Wilson Traning Blog -- Week 1

Wilson Traning Blog -- Week 1


October 20

It has been a great weather here today. The dogs enjoyed early morning play time and I tried to capture a few pictures. I'm really trying to get one of Vinnie doing the puppy play-bow.




Wilson and Vinnie played for quite a while until Wilson discovered Howie playing with a soft-toy and a stick. The tenacity of a dachshund says you are NOT going to take my toy from me-- so this investigation from Wilson led to a little altercation. The good news is Howie won. Howie laid himself over the toy to protect it and and Wilson laid on Howie. A lot of snarling was going on, but a firm verbal warning from me separated both of them. Wilson does a lot of vocalizing, but is really a big baby. That's really the good news about Wilson -- he's pretty submissive to the other dogs. He backs his butt up, does the play bow, and is easy warned by all my pack members.

Wilson started tonight having to sit and wait for his food delivery. It only took a few attempts before he realized he was not getting fed until his butt was firmly planted on the floor.





Vinnie plays keep away from Wilson, by standing on the toy!

• See you all Monday for Wilson's first "real" obedience lesson. Should be fun, and I think he's actually going to be pretty easy to train. Famous last words? We'll see.

October 19

• Wilson woke this morning feeling great. He was allowed to go out in the yard off-leash with the other dogs. He got a case of the zoomies and just had a grand time, even though he's not supposed to be overdoing it. Video: http://youtu.be/iQfASo9RYJM
• He and Vinnie have become buds today, though I did allow Vinnie to tell him to back off on the humping. Lexie did too this morning. Wilson is wide open and there is no better trainer for a dog than the pack.
• We are still working on the house-training. He went outside this morning, then came in and did it again! And he discovered counter-surfing. He quickly jumped up on the counter -- trying to nab a bottle of medicine and then a decorative object! These are the reasons you cannot leave a dog unsupervised. Living in a house my foot -- I dare say he's never been in a house. He has no boundaries on what's acceptable and what's not.
• I feed dogs separately. There is just no reason to have them all sharing a space to eat. So Wilson was fed in the x-pen in the front room. After my doxie's finished eating they tend to see if anyone has dropped food from the raised bowls. Wilson guarded his empty bowl from within the xpen. So there's an issue we need to work on.
• I had some friends over tonight -- Dane Rescue savvy peeps and Wilson did very well to begin with, but then he got a little growlie as we were having some food and even when one of the men guests tried to pet him. (Hmmm, thought he liked men?) These are issues we're definately going to need to work on, and Wilson is very likely headed for a pinch collar. I'll discuss more about that training tool next time --- I can assure you it's not the medieval device some think that it is, and far better than allowing a practiced inappropriate behavior that can lead to a bite. Would treats and clicks work??? -- depends on how long you're willing to wait and how much risk you're willing to take.
• He also got a little growlie with the doxies when food was around, even though the dogs were not eating. So Wilson was sent to kennel to just chill for a while, until we can work on these issues another time. It had been a big day and it was time for hime to take a break.

October 18

• Wilson is at the vet today for neutering.
• He pooped in my car on the way there and then trampled in it. Dogs do not generally poop where there rest or where they will be standing or laying in it. This suggests to me that Wilson has had no experience in the house, and probably lived more often than not in his own feces prior to being taken to the shelter. That's a hard thing to overcome.
• Wilson is home now from surgery and doing quite well. He was a little growlie with the girls at the vet but did seem to warm up to them as the day progressed. They were all cautioned to take it slow with him. He said bye to everyone one the way out without any trouble. He seemed to have no trouble with men in the office.
• He's confirmed to be no more than 7 months old based on the new arrival of his canine teeth. He weighed in at 76 pounds.
• He'll rest quietly tonight, and have limited activity this weekend.
• He's got a skin irritation that will require medicated baths.

