Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Dogman...

A month or so after we got Glacier, we invested in a pricey trainer to help us with her people shyness. That trainer was aggressive with her and ultimately with us and after two sessions, the trainer disappeared for two months. Needless to say, we weren't sad to see her go but we were at square one as NONE of the trainer's aggressive work helped Glacier. The trainer didn't respond to emails or phone calls until we finally asked for our money back. It took us several months to get our money and I spent that time researching dog anxiety and looking for a new trainer. Obviously gun-shy about hiring someone, we took our time.

After starting Glacier a few days per week at the doggie day care, we started hearing really good things about the trainer that teaches classes there two times per week. I finally contacted him and he agreed to come to our house two days later so he could see exactly how she behaves when people come over.

He was here two days ago for about an hour and it's already changed our lives! He was calm, patient, and firm with her and explained the theories of wolf pack behavior and how our body language sends as many messages as our tones and words. It turns out that although we thought we had stopped comforting her when she was nervous around people, something in our body language was telling her that we wanted her to be nervous. Now we know how to encourage confidence instead of nervousness.

After only an hour or so of working with him, we had a half dozen or so really useful tips to use with her. That very afternoon we went down to my in-law's house where she will usually cower in a corner and stay there until we leave. But this time was different. We used the techniques we had just learned when we brought her into the house and she moved around the house, still somewhat fearfully, but she would stay within range of my in-laws and even relaxed calmly with all of us within feet of each other on the patio.

We encouraged each of them to walk her on the leash around the house and after a few struggles, she gave in and followed them. She let them pet her and feed her treats. They were so happy! It got easier and easier throughout the day and eventually she was tagging along with my mother in-law (on the leash) without really worrying where my husband and I were. She even went into the house for a break with Brody and both of them were comfortably relaxed when I peeked in the window at them. Yay!

The next day we did as the trainer told us and walked both dogs through the house on the leash establishing our dominance of them in the house as well and then went for a walk in the neighborhood looking for people willing to greet Glacier. Luckily there were plenty of folks out so she was greeted by 6-8 people and did very very well! Some of our neighbors have been wanting to pet her for months and she wouldn't let them. Yesterday they could pet her and she ate treats from their hands. Until Monday with the trainer, she wouldn't take a treat from anyone!

Her only really shy moment was with the six year old girl across the street who REALLY wants to love her! She walked a bit too quickly toward Glacier and G wouldn't take the treat from her. But we explained that she's still working on it and asked Sophia if she will be our special helper dog trainer and help us get Glacier used to kids. She was happy to agree!

So we've had her for 7.5 months and tried a variety of tactics only to need the input from one patient, calm trainer who really paid attention to Glacier and the vibes she was putting out.

We are SO thankful because we love her so much and we know that others will too when we work completely through this phase. We are now hopeful for her to comfortably spend time with many other people in our "pack". Yay!

No comments: