What a Difference a Day Makes....

What a difference a day makes ...or in this case three days. On Saturday, Jessie trembled and ran away at the sight of a leash, and did not want to step one single paw into the back yard. On Sunday, she accepted the leash and cautiously went into the yard, but ran quickly back to the house. On Monday, she sat nicely while I put the leash on, pranced happily outside, checked out all the pee spots, sniffed at a slug, nosed at the garbage cans, and then sat on the back porch waiting for Sadie and Charley.

Yesterday afternoon, I let go of her leash in the fenced back yard for the first time and watched in trepidation as she quickly skirted the parameter of the yard, nose pointed toward the top of the fence all the way (Let’s face it, it would be rather embarrassing if, after my ranting about people not keeping dogs safe in new surroundings, she jumped the fence and I had to report her lost!!!!). I was poised to grab the end of the leash if necessary, but as soon as I said her name she came trotting back to me.

Today? Well, today she flew out of the door, tore around the back yard, chased a ball, jumped on Sadie, splashed through the puddles, checked out the brambles and tools behind the shed, and then ran onto the back porch where she sat next to the door with a big happy grin on her face.

Checking out the yard

Saturday, she trembled and drooled and vomited and quaked all the way home in the van. On Sunday, she turned into a quivering mess when I took her onto the driveway. On Monday, she stood with apprehension when I opened the gate on the other side of the house, which leads into a fenced side yard – a yard she has seen through the patio doors but not been into. With coaxing and a leash, she entered it, trembling all the while. Today, she went voluntarily into the side yard on three occasions. Just now, when I took her out for a pee, she ran to the closed side yard gate and pawed to go into that area of the yard.

Hey, what's through here?

Takin' time to smell the flowers

Yesterday morning, when Else stopped by to drop off a crate, Jessie hunkered down on the floor, all timid and scared. This afternoon, when Vonda came over to get some photos for the soon to be published Crofton Cookbook, Jessie greeted her with eagerness, happily sat next to her for scritches, and confidently followed her into the office.

On Saturday, Jessie squatted to pee or poop in the house without a second thought. On Sunday, she began to pace a bit to let me know she might need out, but wasn’t always good about actually doing the job once she was outside. On Monday, she learned to go pee on command. Today, she is learning to nudge the bells when she wants out.

Out, please!

On Saturday, Jessie had to be physically placed in the wire crate. On Sunday, she went in somewhat reluctantly but without assistance when I put food in there for her. Yesterday, she willingly went in numerous times for food, treats, an antler, and comfortably stayed in there when I had to go out for several hours. Today, she raced into the crate as soon as she saw me prepare her meal, and on one occasion even went into the open crate by herself for a nap when I was busy with other things. (Ironically, though she previously loved her plastic crate and resisted the wire one, she wants nothing to do with the plastic one I borrowed, cleaned, put together, and have taking up space in my small living room. Go figure).

Saturday, she was too scared to even look at Charley, Sadie or Allie. Sunday, she sniffed them a few times but essentially ignored them. Monday, she crowded the dogs when it was time to go outside or when we were in the kitchen. Today she is pouncing on the dogs, chasing the cat, stealing the cat's toys, and trying to figure out why none of them want to play with a bouncy, happy, puppy.

And I'm not comin' down 'til she's GONE! Is she still here?

May I take this cat toy outside, please?

One could say she is literally progressing by leaps and bounds. Tomorrow, next week, next month – the world! Way to go, Jessie!!

YAY ME!!!!

We shall continue with her adjustment to the home and yard for several more days before upping the ante and venturing on leash into the front yard, the driveway, and the rest of the block.

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos. I seem to be technologically challenged these days. On Saturday, I broke a memory card and the card reader; for the past three days I've had posting problems with my blog (hence the weird spacing of the last few entries); and today the camera seems to have a ridiculously slow response time and most of the photos are blurry. And my stereo died. And yesterday I had a flat tire and couldn’t figure out how to release the spare tire (thank heavens for BCAA), so even my car hates me.

Getting to know you.....

Getting to know you,

Getting to know all about you.

Getting to like you,

Getting to hope you like me too....

(song from The King and I)

That old song was running through my head this weekend as Jessie and I get to know one another. No description from a previous home or shelter or foster is ever completely accurate in a new environment – while it may have been true for that person in that space, substitute another person and another space and the behaviour may be different.

Jessie came from bad beginnings – a puppy mill – and through a couple of very unsuitable homes before landing with Broken Promises Rescue, for whom I am fostering. Jessie is about 1.5 years old, a bearded collie, and very, very timid. My primary task is to gradually expose her to new situations in a way that will increase her confidence.

