Destination Obedience Class

Like us, dogs have their good days and their bad. They go through periods where they’re extra active, or just plain bratty. It was a ‘just plain bratty’ period, lasting a whole week, that made me decide to take Michele’s advice and sign us up for some dog training classes. How many times can one dog give you the finger to your face before you decide it’s time for change. I figured the additional structure was just what we needed. When I called Michele, her response was, “What took you so long?” I knew we would go at some time, I just needed to find the right time. So that was it, we would be starting in the next adult obedience classes.

For the few weeks before classes started I kept telling Chili we were going back to school, it would be different this time, and she was going to be a very good girl. I wanted to set us up for success. I believe in the power of positive energy and thoughts, and how it can shape and influence a situation. It doesn’t work all the time though. Sometimes there are just things or people out there with a different agenda and a greater influence that steer things in a different direction. In the meantime, in my little world, I was doing my part to positively influence our first class. The nice side effect of doing this is that you change the way you do things to help achieve the desired result. I was being much more disciplined with Chili and she was being much more obedient.

As luck would have it, on the night of our first class there had been a few accidents on the road and the usual half hour commute home took an hour and 45 minutes. That left me rushing around the house with just a half hour to feed Chili, get a quick bite for myself, change, grab some treats for class, and fly out the door. As you can imagine, I’m nowhere near calm, and you know that Chili was feeling my anxious energy. I started doing some deep breathing in the truck as we drove to class and told Chili again that we were heading to class and she was going to be a very good girl. Next thing I know, out of the corner of my eye, I see a big paw come down beside me as she attempts to push her way into the front seat. I take another deep breath and calmly tell her to ‘back’. Amazingly enough she listened and settled herself into the back seat.

As we pulled up in front of Connective Training, there were 2 big dogs making their way into the yard. This could set the tone for the whole class. Usually, when Chili is in the truck and sees a dog, she barks and lunges at the windows like a crazed beast. This time, all she did was make a little whimper, I told her to ‘leave it’ and that was it. I did our usual unloading ritual out of the truck. This means that she has to maintain a sit while I open the back hatch and put the lead on her, and then she jumps out when I give the command. We walk into the yard where there are a few other dogs waiting as another class was just ending. Things were going well. Chili stayed calm as the other dogs walked by us out of their class and then we entered.

As soon as we enter the facility, Chili starts getting rambunctious. I’m not surprised; there are a lot of smells from other dogs, people, and treats. She’s likely also anticipating that something is about to happen, which it was. Although I’m certain she was hoping for playtime instead of work time. So this was it, the beginning of being back in class.

The Freedom Tool

Michele and I met at the park again. Holy hell was I nervous. This would be our first E-collar experience. Michele put the collar on Chili. I walked her and she held the collar remote. She wanted to make sure that I was very clear on how to use the collar before she handed the remote to me. The idea was to snap Chili out of her trance before she got to that hind brain state where she started to lunge. It wasn’t about making her screech, it was about breaking her train of thought. That thought being, she must lunge at the oncoming dog. It was working. As Chili would start to tense up, and stare at a dog, Michele would hit the remote and it would break Chili’s concentration. We would tell her to ‘leave it’ at the same time, then ask her to ‘look ’ at me, to redirect her stare. We were making a connection between the collar and the command.

One of the things that I really noticed was the absence of a dramatic incident. In the past when Chili would lunge, it was very stressful. She would be lunging, I would be telling her ‘No’, and giving her corrections on the choke collar, or the pinch collar. She could care less about the corrections so it would prolong the show. It wasn’t pleasant for anyone. I guess the question here would be what is worse, the couple of minutes of struggle, or the zap that takes a second?

Once the connection was made, and after many outings, I started letting Chili off leash more and more. If she didn’t ‘come’ on command, I would use the E-Collar to remind her that she must obey. I would never have thought that she would be free of the leash, but there she was, running and playing and coming when called. I don’t know if this would have been possible without the E-Collar. Thank you Michele.

