When your dog is on leash restriction...

it just so happens that you tend to work on leashed behaviors.  Bailey is on strict leash restriction until further notice (hereafter referred to as "UFN").  She is also on "no stairs" UFN.  This could, potentially translate to "no fun" UFN, if I'm not careful!  She may be Ten and a Half years old, but she sure doesn't act like it, even when she's hurting.

Now, for the not-so-fun-part.  My dog has poor leash manners.  I tend to avoid this topic because I'm not motivated to change it, I manage her when in public and we use(d to) use an x-back harness for walks in not-crowded public places.  And I used an Easy Walk if I was feeling less lazy (the rate of reinforcement needed for the EW is actually pretty low, because I did attempt to train that a couple times in the last few years).  A Gentle Leader was put on if we were going to be in a super crowded place.  

The missing component?  Teaching my dog to walk on a loose leash reliably.  

The reason?  I'm lazy and she got far better exercise running on property at home.

The justification?  I'm lazy (What?  Isn't that what all good trainers say?)

We were REALLY GOOD at walking in town this winter for exercise.  We always went when nobody else was bound to be out, so we rarely had an issue that required her to be on a short leash at my side.  Not irresponsible, but good planning I think!

Anyway, this post isn't to complain (rather... to brag!) because I've actually been training my dog!  Her exercise(s) include 20-30 minutes of Leashed Walking (UFN) twice a day.  How handy is it that I feed twice a day.  How nice is it that she's eating kibbles that are easy to handle.  I'm actually training my dog to do something practical!  We do some sit stays occasionally, but no formal heeling (in fact, I do NOT click/treat if I'm getting eye contact--I want that body to stay as straight as possible), just some casual, loose leash walking.  

Just don't ask about the rate of reinforcement for this whole Loose Leash Walking phenomenon yet, we've only had three sessions!

Bailey has woe.

Hurting Right Quad

Bailey saw Dr. Julia Tomlinson today on the recommendation of many, many friends.  It's taken us a while to get there due to a few reasons but boy am I glad we finally went.  Dr. Julia was wonderfully competent and clearly understood dog behavior.  She took the time to let Bailey get used to the room before even entering herself.  After she entered, we chatted for a couple minutes as Bailey sniffed her and got to know her.  She read our check in sheet and took care when working with Bailey's feet... oh, and she had dehydrated liver for her.  Despite manipulating and poking and prodding Bailey for quite a while, my dog was relaxed, and in turn I was very at ease with the whole thing.

I was most impressed by her ability to find things that I clearly didn't tell her (because she didn't want to cloud her judgement).  Measuring Bailey's right shoulder abduction at 30cm, when left was at 20cm, prompted a question about possible trauma.  She made me recall that Bailey had dislocated her right shoulder as a young dog (we were playing frisbee, she lied down in front of me, I stepped on her foot as I threw and she leaped up to get it... it was NOT pretty and I'm sure quite painful, but it went back in on it's own in a matter of seconds).  I don't think I've even told the vet about it, because it seemed so insignificant.  It went back in, right?  Obviously there was lasting trauma.  She was even able to show me some changes on the x-ray.

I have a list of exercises to work on with Bailey (I lured/shaped a bow today... she doesn't have one apparently, but is learning pretty quickly) and a list of restrictions.  She's still coming to Ohio with me (she HAS to) but she won't get to participate in anything, other than being a massage dog.

My dog has a hurt right quad, and hurts in a lot of other areas due to compensating.

A Sad Happy

I didn't even think about it until tonight, but I've been taking Buzz for off leash walks quite often, with Bailey, with a relatively low rate of reinforcement... for quite a while now.  Not every time, mind you... but I don't think anything of just letting them both out the front door, and expecting them to both stick around with me.

Part of it is probably due to training, but I'm sure an even larger part is that he doesn't want to RUN anymore.

Definitely a sad happy.  He gets more/better exercise this way but it's still a bit sad.

He's been going to the car leash-less for probably a year now.  That is still something I'll have to get used to.  He used to be incredibly naughty and RUN at any chance.

It is what it is.

Retirement.
It's a wonderful word when it pertains to humans and a lousy one when it pertains to dogs.  I feel like I keep running into the same wall with both dogs.  I research, ask around, talk to my vet and we think we solve "the" problem and it comes back again.

Even if I can get either one of them "fixed" I have a feeling I'll be so concerned about them getting hurt again, I still won't compete.

Buzz's acupuncture on Wednesday was... bad.  He started shaking, flinching, and being so tense we were NOT doing anything good.  We discussed a couple options.
1) Aquapuncture-yes, water acupuncture... B12 injected into the acupoint
2) X-ray the really sensitive areas and see what we find (I need to ask if we could then to Adequan injections if those super ouchy areas are joints).
3) Me realizing my dog is 12.  I refuse to accept that statement.