Previous Entries:

Thoughts from The K9 Coach: Dog's learn something from us in every single interaction they have. Wilson is learning I'm the leader of this pack. That he can trust me, and I will give him a shared respect. He's learning there are boundaries that he has to abide by. From me he will not only get obedience training, but he'll learn confidence and how to handle new and stressful situations. He'll be exposed to many new things.

His first outing probably will not occur until mid-next week and we'll take it very slow. He may see people, but not be petted for a while. And it may be weeks before we begin work around children. He will have to have great reliability with other distractions before I put him in that scenario. I'm confident I can help him overcome his fear around kids -- but he may prove to be a rescue who cannot be placed with kids based on his history of being taunted and having rocks thrown at him. But we'll have to judge that in due time.

Wish him well during surgery tomorrow.

He looks agressive -- right?

Well, no. But there's much more work to be done.

October 17

• We started the morning with a nice potty break and walk. He was quite playful this morning. So I gave him a toy and he played with it for quite a while.
• I also decided to sit on the ground with him to get eye-level with him. He tried to hump me. That's not allowed. So he was definitely corrected for that. He tried again. And then he acted like he was going to pee on me. Seriously, Wilson. Not going to happen.
• After a correction, he came and sat in my lap. Progress. He's buying the leadership.
• I brought him into my office where he chilled at my feet for a little while. And then allowed him to play with my two dachshunds. They will put him in his place in a second if he gets to be too much. As they nestled in their favorite chair -- he backed up to them butt first as if to say, "here, smell me & let's be friends!". That's a great sign.
• I then allowed him another short time with my pack -- and he thought humping my 165lb Great Dane Vinnie was a good idea. Vinnie did nothing, and I called Wilson off and all is good. Supervision is necessary at all times, and Vinnie trusts me to deal with the new kid!
• We'll do another training walk this afternoon, but formal training won't begin until Monday. He gets snipped tomorrow. Bye Bye Woohoos. He'll need a few days to recover, and then the training plan startes in earnest.

October 16, 2012

• He was crated for the morning because I had a dental appointment and I didn't want to risk him toppling the xpen and being in my pack unsupervised. He pooped in his crate. A lot.
• Late yesterday afternoon we began a little bit of training. Just working on "heel" and "sit" Words I don't think he's entirely familiar with.
• I did not begin any sort of correction with Wilson in Sit training tonight. I offered some treats, a gentle touch to the butt to encourage him to put his butt on the ground and lots of Praise. Verbal and Physical touch. This too seems a big foreign to him.
• Why no correction yet? Well he's likely been abused, he doesn't trust me yet, and its more about teaching him how to learn than requiring him to comply at this point. Obedience requirements will come in a few days. And to be clear -- a correction is NOT something that is harmful, painful, or intimating. It's just a reminder than not doing what he's asked will not be acceptable. (We will talk more about that when we start obedience training next week).
• And yes, he pooped in my house twice today -- on the carpet. Try having to clean up poop after dental surgery -- yay pain meds :-)
• He was allowed a short interaction off-leash with the rest of my pack today -- everyone napped.

October 15, 2012

• After spending the weekend with volunteers he was transported to me on Monday afternoon. After he was taken out of the truck, he felt the need to snap at me. I had approached him sideways, but I made the mistake of making eye contact a bit too soon. Yep, he may have a little issue with women and a bit of fear in general.
• After a 2 hour ride home, I took him out for a nice long walk. While there was no obedience training taking place or even any leash work, he walked along side me nicely. It was just a bit of time to bond and give some soothing communications.
• You can see in the picture I took after we got home, that there was still a fair amount of uncertainly in his eyes.