You might be aksing, “Why does Chili have to come right away when called?” Am I that controlling? The answer to that depends on who you ask, but in this case the answer is safety, of course. Chili thinks she knows what’s best. She is very stubborn and when she gets an idea in her head, it’s difficult to change. This resulted in her being on leash most times and not experiencing life to its fullest. For example, if Chili saw something of interest on the other side of the road, she would just go. Luckily, I always had her on leash. Now, after training with the E-Collar, if she starts to go, I only need to use a voice command to get her back. Another example; Chili loves people. She thinks that everyone loves her, and they want her to run up to them and give them tons of kisses. She doesn’t understand that although she’s a Boxweiler, she looks very much like a Rottweiler and there is a stigma out the there that Rotti’s are mean. So, when she runs up to say hello, it scares people. Not all, but some. After all, some people gather up their children and their dogs, give us a dirty look, and veer away from us when we’re walking. Oh yes, and this is when she’s on leash and just walking along with a happy face. I need to protect Chili from these people creating an incident out of nothing. So, thanks to the E-Collar, I can walk with her off leash, and when I see people coming towards us, I just tell her to come, and she walks off leash at my side and doesn’t go near the other people.

I take my responsibility for Chili very seriously. Everything I do is with her best interest at heart. I’ve learned that there is no easy way, no magical wand, and no fairytale that will make her that perfect storybook dog. We’ve had to work hard for our successes and that makes them sweeter.

The Controversial Collar

While on one of our pack walks, Michele asked me if I ever considered trying an E-Collar on Chili. My immediate reaction was, “NO!” I mean, really?? Isn’t that cruel? I’ve learned through my experiences with Chili that I have to step outside of my comfort zone sometimes. So far, I liked Michele’s style and she is an experienced trainer, so she must have a reason for suggesting this tool. For me though, on this day, that was the end of the discussion. No.

On the next walk, she asked if I’d thought about her suggestion of testing out the E-Collar. I had thought about it. Thought that it was not for me. Why was I so anti-E-Collar? Was it because of my experience? No, I didn’t have any experience at all with this collar. It was because I had already made up my mind without having any facts. The only fact I had was that it would give my dog an electric jolt and that was cruel. Only cruel people use them. Now, if I wanted to be true to that line of thinking, I was already a cruel person. I had used a choke collar on my dog. That “chokes” the dog. Isn’t that cruel? I had used a pinch collar. The pinch, pinches points around the dogs neck when you give it a correction and can do some damage if the prongs are digging into the wrong spot. Isn’t that cruel? I had made up a story in my head about the E-Collar, and people who use it, that wasn’t based on anything. I was doing to them exactly what people do to me and Chili. I think I need to find out some facts first before I make another judgement. Besides, as we all know, you don’t need a tool to be cruel.

So, why did Michele recommend the E-Collar? From her own experience, the E-Collar was the tool that allowed her to give her dogs a better quality of life. Freedom. Better yet, freedom with safety. The E-Collar gave her the power to keep them out of their hind brain and teach them a new reality. To come to her when they feel afraid and stand by her side. She would protect them. They didn’t need to take on that burden any longer.

When it gets to the point where a dog will harm themselves or their owner with their fight or flight instinct, or, when an owner has tried everything else and their lives are being ruled by anxiety because of their dog’s actions. Or, when you dread the walk and you have to build yourself up for it. It’s time for the next step. Although Chili is a great dog, and I never had a worry that she would bite, she would still lunge and make poor decisions for herself because she is so headstrong. She’s a dog, and doesn’t understand that my commands are protecting her and she must listen. Nothing I had tried so far, was working on these issues. This caused me anxiety and kept her from having freedom. Neither one of us deserved that.

Like any other tool, the E-Collar isn’t for every dog. Out of the approximately 4500 dogs that Michele has trained, she’s recommended its use for about 20. As with every other tool, you should get a professional to give you training with it BEFORE you use it. Every tool has the potential for harm if not used wisely.

It was time. After much consideration, I asked Michele if she would show me how to use the E-Collar.