I have a feeling both dogs will need multiple x-rays (there goes the rest of my savings after I paid for TAG teach and school) if I want to get a definitive diagnosis and start a treatment plan.

On the "to do" list outside of things I can have done at work are
1) CERF visits for both
2) Massage appointments (they've been made, I'm just waiting to hear if she found other people to make her trip worthwhile and thus available on that day for us to go see her)

Good news is that Buzz's senior blood work was all normal.  We do need to run a urinalysis at some point (oops, I forgot) and it was suggested we send out a full thyroid panel because his level has changed.

Retirement is imminent.  I just want my dogs to be happy and pain free.

Oh, and retirement does not pertain to Tracking and Hunt Tests.  Buzz will continue to track and do rally.  We'll see what Bailey can do, if she's ever sound again.  She says fetching bumpers in the stinky lake is a great activity, and one she can enjoy for years to come.

Of Hairy Dogs

Or... not so hairy dogs.

I shaved Buzz down a couple months ago.  He haaaaaaates being groomed.

I cut Bailey down to about 2" just before her birthday in January.  I started by doing a "pet cut" with a 7 blade today.  Then I gave her a bath and went a little crazy.  My spaniel is nekkid, except for ears.  I promised her I would never strip her out again and well... I certainly didn't do that.  She looks a little rough around the edges, but we're off to play in the lake and I'm looking forward to the two minute bath afterwards, rather than the 15 minute bath.  She looks a little ugly, but we are both pleased.  I just won't have the courage to take her out in public for a couple months.

There are no photos of this ordeal.  She'll be confined to The Farm and The Lake until it grows out a bit.

House Guest

We have a nine month old house guest until next Monday.  I was skeptical because the last time I had to take him for a walk he was BAD but this was after I'd agreed to watch him while his family went on vacation.

I'm happy to say he's been really, really, good.  Yesterday I let him out before I went to work, picked him up and off we went, with Buzz, to Elizabeth and Beckett's house!  To say we had fun is a huge understatement.  He and Beckett raced around the yard and much to Fritz's dismay, Beckett was much faster.  Hmmm, greyhound vs sporting/herding/hound dog, I wonder who's gonna win?!

Today was a very. good. day. at the Funny Farm.  I have a puppy choosing to sleep near me and relax, after he squeaked a toy to death.  To say he's being good is an understatement.  He even endured a bath and nail trim today without much complaint.  Bailey is zonked out in her crate, Buzz hasn't recovered from yesterday yet, and I have a feeling I'll actually get a good night's sleep.  I'm excited and not exhausted!

Not a complete bust.

Although I'm pretty concerned about my dog, she put in a better than decent performance in the rally rings today.  87/3rd in Excellent B (I cost us 10 points on the offset figure 8), 91/3rd in Advanced B for RAE QQ #5.  We won't talk about Open other than to say my dog is still broken and I'm going to pursue some more advanced options for hopefully getting her fixed for real this time.

Buzz was absolutely wonderful at camp yesterday, but more about that in a later post when I write my article for TD, Inc.

"easy to live with"

I've always said Bailey is easy to live with.  She doesn't counter surf, care about litter boxes, get into the trash, eat plants, chew up things that shouldn't be chewed up, or do something she's been told not to.  I adore these things about her, it balances Buzz out (what, there's a crumb on the floor, I'll chew through the rug it's on--true story) and it makes me call her the "perfect pet" with a few minor changes.

Today I was asked if she doesn't do those things because they scare her.  I immediately said "no!" pretty emphatically, and then through a series of questions started to change my answer.  I still don't think it's completely fear based, but I'm curious now if those "perfect pets" have some crazy fears outside of their "perfect" behaviors, and act that way due to a lack in confidence.

Still Walking The Same Road

A comment from tonight really got me thinking.  Is it ever a goal for an aggressive/reactive dog to play with other dogs?  


Co-exist, yes!
Tolerate, yes!
Ignore, yes!


But... play with?  No.


Did I ever expect Bailey to play with another dog?  Not really.  If you had asked me last year right before I left for camp in June, I would have given you a blank stare and asked if you were talking about my Bailey, the black and white English Springer Spaniel, born on January 24, 2000... had you asked me if she wanted to play with another dog.  Eat another dog, why, yes, she would love to... but play, you must be joking.

