Chopper has had some backsliding. I had gotten complacent some with the clicker training, and it coincided with some environmental stuff we couldn't control. Our neighbors are selling their house and have people in it at all sorts of hours he isn't used to with a working family. During the day you can hear them pretty clearly, and it had been scaring Chopper. Combined with the people in the house behind (and above) us having kids playing on their deck, Chopper was just going internal. I think if I had been diligent with his enrichment those things wouldn't have taken their toll. Lesson learned (bad Mommy!)
I was out of town last week and enlisted Greg's help to start up clicker training as well. I came back to way more treats then expected. I don't think he's quite as generous with them LOL. There's always one parent who's more giving, right? Well despite that, Greg's clicker training did make a difference. When I came home Chopper was improved. I went back into the routine and now a few days later he's almost back to his high point again. In fact, some stuff is better. For example, he took a break in the middle of breakfast yesterday to play with his toys, which he'd been ignoring for a few weeks. When I thought he was done and started to take his food up he got really cute and did a play bow by his bowl as if to say: "I was just taking a break!" Back it went, and he went back to eating.
Today we took Chopper and Kolohe for another walk in the woods. Kolohe was smiling, Chopper was full high tail, wagging away. I'd had a long and full day at work and as we were walking I realized I'd was grinning. It was the first time I recalled doing that all day. I turned to Greg, who had Chopper and said: "If I had a tail, it'd be up now too." Those walks in the woods are so much more then just for Chopper. What a gift he's brought us.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Widening the gap the good times are winning!
Well the big news for this post is that I got a nose touch from Chopper today. That's complete his nose to my nose "hey how you doing I missed you and I care about you" nose touch. I get them all the time from my golden mix Kolohe, but let's be honest, Goldens are made for them :). Chopper, well, being a barely socialized hunting dog probably only ever touched noses with dogs before. It felt like a victory.
Other then that we've had some ups and downs this week. I learned I need to be more vigilant in my timing of clicker training to give bathroom breaks first, or else he won't go to the bathroom until I've long gone to work. Yep, inside. He gets so focused on the treats that he forgets about the bodily needs, so I need to pay attention for him.
Kolohe has started to try to steal Choppers treats more and more, so now I've got to watch her on it. Once she starts going for the treat, there's no going back. No amount of "no, leave it, or drop it" will work. I must admit I was unfairly angry with her for taking advantage of his gentle nature. She is just a dog, after all, and dogs are opportunists. The funny thing is she won't try to steal any toy that he is playing with, just chews and treats. Still I gave her a time out, gated in another room until I could forgive her. She laid on my feet in the way only dogs can to say "I'm sorry."
Chopper is becoming more and more resilient. It isn't constant, but I feel like the spurts of good times are widening the gap over the bad times. For example, there was maybe half a day where Chopper was on guard. The toaster popped and he left his blanket and hid in the hallway. Went outside and kept his tail tucked. But most of the days he bounces back more. For example, as he was coming up the deck steps yesterday a loud bus went by, he stopped, ducked, and looked, but in half a second was back to going up the stairs happily. Another victory!
Here's a video of Chopper playing with a "Busy Buddy" toy. It was recommended by the dog trainer who came to our house from Opportunity barks. It's another "enrichment" activity. I was really surprised at how well he took to it. He figured it out right away and followed it around, even when it went under a chair and table!
Other then that we've had some ups and downs this week. I learned I need to be more vigilant in my timing of clicker training to give bathroom breaks first, or else he won't go to the bathroom until I've long gone to work. Yep, inside. He gets so focused on the treats that he forgets about the bodily needs, so I need to pay attention for him.
Kolohe has started to try to steal Choppers treats more and more, so now I've got to watch her on it. Once she starts going for the treat, there's no going back. No amount of "no, leave it, or drop it" will work. I must admit I was unfairly angry with her for taking advantage of his gentle nature. She is just a dog, after all, and dogs are opportunists. The funny thing is she won't try to steal any toy that he is playing with, just chews and treats. Still I gave her a time out, gated in another room until I could forgive her. She laid on my feet in the way only dogs can to say "I'm sorry."
Chopper is becoming more and more resilient. It isn't constant, but I feel like the spurts of good times are widening the gap over the bad times. For example, there was maybe half a day where Chopper was on guard. The toaster popped and he left his blanket and hid in the hallway. Went outside and kept his tail tucked. But most of the days he bounces back more. For example, as he was coming up the deck steps yesterday a loud bus went by, he stopped, ducked, and looked, but in half a second was back to going up the stairs happily. Another victory!
Here's a video of Chopper playing with a "Busy Buddy" toy. It was recommended by the dog trainer who came to our house from Opportunity barks. It's another "enrichment" activity. I was really surprised at how well he took to it. He figured it out right away and followed it around, even when it went under a chair and table!
