Welcome to All Things Tess!

The How-to guide for owners whose partners aren’t listening, exactly.

September 24th, 2011

There is no doubt in my mind that the person in question loves their dog to bits and pieces.

Their husband is quite devoted, as well. ‘She’s a great dog. A fantastic dog,’ he’s said over and over.

But there’s one small problem..

The husband/ or wife is in charge, and under no circumstances will they allow a trainer into the home to instruct their family in what to do. Because that’s their territory.  And no one – no one can tell this particular person that the approach they’re using might not work for their dog. And according to the partner – the puppy just doesn’t get it. “Our other dog who passed away a while ago was older, and calmer. I think we might have been used to that for so many years, that we weren’t sure what we were getting into when we got this little one.”

I can imagine pretty well the inside of a puppy’s mind…. it’s fairly simple: They want to know what’s going on, and what they should do.

Where do I go when they say this?  Hmm… maybe they want me to go in here?

What do I do to signal I have to pee? Uh-oh.  I guess looking at them and barking didn’t work….. Ooops.

What do I do when they say this loudly? Okay… now they’re saying it even louder.

I’d better do something…. they seem to want something. Hm. Maybe they want me to get on this rug over here? They walked over to it and stood on it and made loud noises. I’ll bet that’s what they mean!  Yeah!  I’ll walk over to them right now…..

Okay. That’s not what they wanted at all. Huh. I wonder what they want me to do… they’re getting louder again. 

 

Poor pup. She is loved, and has run of a large house with a family and the best part? Toys and treats and a warm bed at night and affection and if only… if only the instructions were clearer. Then everything would be perfect. And much calmer.
Here are some things you can do when your partner isn’t on-board with training:

1.  Express to your partner your firm belief that there are different learning styles for everyone, and your dog is no different – that the type of instruction needed is different than the way you’re used to doing it. This gives them the sense that they aren’t wrong… you’re both just missing the mark and need some help. There is nothing wrong with needing to learn a new technique to accomplish something!

2.  Go ahead with training anyway. Get yourself and your pup out to see the trainer, and take some lessons in the basics. Once you and your pup have a common language, when your partner gives confusing commands and your pup doesn’t know what to do, they’ll get what instruction they need from you.  Will this frustrate your partner? Probably. But they’ll also come around once they see how calm things are when they tag along on your walks, and how much easier it is for you to communicate with your dog.   And either they’ll come around, or they’ll give themselves a reason why your pup listens to you rather then them.

3.  If you can’t afford a trainer, read the training blogs – I have several listed here in addition to mine.  And remember – if you have a large rescued or elderly dog, I will come and train you for free.  But go reading too – Pick a lesson and try it out! And remember – training takes time each day. You are essentially training yourself in another language, so pick one word, and one meaning for that word, and work on it until it works.

Example:   Learning the words “grass”   and   “sidewalk”.     “Grass” will simply mean that soft stuff that is not sidewalk. It might be dirt, it might be covered in leaves, but it isn’t the sidewalk material.   “Sidewalk” will simply mean that light-colored hard stuff with the lines on it that gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter. When you’re out on your walk together say the word and lead your dog to it. Point at it and say “Sidewalk” whenever you’re on what you define as “sidewalk” material. Then lead them to “Grass”… and then back onto the sidewalk, and then onto the grass. As soon as your dog’s feet hit the sidewalk, say the word in a happy tone of voice. Repeat for Grass, and be happy.

Once you’ve done this for the entire walk, stop in someone’s driveway, where there’s an option for grass or sidewalk, and point, and say “Grass” and indicate with body language that they should go step on the grass. Then, if they don’t get it, lead them to it, and say the word clearly, pointing at the green stuff. By doing this, you can build a common vocabulary, so your dog knows what it means when you ask them to go to bed, or go to the grass.   This takes the mystery out of commands… and makes life easier.

One of the first big dogs I worked with, Brutus, didn’t know what outside was or what inside was…or that certain things were okay outside that weren’t okay inside. So when I asked him if he needed to go pee outside – he had no idea what I was asking. Once I started saying “Good boy! Pee Outside!” over and over whenever we were on our walks, he suddenly figured it out.

