Sonny the tester dog

It's been a long winter but the Spring is here and with it came renewed motivation to tackle my issues of meeting other dogs.

A few weeks back my partner and I had a tense conversation about the dog, him saying he felt we were not making progress and me saying how can I do more with him if I feel so scared?  In short stalemate.

Soul searching and lots of hynotherapy, which has revealed some interesting truths about the issues around my fearful reactions, not always immediately obvious, have had some effect.  However, the gaining exposure to other dogs and stopping the lunging behaviour was bugging the pair of us.  I recognised that feeling that I had to do nothing when another dog came along, even if Sonny reacted, left me with a load of fear and a sense of disempowerment, not a good place to be.

Idly googling as usual I came back to a website that I had visited before and a trainer that had apparently got a large pack of dogs at her disposal.  I decided to contact her really to find out if she would consider taking Sonny into her pack for a few weeks.  I was really keen to see if he could learn how to build his confidence and remember the ancient language of dog something he had never seemed to learn to speak.  She wrote back and told me that she could not take an aggressive dog into her pack but that she might be able to help, so this began a conversation about what we were doing in relation to canine encounters and her explaining a method that she used which was to teach him to avoid.  She explained that within a wolf pack certain dogs have the role of being 'testers' they apparently travel out in front and scout for danger, if this was in Sonny's DNA there was nothing that we could do to change it, but there was a way we could teach him to use alternative strategies.

The prospect of getting Sonny to stop lunging after 10 years was' as you can imagine, an attractive prospect, however I felt a strong personal dilemma as I was already working with a very good trainer and the last thing I wanted to do was to upset her, I was also worried that I was just being a butterfly again, dipping in and out of training methods without really committing to anything.  As Sally as previously told me some people just want you to put magic paint on the dog's tail to solve it's problems.  Was I one of those people after all then?

After further talks we decided to give it a go and booked a holiday near the trainer's home.  With two full days of training ahead, I was nervous the night before but actually found the method's reasonably easy to learn.  Interestingly she introduced me to a friend of hers who had several highly excited dogs over which she clearly had no control.  So Sonny was put through his paces well and truly with high, medium and low energy dogs.  The first morning he was reacting as usual but gradually he began to calm down and by the end of the two days he was.... well you'll have to wait and see.

Dogs are like kids really...

I had a bit of an epiphany today, I was thinking about what it's like for children when their parents are very anxious.  Children need parents to tell them that the world is an OK place to be, otherwise they develop fears and anxieties, picking up on the parent's body language and behaviour.  So then, it's the same for our dogs and particularly for Sonny who is such a sensitive boy to changes in his mum's mood, flick of the leash, change in step etc.

It made me think, so I'm really not being fair to you by panicking every time I see another dog.  I've got to convince you that I'm not bothered about it.  You may react because the other dog is the feisty type, can always happen but at least if I don't tune into it, you won't be getting that lack of confidence from me.

Today we practised this, not always successfully, I met a 15month old black lab who was also rescue, Sonny lunged, I have not even looked at the other dog but suspect he probably invited a reaction since his owner described him as a bully to another dog he previously lived with, which is why he's been re-homed.  The owner looks nervous, I stop get Sonny to sit and ask her to do the same.  I find myself going into 'dog trainer mode', explaining why we are doing what we are doing, letting our dogs know 'we are not bothered' and are not going to let them avoid one another, I'm beginning to become a bit of an evangelist, total dog bore.  But the whole thing really is fascinating.  Mission accomplished and two calmer dogs later we move on. 

Up the road a field with horses, good opportunity I think, putting Sonny in a sit and treating him whilst watching the horses on the other side of the road.  On the way back we go in closer.  The horse (fortunately  safely behind his fence) is curious and comes to us, perhaps he thinks he's going to get some treats as well.  Sonny is a bit spooked by his snorting sounds, but I reposition him, he calms down and we move on.

What I find now is I am looking for opportunities to desensitise Sonny to almost anything, loud noises, pneumatic drills. Bring it on world, I've got my treats ready.  I even took him down the 'scarey' narrow passageway where we met our West Highland friend last week, remembering Sally telling me about how dogs can begin to associate certain locations with bad things happening.  It's all good and another step on the journey....

Diplomatic relations!

As promised today Sally and I up the anti on Sonny by taking him to an unfamiliar park where he will meet DOGS OFF LEAD!!!  This is a biggy for both of us as I am very used to avoid such situations, knowing that Sonny and therefore I, cannot cope with them.