The Pack Walk

After the home visit with Michele from Connective Training I was really looking forward to joining her for a pack walk. I knew it would be good for Chili and I was eager to learn some new techniques. We met at one of the local parks, me with Chili, and Michele with her pack. I will admit that I was somewhat overwhelmed and a little intimidated. After all, she is a trainer, and her dogs were all running off leash, and there I was holding on tightly to Chili trying to show that I had some type of control, which I did. I had worked hard to gain a solid foundation in her training and now it was time to learn something new. Although we’d already come a long way, the one thing that I couldn’t seem to work out was her lunging at other dogs while on leash.

I felt bad for Chili, having to watch the other dogs run free while she had to be walked on her leash. She had pretty good recall but I couldn’t always guarantee that she would come when called if there was something that really interested her. There was also her generally poor greeting style to consider. The pack was well behaved and I was impressed by the control Michele had while at the same time allowing them their freedom to be dogs. Chili didn’t do too badly either. She did lunge some but I think she was also taking in this new situation of being with a pack of dogs, and having someone practice different techniques with her. Michele has a very calming way of coaching you and the dogs and it works. That doesn’t mean she can be pushed around. She stands her ground without being angry, and I respect that.

As we walked and talked it was very clear that not only was Chili going to benefit from gaining a great trainer, I would also benefit by gaining a great friend. She suggested that we enrol in one of her classes. Although we already knew most of the commands she teaches, we both thought it might be good for Chili to work around other dogs. Also, it never hurts to do some structured training with your dog. It builds teamwork and strengthens their obedience.

This was the first of many pack walks. Chili absolutely loves them. Guess what! She doesn’t even try to be the leader. She quickly slides into the pack as if she’d been there forever. She is completely in her element running and playing and taking her place. She’s happy to just be a follower and do as she’s told. I was surprised myself, but there she was, being put in her place by a little dog that weighs about as much as her dinner. Who knew?

Yes, eventually Chili did get her freedom and was allowed to run free with the pack, but it didn’t come easy. It came after a lot of agonizing on my part. There I was, again, being challenged to move outside of my box and my beliefs to consider a new training tool to help give Chili her freedom. It never ends, the challenges I mean.

Albert Einstein once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” It was time for change, and working with Michele was the start. After all, I owed it to Chili not to live the definition.

Volunteering at a Rescue

I’ve had the pleasure of volunteering at Angels Under our Wings Cocker Spaniel Rescue for the past few weeks. My friend Michele from Connective Training told me that Lisa from Angels could use some help and since I wasn’t working, and she knew that I’d been considering doing some volunteering with dogs, she thought it would be a great opportunity for me. So, I called Lisa and before I knew it I was helping out 4 days a week teaching the dogs how to walk, sit, stay, and just playing with them and giving them lots of love. I quickly became engrossed in the dogs lives. I couldn’t stop coming up with plans and ideas of how to help them become easier to adopt. What a feeling to know that the work you’re doing is going to benefit a little life. I loved it. Now that I’m back to work, I’m hoping that I can find the time to continue helping out.

These dogs are so special. They weren’t born into a gifted life. Somehow they survived and were rescued from death row. They are the chosen ones. They got that second chance that so many others miss out on. They get to live, while the others....don’t. It’s a stressful time but once they reach the rescue, they finally start to know what a dog’s life is all about when they are loved and cared for and taught how to live with people. Some might look at these rescues and blame them for the ones who were lost, but they should be thankful for the ones that were saved. This isn’t a simple or easy process. I applaud the people who run rescues, their volunteers, and the foster parents who take care of the dogs and have them living with them while they are waiting for their forever homes.

Alex

I’ve had this dream that one day I could have a rescue for senior and special needs animals. I won’t say that the dream was completely unrealistic in its picture but I will say that I certainly had my eyes opened by working at the Cocker Rescue. The dedication, time and money it takes to run a rescue is immense. The shear responsibility of deciding if a home is the right one for each individual dog is overwhelming to me. Are you being too strict and depriving them of a home, or did you make the right choice by setting them off into the world with their new family? I think this would give me nightmares.

