Do you get a little nervous when going to a new place? Or maybe a place you've been, but you know there will be new people there? Although it can be exciting, even for a social person, it can also make you feel a little unsure.
As I prepared myself to head out to teach the first set of group dog training classes of 2013 I realized I was a little nervous. I've taught many a group class up to this point. I've had a variety of dogs, owners and situations crop up I hadn't experienced before and survived, but it still gives me little butterflies to meet everyone on their first night in group class.
The students probably also feel a little nervous on their first night. They've never been to the facility, met me or done any dog training in many cases. They are also probably running home after work, grabbing a quick bite to eat and then running out the door with their dog. Then they drive in traffic to the training center trying not to be late. Did they remember everything they were to bring? Ack! It can certainly be a lot to just get there.
Those nerves are also something the dog is feeling. Dogs are in tune with their owners behavior. They sit around studying us 24-hrs a day/7-days a week. Wherever you are going is somewhere new, exciting and maybe a little scary is what they can guess. When the dog arrives they aren't totally sure what's going on. "Are we in a giant vet waiting room?" "Is this a new fancy shelter place you are going to leave me?" "Do these people want to hurt me or their dogs want to bite me?" The dogs don't necessarily have a clue as to what's going to happen next. Sadly, they don't speak English so we cannot explain that they will get lots of treats for doing things we ask. They'll just have to wait and see.
If you have the opportunity to attend a group class or teach one. Remember how the human and canine student might feel about this new situation. They are both a little unsure. Be patient, give them plenty of space and keep things fun while learning/teaching something new and exciting. After week one everyone is much more relaxed because they survived the initial class and hopefully had a good time!
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
Are You a Hugger?
I would consider myself a "hugger". My definition of a hugger is someone who enjoys giving and receiving hugs. That also means that hugs between individuals who aren't necessarily close friends or family. They could be an acquaintance or someone you've known virtually (over the phone or social networking). A hugger is also someone who is known for greeting someone through a hug or when departing.
Are you a hugger? Are your friends or family huggers? I have a few close friends that are not huggers. I've met people that were not huggers, but I didn't learn that until my arms were rapped around them. Ooops! Talk about an awkward moment. That mistake made me really think about who I hugged. Does the fact that these people aren't fans of hugging make them less human, unfriendly or bad? No, it just means their person preferences are different than mine or other like huggers.
Does your dog like hugs? How about petting? Do they like to snuggle? How do you know? There are certain dogs who would prefer more space from others. They really don't appreciate petting, hugging or snuggling. That doesn't make them any less a dog. I think the misconception is that a dog must enjoy physical contact because they are dogs. That's just not the case. Unlike my friends who aren't huggers or others I've met, dogs cannot verbally explain why they didn't appreciate the hug. A dog might have to communicate via their mouth through a bite. This is why it is important for us to ask the dog before continuing to pet, hug or snuggle them.
How do we ask them? Dogs speak through body language. If we learn what their body language is we can respond accordingly. One of the best resources for us is a book on Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas. These signals can express if the dog is not comfortable in a certain situation or by certain contact. Once we understand what is not comfortable we can avoid that type of contact or in some cases teach the dog how to tolerate them. Since some forms of touch are required for daily life such as putting on a collar or harness and regular vet visits.
So are you a hugger? Is your dog? Again, like some people dogs would prefer get to know the individual before getting up close and personal. Curly, my snuggler, enjoys human contact on his terms. When in the company of those who he considers "friends" he's perfectly happy to accept contact, but not if you just met. They may also not be into public affection (different environments). In a group class setting Curly is "on the job" in his mind and would prefer I keep my hands in the treat bag rather than on him for loving.
Are you a hugger? Are your friends or family huggers? I have a few close friends that are not huggers. I've met people that were not huggers, but I didn't learn that until my arms were rapped around them. Ooops! Talk about an awkward moment. That mistake made me really think about who I hugged. Does the fact that these people aren't fans of hugging make them less human, unfriendly or bad? No, it just means their person preferences are different than mine or other like huggers.
