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.

The Great Doggie Daycare Search: Part 1

An emotional event in any proud parents life, the first day of daycare. Will the others like her? Will the teachers watch over her and make sure she’s safe? Will she miss me and wonder where I am? Will she want to come home at the end of the day? My little angel is off to daycare. OK, wait. Before I get to that, let’s talk about the whole daycare decision.

Chili had way too much energy to leave her at home in her crate all day so I was taking her to work. However,she was way too young and energetic to be a ‘lay on a bed and hang out all day at work dog’. There were too many distractions and she wanted to be a part of everything that was going on. The solution, doggie daycare. You may remember that the first trainer we saw said that Chili was not the kind of dog you send to daycare. Hmmm, we’ll see about that.

There are a lot of daycares out there. The first round of eliminations comes out of a few questions:

1. Do we want to send our dog to an outdoor facility or an indoor facility? We decided that we wanted Chili to be spending her days outdoors. Be a dog. She’s such a playful girl with lots of energy and we could just picture her having tons of fun out in the dirt, rain, and occasional snow.
2. How far out of your way are you willing to travel to drop your dog off at daycare? We both left for work pretty early so we needed something close. Some daycares will pick up your dog at your house, but what if the pick up was after you left for work. We didn’t want to give anyone a key to the house, or leave Chili in the garage, or tie her outside until her ride showed up. Hopefully we could find a place that wasn’t too far out of the way.
3. Do you want a place that also does boarding? We definitely wanted a place that does boarding as well. When we go away, we wanted Chili to be familiar and happy about where she was staying. It was also important that we have a relationship with the people that will be taking care of her.

I did some research and we decided to check out 3 different places. The first was a professional facility, although the owners home is on the property, it’s separate from the business. The second was still professional but centered around the couples home, and the third was an at-home daycare facility.

I’ll be honest, I was nervous about leaving Chili with strangers. I was still getting to know her and working on her obedience and I was afraid she wouldn’t be accepted. I was afraid that as soon as we got to the daycares, that she would start lunging at the other dogs and we’d be left with no options.

I called the first place and spoke to a girl named Angie. She said that the first step would be to bring Chili for an ‘interview’ to see how she acts with the other dogs and for us to see if we like the facility and to ask any questions we may have. The day finally came for her interview. When we got there I had to sit for a minute to calm down. I was so nervous. The place had a farm feel with lots of trees but you couldn’t see the dogs. We entered kind of a holding area and rang the buzzer. Angie came down to greet us. She brought us up and around a corner into a building that had another holding area. Chili and I stayed on one side of the gate while 3 other dogs were roaming free inside. Angie had brought 3 well mannered dogs in as test dogs for Chili. The first step was to see how Chili would act on the other side of the gate. This is where I was nervous that she would act up but true to Chili form, she surprised me. She took one look at the other dogs, put her tail between her legs, and hid behind me. I was shocked. Where did this come from? No lunging, no acting up, no crazy, just unsure. I stepped out the way and Angie asked me to remove the lead. Chili stayed calm so it was time to go into the bigger area with the 3 dogs. She was still unsure and tried to hide behind me as the dogs came up to sniff her. I looked to Angie for guidance and she was calm and comfortable with everything that was happening so it relaxed me. I was surprised and happy for Chili. She was doing great. In the field area there must’ve been at least 30 dogs. Some were staring at us with their tails wagging, others were lying in the shade, and others were playing in the kiddie pools. I liked what I saw and more importantly the girls who worked there had a very relaxed and positive vibe. Angie told me that to her it looked like Chili would do fine and she gave me some paper work to fill out if I decided to use their services.

So Chili and I left, although Chili didn’t seem to want to go, and I was excited to tell my husband how Chili passed the interview and did great. Although I liked the place, I still wanted to check out the other facilities. It seemed like a good place but would she really get along well? The future would tell.

The Pinch

You know, it’s interesting, the different points of view on training. What’s right, what’s wrong? If you were to compile it all, I’d bet that most methods would shake out on the same level. The only thing that all camps would probably agree to is that you don’t abuse your dog. Who wouldn’t agree to that? But there’s a debate right there, some would consider almost any kind of correction, or a side hold as abuse. So, what am I getting at? It’s confusing. Most of us are just trying to do our best and work through the challenges we have with our dogs. All dogs are NOT the same. What works for one doesn’t necessarily work for another.