Ashley

One of the benefits for me was that volunteering almost became training for the trainer for me. Not that I’m a dog trainer but I became even better with Chili. How do I explain this? Since I had to be ‘on’ at all times with the Cockers, it made it even more natural to be ‘on’ with my own dog. You’re probably thinking that after 2 ½ years with Chili, I would already be a natural. As you know, it’s tough to be ‘on’ 24/7 with your own dog. However, this experience somehow made me appreciate my own dog even more. She’s a rescue too and a very special girl to me. Rescues aren’t always easy, they challenge you and force you to work harder. It’s the most worthwhile experience you will ever have, as long as you do it right. The bond you develop when you have to go beyond your average ‘new dog’ experience is like no other. If you’re looking for one of the most rewarding experiences of your life, adopt a rescue. 

Jemma

For those of you in the Victoria BC area, I recommend checking out  Angels Under Our Wings Cocker Spaniel Rescue, and Victoria Adoptables. Two amazing rescue organizations.

By the way, at this time, Alex, Ashley, and Jemma are waiting for their forever homes.



And the Doggie Gods Smile Again

Working with the right trainer really does make an incredibly huge difference in your life. I’ve personally seen both sides now. I chose the wrong trainer in the beginning but was smiled upon by the doggie gods when my friend Carol offered to help us out. Now that I had taken the plunge and decided to try another trainer, the questions was, ‘would they smile upon me again’?

So, there I was, waiting for Michele from Connective Training to arrive. Now that I had calmed myself down, I was hopeful about the visit. This was going to work out. When I heard her pull up I prepared to keep Chili from jumping all over her. Chili was persistent and greeted Michele in her usual Chili way. Paws, body checks, and tongue. Isn’t that a proper greeting? Just what everyone wants, a bossy little girl throwing her weight around and slobbering all over you. Welcome to our home! I apologized to Michele and acknowledged that this was on the ‘to do’ list for training. What was interesting was that Michele kept Chili back by walking into her and using her body to take away Chili’s space. She handled the situation without being rude or making me feel like I’d done something wrong. This was a great start.

We chatted about Chili for a bit then took her for a short walk. At one point Chili was being her bratty little self and not paying attention so Michele gave her a ‘touch’ correction. Chili ignored her. I told her that Chili is a very strong girl, both mentally and physically, and doesn’t really respond to touch corrections, or choke chains, or pinch collars. It depends on her mood. So Michele shifted her strategy. That’s what I like, a trainer who doesn’t play by just one set of rules. She started using her own body to get Chili’s attention by walking into her, bumping her, and blocking her. Basically she was acting like Chili, but without the slobber. Chili responded.

Back at the house we reviewed the visit so far. We didn’t just talk about Chili, but we also talked about me. What was my state of mind? What was I thinking when Chili and I were out walking and I saw another dog approaching? How did I feel about where Chili and I have gotten so far, and where we wanted to be? She recommended that I come to one of her classes and just observe. She also invited me to take Chili for a pack walk with her and her dogs. Wow, looks like the doggie gods were smiling on me again.

As we were talking, Chili took it upon herself to lay on the couch. I told Michele that I had been trying for a while to keep her off the couch with no luck. I would be firm and tell her ‘off’, nothing, and then I would grab her collar and drag her off the couch. Chili loved this game and would just jump right back on the couch. Michele’s remedy, ‘sit on her’. Sit on her? She then proceeded to sit on Chili until she moved off the couch. Chili’s whole body language changed. She didn’t like this game. Michele said to just put enough weight on her to make her uncomfortable. Over the next week I only had to sit on Chili 3 times then she gave up trying to get on the couch altogether.

It was as if I had spent a couple of hours with a friend. Another friend who was knowledgeable about dogs. I would definitely be calling her soon to join her for a pack walk, and maybe even a coffee.

Time to Test another Trainer

There comes a time in every training regime where you need to look at other options. We’d come a VERY long way from the wild, untamed beast that we started with and through consistent training she was slowly getting to be easier to live with. A lot easier actually. We had some setbacks but it’s hard to be ‘on’ every moment of every day. Sometimes you just want to enjoy your dog and the stupid moments that come with them. A couple of things were still challenging us and we weren’t getting further ahead. One, was her lunging at other dogs when she was on leash. I consider this to be coupled with her poor greetings as well. I knew in my heart that some day we would find the solution to this problem. The other was her tendency to just bolt when she saw a rabbit or squirrel or anything she considers prey. She would try this in the house too if she saw something through the window. The blinds have one too many nail scratches in them now from her trying to get through them. My biggest concern from both was her safety. It was time to try another trainer.

