Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Current Status, Part 3
Simon was quite afraid of the retention pond area during a storm, and while it is filling with water. The sight of dry land covered with a pond must by a strange state-change, to him. And then he's shy of the retention area for several days after, even after the water recedes.
Kindergarten II - Not going past tilt
Glo recommends starting with idiot-simple steps like just going out the front door -- and using A+ treats (bacon). Then downgrading a bit to something not quite as special, to make sure the eagerness for a treat doesn't mask his boundaries.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Kindergarten
We're going to start very simple. The sidewalk right in front of the porch is mostly a safe zone, as long as there are no little kids or dogs around. So we'll introduce the idea of giving us little easy behaviors -- sit, touch -- for treats.
This is kindergarten stuff for him, as long as it's in the kitchen.
Our goal is to introduce the concept of training sessions that happen outside the kitchen.
This is kindergarten stuff for him, as long as it's in the kitchen.
Our goal is to introduce the concept of training sessions that happen outside the kitchen.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Current Status, Part 2
Miscellaneous.
Children are especially scary.
People in odd postures (sitting, crouching), carrying things, pushing strollers... are especially scary.
Bicycles, razors, skateboards, etc., are not especially scary, oddly enough. Things that make loud noises are worse. A child swinging a stick is a nightmare. A pair of children throwing a ball are awful. A group of grownups having a tailgate party in their garage with loud laughter and scraping chairs is awful.
Children are especially scary.
People in odd postures (sitting, crouching), carrying things, pushing strollers... are especially scary.
Bicycles, razors, skateboards, etc., are not especially scary, oddly enough. Things that make loud noises are worse. A child swinging a stick is a nightmare. A pair of children throwing a ball are awful. A group of grownups having a tailgate party in their garage with loud laughter and scraping chairs is awful.
Current Status, Part 1
Indoors.
Redirected fear aggression at Annie, at the window. For the biggest/baddest dogs, less so for cocker spaniels, not at all for Buddy or squirrels, unless for some reason Annie gets bonkers.
Outdoors.
Alerts to many kinds of stimuli -- distant dog-barking, low jets, truck or schoolbus engines, garage doors opening, doors slamming, distant voices, especially yelling or screaming children but even normal conversation. Hyper-aware of surroundings.
At the worst -- i.e. if any of these things are near and imminent (across the street, or visible) -- he hackles (but no coyote tail) and "bolts" for home. He knows where the front door is.
If the stimulus persists, but for some reason (ANNIE) I have to keep him out there, he might bolt to the end of the leash repeatedly, then eat grass anxiously.
He will walk with me and Annie as far as just beyond Buddy's house, and if there aren't any scary things, he just wings about. He's very interested in Buddy's front porch, and bushes or trees where other dogs have gone. He doesn't "settle" whatsoever, and at the slightest provocation will try to pull me home.
Also worth mentioning
When he gets to the front porch he seems to relax visibly. He will sometimes turn and try to see the scary thing by going up the porch, protected by the railing. Inside the railing is "home."
Redirected fear aggression at Annie, at the window. For the biggest/baddest dogs, less so for cocker spaniels, not at all for Buddy or squirrels, unless for some reason Annie gets bonkers.
Outdoors.
Alerts to many kinds of stimuli -- distant dog-barking, low jets, truck or schoolbus engines, garage doors opening, doors slamming, distant voices, especially yelling or screaming children but even normal conversation. Hyper-aware of surroundings.
At the worst -- i.e. if any of these things are near and imminent (across the street, or visible) -- he hackles (but no coyote tail) and "bolts" for home. He knows where the front door is.
If the stimulus persists, but for some reason (ANNIE) I have to keep him out there, he might bolt to the end of the leash repeatedly, then eat grass anxiously.
He will walk with me and Annie as far as just beyond Buddy's house, and if there aren't any scary things, he just wings about. He's very interested in Buddy's front porch, and bushes or trees where other dogs have gone. He doesn't "settle" whatsoever, and at the slightest provocation will try to pull me home.
Also worth mentioning
When he gets to the front porch he seems to relax visibly. He will sometimes turn and try to see the scary thing by going up the porch, protected by the railing. Inside the railing is "home."
The itinerary
This is a place for us to plan, track, recalibrate, and share Simon's journey: we're going to learn with him what it takes to do some of the things that dogs most love to do and that he can't really do right now. We're going to start with learning how to take walks.
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