• When I bring a foster into my home, I always take about 24 - 48 hours (or more) before I let them interact with my pack directly. They get to smell each other from behind a metal baby gate briefly, and then the new arrival is crated or put in an x-pen to chill out from transport and to get acclimated to my house and my pack. In less than 5 minutes, Wilson met me in the kitchen along with the rest of my crew. He had made a very silent leap across the baby gate. Let's just say he's athletic.
• Even though there were no issues, he was still removed and put into a tall xpen to relax.
• New arrivals at my house are also not allowed off-leash in the yard for the first first days. We go out on a long line. Why?
• One I don't want them chasing the other dogs and potentially starting a fight. You never know! and I've come to expect the unexpected. This way I can control a separation if I need too.
• I'm never sure if they are going to be a fence jumper. And until they learn to trust me and we can begin working on recall and on making them think my yard is far more enjoyable than anything on the other side, I play it safe.
• Within minutes of eating, he pooped in the house. Yay -- He's not house trained. I'm guessing he was never taught. So we're starting with the basics -- the beginning. (See my house training document on FB.)
• And then bedtime -- after a little bit of whining, he settled and slept all night

October 12, 2012:

• GDFRL contacted me to ask about foster to train. I agreed. He's only six months old and I felt confident we could work to rehabilitate him and find a good handler for his forever home. He was pulled that day by two GDFRL volunteer in Raleigh and kept for the weekend. He warmed up easily and playfully to the husband, and with a little more time warmed up to his wife. Both are experienced dog owners and Great Dane Rescuers. Over the weekend someone came to their home with a child, and even with the Wilson secure inside and out of side, he reacted poorly to the sound of the child. So we know we have lots of work to do to address this issue.

October 10, 2012 ---

• GDFRL received a message on Facebook about a young male puppy in a shelter who was showing aggressive tendencies with the shelter employees.
• As an owner surrender, kill shelters like the one he was taken to can put the dog down immediately. Couple that with the fact they deemed him aggressive, and there are few chances for this boy to be adopted. Other rescues in this area, rejected him and even suggested calling GDFRL.
• We understand that Wilson was allowed to be taunted by children who threw rocks at him, and he had become "aggressive" and did not like women.

Bringing Home a New Rescue Dog

The Coach's Corner.  Simple Tips and Training Guides for Clients & Fans of the K9 Coach

Bringing Home a New Rescue Dog

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As a new rescue adopter, you have heard how what a rewarding experience it can be!    It’s important to keep some basic training thoughts in mind when you bring him home.  These dogs are not perfect – no dog is.  Some dogs will be effortless to fit in your family, while others may be more of a challenge. 

A good foster program not only provides love, shelter and medical care for a rescued dog, the foster will have provided some basic training, a healthy home environment, and some fundamental training & boundaries.  The foster parent will do a thorough transition discussion with you regarding the dog.  The application process should help in making a good match between you & the dog.

It’s your job now to become the leader.  You will need to continue training, boundaries and discipline for the life of this dog.   If you have adopted from a shelter, your dog may have had no training at all.

The things you do beginning Day 1, will create the foundation for success.  You have to create the bond of trust, respect and leadership (this is not about dominance).  If new issues begin to arise, the sooner you address them the better.  If you are uncertain about a behavior – please get help. 

We all want to love these rescues and give them a better life.  But that does not mean spoiling them rotten or letting them get away with everything because they have never been loved.   You will show your love for them more if you create boundaries and discipline along with lots of TLC.  As a new adopter, there are some things you can do to influence success. 

Be patient and realize training and evaluations take time & effort. Puppies can more quickly overcome poor manners, but an adult dog might actually take many months of training, reconditioning & positive reinforcement to master these skills, and much of the success will depend on you as the handler and the environment you create.  Every positive experience you create for them today, and every negative one you prevent helps set them up for success.

Now, get out the treats and start rewarding all the positive things you want to reinforce and keep him doing.

Some *Suggestions* from The K9 Coach Include:

1.                   Introduce them to your pack slowly one at a time and on neutral turf such as the front yard with everyone on leash. Don't just open the front door or the fence gate and let the go. This may take you a few days to manage introductions & have safe boundaries for everyone to sniff and smell before they greet directly.