I trust Kristen a lot, maybe too much, but she hasn't given me reason to believe otherwise (yet), so when she told me to let Bailey loose with Griffin; I actually did without too much convincing.  I don't know that it can be called playing, but it was definitely happy and relaxed socializing with another creature of the canine variety.  They responded appropriately to each other and I relaxed, just a smidge.

Do you see that other dog standing close to her?  She was enjoying racing around the property with him.  They never played but this is the first dog she has done more than tolerate.  Griffin is a pretty special guy, to earn that award... and it's because he's most excellent at reading other dogs and reacting appropriately, really great!

The moral of this story is I have MORE pictures of Bailey playing with Fritz from Sunday.  THREE times they played.  One, she actually initiated, and the other two I started by running around with a rope toy.  Three times she acted more like a normal dog than I ever thought possible.  

What or who can I thank for this?  

Good training--thank you Karen Pryor above all

Medications--treating for a "low normal" thyroid and getting her into the "normal" range/utilizing a SSRI (fluoxetine) to help fill in the gaps in her brain

Friends--willing friends with wonderful dogs

(I soooo wish this was in focus!)

I can't get over how HAPPY she looks here.  This is the game of chase she initiated!

I have a couple more great photos from Sunday that need a bit of editing, so I'll work on getting those up but... I still can't believe she's playing with another dog.  Barking, arroooooing, and being well-playful!

Is my dog steady?

The short answer is no.  The answer I feel compelled to give is "yes" because we still have a 95% success rate.  Two days in a row I took Bailey to the lake to fetch bumpers.  She adores fetching bumpers, she lives to fetch bumpers, she would do it all day long if I let her.  She's also fabulous at problem solving.

My dog walks at heel, waiting for me to stop walking, she promptly sits at heel and plants herself.  She then stays sitting while I throw the bumper, with no cues from me (see how brilliant she is, moving dogs don't get throws, and moving dogs don't get released for the bumper).  

I had two breaks today, one on land, one on water.  (I still can't determine what makes her break, but we're working through it.)  Both times I called her back, she did NOT return to me on the water one, which is the first time that has happened in at least a year!  She did return to heel position when called for the land one.  They were interspersed, and the others in between were beyond solid.  No movement, she never lost her mark, and she flew out there when cued.

If I can find the right person to reintroduce guns to her, I'll be feeling better about hunt tests.

Then we came home and she got a bath...

Context C(l)ues.

When I got home for lunch today, Bailey and I worked on front vs heel position discrimination.  To say it went poorly in the beginning is an understatement.  She was not hitting either one of them.  Then I looked at how I was standing...

I've trained my dog to only go to heel position if I'm A) holding my left hand on my stomach, B) my head is turned towards her, and C) I say "get in."  If any of those components are missing, she goes to the general area, but does not line up straight.

I've trained my dog to only hit front position if I am A) looking directly at her, B) have both hands at my side, and C) I use her name first.

Someone please fix me, so I can fix my dog!  That's an issue... but when I do all of those things, she's STRAIGHT and PRETTY and GOOD.  Harumph!

A Harsh Top Coat

While in surgery today, I commented on Buzz's nice, harsh topcoat.  Can I throw dirt on my dog before we go in the ring next time?  After being outside and rolling around a. lot. the last few days--his top coat is very nice!  I'm only half kidding about showing a dirty dog.

In other news, Buzz had a lump removed from his foreleg today.  A "probable infected sebaceous cyst" that he chewed open.  He's my good boy and we only used a local anesthetic.  Nasty blood clot drainage earlier today, but it seems pretty good now.  He'll be a cone head for the next 10-14 days and he gets to come to work with me the rest of the week.  Hey, now I can train my dog!

I suppose a picture is in order... tomorrow.  Maybe.

Cone head Buzz.

Agitation and "Asking"

Today has been a weird day for the dogs.  We have a lot of weird days, but this one involved a lot of sleep, followed by a lot of unstructured outside time, followed by crate time, followed by people hauling large quantities of "stuff" into the house* (which resulted in dogs being outside again so they didn't escape).  Somewhere along the lines Bailey turned into Bailey... and got stressed.  We trained a little bit and as I was getting myself some food she clearly came over and "asked" to be put away.  She's never done that before, except at bedtime.  I saw her looking at Rasza grooming himself, I said her name softly and her eyes were almost pleading when she turned to me, it was quite sad.  She made eye contact and then headed for my room.  She wanted to be away from the cats, from everything, so I just shut the door to my room.  If I crate her and leave the door open, cats/Buzz are likely to walk in and frustrate her while she's in her crate, so I just shut the door.

This isn't the first time I've started to wonder if the Fluoxetine isn't working as well anymore.  She's clearly *thinking* now, and I have a much larger window between observing troublesome behaviors and her reacting, but she doesn't seem to be relaxing like she did when we initially started it.