I don’t take this decision lightly, and I’m not really that happy about it. We’ve already had a bad experience with a trainer and I will not have that repeated. I needed to choose wisely. OK, who do I choose? Wow, there are a lot of trainers. Were they handing out dog training businesses at the ferries one day or what? I can’t believe I’m doing this again. I started by checking out some websites and seeing who I vibe with. After about 2 weeks of looking I kept going back to the same one, Connective Training. There just seemed to be something about her philosophy that was a little different from the rest. I needed different, so I called and left a message. Actually, I hung up the first time, then thought about my decision again, then called and left a message.

Michele, the owner of Connective Training, called me back. She sounded good on the phone. Seemed to listen, didn’t sound condescending like she knew it all, and kind of sounded like she wanted to help. Hmmm. At this point I’m still suspicious but felt good enough about the conversation to set up a home visit. Now, between the time I hung up and the time that she actually came to our house for the home visit, I had concocted a number of scenarios in my head to make sure that she wouldn’t screw us and take our money. I was going to be prepared this time. It’s going to be my way. This time, I’m going with my gut.

Time seemed to pass sooo slowly as I waited for her arrival. You have to understand how important this visit was for me. I didn’t have the money to waste. I didn’t have the time to waste. I didn’t have the patience to listen to any bullshit about my dog. I needed someone who would take the time to understand Chili and give me the tools we needed. It’s my responsibility to ensure that Chili gets the best training possible to live a balanced and healthy life. I can’t make the same mistake twice. I have to get this right.

Trust yourself, is all I can say. I felt confident enough to set up this appointment and have her come to our home. I went with my gut. This did feel good. Wait, am I just hoping this will work out or do I really feel this will work out. I think I do feel this will work out. That’s why she’s coming. So throw away all the negative scenarios, take a deep breath, and start visualizing how great this is going to be. Yes, I’m actually getting nervous excited at the possibilities.

A Very Special Visit

Do you believe in ghosts? Or more to the point, do you believe that our animals can come back to give us a message or say hello? I do. Of course, things are how we interpret them and sometimes we want to believe so badly that we grasp at any little thing to confirm our desires. Or, we know what we saw or felt beyond a shadow of a doubt and those around us dismiss our story so we lose the pleasure of the experience. Sometimes we just have to sit back and enjoy the moment, forget what anyone else says and have the strength to believe. 

If you’ve read any of the previous blogs, or my bio, you would have read about our dog Ruby who we had lost to cancer. She was a beautiful girl and we still miss her. When she died, we had her cremated. We put her ashes, blanket, collar, and dish in my husbands closet on a shelf that is about 3 ½ feet high. We thought that one day we would spread her ashes in the ocean, where she loved to just swim and swim, but we never could let her go completely. It’s almost a comforting feeling knowing that she’s there whenever I feel like talking to her.

Chili had been in and out of that closet numerous times sniffing around and exploring. One evening, she was doing her usual, my husband was in bed and I was getting out of the shower. Chili went into the closet and started whimpering. She wouldn’t come out when she was called. This was new. So we went into the closet and there she was, with her front paws up on the shelf, sniffing at Ruby’s blanket. She would whimper, then look at us, then sniff the blanket and whimper again. This was very unlike Chili. She was more the kind of girl who would just grab the blanket off the shelf, drag it around, and chew a hole into it. We had to take her paws off the shelf and take her out of the closet. A few minutes later, she was doing it again. Not very Chililike.

What exactly happened there? It could be explained that Chili just noticed the blanket for the first time. But why did she whimper and not do the usual Chili destructive thing? It was as if she knew that she shouldn’t touch Ruby’s stuff. I like to believe that Ruby visited Chili that day. Just to check in with her. Maybe tell her to give us a break. That we’ll always be there for her and she’ll never have to worry about anything again. We’ll never really know for sure. The whole thing was so out of character for Chili that there had to be more to it.