However, today it's not raining which is a plus and after a bit of confusion about finding the venue, we manage to meet.

Sally notices that Sonny's body language is altogether more relaxed than before.  In fact, he even looked happy to get in the car for me today, a sense of anticipation that there are good things to come when I take him out in the car.  We are building up good associations with the walk.

Today there are not too many dogs about and we are in a big field which helps me because I am able to see what is coming.  We notice a particularly feisty terrier, who, Sally points out, is totally in charge of his owner and himself, in fact, he owns the field.  He takes an interest in us but does not approach immediately.  Eventually he gets bolder and starts to arch around us.  I am convinced he will make a beeline for Sonny because he will pick up on his anxiety and maybe want to put him in his place.  Apparently if you are walking with two dogs rather than one, this makes it less likely that other dogs will want to approach you, so safety in numbers is the order of the day.  The little terrier never approaches Sonny, relief.  We move on and follow another couple of dogs walking around the field, again the interest is from a distance and they do not approach us or us them.  Sonny is able to walk behind and pick up on their energy.  He is not phased, nor is he phased by walking next to Rocky because he is on lead and this has become OK.  Time to challenge him again then...

Sally decides that it is time to let Rocky off lead and see what happens, Rocky, a different dog with freedom and also on his own patch is happy and excited and approaches Sonny to say hallo.  Uh oh, Sonny launches himself, fortunately muzzled so no damage done.  Rocky has been told, get off or, else!  As usual, I am nearly pulled over in the process, perhaps I need to practice ballet to improve my balance as this dog is adept at cutting across me and wrong footing me during incidents, I want to look cool and unruffled, not managed it so far..As a result of Sonny's reaction Sally suggests that we jog with both dogs on lead so he gets used to dogs running around him, this is successful and there is no reaction.

Important we end it there, on a good note.  Next week same again but this time Rocky will have his ball.  Sonny will be told to sit and be given treats whilst Rocky runs around him.  Sonny is very reactive to any dog exhibiting this kind of excitement and it currently sends him into a lather.  But we have to get him used to it because this is normal dog behaviour.

By the time this is over I shall feel like I have a masters degree in dog ownership,. there is just so much to it.  To all those owners who are lucky enough to have a non reactive dog, I envy you, but I also think you might be missing out on an amazing journey, talk to you soon.....

Go West young man!

It's been a mixed bag of experiences this week.  This started with a brief encounter with a feisty Westie boy who whilst looking very sweet was intent on giving Sonny enough eye contact to send him into a lather.  Doing my now tried and tested ritual of not allowing Sonny to avoid with an aggressive display, I invited the Westie's owner to get her dog to sit.  She gave me a somewhat quizzical look, maybe she's in a hurry I thought, not keen on spending any more time with my boy whose not exactly welcoming at the moment.  However, as I watched, few seconds soon showed that the idea of sitting on owner's command for thisWestie was not something he seemed to be used to doing, or maybe he was used to getting away with not doing, who knows.  The Westie's  owner suggests she comes over to me, I suggest I come to her.  We have our dogs in reasonable proximity and I do my usual spiel, explaining why I am putting her and her dog through this and how it is going to benefit Sonny.  What I don't realise is that this dog is not going to give up on eyeballing Sonny, his owner tells me he is 'very protective'.  Not good then, I think.  However, Sonny is able to focus a bit and will take treats from me and give me his paw.  However the next minute he is yet again launching himself at the other dog, with this other dog behaving in such an assertive way, he is clearly not going to calm down.  We agree to leave it for now and I keep him sat as she leaves us.  Along come another couple of little pooches which are a regular sight around the place.  Sometimes they are also keen to eyeball Sonny, but today, I keep him sat and he manages to hold it together.

The very next day, I take all my courage and march Sonny down a narrow path which is blind at either end so no way of avoiding another dog if it comes along.  As I am just mentally visualising what I would do in this situation, guess what , we meet the Westie.  It's no good both the other owner and I have a 'here we go' moment and Sonny does his lurch towards Westie who is unfortunately due to the narrow path, closer than we would like.  In order to be helpful I try to arch around him, Sonny more fierce than ever, launches himself across me, putting me wrong-footed, I am about to go sprawling into the road and a car is coming round the corner, potential disaster.  The other owner is really worried about me, however I am concentrating on Sonny so not really in touch with the potential danger to me.  Afterwards I think about what could have happened and have a cold shiver moment.  I feel bad that I put Sonny in this situation because clearly he is not ready to meet this type of doggy energy without responding, yet...