much better job. In fact, we can get up in the morning, go downstairs and outside - and, he waits until we get there! This is quite a change for being in a house for just 6 days (after being in a shelter for 2 months).

Each night, Duchess lies down on the large LL Bean dog bed next to my nightstand. Blackie always joins her there and they sleep through the night. Maggie took Duchess's place last night and Blackie curled up next to her, but then woke up and growled because he didn't recognize her. She just sent him some calming signals by turning her head away and licking her lips and he went back to sleep.

Then, a friend brought her 4 year old grandson over. Blackie played fetch with him and Duchess followed him around. They did OK - I wouldn't want them to be in a home with a lot of noisy children, but one or two quiet ones would be perfect.

It's Raining (Shelties)!

So, Holly and her husband Chuck, went on a much deserved vacation and now it has started raining shelties. Well, not quite raining. Maybe just misting:

Sheltie A needs to be picked up, vet checked and spayed. She will probably need some training in order to improve her confidence level.

Sheltie B will be picked up tomorrow night. She is spayed, but hasn't been to the vet in years. Sadly, this girl is scared and a resource guarder. Plus, she is overweight, which leads me to wonder if she has a thyroid issue. Hypothyroidism can cause aggression in some dogs.

Then, there is Duchess and Blackie. Two complete dolls. I'll do a post just for them in a minute.

Settling In

Well, Blackie and Duchess did well on the ride home. Blackie stared at my rider’s lap until she deigned to allow him to sleep there. Duchess mourned being left out in the backseat. That is, until my rider’s granddaughter hopped in. She then took advantage of a small, comfortable lap and settled in for lots of great pats.

Once home, they spent some time getting to know my dogs and exploring the backyard. We all tromped inside to eat and then spent some more time outside. Then, we all tromped upstairs – me to read before bed and them to find their sleeping spots and settle down for the night. Duchess was a little wary of the huge flight of stairs, but she stormed up them like the good little trooper that she is.

Ella has been following Duchess around like a nursemaid. The poor old girl needs to lose quite a bit of weight and grow back her coat. Since she is hypothyroid, she needs to take medicine with each meal. She was so happy to be in the (too) long grass that she tried prancing around like a puppy.

Maggie doesn't mind either Blackie or Duchess. She pretty much ignores them.

Robbie barked at Blackie quite a bit. At first, it was a “you are a stranger and you don’t belong here” bark. After we all started playing ball and tug, though, it became a “play with me” bark. Robbie tends to be insecure around strange male dogs, so Blackie was crated while I am at work today. He showed this behavior to Buster, too, so Robbie and I are going to start a little more comprehensive training program to help ease his fears.

Bear is scared of Blackie, though it isn't Blackie’s fault. Since Bear can not see very well, Blackie looks like a moving shadow to Bear – much like my oldest cat (who cuffs Bear whenever he gets a chance). With time, Bear will start to recognize him.

Blackie also needs to be crated because he urine marks – inside. Saying his name distracts him enough to stop, but he spends a large amount of time sniffing and lifting a leg. Hopefully, with time and training, he will discontinue doing this inside. Bear did the same thing when I first rescued him, so I know that time, patience and consistency will help a lot.

Foster Dogs 5A & 5B

Today I am traveling to Kennebunk to pick up Blackie and Duchess. Blackie is an 8 year old poodle mix and Duchess is a 10 year old bi-blue sheltie. They are a bonded pair and have been in the shelter for awhile. Since they are bonded, they will need to be adopted out together.