Does your dog like hugs? How about petting? Do they like to snuggle? How do you know? There are certain dogs who would prefer more space from others. They really don't appreciate petting, hugging or snuggling. That doesn't make them any less a dog. I think the misconception is that a dog must enjoy physical contact because they are dogs. That's just not the case. Unlike my friends who aren't huggers or others I've met, dogs cannot verbally explain why they didn't appreciate the hug. A dog might have to communicate via their mouth through a bite. This is why it is important for us to ask the dog before continuing to pet, hug or snuggle them.
How do we ask them? Dogs speak through body language. If we learn what their body language is we can respond accordingly. One of the best resources for us is a book on Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas. These signals can express if the dog is not comfortable in a certain situation or by certain contact. Once we understand what is not comfortable we can avoid that type of contact or in some cases teach the dog how to tolerate them. Since some forms of touch are required for daily life such as putting on a collar or harness and regular vet visits.
So are you a hugger? Is your dog? Again, like some people dogs would prefer get to know the individual before getting up close and personal. Curly, my snuggler, enjoys human contact on his terms. When in the company of those who he considers "friends" he's perfectly happy to accept contact, but not if you just met. They may also not be into public affection (different environments). In a group class setting Curly is "on the job" in his mind and would prefer I keep my hands in the treat bag rather than on him for loving.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Management, Exercise and More Management
I thought a lot about the game plan for my in-laws and their puppies visit to our home. By having a plan in place, letting everyone know the plan and adjusting as needed was key to our successful visit.
First, management is a critical tool to any home with a dog or multiple dogs. To keep dogs out of the trash don't let them have access is the easiest solution. Sure we can train the dog not to get into the trash, but I'm all about the easiest solution and in some cases management fits the bill. The plan to use management with the visiting pups was to not allow our 4 dogs with their 2 without supervision. This way if things looked like they might get out of hand someone could redirect the situation. For example, our two males liked to hump the puppy girls and it would get to be too much for the girls to tell them off. So we would step in and limit their options or create a pause. We also decided to management Padme's interactions with all of the dogs. This way if she felt the need to be snarky or tell another dog off we could keep her safe.
Second, exercise is a tool that I find with Terriers helps with their overall stress and excitement levels. Draining their energy helps them feel more relaxed, calm and happy. It's helpful for all dogs, but Terriers being Terriers they seem to have an extra supply handy at all times. We made sure all of the younger dogs had opportunities to play and get out for walks. The weather made it tricky, but we did manage to get them out on a long walk. The puppies also spent time outside together enjoying our backyard running and gathering sticks. It wasn't something I planned, but my in-laws did a good job of giving them their own time to burn off energy, too.
Finally, more management in interactions and greeting. I honestly thought we'd probably have to keep Padme and Molly away from the puppies the entire visit. It may have been based on my own anxiety of the situation, but since it was just a few days it would have been okay to not push them meeting the new puppy girl. After I felt more confident about the interactions that had taken place after the first 24-hrs I decided to let Padme interact with the newest puppy, Annie. Annie was brilliant at listening to Padme's "You better back up!" communication. Annie, being a well socialized pup, knew what she was saying and also tried to push her buttons. These brief interactions were 1-on-1 so they could move about freely and no one else would feel the need to get involved. We let Molly meet a tiny bit, but she wasn't feeling great and I decided she didn't have to participate in puppy madness.
I had other tools at the ready like barriers (which we used when keeping dogs in different rooms), stuffed Kongs, interactive toys, chew items and a variety of treats. During this visit we kept it simple and managed to the best of our ability. In time we'll need to branch out since these dogs will interact from time to time, but always in a way that keeps everyone safe.