Poor muppet.

*(I'm afraid to jinx it, because the papers haven't been signed but... the large quantities of "stuff" are ours, from another place that will hopefully not be ours anymore very, very soon.)

"Getting Away" with ... "Stuff"

I hear it a lot.  "My dog is getting away with (insert x, y, z)" so the owner feels compelled to correct the dog, rather than correct the training.  I definitely don't discount that a history of intentional and/or unintentional reinforcement makes changing the behavior difficult, but I also know that "allowing" an annoying behavior to happen once or twice impacts you, more than the dog.  

Last night I got home from work, packed up both dogs (along with an insane amount of "stuff") and we headed to a Nature Park about 20 minutes from our house.  I took Buzz walking there once, and it was beautifully large, secluded, and had a LOT of things for us to work through.  I laid Bailey's track, laid Buzz's track and then ran Buzz.  The past couple times I've taken him tracking, he hasn't offered the article indication I want to see.  He's been "taught" to pick up the article (since he won't sit or down reliably on wet/otherwise yucky grass... and I need a reliable indication), but just hasn't lately.  Sometimes I waited for the correct indication, but other times I just let him "get away with it" (said tongue in cheek) and we continued on.  At the UGSDA show this weekend, we worked on our article indication.  Yes--in the midst of a conformation show, I trained my dog for tracking.  *gasp*

1. Find suitable article

2. Get dog playing "101 things" with it

3. Reinforce the desired response

4. Reinforce some more

5. Take dog out tracking almost two weeks later and see that training the dog has a positive effect... whoda thunk?

I let Buzz "get away" with not indicating in previous tracking sessions and yet he... indicated (arguably) better?  Yes!

I also chose not to work on Bailey's LLW after we tracked.  LLW takes work (imagine THAT), so instead I put her x-back harness on, put my skijor belt on, and off we went.  She happily pulled ahead, I was happy to be pulled... and neither one of us was hurting ourselves.  Best invention and suggestion ever (the x-back and skijor belt with line that is).  I guess I let my dog "get away" with pulling then, and by that I mean I encouraged it! 

A New/Old Adventure!

Yesterday Buzz and I went out for (what was supposed to be) one last conformation hurrah!  He adored showing when he was younger, as my juniors partner, and to be truthful, I think he's put together better than a lot of the dogs out there today.  UKC developed their altered championship program, so off we went to give it a try.  I swear I practiced with my dog, but I guess I failed to remember he doesn't gait on a loose lead.  When we were in the ring for breed he was SLOW.  In the group ring I put tension on the lead and he moved a LOT better.  I love watching him move, when he actually moves!  In the end, we didn't get kicked out of the ring, and lost in the group ring to our friends Sam and Jack (the English Setter).  We both had a lot of fun, and he isn't shaved down yet, though that was the first thing I was going to do when I got home.  He just may stay hairy until after the next show... maybe!  Once he started moving and remembering what this is all about, he had a lot more fun.  We celebrated afterwards with a walk around Como Lake with Lauren, Elizabeth & Beckett!

I do have a surprise that will probably take a couple weeks to get here... I can't WAIT!

A Fun Surprise!

I'm thrilled with the ESSFTA right now, they are seriously good at making me happy!  I just joined towards the end of 2009.  Bailey and I were included in their 2009 year end awards!  How AMAZINGLY cool is THAT?! We earned her NAP, NJP, and TD in AKC in 2009, so she fits into the multi-titlist division.  Boy do they know how to make people happy!

And... I didn't even have to do anything, they did it all!  So super cool!

A Long Road

My Bailey-dog is 10 years, 2 months, and 4 days old.  I've worked my tail off with her, because she is one of the coolest dogs I know, despite her abundance of issues.  She's also my youngest animal.  My parents got me quite a few pets when I was younger, forgetting that we all grow up I think!  They got lucky in the fact that I assumed financial and all other responsibility for these creatures, but I also couldn't get any more!  If I wanted a dog to trial with, it had to be the two I have.  I'm absolutely, positively, fine with that... it's made me who I am, and most importantly, it's made me not take my dogs for granted.  I couldn't cast them aside as failures because I wanted a new one.  I had to work through their issues with a limited budget, limited time schedule, and at quite a distance from "good training" places.  Do I have regrets?  No, I really try not to have regrets in life.  Every single experience teaches me something I didn't know before.  Are there things I wish I knew more about?  Absolutely!