And then there was never a doubt in his Newfoundland mind that I was a GIGANTIC sucker who would ask everyday if he wanted to go outside and pee every afternoon I got home from school.

Silly girl! Of course he did!

But then again – when he would get up in the night and go “Bwoof!” in a low voice at the front door – I had a question he could answer in the affirmative or in the negative – and whenever he went “Bwoof! in the middle of the night but didn’t need to go outside? I knew to go and get Mom because that meant something Suspicious was outside of the house.

Common language is important, and the right trainer who can work with you and your family – or should the case be just you and your pup – can show you how to begin building a language that works. Don’t let anyone stand in the way of you building the right kind of language with your canine friends – it will make the world an easier place to navigate and bring you years of joy.

For example…. Want to go swimming? Hiking? Like to go fishing? Throw a ball in the back yard? A few key words can make these activities a lot of fun for both of you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Anxiety and your dog – a breakdown in pack life

September 9th, 2011
 There are many sources of anxiety – and we have learned through the years upon years of canine studies that there are a few key things a pack provides. These key items are in addition to love, and friendship, which can be witnessed by anyone who chooses to go find a wild dog-pack and observe them in a natural setting. 
 
             1.) Collective security:
      • That means having a safe den. If the pack doesn’t have a safe place to retreat …. there is no pack security. 
      • That also means fighting off enemies and invaders together – as a pack.
             2.) Food at regular intervals, access to clean water 
             3.) Intellectual stimulation – everyone in the pack has their job
             4.) Enjoyment and fun activity – from joyfully running and playing tag to grooming

And breakdowns in pack life cause anxiety. If there isn’t a balance – if we don’t provide for our canine friends to have these basic things – obsessive behaviors will begin to set into place. A fed, watered, and walked dog who has taken care of their bathroom needs in a stress-free way is more likely to fall asleep than to stay awake and begin a series of gut-wrenching noises. A dog who has had time to run about and sniff things and patrol the territory will be more likely to lay down while you’re at work and wait patiently for the routine to begin again.

So take a look at your dog’s life, and think about the pack structure of your household. If there’s something out of balance – something that falls under these basic categories – write it down, think about it carefully, and ask yourself what you can do for your pack.

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Getting to the heart of the Matter Part 2: Observation

September 9th, 2011

Location, location, location.

Routine, routine, routine.

You need to be able to learn when the anxious behaviors set in.  Psychologists and Sociologists call it Observational Data, and it’s gathered like so:

  1. You’ll need a spy. A spy so good at being quiet and just watching, your dog will not notice they’re being spied on.
  2. Usually, this spy is a web-camera or other recording device.
  3. You’ll need to be willing to put aside your beliefs in favor of what the observational data shows you.

You need to be willing to do this a few times to make sure you’re not missing any clues.

Whenever you perform research, you want to have a question in mind. In the case of separation anxiety, you might want to have a bird’s eye view of your dog in their crate to know how long it takes for them to start howling like there’s no tomorrow. 

You might enlist the help of a family member to take note of everything you do right before leaving the house on a few days to isolate what you’re doing that sets off your dog. Is it the jingle of keys before leaving the house? Picking up your briefcase? The start of the car’s engine? 

All of this information is at your finger-tips, and it’s useful information to fix the anxiety issue. After you’ve gathered your data, and you know when the anxiety is triggered, and what activities or circumstances trigger the anxiety, you can begin to fix the problem. Remember: take notes – lots of notes! And get help – another pair of eyes can help you see things you may ordinarily overlook.

A client I was working with a few months ago didn’t know what was setting off her new pup – a lovely 4 year old mixed breed of pit-bull and elk hound by the name of Chester – but once we started recording, we realized there were animals coming into the yard all day long. For a dog bred to guard the fort from invaders, this was sheer torture. And prior to this, she thought it was all about her leaving her dog along for the work day – admittedly a long day of lounging on the couch.

And the recording helped her to attack the root cause of the anxiety on two fronts:

1.) We got some lion dung on-line, and spread it around the yard. Nothing says holy-cow-there’s-a-gigantic-predator-in-the-area like the smell of lion poo. Not only did it keep animals from coming through the yard, it kept the deer out of her garden!