First, management is a critical tool to any home with a dog or multiple dogs. To keep dogs out of the trash don't let them have access is the easiest solution. Sure we can train the dog not to get into the trash, but I'm all about the easiest solution and in some cases management fits the bill. The plan to use management with the visiting pups was to not allow our 4 dogs with their 2 without supervision. This way if things looked like they might get out of hand someone could redirect the situation. For example, our two males liked to hump the puppy girls and it would get to be too much for the girls to tell them off. So we would step in and limit their options or create a pause. We also decided to management Padme's interactions with all of the dogs. This way if she felt the need to be snarky or tell another dog off we could keep her safe.
Second, exercise is a tool that I find with Terriers helps with their overall stress and excitement levels. Draining their energy helps them feel more relaxed, calm and happy. It's helpful for all dogs, but Terriers being Terriers they seem to have an extra supply handy at all times. We made sure all of the younger dogs had opportunities to play and get out for walks. The weather made it tricky, but we did manage to get them out on a long walk. The puppies also spent time outside together enjoying our backyard running and gathering sticks. It wasn't something I planned, but my in-laws did a good job of giving them their own time to burn off energy, too.
Finally, more management in interactions and greeting. I honestly thought we'd probably have to keep Padme and Molly away from the puppies the entire visit. It may have been based on my own anxiety of the situation, but since it was just a few days it would have been okay to not push them meeting the new puppy girl. After I felt more confident about the interactions that had taken place after the first 24-hrs I decided to let Padme interact with the newest puppy, Annie. Annie was brilliant at listening to Padme's "You better back up!" communication. Annie, being a well socialized pup, knew what she was saying and also tried to push her buttons. These brief interactions were 1-on-1 so they could move about freely and no one else would feel the need to get involved. We let Molly meet a tiny bit, but she wasn't feeling great and I decided she didn't have to participate in puppy madness.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
How We All Survived...Why the stress
The visit of 2 adorable puppies presented itself as stressful, but we used several tools to do our best to make sure everyone (dogs and humans) survived. Before I share what we did, I think it would be helpful to know why it was a potential disaster.
During the previous visit from my in laws, when they only had 1 puppy, Padme was damaged twice. Padme is our senior Rat Terrier/Chihuahua mix. She weighs a whopping 5.5lbs, has typical sight and hearing loss for her age and can be cranky at times. When she is cranky she can quickly get herself into trouble. Her tiny frame does not stop her from telling off another dog, but if they don't listen she doesn't have much ground to stand on.
The first attack during the previous visit was by Molly. Molly has her confidence issues, too. What we think happened is one of the girls (Molly or Padme) were sleeping on the couch when the other girl (Molly or Padme) jumped on the couch where the slumbering one had been. That caused a quick fight and Padme had a bite wound to her eye area. I was not home at the time and no one else had seen the incident. When I returned home I was shocked to see Padme's face and rushed her to our vet. It was very close to her eye.
Later in the day the second attack occurred. It was a combination of a cone to prevent Padme from rubbing her face and a highly aroused Curly. Curly had become aroused by playing outside with the hose. He really gets a kick out of chasing the water sprayed around the backyard. He is also not a fan of other dogs in cones, because if they run into him it hurts. This combination of high arousal and seeing Padme in the cone outside triggered him to go after her. It still bothers me knowing my darling Curly could do that to little Padme. He caused a tear of her skin in the neck area. To say it was horrible is an understatement. Off to the ER vet for staples.
It's been months since this all took place. The fact that I know how our dogs are, know about arousal and stress made it that much harder for me to recover. I sobbed every time I looked at poor Padme's injuries. She actually taught me a valuable lesson on our way to the ER vet. As my husband drove us there, I holding Padme, she just looked out the window like we were on a fun ride. What? Here she had an open wound on her face and now neck, but her focus was on her love of going for a ride. Looking at her perspective has helped me move on since she moved on so quickly.
Next, management, exercise and more management.