Her biggest nemesis is a car. She is terrified of cars – especially of going in cars. The trip up island in my van was one of drool and nonstop quivering.

Jessie, soaked with drool

Her greatest ally is her crate. Unfortunately she is a wee bit picky about crates – loves plastic ones but not wire ones. And I only have wire ones. Yesterday, I started asking around for a plastic one to borrow, but after some initial resistance that even liver treats couldn’t overcome, she is finally adjusting to the wire crate with a sheet covering the sides. (As I write this, my friend Else is bringing over a plastic crate for Jessie - a better choice as Charley believes all wire crates are her personal property but won't be caught dead in plastic.)

Settling in

Because she is such a timid dog, it is important for her to have a place she feels safe and secure. As I’ve written before, on the post about crate training, a properly crate trained dog sees a crate as a den, a haven, not a cage or jail. Jessie is one dog who really needs a haven.

Jessie has some other challenges on which we are already working. She doesn’t know how to ask to go outside to go to the bathroom. But she is learning, and a quick “uh uh – outside!” results in her running to the door with me to finish the job on the grass.

She also pulls like a Trojan. While I was told a quick “uhuh” brings her back in line, this hasn’t been my experience so far. Once she has done her business and received her treat, she practically drags me back to the house. That is a problem for me (I have a spinal/hip problem that makes it impossible for me to walk heavy pullers), so I will need to work with her indoors on leash heeling, where the door to the house is not a distraction. And I’m making arrangements to borrow a ‘no pull’ harness for her.

And at the moment, “ Walkies” is not in Jessie's vocabulary. Our one foray outside of the fenced back yard, just onto the driveway - resulted in her having a meltdown - a quivering, shivering, hunkered down, not-going-anywhere sad-little-muppet meltdown. We shall try again in a couple of days, this time leaving through the gate on the other side of the house, away from the car and driveway. Our journey of exposing Jessie to the outside world will be taken with baby steps.

Jessie has a lot of really good traits.

She has a lovely “sit”. She will sit for anything. Because she has a tendency to paw and jump up for attention, the rescue was teaching her she only gets attention or treats when four paws are on the ground. We are continuing with that training – not even a pat on the head unless all paws are down.

She is, so far, a very quiet dog. In the house, she is silent – no barking or whining at all. This morning, for the first time since her arrival on Saturday, she let out a joyous WOOF when we headed for the back yard at six AM. She has a very clear WOOF, not a bark or a yip or an arf - a clearly articulated contralto “WOOF”. There’s nothing more annoying than a yappy dog, so I consider a contralto woof to be a good trait!

I'm quiet, but I know how to WOOF!

She is a quick learner. Initially, she trembled violently each time I picked up the leash to take her into the yard. The very sight or sound of the leash was enough to send her running. I think she was afraid I was going to take her out in that puke-producing metal box on wheels again. So I left the leash clipped to her Martingale collar and let her drag it around for a day, and now she is just fine with it.

She is great with other dogs, cats and people. She is a bit of an attention hog, but that bodes well for her to become attached to a future companion, and also makes training that much easier. She wants to please.

I'm smilin' now!

Jessie will be a work-in-progress. But for the right home, this muppet of a dog will one day soon be a great companion.

The Benefits of Crate Training

(I had a several people email me asking for more information on crate training, after I mentioned using it for Lucy. I apologize for the delay - here, at last, are my thoughts on crates and the techniques I use).

The concept of crating dogs took me some time to get used to. When I first heard of the practice, as something people did to their pets and not just to contain dogs in shelters, veterinary offices and airports, I was appalled – who in their right mind would want to put their dog in a CAGE? After all, aren’t cages horrible things, like jail cells?

Not so. Since I began taking animal care seriously, fostering and adopting older dogs, and getting involved in animal rescue, I have done an about face and now see crates as an essential part of a dog’s environment. I consider crate training a pup as important as teaching the pup to walk nicely on a leash or to wait for a command before barreling out of the car.

Almost all of the people I know in rescue with a true commitment to helping rescued and shelter dogs become adoptable, family-ready, companion animals recognize the value of crates. We want our dependent family members, whether children or animals, to be good citizens, to be social, to have some manners, and to feel safe and secure. My dogs are far from perfect, but they are easy to live with. And crate training has been partially responsible for that.

Before I go on, let’s first look at my choice of words: cage vs crate. A cage confines, a cage keeps the people outside the cage safe. A cage is what was once used in zoos before we better understood the need for animals to have as natural a habitat as possible. A crate also confines, but it also protects the contents – think of a shipping crate, for example: sturdy, safe, protecting the precious cargo it carries. But I digress.