2.) We set up a few puzzle-toys with treats inside. Not only did this help with the boredom, it gave him something else to think about now that the animals were gone.

So consider, the anxiety behaviors that drive you nuts may be a symptom of something other than your regular, run-of-the-mill separation anxiety…. but only through observation can you truly find this out. So get a notebook, set up a camera, be clever, and email me or call if you have questions!

 

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Getting to the heart of the matter: separation anxiety

September 9th, 2011

Root causes are something I have to examine on a daily basis when I’m performing my regular day job – I’m a safety supervisor in an industrial atmosphere, and when injuries occur or when we have a near-miss, I have to dissect events and get to the heart of the matter.

Getting to the root cause of your puppy’s separation anxiety will involve the same sort of investigation techniques:

  • You’ll need to know your schedule, inside and out
  • You’ll need to figure out whose absence your dog is reacting most strongly to
  • You’ll need to find out how long it takes for anxiety to set in, and how long it takes after that for behavioral symptoms to manifest
  • You’ll need to know what sort of routines your family members perform when they come back from school, or work, or other activities
  • You’ll need to isolate sounds, and visual cues, and behavioral cues that your family members give off before they leave the house

And that’s just the beginning… you’ll find as you go along in the investigation process that there’s more detail to your daily routines than you ever noticed.

You also need to figure out a way to isolate your pup from dangerous activities when you’re gone. Because you can’t stop leaving for work. You can’t stop your son or daughter from going to school. And life must go on, right? This is part of what makes separation anxiety so difficult for people to deal with – because the source of anxiety will never go away. You will continue to leave the house for your daily adventures, and you will have to leave your pup at home for periods of time during the day. That’s life.

A note on containing dogs with destructive/ hazardous behaviors:  

One client that I worked with noted that her dog was chewing the inside of the crate – literally chewing the hard plastic by hooking one canine through the plastic hole, and ripping inwards with all their might.  I cannot underscore enough the industriousness this lovely greyhound put into chewing their crate. It was a sight to behold.

 And it was a life-threatening behavior. The client was brilliant, and hit on putting her into the bathroom. And this is a solution that might work for you, dear reader: Most households are filled with soft, fabric things.. but there is one room where there isn’t soft fabric stuff everywhere, and what fabric there is can be easily removed…. and that’s without a doubt the bathroom.

I know – I know. It sounds ridiculous, but if your dog is putting their health at risk by chewing on or swallowing bad things, a bathroom may be your best bet.

  • You can flip the shower curtains up over the shower rod a few times to put them out of reach.
  • Blinds and window curtains can be raised out of reach.
  • Any rugs or toilet paper/ tissues/ paper towels can be put up out of reach.
  • Cleaners, sponges, soaps, etc. can be put up out of reach.
  • For many households, it’s possibly the easiest room to chew-proof.

So – isolate your puppy carefully in the event that their anxiety leads to dangerous and destructive behaviors – if only for their health – and remember it’s temporary. This will give you some small peace of mind while you take the necessary time to find the root causes of the anxiety – a time to get to the heart of the matter.

Get out your pen. Start writing down your schedule, and think back carefully to when the behavior began.

 

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Thoughts on Separation Anxiety

July 19th, 2011

Anxiety comes in many forms.

Symptoms include: shaking, sweating, stomach ache, neausea, muscles locking up unexpectedly, irritablity, crying, self-isolating behaviors (In dogs this frequently manifests as hiding under things, and behind things), and obsessive-compulsive behaviors or nervous tics. You may see behaviors like:

  • chewing
  •  furniture destruction
  • shoe destruction
  •  chronic digging 
  • barking/whining/ other vocalizations.

Separation Anxiety comes easily to dogs who’ve led lives in shelters and on the race-track. They were never alone. Even though they may have been alone, they were surrounded by the noise, people coming too an fro, and in the evenings, the silent breathing of the pack at night. And yes, dogs locked in cages still manage to make a pack psychology. They communicate on many levels we can’t see properly to understand.

