Been around dogs all my life, from the first family dog terrrier
Tina, who took her job as protector very seriously. When my family moved from a small town in Minnesota to Phoenix Arizona,
my Mom got involved with raising AKC Show Chihuahuas. As a teenager I helped to show dogs and even started with
my own .
As an adult, the plight of homeless dogs and strays
touched me to the point that I resolved to never "buy/breed" another pedigree dog, but instead to only work with rescues,
which originally were only smaller dogs.
At 35 my (now ex) second husband introduced me
to the joys of larger dogs - labs. When he left,
he took the two purebreds back with him, I kept the rescue, (Tanna).
At 40ish, I rescued a rottie/chow mentally challenged,
that I raised from birth, (Thunder). Lastly,
rescued a collie chow who had been abused to keep her from going back to the Humane Society, as a broken, unmanageable dog,(Foxie),
My pack was complete for ten years.
A
supervisor came into the office I was working at as a contractor and said “We can escort you to your cars for lunch,
there is a wild pregnant chow dog lose in the lot that is terrorizing everyone, that we have called the Animal Control to
come and get.”
I thought – “ahh gee, a chow, pregnant and wild? They will put her down for sure” and was impelled
to go out and check the animal out.When I got to the lot, I saw a male dog that
was terrorized out of his mind.No focus eye when he looked at you, just knee-jerk
barking, snarling and running.
I had been watching the new “Dog Whisperer” show with Cesar Milan.Having been around dogs all my life, I thought I would just try some of the techniques he had talked about:
"Depression and aggression is often really frustration".
"Discharge the energy first, let them wear themselves out".
Finally, he went between the storage shed and concrete wall
changing his energy from aggressive confrontation to fearful retreat.
(picture insert below)
The "Red-Zone" Rescue Steps
"Take control of the space".
(I
blocked his way out, sat down in the entry - claimed the space.)
"No touch, no talk, no eye contact".
(We stayed there in 105 degree heat for two hours.)
Finally he came up to me. I ignored him.
He bumped me with his nose.
~
He had shifted to calm submissive, quiet, balanced energy.
Without looking, I reach my hand out to massage his shoulder and finally pulled
him to me. Then carried him to the car to go home.
Introduction to the Pack
It would have been better
if I could have gone for
a walk with the existing pack
before entering the property.
This was a part of "Cesar's
Way" I had not learned about yet.
Attempting to put a choke leash on Signal
I saw scarring fromwhat looked like a chain scar.
He fought the choke chain I attempted to put on him.
Cesar said"new leash/new associations"!
So we borrowed Foxie Dog's pink harness
then lead him into the back yard.
We both were hot and exhausted.
I sat in the pool to cool
off.
He went and hid in the vines
behind the palm trees. After a while, he came out and joined me by the pool,
where I gave him water and a bit of food.
When I introduced him to the
other dogs I grabbed the leash and walked him into the center of the group, where a smooth assimilation occurred in moments.
What did NOT happen correctly with bringing home this new dog to assimilate into the
pack most successfully, was following half the process, that Cesar explains so clearly in his book and later tapes which I
did not know about at the time. That in addition to tiring out the rescued dog, one should also tire out the pack to
drop the energy. I believe that if I had done this first, this action would have reduced the stress between Signal and
another male, Thunder - a rottie chow.
"Exercise, Disapline Before Affection"
Tools for Signal Bear
Cesar provided the idea of
*creating work and
* upping the energy level during the walks
by his examples of rollerblading and skate boarding with the dogs.
Since I have never learned either one and am 52 years (5’1” to boot) I decided a more effective way with
this high energy youngster of 2 years was to ride the bike with him.
This also keeps him right at my side or slightly behind me but he can pull like a sled dog for greater exercise return
on limited time and then I pedal like mad to exercise us both, when he slows down having vented the first head of energetic
steam.
Below is a commercial product available I discovered, after my own hand
made setup.It is safer and in fact, has a safety release available as well
Cesar Millan's
Ilusion Collar is not yet available and when it is there will be information put here as an additional resource.
With Signal's issues
with a collar (neck/leash) I found the gentle leader a savior for maintaining control without harm. To understand if's effectiveness
read the description below!
We have graduated to only using the Gentle Leader
collar
during high distractions times~
(kids out of school ,people walking other dogs,
evenings weekends, holidays).
Sleeping until my "Illusion Collar" Arrives
There is another alternative to the Gentle Leader..
The Illusion Collar will keep the leash
at the top of the neck, where it is easier to control. your dog..
Signal Bear's Illusion Collar has arrived!
Please use the link below to see how this new collar will workand to reserve one for your dog!
Dogs are naturally "pack" animals with a highly structured
social order.
One of the ways the "pack leader" will demonstrate
his position is to gently but firmly grasp a subordinate's
muzzle in his mouth.
This is a non-aggressive, very clear signal regarding
who's the boss!
The Gentle Leader's® nose loop encircles your dog's muzzle in this same manner,
letting him know in his own language that you are
his leader.
Dogs feel more secure when they know who the leader
is.
The Neck Strap - Have you noticed how puppies seem to melt in relaxation when
their mother picks them up at the back of the neck? Gentle Leader® applies pressure to the back of the neck rather
than the front of the throat, working with your dog's natural relaxation instinct with an amazing calming effect. Also, dogs
tend to pull against pressure so the gentle pressure at the back of the neck causes the dog to pull backward, not
forward. This means an end to leash pulling forever!
Teaches "Sit" - The Gentle
Leader® Headcollar quickly encourages controlled sitting - raise your dog's nose skyward and he lowers his hindquarters
- no pushing or shoving.
One year ,work with Signal utilizing techniques learned for Cesar's
television series, had progressed to the point that his behavior was consistently stabilized to a "calm and balanced mode".
Still there were signs of flipping into the "red-zone reaction" whenever environmental triggers would occur such as loose
dogs or people walking by the house.
A return to the vet for Signal's annual check-up, resulted in an event where
fearful assistants triggered a return to his feral, human-agressive behaviors. Fortunately, when I told my vet of my
work using Cesar's techniques. The vet immediatly took control and created submission for the exam, with the "bite hand" around
Signal's neck.
Cesar talks about the importance of "socializing a dog to balance within a
pack dynamic. They needed to learn these rules in order to reduce the potential of a fight triggered by your dog or
another dog within a group situation.
The discision to bring Signal to obedience class was to bring him around other
dogs in an environment of control (which you will not find in a dog park). Owners would be much less likely to react
or escalate the situation AND would take responsibility for their own dogs.
The plan was a great success!
Not only did Signal become less likely to be distracted by other animals or
people, but his response to the "traditional training of sit/stay without leash control meant that he was beginning to be
able to be trusted outside to not run at the first opportunity.
A most useful technique as well is having tight control of the
leash - "like a briefcase" with the collar set up high on the nexk by the ears for greater control.
When Signal starts to fixate or distract from his attention on
me, his pack leader, a quick snap of the leash, (a tap of the toe around the hindquarters of the dog, if necessar for
addition re-orientation) and the addition of the sound "tsst" rather then yelling or saying no retrains Signals pattern of
looking for trouble to attention to the activity at hand.
One Door Closes~
Another Door Opens!!!
Use
of this information is at the reader's own risk and in no way advocate's the your rescue of what is called a "red-zone" dog,
agressive and dangerous, without the attendence of a trained professional such as can be found from The International Association
of Canine Professionals web site at www.dogpro.org, which allows you to search for trainers
in your state
Those looking
to solve their own problems can also join us over at the Yahoo Dog Whisperer Fan Email List at