During the previous visit from my in laws, when they only had 1 puppy, Padme was damaged twice. Padme is our senior Rat Terrier/Chihuahua mix. She weighs a whopping 5.5lbs, has typical sight and hearing loss for her age and can be cranky at times. When she is cranky she can quickly get herself into trouble. Her tiny frame does not stop her from telling off another dog, but if they don't listen she doesn't have much ground to stand on.
The first attack during the previous visit was by Molly. Molly has her confidence issues, too. What we think happened is one of the girls (Molly or Padme) were sleeping on the couch when the other girl (Molly or Padme) jumped on the couch where the slumbering one had been. That caused a quick fight and Padme had a bite wound to her eye area. I was not home at the time and no one else had seen the incident. When I returned home I was shocked to see Padme's face and rushed her to our vet. It was very close to her eye.
Later in the day the second attack occurred. It was a combination of a cone to prevent Padme from rubbing her face and a highly aroused Curly. Curly had become aroused by playing outside with the hose. He really gets a kick out of chasing the water sprayed around the backyard. He is also not a fan of other dogs in cones, because if they run into him it hurts. This combination of high arousal and seeing Padme in the cone outside triggered him to go after her. It still bothers me knowing my darling Curly could do that to little Padme. He caused a tear of her skin in the neck area. To say it was horrible is an understatement. Off to the ER vet for staples.
It's been months since this all took place. The fact that I know how our dogs are, know about arousal and stress made it that much harder for me to recover. I sobbed every time I looked at poor Padme's injuries. She actually taught me a valuable lesson on our way to the ER vet. As my husband drove us there, I holding Padme, she just looked out the window like we were on a fun ride. What? Here she had an open wound on her face and now neck, but her focus was on her love of going for a ride. Looking at her perspective has helped me move on since she moved on so quickly.
Next, management, exercise and more management.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
We Survived!
For some people, surviving a visit from your in-laws is all about putting up with their personalities and sharing space with them in your home. As I thought about my in-laws upcoming visit I was stressed. It wasn't about what they would think of our home, them staying in our guest bedroom or any human personality conflicts. It was all about mixing their 2 puppies and our 4 adult dogs into one house for 4 full days.
Years ago, when we were fostering Rat Terriers, I didn't really think too much about how our dogs would feel about the new addition(s). We fostered over 20 dogs over a 2-yr period. They ranged in size, age, personality, behavior/training challenges and health. At one time we even fostered an entire family (mom + 6 puppies)! Some of the fosters stayed a month or two and on a rare occasion 6 months before being adopted. It was like operating a Rat Terrier Bed and Breakfast during that time.
Sadly, we had to make a tough decision to stop fostering. The unexpected toll it took on our own dogs was causing behavior issues including dog-to-dog relationship issues. I'm still amazed that with the amount of stress we put on them there weren't more fights on a regular basis. The last 2-yrs of not fostering have been spent rebuilding confidence, relationships and trust. Thankfully, I can say we've all come a long way!
The fact is bringing together dogs needs careful consideration. The dog's stress level needs to be taken into consideration at all times. The stress isn't good for their health and it can lead to ugly fights that can be challenging for us humans to recover from, too.
I can happily say all 6 dogs survived the lovely family visit this past weekend. There were zero fights, no injuries and stress levels seemed to be in a safe range based on the results. I'll share in my next blog what we did to keep it this way and why such care was taken this time.
Hint: The previous visit wasn't so stress free.
Incoming! ~ Lexie & Annie (Left) with Franky & Curly (Right)
Years ago, when we were fostering Rat Terriers, I didn't really think too much about how our dogs would feel about the new addition(s). We fostered over 20 dogs over a 2-yr period. They ranged in size, age, personality, behavior/training challenges and health. At one time we even fostered an entire family (mom + 6 puppies)! Some of the fosters stayed a month or two and on a rare occasion 6 months before being adopted. It was like operating a Rat Terrier Bed and Breakfast during that time.