So when your pup begins to exhibit separation anxiety – and they have a shelter history or a race-track kennel history – your first step is to reassure them that even though you may be out of sight, you’re fine. Keep in mind – rescues and strays have a particular level of loyalty to their new people. You’ve rescued them from an uncertain fate. And when you’re out of sight – they have worries… that maybe you’ve left them forever. Or maybe you’ll get hurt and won’t come back. If you’ve ever comforted a 4-5 year old who was worried about you not coming back for them, you already know what’s going on in your anxious puppy’s mind. 

Now – there are a number of different tricks that might work for some dogs, and not for others, and sometimes the right trick is a group of techniques… it will require some work. But it is worth it – it is so worthwhile. And just like our human children, after months of consistency and effort on your part, the symptoms ease, and go away.

Know this: there is no ‘one’ right answer. Don’t let any charlatan sell you on the “My Method is the Only Method That Works for All Canines Because I Have A Bunch Of Letters After My Name”.    That is patently untrue. We’re only begining to understand the extensive abilities of our canine friends. We’re only begining to understand the capacity of infants for communication. And with new studies and new technology, we’re understanding the brain – human, and canine – better and better each year.

So don’t let anyone dragoon you into putting all your faith into one method. For example – Your kid might learn to read differently than mine. Ultimately it doesn’t make a difference how they learn – as long as they learn. It’s the same situation with dogs who have separation anxiety. It’s the same way with fear for all creatures great and small. There are a few issues to tackle immediately when dealing with anxiety that can help you address the issue. The next few blog posts will be on these topics, so pick and choose what works best for you. And remember – I’m only an email away – if you have questions, call me – we can talk about different ways to solve your puppy’s problems. 

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Change your walks: Change their perceptions

June 16th, 2011

There was once a dog named Lucky…. I wish I had thought to get pictures of all the dogs I’ve worked with. I’ll try and post a photo of him soon.

Lucky was really a sweetheart. He loved to carry sticks in his mouth, and he enjoyed swimming with my dog Charlie.

But people were afraid of him. And he knew this – he could sense it when people weren’t happy to see him just the same as any human child could sense joy or fear or anger. And it made him fearful, too. Everyone was looking at him like something was wrong, and people would startle when he came around a corner, and he would startle right back.

And so when his human dad asked me on my dog walk by his house if I could help him fix this, I knew I had an easy one.

In my mind, I was thinking “Oh goody, an easy question! I love these!”

Appearances are important.

I have no problem seeing dogs as friendly, cute, handsome, beautiful, intelligent, playful, etc. Just by looking at them. I’ve had lots of great experiences with dogs. And I’ve spent time with them so I can read their facial expressions and I know what their body-language looks like: a wagging tail, ears cocked forward, stepping high or walking lazily.

But not everyone has this knowledge. And just like with our human babies, we want people to have the correct perception of them when they make visual contact with our dogs. Either through hats or accessories in certain colors, folks make sure we know whether their baby is male or female. We can do the same with our dogs – not to tell people whether they are male or female, but to tell people what our dog is like.

There are several ways to do this – either yourself or with your pup’s assistance. The number-one way to do this is to get a brightly-colored toy that your dog enjoys playing with and bring it on the walk with you. It’s even more fun if your dog can carry it – either strapped to a back pack or carrying it in their mouth. This gives them something to do for you, which is immensely fulfilling.

So if you have a giant breed, or a misunderstood breed and you know what a good girl she is, and how much she loves carrying her stuffed teddy around the house and holding on to tennis balls and wearing hats around the holidays, do that on your dog walks, too.


My dog would smile and most dog lovers saw a grinning puppy. But there were always those people who saw a toothy menace. (In their defense, he did have an over-bite. Not his fault, but it did make him look extra toothy when he smiled.)

And on a dog walk, it’s important to inspire friendliness and an image of being in control of a happy dog. These sorts of images make us happy and those around us on our dog walks at ease. From mail carriers to women with strollers, to the insecure person who looks just like everyone else…

While walking in the city, you meet all types: from dog lovers to those who are afraid of dogs of all sizes. I would have my dog carry one of his stuffed toys or a stick while we were on our way to the park.

And it made an enormous difference in people’s perceptions of him.

Instead of seeing a big dog on a leash… they saw a big dog and immediately attached the word “playful” to his image.