We ended up moving Ruby’s ashes and her things to a higher shelf. We didn’t want anything accidentally spilling in case Chili did decide to grab something. That would be an awkward position. How do you get ashes off the carpet without vacuuming them up? Seems like a very undignified thing to do to Ruby. That was the first and so far the last time that Chili went near Ruby’s stuff. Reflecting back on that day makes me smile. I like knowing that Ruby comes around now and again.

So.....do you believe?

Time to Reflect

I think it’s time to reflect on where we were and how far we had come. It did seem that we would never progress beyond full-time crazy, but there we were, only part-time crazy. That’s progress. We were walking in a somewhat civilized manner, she was responding better to verbal commands, I actually found time to breathe, and daycare was working out great. We did still have a couple of problems. First, was her high prey drive which caused her to go nuts and launch herself at the windows when she saw a squirrel or rabbit in the yard or even when we were just out, and second were her lunging and overall poor manners when greeting other dogs. These were problems that just didn’t seem to want to go away. Now and again they would start to improve, only to reappear as if they just went on vacation or something.

I must admit that I was confused. Chili loves other dogs. At daycare she plays and plays and plays. She’s popular, doesn’t discriminate as she plays with any dog that will play with her, and has a ton of fun. When we’re at the dog park and she has been properly greeted to another dog, again she just plays and plays. However, walk her down the street, and she lunges at every oncoming dog. What the...??? I don’t get it. Yes, I do admit that since this had been an ongoing problem that I would tense up when I saw another dog. It was hard not to. I had control but it wasn’t pretty and most other dog owners wouldn’t make it easier. Most would look at us as if I was allowing, or fostering the behaviour. Sometimes I felt like not even leaving the house for a walk but what would that accomplish? Nothing. The only way to progress was to go out into the world and try everything I could to make things work out.

Then there was the high prey drive. We could be casually doing anything and having a calm and wonderful time when suddenly she’d just bolt and try dragging me behind her. Even though she thought she had the element of surprise, she was wrong. I’d say that most times, I was prepared. I knew that she had the tendency to just fly at a moment’s notice so I guess I was never really at ease. The bolting was hard on my body. Something in me would always have the strength to hold onto the lead and not let go, no matter what. I think it’s just an instinct because I knew that as long as I held on, she couldn’t get into too much trouble, even though it was hard on me.

Now, her greetings with other dogs were the equivalent of a human saying hello by running up to someone and body checking them. She would run full-on up to the dogs face and then stop short, or body check them from the side. Not a greeting that was typically appreciated by the other dogs. To avoid this I would facilitate the greeting with the first dog. I would keep her on leash and let the other dog approach us. Then guide her to not get nose to nose but to sniff bums. Then I would just watch and assess the situation. If everything seemed OK, I would let them play. After the first dog greeting, usually the rest of them went fine. It was like she needed the first greeting as an ice breaker.

So that’s where we were. I would estimate that at this point we had her for over a year. Even though there were still issues, we had taken great leaps forward. Patience was key and when it comes to Chili, I have a lot. She’s a loveable goofball, not so elegant, with a touch of crazy, and when she looks at us with her happy face, we can’t help but melt. It may take an unknown amount of years to go by before we’ve solved the mysteries of Chili but I’ll wait. She’s worth it.

Training at the Dog Park

If you really want to see how far you’re coming along with your training, you need to get out of your nice safe training place and see how you fare against real life. We chose the dog park. Your dog may be an angel at your usual training spot but once you get them to a high distraction area (one that has dogs playing, balls rolling, water splashing, and bunnies hopping) you really don’t know just how trained they are. Will she remember anything, or just be so focused on everything else going on around her that it feels like we’re back at step one? I don’t know if I could take that. Reverting back to the beginning. On second thought, I know I can't take it.