Sadly, we had to make a tough decision to stop fostering. The unexpected toll it took on our own dogs was causing behavior issues including dog-to-dog relationship issues. I'm still amazed that with the amount of stress we put on them there weren't more fights on a regular basis. The last 2-yrs of not fostering have been spent rebuilding confidence, relationships and trust. Thankfully, I can say we've all come a long way!
The fact is bringing together dogs needs careful consideration. The dog's stress level needs to be taken into consideration at all times. The stress isn't good for their health and it can lead to ugly fights that can be challenging for us humans to recover from, too.
I can happily say all 6 dogs survived the lovely family visit this past weekend. There were zero fights, no injuries and stress levels seemed to be in a safe range based on the results. I'll share in my next blog what we did to keep it this way and why such care was taken this time.
"Did somebody say tacos?" ~ Annie, Curly and Padme
Hint: The previous visit wasn't so stress free.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Who's that in my bed?
"Do you let your dogs sleep with you?" I get that question from time to time. People are seeking an answer from me because they want to know if it's "okay" to allow your dog to sleep with you. I answer the question honestly "No, my dogs don't sleep with me." This isn't because I think they would be come "dominate" over me or cause a conflict.
Honestly, I prefer they not sleep with my husband and I because I like my sleep! We have a queen size bed for 2 people that doesn't allow much room for 4 dogs, or even a few of them. From time to time we allow one to sleep with us, but it's not every night.
I think each person/family need to make the decision to allow dogs in the bed or not. Some questions to ask:
1. Would the dog(s) like to sleep in the bed?
2. Is there really enough space for the dog(s) and people?
3. Do the people that will potentially be sharing the bed want the dog(s) in the bed?
4. If there are multiple dogs to consider, would each of these dogs be comfortable sharing the bed with each other?
5. Will the dog(s) be okay with the people in the bed moving around while they sleep?
6. Will the dog(s) be able to safely get on and off the bed on their own?
If you answered "No" to any of the above it might not be a good idea for that dog or dogs to join you in bed. When kids are involved there are more things to consider since their safety is the most important.
Does your dog(s) sleep with you? What helped you to come to that decision?
Honestly, I prefer they not sleep with my husband and I because I like my sleep! We have a queen size bed for 2 people that doesn't allow much room for 4 dogs, or even a few of them. From time to time we allow one to sleep with us, but it's not every night.
I think each person/family need to make the decision to allow dogs in the bed or not. Some questions to ask:
1. Would the dog(s) like to sleep in the bed?
2. Is there really enough space for the dog(s) and people?
3. Do the people that will potentially be sharing the bed want the dog(s) in the bed?
4. If there are multiple dogs to consider, would each of these dogs be comfortable sharing the bed with each other?
5. Will the dog(s) be okay with the people in the bed moving around while they sleep?
6. Will the dog(s) be able to safely get on and off the bed on their own?
If you answered "No" to any of the above it might not be a good idea for that dog or dogs to join you in bed. When kids are involved there are more things to consider since their safety is the most important.
Does your dog(s) sleep with you? What helped you to come to that decision?
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
They are each special...
I have 4 Rat Terriers. They are all different sizes, ages, personalities and have unique interests. I'd imagine it's much like people who have multiple human children. I'll admit they each have a different place in my heart, too.
That being said, finding what each dog's interest or strength is has changed that place in my heart. It has also strengthened our relationship. When you have multiple dogs (or kids) I think it's of high importance to discover what these special activities are for each of them.
Curly, my heart dog, really enjoys working on tricks, Rally Obedience and just getting out and going somewhere. I found it easy to discover his "hobbies" since I am naturally more drawn to him. There is just something about him that connects us to each other. Curly also really enjoys lots of physical contact from me like petting, hugs, kisses and snuggling on the couch.