2.                   Take time each day to do some basic training. 10 - 15 minutes three times a day goes a long way.  Work with a leash and lots of treats on Sit, Come, Heel and Wait (for doors, food etc). Down is much harder and often stressful for the dog, so get the others mastered first even if it takes you several weeks to master them one at a time. A dog with trust issues or fear may be much harder to teach -- so go slower with these dogs.

3.                   Watch for and learn the signals the dog is giving you -- and he will in most cases give you an indication of his stress, fear, or attitude. Knowing those signals can help you solve many problems before they escalate. And remember, not all indicators are bad. In fact, it's better to be warned, than not be warned at all and a fight or bite occurs.

4.                   Consider some quite time each day in their crate/x-pen, with time to come out and play/train with you. Play can be training too. Have time that your own dogs are out with you alone without the new foster/adoptee. Just take it slow and give everyone some time and attention to acclimate.

5.                   Always be careful reaching for their collar as a correction, or to move them from the couch (which he shouldn't be on yet anyway). Consider a leash vs direct hand to collar corrections until you are confident in his behavior.  Remember – when he gives you the behavior you do want – give a small treat and lots praise.

6.                   It is as important to train children (and some adults) about respecting the dog, his personal space, his resources (toys & food), his size, etc as it is for you to train the dog about respecting the kids.   Visitors may not be as savvy as your own family, so never leave them unsupervised.   If necessary, put the Dane in his crate during play-dates.

7.                   Don't let them on the furniture right away. They may begin to guard it and you. Give them a nice cozy, safe place of their own.  If they are guarding you or the kids, from others – a sharp correction, and temporary removal from the presence of the person or thing he’s guarding is a good start.  

8.                   Begin early teaching that food from the table or during meal preparation is not going to happen. It just reinforces counter surfing and begging. Send them to their "place" or crate during meal times. Once they are more trustworthy, begin setting boundaries to keep them out of the kitchen or dining room during meal time. This may also mean the kids can't eat on the coffee table, unless he's very well trained to stay in place while they eat.

9.                   Avoid resource guarding -- teach them to wait for their food, and do some hand-feeding. If you feel comfortable, see if you can remove the bowl and give them something of greater value while you do so. He's not going to understand if you just take his bowl mid-meal. 

10.                Work on the "leave it" command, by asking them to give up some toy or bone by giving them a much greater value treat or toy, then giving the object back. They need to learn that it's ok to give up something they like when you ask. It just might be your shoe or your kids favorite toy.

11.                Don't entertain guests or take them on outings for the first 2-3 weeks. We know you want to show them off, but you need to bond, and gain some experience with the new pack member. When you do take them out or have people over -- do not leave them unsupervised. Manage their environment, the energy present, and the greetings by others (human and dogs, and especially kids). If any indications of fear are present, give him some space & distance from the greeter.  Teach your guests and your family to respect boundaries with the new dog.   

12.                When you finally do have guest over – ask them to give your dog a treat or two.   Even if it’s to gently toss the treat in his direction.  Do this every time they come over (for a few months) – it teaches them visitors mean I get some yummy treats!  You may need to have him crated for the first few visits, sit quietly by the door, on a “place” in the living room away from the door, before they enter, etc.  The foster can tell you what has worked for them in their home.

Dana Brigman
The K9 Coach
Dog Training - Matthews, NC
980-339-8064
www.thek9-coach.com
info@thek9-coach.com

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The K9 Coach is a Professional Certified Dog Trainer Serving Charlotte, NC, Matthews, NC and surrounding areas.

My mission is a better life for dogs as members of a forever family.

My goal is create training solutions for the home owner, to rehabilitate dogs from shelters and rescues, and to prevent dogs from dying alone as strays or owner surrenders in shelters due to unnecessary aggression or behavioral issues.

Begin training with a consult with a professional trainer to be sure you're solving the right problem. Misdiagnosis can make the matters worse. Be sure that there are no medical issues at play and that your dog is not in pain, as pain can be a contributor to a new display of aggression. If you have any fear or uncertainty -- do not attempt the techniques without professional supervision.

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