We would bring her long line so we could throw the ball for her a short distance and give her a bit of freedom. There were usually dogs around the field but we were able to keep her attention most of the time. In the beginning, she did make a couple of escape attempts when she saw other dogs. Have you ever had a nylon leash rush through your hands as you desperately grip it? It doesn’t feel good, at all. Quick lesson. If you’re using a long line and you don’t want to end up with major rope burns, knot your line ever few feet so your hands have something to grip. Oh, and another lesson. Have you ever been told to stand on the dogs leash so they can’t get away? Well, that might work when you have a mini dog or if you have a big dog but you weigh a lot more than they do. However, if you have a strong and fast dog, and you weigh less than double their weight, I wouldn’t recommend it. Yes, I was quickly sent straight to the ground and directly into the mud. Of course people saw it. This type of thing never happens when there’s no audience.

Although there were a few glitches, training at the dog park was a great experience. Chili would constantly surprise me with her obedience. She made some dog friends and they became part of the training as well. We would let her play with her friends for a bit, then do a bit of obedience. She didn't like stopping to train but it wasn't her choice. One of her friends was a Mastiff/Great Dane cross. A beautiful dog with a great personality. Picture this. Chili and I walking side by side as she pranced and looked up at me with her happy face. Then, a big Mastiff/Great Dane cross bounds up to us and starts bouncing around me trying desperately to get a treat. Chili barely flinched. She just kept up her focus the whole time. It was beautiful. This is the best kind of training, real world.

Even though Chili was showing me that she was progressing I still couldn’t let her loose. I just would not let go of the end of that leash or long line. Even when she was playing. Actually, I did try trusting her a couple of times but she ignored me if she was with her friends and I would tell her to come. So there I was, trailing behind her holding onto the leash as she ran around playing. As I think back, I must’ve looked like a complete nut job. Just another crazy dog lady. What was I thinking? I was thinking that I didn’t want to lose her and the only way to prevent that was to be attached. I also knew that she didn’t have the best greeting manners and was afraid that she would end up disrespecting the wrong dog and end up in a fight. I had to protect her. It was and always will be my job. I take my role seriously. Sometimes too seriously and I let my fears take control. All that does is slow down the progress. It’s great to be aware but letting fear rule will get you nowhere. That's a lesson that took me a long time to learn.

The Great Doggie Daycare Search: Part 3

The last daycare sounded very promising on the phone. It was a home daycare and the woman sounded like she knew what she was doing. She talked the talk at least. To top it all off, it was $5 cheaper per day than the other daycares. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “if it sounds too good to be true, then it is?” Right.
We arrived at her home at the predetermined time, or so I thought. She didn’t seem to know why we were there and after a few minutes of discussion she informed us that we were there on the wrong day. Hmmm, Ok, so...... Fortunately we were able to still check it out and not have to come back later. Fortunately???

I was getting a bad feeling about how this was going to turn out and as we entered the backyard my feelings were starting to be confirmed. There were a couple of dogs in the yard and a young girl who was picking up teddy bear stuffing. There was stuffing everywhere. I guess she would sometimes give the dogs cheap teddy bears to play with and this was the aftermath. Isn’t she worried that one or more of the dogs would swallow the stuffing? There was also a small barn in the yard where she would keep dogs that got out of hand. I wasn’t impressed. Since this was a home daycare, I wondered how she spent her day. I asked if she was outside with the dogs all day. She wasn’t. She did have a pop bottle filled with coins that she would come out and shake when the dogs started making noise. That was something (insert sarcasm here). Then there was the great kennel space. Translation, a dark, smelly basement with a bunch of couches.

I struggled to come to terms with how someone would choose to leave their dog at this place. Did the dogs look unhappy? No. At least I don’t think so. Anyway, this was definitely not the place for Chili. We couldn’t get out of there quick enough.

In order to make a final decision we revisited the first daycare again. We both felt that this was the best place for Chili and we were confident that she would be taken care of and that she would have fun. It turned out to be the right decision. The staff at Pet Pampering has been great and Chili loves it. She’s excited to arrive and she’s equally happy to see us at the end of the day when we pick her up. The girls let us know when she’s been bratty and when she’s not feeling her best. They also seem genuine about their love of dogs and I’ve learned even more about Chili from listening to their stories.