Franky, my husbands heart dog, is crazy smart and loves to learn whatever you are willing to teach him. If you don't spend the time teaching him something he will find something to learn on his own. Ha! He was the first Rat Terrier for my husband and I, so we had a little extra one on one time together initially. His favorite things include K9 Fun Nose Work (R), going for long walks, going for a car ride and learning new skills.
Padme, our eldest at 13yrs of youth, was an acquired taste for me. I'll be honest in that I didn't really want to adopt her initially. At the time we had 4 other dogs, fostered Rat Terriers and our personal dogs were much younger and bigger than her. My husband couldn't stand the thought of her living with someone else. She also got along really well with Franky. Padme really isn't into snuggling, finds it challenging to learn new skills and can be cranky. She grew on me over time and is now a great office assistant. Her main job is to keep me at my desk. Ha! While it takes her awhile to learn new things, she's a foodie and knows it might require some work on her part to get the food.
Molly, the Nose Work Queen, was not always a queen in my eyes. She had a nasty attitude at times that was a turn off for me. For a time, she seemed to cause fights among our other dogs. Then I learned she wasn't a confident dog. We started working on her confidence and our relationship through group classes. The key to success ended up being K9 Nose Work (R). It's her thing! Molly turns into Ms. Confident when she knows she gets to do Nose Work. Our relationship went from almost non-existent to strong in about a year. Finding her interest really changed everything!
My purpose in writing this blog entry today was to inspire those with dogs (or kids) to really look for the individuals interest or strength to better the relationship. Dogs need more than just love, food, medical care and a place to live. They need physical and mental exercise, too. But they also need individual attention doing something they find enjoyable. As I drove to Nose Work class tonight, with Molly, I smiled realizing this is our special time. It's just her and I doing what she loves (I love it too!).
That being said, finding what each dog's interest or strength is has changed that place in my heart. It has also strengthened our relationship. When you have multiple dogs (or kids) I think it's of high importance to discover what these special activities are for each of them.
Curly, my heart dog, really enjoys working on tricks, Rally Obedience and just getting out and going somewhere. I found it easy to discover his "hobbies" since I am naturally more drawn to him. There is just something about him that connects us to each other. Curly also really enjoys lots of physical contact from me like petting, hugs, kisses and snuggling on the couch.
Franky, my husbands heart dog, is crazy smart and loves to learn whatever you are willing to teach him. If you don't spend the time teaching him something he will find something to learn on his own. Ha! He was the first Rat Terrier for my husband and I, so we had a little extra one on one time together initially. His favorite things include K9 Fun Nose Work (R), going for long walks, going for a car ride and learning new skills.
Padme, our eldest at 13yrs of youth, was an acquired taste for me. I'll be honest in that I didn't really want to adopt her initially. At the time we had 4 other dogs, fostered Rat Terriers and our personal dogs were much younger and bigger than her. My husband couldn't stand the thought of her living with someone else. She also got along really well with Franky. Padme really isn't into snuggling, finds it challenging to learn new skills and can be cranky. She grew on me over time and is now a great office assistant. Her main job is to keep me at my desk. Ha! While it takes her awhile to learn new things, she's a foodie and knows it might require some work on her part to get the food.
Molly, the Nose Work Queen, was not always a queen in my eyes. She had a nasty attitude at times that was a turn off for me. For a time, she seemed to cause fights among our other dogs. Then I learned she wasn't a confident dog. We started working on her confidence and our relationship through group classes. The key to success ended up being K9 Nose Work (R). It's her thing! Molly turns into Ms. Confident when she knows she gets to do Nose Work. Our relationship went from almost non-existent to strong in about a year. Finding her interest really changed everything!
My purpose in writing this blog entry today was to inspire those with dogs (or kids) to really look for the individuals interest or strength to better the relationship. Dogs need more than just love, food, medical care and a place to live. They need physical and mental exercise, too. But they also need individual attention doing something they find enjoyable. As I drove to Nose Work class tonight, with Molly, I smiled realizing this is our special time. It's just her and I doing what she loves (I love it too!).
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