Poor, poor Buzz.  He was like a science experiment.  I still can't believe everything we've done.  If anyone had seen my dog when he was younger, you'd never, ever, think the dog you see today was him.  He used to be labeled "aggressive."  I am NOT kidding you.  My happy-go-lucky-mush of a dog was given an aggressive label.  The first question should be why, but it's actually when.  From what I remember, Buzz tried to tell some dogs off for being in his space years ago.  I'm sure it was in a reasonable manner and the dog didn't/couldn't respond.  I had no idea what was going on, so he likely aggressed and I was told to correct him for it.  Thus he began to associate ALL dogs with collar and voice corrections.  He was not allowed to be with other dogs, to play with other dogs.  Buzz is one of the most tolerant dogs I know, to a fault!  My poor, poor Buzz was pushed so far, stressed so much, that he "acted" as an aggressive dog.

This should help explain why I'm sure Bailey has as many issues as she does.  I think the differences in their cases though, shows what resiliency and character can do.  Buzz was able to forgive, forget, and become a "great dog" again.  It has taken Bailey years upon years to be comfortable around other dogs.  She still gets stressed about a lot of things in life, but other dogs especially.  I honestly never thought she would play with another dog.  Sure, she and Buzz used to play somewhat, but she's never been comfortable enough around another dog to play... until she met Griffin last summer.  Kristen convinced me that Griffin would be okay, and my dog would be fine.  I tried to believe her as I let my dog off leash.  The result gave all of us a huge happy courage boost.  My dog COULD adequately read and respond to dog-body language.  She survived at camp, and even enjoyed it.  Karin, Kristen, and Abigail understood her and she relaxed.  Yes, she slept in the bad dog closet, and guarded it but she was able to be out, with other dogs!

I've been leery of getting a puppy, because I feared for the sanity of my household, and the safety of everybody.  People told me it'd be fine, everything would settle into place, but until today I don't think I truly believed any of it.  I've gotten good at training and managing my dog, but we are still so far from perfect.  There's still snarks at home, and I'm not as careful as I should be... but due to carrying out a good plan, Bailey was comfortable enough with another dog to PLAY with Fritz, with a TOY today.  I still can't believe it.  Multiple sessions of set-up greetings, muzzle conditioning, desensitizing, training, it's all starting to REALLY pay off.  I didn't keep very good notes, but it took at least two times of Fritz being at our house, before Bailey met him.  Twice, he came over to socialize with me (and Buzz) while Bailey was crated.  She got to smell his presence after he was gone.  At least three times she met him with a muzzle on, off leash, in the dog yard.  We had toys and other ways of engaging dogs.  They barely did more than acknowledge each other for the most part, but there was growling/snarling that Fritz DID respond to.  Bailey was quick to flash teeth, as that's how she's been conditioned to get her point across.  When she showed signs of actually wanting to play with him, I started taking the muzzle off after the initial greeting.

Today was the second day the whole encounter has been muzzle-free!  She'll still snark/flash teeth, but with the exception of a crate guarding incident today (that was completely my stupid fault, thankfully nobody actually got hurt), she doesn't go extreme, because A) Fritz responds and B) she can trust him to respond.

Today was the first day she played with a toy.  Last session she would drop the toy whenever he grabbed it.  First half of today it was much of the same.  Then she started barking at him, and being playful.  When Joe wound them up and threw the rope toy, she got there first, Fritz grabbed it and she JOYFULLY tugged back!  I really couldn't believe it, and couldn't get enough pictures of it.  They're not going to win any photography prize, but I still want to frame every single one of them.

I'm so proud and happy I could burst.

My dog PLAYED with another dog with a TOY!

If you made it to the end of that, congrats.  Here's a picture of her tugging with Joe to reward you.

Uncharted Territory

As far as I can tell, that IS Bailey, playing tug with Fritz.  I'm still not convinced she wasn't abducted by aliens and replaced though.

My dog was going crazy with a lack of stimulation.  Joe and Fritz came over.  My dog not only tolerated Fritz, but they played, muzzle off, for over an hour.  My dog played with another dog--with a TOY.  Seriously?!  I really don't think that's my dog.

Some of the Shutterfly order...

I'm finally almost done editing photos for my Shutterfly order.  Finally.  Almost.

Celebrating in Lake Superior


Ohio!

A Megan Update

A.  I'm still super excited about my new job.
B.  I have mono.  Again.
C.  I've slept more than half the day away, because now it's acceptable to do that.
D.  We finally have good juice again.
E.  I hate mono.
F.  I'm supposed to "relax" and "rest" and do all those "get well things" but for anyone who knows me, that's like... torture unless I feel like absolute crap, which I thankfully don't (anymore/yet, take your pick).
G.  Back to movie watching to entertain myself while being boring.