Although I’m happy with taking Chili to daycare, as I look back there was one habit that we fell into that wasn’t good. Chili would play all day, then come home and eat, then sleep. She was too tired to spend time with us and we were tired from working all day so were happy that she didn’t need any further exercise. Even though I would train with her, on the off nights I should have been taking her for at least a 20 minute walk to provide consistent daily structure. Daycares certainly do get the job done and fill the need when your dog is too energetic to spend their days at home alone. Just remember that your dog also needs your attention, leadership and structure.

Chili is a very social girl and gets along great at daycare. Not all dogs have the temperament for it. Ask questions and listen to the feedback that the daycare staff is giving you. Your dog may not be a good candidate for daycare. Don’t force your dog to endure something that puts them in a state of anxiety or makes them uneasy just because it’s convenient for you. You may have to consider other options. If you’re having doubts, talk to a professional who is open and can guide you in supporting your dog and finding the best solutions for them while you’re at work. We like working with Michele at Connective Training in Victoria for our training needs. A good trainer can make all the difference in the relationship between you and your dog.

The Great Doggie Daycare Search: Part 2

With a successful beginning to our search I was feeling pretty good about things. Of course there were concerns, but I was going with my gut and I felt that daycare was the right place for Chili. Now it was off to check out the second place. This daycare was located further away than the first one but looked good on first impression. The whole property was the daycare. It was beautiful with lots of trees and space. Again, I could see Chili having a good time there. There were only about 3 dogs on the property when we visited but I believe they had up to a dozen during the days. It was clean and the couple seemed very nice. My biggest concern here was that the dogs weren’t always watched. If the people were on one side of the property, the dogs could be on the other side, doing whatever they pleased. One thing that I know about Chili, she can’t be left to her own devices. That would spell trouble. Also, it wasn’t located in a convenient place for dropping her off in the morning. Again, Chili was pretty good. She seemed more comfortable at the first daycare we visited but she did OK at this one.

Not everyone thinks that doggie daycares are good places. There is definitely a huge element of trust that comes with leaving your dog in someone else’s care, especially when you add a bunch of other dogs to the mix. Some of the questions I was asked by people were:

Do they allow Pit Bulls at the daycares?
Now, I would be lying if I said I had absolutely no reservations about Pit Bulls. At that point I had never known a Pit Bull and there are a lot of people and stories out there to keep you fearful of them. But, I love animals and it just doesn’t seem right that EVERY Pit Bull was bad. They can’t be. The first daycare allowed them, but the second didn’t. I would not let this be a deciding factor.

How is it possible for them to watch so many dogs?
The first daycare had staff and there was always someone out in the field monitoring the dogs, armed with a hose. I like that someone is watching them at all times. Do they see every little thing that every dog does, probably not. Let’s be realistic, at least they are always being monitored. At the second daycare the dogs weren’t monitored at all times. Problems can only be dealt with if you know they’re there, and you have to be watching to know.

Isn’t it inevitable that Chili will get bitten or that she’ll end up in a fight?
Maybe. She could get bitten or get into a fight on a walk or at the dog park. At least in a daycare, the staff knows each of the dogs and learn how to recognize problems before they arise. I won’t be naive and say it never happens, but hopefully it won’t be Chili.

Do you think you should have them keep her on her own?
Then what’s the point of bringing her to daycare? So she can watch the other dogs have fun while she sits alone? I don’t think so.

Maybe she’d be safer if you left her at a kennel?
That would defeat the purpose of having her energy drained. Why pay someone to kennel her when she has a kennel at home. That’s no life for Chili. She’s a very social girl.

No matter what, I get to choose. It’s my decision. So far, I’m leaning towards the first daycare but we still have one more place to see. I think that taking Chili to daycare is going to be great for her. She’ll get to play all day with other dogs and be Chili. She’ll get exposure to other breeds, sizes, ages, and temperaments and will help to get her better socialized. It’ll also be good for me. She hasn’t left my side since we got her and there has to be balance in life. I need time for me as well.

So, what’s next? A visit to the last daycare and then a decision.