Monday, March 7, 2011
More and more playful
So last weekend I went away for a meditation retreat. Greg stayed home, which meant that Chopper had some consistency. Of course things aren't exactly the same when I'm not around. I'm teaching Greg how to do the things I'm teaching Chopper so there are bound to be some discrepancies. Also, I'd heard from a trainer that Chopper may not be "elastic" which means he may not retain things he learns. It was a "may" not a "definitely" but it still made me wonder what he would be like after I was gone all weekend. I know he bounced back quickly after Greg and I both went away, but I figured that could be due to relief when his people came back. How would he be when just one person went away.
Well I got all sorts of wiggles when I came home, yay!! He was genuinely happy to see me, and it a really good state of mind. I took him outside and then brought him back in for some clicker training. I know Greg said he did some when I was gone, but his schedule is different then mine and I've rearranged more to get in training both before and after work.
Chopper always lights up with the clicker training. So far I've worked on calling him to me where he puts his nose to my right hand, and now I add in another phase called "go find it" where after he comes to me I throw a small handful of cheese around for him to sniff and find. It's part of his enrichment plan from the dog trainer who came to our house last weekend (she was the second dog trainer I consulted, I actually paid her for a 2 hour visit, where the first one we just talked on the phone).
In the mornings when I get up for work I let Kolohe out of the bedroom and then go to the bathroom to start my morning routine. She usually stays with me until I'm just about to go downstairs. This morning she heard Chopper stirring and ran downstairs. I could hear him crunching on the raccoon toy (it has a water bottle inside), and I think they two dogs were wrestling a bit! What a great way to start the day. When I went downstairs he was so excited he did laps around our little house, kitchen-dining room-living room and back again and again. I let him outside and he ran full out around our yard too. I love seeing him happy.
Here's a picture I took of him after work where he went into the yard still feeling playful:
Don't you love the tail blurring?
Well I got all sorts of wiggles when I came home, yay!! He was genuinely happy to see me, and it a really good state of mind. I took him outside and then brought him back in for some clicker training. I know Greg said he did some when I was gone, but his schedule is different then mine and I've rearranged more to get in training both before and after work.
Chopper always lights up with the clicker training. So far I've worked on calling him to me where he puts his nose to my right hand, and now I add in another phase called "go find it" where after he comes to me I throw a small handful of cheese around for him to sniff and find. It's part of his enrichment plan from the dog trainer who came to our house last weekend (she was the second dog trainer I consulted, I actually paid her for a 2 hour visit, where the first one we just talked on the phone).
In the mornings when I get up for work I let Kolohe out of the bedroom and then go to the bathroom to start my morning routine. She usually stays with me until I'm just about to go downstairs. This morning she heard Chopper stirring and ran downstairs. I could hear him crunching on the raccoon toy (it has a water bottle inside), and I think they two dogs were wrestling a bit! What a great way to start the day. When I went downstairs he was so excited he did laps around our little house, kitchen-dining room-living room and back again and again. I let him outside and he ran full out around our yard too. I love seeing him happy.
Here's a picture I took of him after work where he went into the yard still feeling playful:
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
A hound dog in his natural element
We took Chopper for a nice walk in the woods on Sunday. Not a long walk, but it was nice nonetheless. He spent time alternating between putting his nose to the ground and up to the breeze. Tail was up and he was content!
Nose down.
Nose up.
The best part of the walk for me, though, was when we decided to turn around. See, I had Kolohe and I went first on the narrow path. Greg and Chopper followed. When it was time to go back we turned around and Greg and Chopper were in the front. Well Chopper wouldn't move! He kept turning around and looking at my face for direction. It was an important indicated that he trusts me as a leader. A fearful dog with a trusted leader becomes a more settled and peaceful dog. Yay us! Hopefully Chopper will start to look at Greg that way soon, too, so he has two people to help him feel safe.
Here's a few more pictures. No wait, Mom is supposed to lead, you're going the wrong way!
Nose down.
Nose up.
The best part of the walk for me, though, was when we decided to turn around. See, I had Kolohe and I went first on the narrow path. Greg and Chopper followed. When it was time to go back we turned around and Greg and Chopper were in the front. Well Chopper wouldn't move! He kept turning around and looking at my face for direction. It was an important indicated that he trusts me as a leader. A fearful dog with a trusted leader becomes a more settled and peaceful dog. Yay us! Hopefully Chopper will start to look at Greg that way soon, too, so he has two people to help him feel safe.
Here's a few more pictures. No wait, Mom is supposed to lead, you're going the wrong way!
Right Mom?
Two happy dogs. I think he was actually smiling though I couldn't get a picture of it. You can easily see Kolohe's happy face though!
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