Dogs tend to like crates. Why? Because dogs are, by nature, den animals. They like to feel secure, to curl up in a safe space where they can relax, sure that nothing can harm them. Most of us have dogs who feel safe within our homes whether in their crate or not, and many of those dogs have their own favorite corner or bed or couch or even closet in the home. But it’s hard to fit that couch or closet into the back of the family vehicle. Crates are portable and can go along on vacations whether to grandma’s house or camping by the lake.

Having a dog that enjoys a crate is useful, too, when the dog is faced with stressful situations. Being used to a crate means that when Fido is stuck at the vets, the wire door won’t be quite so scary. And when Fifi pulls a cruciate and has to be confined “on bed rest” for weeks, liking her crate makes that sentence a whole lot easier! Crates are useful, too, when the house is full of busy company (human and/or canine) and a dog just wants a place to chill.

I believe every puppy should be crate trained for all the above reasons, but also because it is easier to housetrain them, and to keep them safe during those times when there is no one home. A crated dog will not usually soil its den, and it certainly can’t chew up the electrical cords, tear off the plastic hose at the back of the toilet, eat through the drywall, or make a feast out of your favourite antique table (and yes, I have had pups do all those things in my pre-crating life!).

Like any other piece of equipment, crates have to be used responsibly. If a dog is to feel safe and comfortable there, it needs to be a safe, comfortable place. A soft mattress or blanket provides a comfy place for doggy knees and elbows to rest. Happy voices and rewarding treats make going into the crate fun. Crates should never be used as punishment, and a dog should never be shoved in there by a human yelling at the dog in anger. Nor should dogs be left in crates for long periods of time – a few hours at most, though I do know of people who crate their very happy adult dogs while they are at work all day – but are committed to giving their dogs lots of daily exercise as well. Crating all day would certainly not be appropriate for young pups, who can only comfortably hold their bladder about an hour for each month of their age – a four month old pup may be comfortable for a maximum of four hours, but no longer. And if the dog is high energy, a vigorous play period or a really long walk will do both the dog and the human a whole lot more good than sticking the dog in the crate. A tired dog is a good dog – and a tired dog is happy to have a nap in his nice, safe, comfy crate.

What kind of crate to get?

Crates come in both wire and plastic or fiberglass models, as well as the fabric ones sometimes used for travel or shows. The fabric ones are quite easily torn or even flipped with the dog inside, and, in my opinion, are best kept for short term use only. Wire ones provide more visibility than plastic – which some dogs like and some don’t. Wire ones fold flat, making them easier to transport or store. That giant sized plastic kennel just isn’t going to fit in the back seat of the Honda Civic very well. However, many dogs prefer the fiberglass/plastic crates as they give a more secure den-like feeling.

My dogs prefer the wire ones. This may be because they were not crate trained until they were older adults and they consider the whole house their “den” and the crate merely one of several beds in it. Charley was trained to an x-pen, which we still use for travel today, and she is quite happy with the wire of an xpen or the wire of a crate around her. Sadie isn’t terribly happy with either – perhaps she has a learned fear of being confined when her beloved family disappeared and she scratched at the wire of the shelter kennel until her paws were raw and bleeding. However, even she voluntarily goes into the open wire crate in my living room for a nap from time to time, and will happily stay in there with a frozen stuffed kong.

Some dogs like wire crates better because they are cooler – Charley and Sadie both have very thick coats and really suffer in the heat, so the more limited air circulation of the plastic crates does not suit them. That said, there are plastic crates with built in fans available – though I am not sure how efficiently they work and whether some dogs would object to the feel of air being blown on or away from them. And small skinny hairless dogs who feel the cold more may well like the warmth of a plastic crate, no fan needed!

One good compromise, especially if you have a long haired dog who will be hot in a plastic crate in summer, is to get a wire one, but toss a blanket over it. For a price you can even buy special cloth or canvas crate covers that look very nice (or if you are a zillion times more talented at sewing than I am, you can make your own to match your décor!). That way, you can provide a covered den-like crate, with the option of good ventilation and visibility by removing the cover.

Getting the right sized crate for the dog is also important. Used crates are always available on online classifieds like craigslist, so sizing up as the pup grows is not a big issue. However, there are also crates that have an adjustable interior “wall” so the crate can grow as your pup does. Too big a crate for a little pup and they may not feel secure (and may well poop at one end of the crate). Too small a crate for your adult dog, and you can cause pain in its neck or limbs. The right size crate is one in which your dog has three or four extra inches of head space when standing or sitting, and is long enough and wide enough for the dog to turn around and to lie down.