Even on days when he didn’t feel like carrying things, if I was carrying a brightly-colored tennis ball or a stuffed squeaker toy, anyone who saw us knew that we were on a mission to go to a park and Play. They immediately conjured to mind images of dogs chasing frisbees, or swimming after sticks, or chasing tennis balls.

It also did something else for these dogs and their owners: it reminded them of something so important:

that the purpose of the walk was not just elimination, and not just exercise: the purpose of the walk was to let go of the day’s troubles and to seek out joy.

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The Brutus & Charlie Fund for Big Dogs

June 7th, 2011

My Mother was a Vet, and when I was a little girl, we took in a rescue Newfoundland named Brutus.

He was Enormous. (He was not ‘within the breed standard’ as my mother politely stated.)

And Brutus needed a home, because his current owner was unable to care for him.

So my Mom stepped up to the plate and said we’d take care of him.

He was large, and friendly, and worried about his new living situation.

Now instead of a Dad and living outside all of the time, he had a big lawn, a line from the porch to the shed, and three women of varying ages taking care of him. (Four, if you count Gramma, who was determined to win him over through the time-honored tradition of giving him bits of Meatloaf.)

At the age of 9, my first dog was 40 pounds heavier than I was, up to my chest, and enjoyed pulling. He had also never really been walked on a leash, or fed by hand before.

My mother was determined to teach us responsibility, patience, good Dog stewardship skills, and she was determined that she and her daughters would never live in fear of any dog, no matter what their size or temper. (She didn’t know it, but she had turned both of her daughters into Dog People from the Let’s Go!)   We were lucky in one sense..Brutus was just full of love. In another sense we had our work cut out for us because Brutus was also full of pulling-power! It took over a year for him to learn to walk on a loose leash, and to not take our hand off when we fed him. And it was so worth it! He was a super-dog pal, and the best friend a little girl could ever have.

After Brutus, I’ve always had a big heart for big dogs.

So I’ll tell you right now: if you have a big rescue dog and you need help, I’ll cut you a serious discount.

Because big dogs need homes.

Large dogs don’t get rescued nearly enough because people mistakenly think they can’t handle a big dog

…and nothing could be further from the truth.

Later on in life, my large rescue dog Charlie (Rhodesian and Chow mix) taught me how to give love to a dog who simply never had anything good happen to him until he was rescued by a Samaritan. Charlie had fear issues. He was aggressive towards anything that moved, and yes, a few of my friends were scared when they met him. But with gentle leadership and patience, he became a well-behaved dog, and lost his fear along the way! I was able to take him wherever I roamed, and I knew that he would be good.

I’d like you and yours to feel the same way about your canine companions.

It was Charlie who taught me so much – and it is for dogs like him and Brutus that I do this work.

There are dogs out there that deserve a second chance, and there are owners out there who can’t afford a trainer.

Do you know anyone like that?  Are you someone like that?

Is there someone out there who wishes they could find a trainer to help them out a bit, but they don’t have the resources except to go from week-to-week with food and treats and flea stuff and heart-guard?

If you do know someone like that, my sister and I have set up the Catherine Murray Scholarship for Larger Rescued Dogs. (Better known as The Charlie and Brutus Fund)

This is available to 4 families every season: Spring, Summer, Winter & Fall.

Send a link to this page to your friend who needs help, and have them contact me!

 

 

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Spreading the Spark of Communication

June 6th, 2011

I was recently speaking with a client who stated that on their morning dog walk they encountered another dog owner, and both of them stood there, not sure what to do while their dogs became more and more excited. This is common – in many locations, only one side of the street has a sidewalk. And of course, no one feels they have the right to tell another person what to do. And this is normal, polite, and correct… and can sometimes lead to awkward situations!

Sometimes we try to hold on tight and maintain the course – we wind up in a familiar “drag the reluctant dog” position, pulling them away from that oh-so-interesting-other-dog.

Sometimes we simply wind up facing off with another uncertain dog and owner, even though we’ve thoughtfully pulled over to the side. Other times there is traffic, or other pedestrian concerns to worry about. Like cars…

Then we feel it – anxiety strikes.