As I worked with Chili at Carol’s house she (Chili that is) was improving but she didn’t always listen. Carol had suggested that I use a pinch/prong collar on her. I didn’t agree right away because that’s mean, isn’t it? There it is. Another belief hurdle to overcome. Is a pinch collar abusive? I had to really consider this since it was vital for me to overcome the challenges we were having. In order to make the decision, I had to know more about the pinch collar. Carol explained how it’s used. It’s supposed to be worn high on the neck and snug. It shouldn’t spin when you make a correction, but it shouldn’t be choking either. When you make a correction, it should be quick and firm to get the dogs attention, just like any other leash correction. She showed me how it felt on my arm. Now, if I keep doing what I’m doing, I’m going to keep getting what I’m getting. I’ll try the pinch collar.

As I think back now, I’m glad that I tried it. I firmly believe that there is a collar for every dog. The challenge is to have the guts to try, give a fair evaluation, and make a final decision on whether or not it works for your particular dog. The process isn’t easy and can be defeating at times. The choke was successful most times, when there wasn’t an overwhelming distraction of an oncoming dog. At that time, Chili was still lunging at pretty much every oncoming dog. Even with the pinch on. She just didn’t seem to care. When you start a correction, you’re not supposed to give up until your dog does what you ask. Otherwise, you reinforce that behaviour. My first altercation with another dog owner, that I still feel absolutely sick about, was in regards to this.

We were in the park, and a lady was walking towards us with her dog off leash. I veered off to the side to put some distance between us. Chili would not avert her stare, no matter how hard I corrected her. These moments happen quickly but feel like forever. I was frustrated and kept correcting her using even harder tugs. She just wouldn’t stop. Why? She’s wearing a pinch collar, why isn’t she stopping? The woman quite pointedly told me that I was being harsh with my dog. I shot back that she didn’t know anything about me or my dog. I wanted to cry. Afterwards I was thinking how easy it must be for some people to judge those of us who don’t have easy dogs. Looking down on us because our dogs are misbehaving and never once considering that there might be a whole other story behind what they see. They don’t see how much time, effort, and money has been spent working with the dog, how much the dog and owner have improved, and how their ignorance can cause a setback.

You may be wondering why I would even tell that story. Well, it was a lesson learned. I still feel the pain of the moment and I feel shame. I love my dog and that moment was an example of frustration on my part and not knowing how to handle the situation. Not knowing the next step of what to do if she didn’t respond to the correction. Not being experienced enough to ‘switch gears’ as the moment demanded. Even at the time, it didn’t feel good, but I thought that I had to follow through or I would be reinforcing the bad behaviour. Imagine if I had let this defeat me. Imagine if after that moment, I had decided that it was all too much? That, would have been the ultimate let down to Chili. I’m telling this so you will see that you’re not the only who makes mistakes, and to tell you to not let it beat you. I can gladly say that there haven’t been many of these moments but you have to pick yourself up and learn the lesson that’s in front of you. Although I didn’t stop using the pinch collar that day, since I believed that the failure was all mine, I did stop using it later. After evaluating with a more experienced eye, I realized that although it helped in her general obedience, when it came to oncoming dogs, the correction on the pinch seemed to make her worse. Ultimately, this was not the right tool for her. It does work wonders for other dogs, but not Chili. All dogs are not created equal.

Remember, some things will take one session to overcome, other things, will take years. Never give up.

Tug-Of-War

Do you play tug-of-war with your dog? I do. If you’ve read some of my earlier posts, you’ll remember that our first trainer recommended against playing tug-of-war. Since then, I’ve read and seen that a lot of other trainers don’t recommend it either. The thought is that as the dog grows and becomes stronger, you will lose the game and in turn, lose your leader position. Suddenly, your dog is looking down on you. OK, I can see how this can happen, considering how big and strong some dogs grow. However, what if I want to play tug-of-war? What then?

I like options. I would prefer to be told, “If you want to (fill this in with whatever you want to do), then you’re going to have to (fill this in with a description of the hard work), and if you’re not prepared to do that, then forget it.” Take this seriously. If you really aren’t prepared to do the work, then don’t fail the dog by giving half effort. In the end, it’s the dog that pays. I do acknowledge that there are things that don’t have an option. Where there is only one route. I can live with that, as long as I’m told why.