Teaching the dog to like the crate:

Getting a dog of any age – pup to senior – used to a crate is not usually too difficult, unless, like Sadie, they have experienced a traumatic event associated with being kenneled. Whenever I foster or adopt a dog, every new dog to my home is introduce to the crate by eating all his or her meals there. At first, that may mean just putting the bowl on the floor of the crate just inside the door and letting the dog stand outside the crate to eat. Then I gradually move the bowl further in until they must go right inside the crate to get the food. Then I begin closing the door while they are in there eating, but opening it right after. Then I make them wait a moment or two, slowly increasing the wait time. I also hide treats in the crate for them to find, or put them in the crate with a high-value treat like a bully stick, or a long lasting treat like a frozen stuffed kong.

I make sure the crate is somewhere quiet but central – usually in my living room alongside a wall, or between a couch or chair and the wall. I want them to feel part of the family. Depending on the dog, I have at times had crates in my bedroom as well – Belle used to like to sleep in a crate in the bedroom, whereas Charley has always preferred her “own” room at night time. She says my snoring keeps her awake.

When crate training, I try not to let a dog out when she is whining – I want to catch her being quiet in her crate and THEN open the door for her. Sometimes that may mean dropping a toy or treat in at the far end of the crate to distract her, and when she stops whining to go investigate, whipping the door open and telling her good dog. Otherwise she will learn that whining will get her what she wants. If she goes in voluntarily and lies down for a snooze, I wait a few minutes and then go over with a treat for her – good dog, crate!

Just as kids can learn to like their own beds and rooms, dogs too learn to see their crate as their favourite place to be when they can’t be with you.

Here’s a couple of good links about crate training:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI8b_xfEuPA

http://www.pets.ca/dogs/articles/housebreaking-crate-training/

I am so proud of Ms. Lucy!!!

Although I introduced Lucy to a crate right at the beginning of her stay with me, I have not actually confined her in one for more than a few minutes at a time until today, nor seriously gone about training her to think of the crate as her safe happy place. I've primarily used it to keep her confined when she's having her favourite treat - a frozen stuffed kong. No point adding mushy kibble and yogurt to the dog hair on the carpet. But that's been about the extent of her "crate training".

Last night we began crate training in earnest, as her youthful exuberance and cat-assisted mischief when I'm out of the house was getting to be a problem. Today I used an accelerated program from what I would normally do - pushing into one day crate training that I normally do over the course of five or more days.

So each meal and a series of hourly treats were given inside the crate, with the door closed, and after she finished she was left in there for increasing periods of time - a minute, two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes. She was excellent. No whining, no pawing at the crate - just sat waiting to be let out.

This afternoon I stepped it up a bit, and after taking her for her walk I put her in the crate with a bully stick* while I took my other dogs out for a twenty minute walk. She was fine - still chomping on the bully stick when we got back.

I took the remaining stick away from her as it was the only one I had and I knew I would need it later, plus I didn't want Charley and Sadie getting hold of it and starting a fight. She traded for a cookie, and made no objection when I removed the stick from her mouth. What a good dog!

This evening I had plans to go out for dinner with an old childhood friend who now lives in Chemainus. I didn't think we'd be gone more than an hour as the pub is just around the corner. I figured this was another opportunity to step up the training and I put Lucy in the crate with the bully stick** once again. Well, the pub service was a bit slow, the meal was excellent, the dessert tempted us, the conversation was great, and before we knew it, we'd been gone almost three hours.

Lucy was just fine. Her bedding wasn't destroyed, her paws and mouth didn't have sores from trying to escape, and she didn't seem distressed at all. I got my usual very enthusiastic, over-the-top welcome from her, and twenty minutes later she is back to playing pogo-stick with the cat before climbing into my favourite chair for a nap.

Big sigh of relief. Tomorrow we shall work on leaving her in there without a time-consuming treat and see how she does. Hopefully she will soon consider her crate the best place on earth - next to someone's lap. And that will make living with Lucy a whole lot easier.

Notes:
* A bully stick is a dried meat chew treat which, unlike rawhide, is fully digestible.
** I generally do not recommend leaving dogs alone with chew treats, as there is always the possibility of choking. Charley, for example, has been known to suck in the last two inches of stick and choke on it - she no longer gets bully sticks at all. Other dogs have been known to break off a chunk of rubber kong and swallow it. In today's scenario, I weighed the risks and benefits and opted to leave her with a braided bully stick which is less likely to be a choking hazard than the wider, cigar-shaped ones.