Remember, I have a VERY strong Boxweiler (Rottweiler/Boxer cross) who has no problem taking over and being pushy. She certainly has the power behind her to do it at any time, but she doesn’t, anymore. Well, most times. It’s a never ending process. I’ve invested a lot of time, hard work, and tears to get this dog to respect me. I don’t want to do anything to lose what I’ve gained, at least not intentionally. A large part of our success came from marrying the obedience training and play. Of course, it’s all tied together. Isn’t it? You can’t have one without the other.

I was very lucky to be taught how to play with Chili in the right way, before I even realized there was a wrong way. If you don’t understand what I mean, then you must have a naturally submissive dog. I was taught to not give up my leader position. Besides, like I said, I’ve worked my ass off to get it and I’m not letting some punk Boxweiler take it away, even if she throws her cutest at me. When we play tug-of-war, I do let her win sometimes. What fun would it be for her if she didn’t? Then, I win. Then to add some obedience in the mix, I stop the game in mid play. As she tugs, I tell her to ‘stop’ and then ‘out’ or ‘drop it’. Once she lets go of the item, I tell her to ‘sit’, then I usually walk backwards from her and say ‘ready’, then I throw the item to her and we start playing again. I like that she is able to give up the tug item in mid play and acknowledge that I have control. I love watching her when she’s really into the game, it’s like a wave goes down her back as she puts her whole body into it. I can’t help but laugh. Although when she’s really into it, if she wasn’t trained to let go, I wouldn’t win.

None of the successes we’ve had have come easy. It’s probably the hardest and most mentally challenging work I’ve ever done. You can’t ask the dog why it’s doing something or why it won’t do something. You just have to figure it out and try, try, try. Sometimes the answer comes in the very first technique you try and other times it comes in the tenth technique. Have patience, it will come, but never give up.

Let's Play Ball

There has to be balance in training. An hour can be a long time for a dog (and not just the dog) to have to be focused, so Chili would get a play break about every 10 minutes. It didn’t take long for us to see that she didn’t really know how to play. You may wonder how I didn’t notice this before. Didn’t I play with her? Well, our previous dog, Ruby, didn’t play. I believe she thought she was above it. She would only fetch sticks that met her strict criteria for size and shape, and she would only fetch them if they were thrown into the water. She wouldn’t quite fetch them as chew on them and maybe bring them back to you, if you were lucky. So, I wasn’t used to playing with a dog. Chili had some toys that she chewed on but she didn’t really play with us.

I quickly learned that play is another opportunity to become a team with your dog and show them that you can be fun too. In the beginning, when we would throw a ball for her she would just stand there and kind of watch it roll away. We had to draw her into the game and get her excited by being animated and pushing on her and bumping into her while getting her attention on the ball. At first she didn’t know what was happening, then she started to catch on and it became fun. Even though we were playing, we were also training. With Chili, this is important because when she sees an opening to get her own way and be the boss, she takes it. Kind of like her mom.

So, playtime was also training time. In the beginning, we had a hard time getting her to give up the ball. She’s very headstrong so when she had it, she didn’t want to let go. To get her to let go, I would fold her top lip under her teeth, and tell her to either ‘drop it’ or ‘out’. (This is meant to be uncomfortable, not painful. She had to know that when I said ‘drop it’ or ‘out’ that she has to listen, no matter what’s in her mouth.) Then when I throw the ball sometimes I let her just go after it, and other times I throw it and make her stay until I say ‘ok’. This helps her practice self control. Just because something moves, it doesn't mean she has to chase it. We’re at the point now where if she gets a little overexcited, I just give her a simple voice command or a look and she's back in line. The bunnies that hang out in the yard really appreciate this. When she gets 'the look' it’s funny to watch her and hard for me to keep a straight face because when she looks back at me you can see the wheels turning in her head as she realizes that she not getting her own way.

We all have fun when we play and she’s such a goofball to watch. No matter how many times she does the same stupid thing, I can’t help but laugh. She especially loves playing with the soccer balls. As soon as we go near them, she does a few leaps like she’s some kind of gazelle. Then she grabs a ball, runs over to you and just throws it at you and looks from the ball to you to the ball, until you kick it. She’s great at blocking kicks and if one gets by her, she’ll usually jump around and snatch it out of the air. You can see the focus on her face and how she’s anticipating your moves. She’s so fast and ends up with a soccer ball off the side of the head sometimes but she doesn’t care. She’s a happy girl and as far as she’s concerned, it’s all good.