Our thoughts stray from our pup, and our objective and start to spiral out: What do I do? I don’t want to end my walk, we’re not done, and it’s nice out. I don’t want to turn around, having another dog follow us at a distance isn’t that good of an idea either. Uh oh. Now he’s all excited and barking. This is so frustrating. I just want to go for a walk!

So let’s refocus….Instead of feeling uncertainty and risking setting our own canines on a collision course, take charge of yourself.

Why should this turn into a frustrating walk? It's nice outside!

There is no reason you can’t tell the other dog owner what you’re going to do with yourself and what could possibly help you out. In this situation, you take initiative, and take charge at the same time.

There are two goals: the first is you want your walk to be peaceful and predictable.

The second is you want to control when and where your dog interacts with other leashed dogs when on your walks.

Now, imagine you’re on a walk with your dog, and at the next intersection another dog owner and canine companion round the corner. The other dog owner sees you, and your pup. Both dogs of course, see each other and express interest. Regardless of level of interest – from friendly to not-friendly – the sidewalk on a busy street is no place for an unpredictable encounter. You know this. The other dog owner has also likely learned this lesson on their own.

But you -and you alone- have the power of communication: You can solve the problem with gentle leadership.

How to do this? It’s deceptively simple: you have to communicate with the other owner, and do so immediately.

You can call out to the other owner, and explain your course of action: “Hi there! I’m going to take my dog across the street, can you give me a minute to cross? Thank you!”

Now that you’ve done this, you present your dog with an easy to follow instruction such as “Let’s go!” and “Cross the Street!” Keep it light-toned, as if crossing the street is the best idea in the world.

Now, this is just an example. For you and your dog it might be a command or a different motion, or a clicking of the tongue, or maybe making another familiar, attention getting sound – even a short whistle works.

This can also be accomplished when dog walkers are in their own world, wearing their headphones – or if they speak a different language.

How? Well, you have to rely on waving to some degree, to get their attention. Wave your arm in an unmistakable “Hey! Over Here!” motion so they see you and make eye contact. Gesture clearly to yourself and your dog, and then gesture across the street. Then hold up your hand in a “stop” position with a “Wait one minute gesture”: “We’re crossing now, hold up a minute? I’ll be out of your way in a moment”.

This can accomplish so much – first, it’s a non-confrontational manner to solve those “Uh-oh” moments we all encounter at some point in our daily walking routines.

It takes pressure off of all involved.

Now the other dog owner has the opportunity to say “Actually, I’m going this way, so hold on a minute and I’ll be way ahead of you” or to say “Hey thanks, it’s no problem”. (Or, if you live in the city like I do, they look bleary-eyed and somewhat tired, nod their heads or twist them in an Oh-I-Don’t-Care motion.)

Now, you might feel a slight amount of pres sure to cross the street quickly, but the other owner won’t fault you for not crossing if isn’t safe, and you did ask politely for them to wait a moment. And you’ve got a job to do – crossing the street carefully. So hold your head high, and cross safely and don’t look back – Look forward to your destination, and let that momentum flow to your dog. Keep their attention with happy-toned “Let’s go! Good job! Almost there! YAY! Sidewalk!”

Now, crossing the street might not be the best idea. You might be on a trail, and you’ll need to say “Hold on, let me secure my dog before you walk by?”

Or maybe there’s a driveway to wait in.

Maybe there’s another route to take.

Whatever the case may be, tell the other dog owner that you need to do this, and your intention is to remove your dog from the temptation of a potentially loud and exciting interaction.

Excitement has it’s place, and you should set the appropriate time, and place for that excitement.

A few more examples, and then I’ll let you go for today…

“Hi! I’m training my dog – we’re new to obedience training. Can you give me a minute to get across the street? Thank you!”

“Hi! My dog is learning some new commands, and I don’t want to disturb your walk, we’re going to turn down this street, will you let us go ahead?”

(I use this one for Close Encounters of the Unexpected Kind)

“Whoops! Didn’t see you there! Hold on a moment while I get him over to the other side, please? Thanks a bunch! Sorry about that, we’re working on some new stuff today.”

These sorts of friendly interactions make you the one to be the leader, your dog to be your faithful companion and follower.

It also accomplishes something more: You’re leading by example.

When that other dog owner finds themselves in another similar situation, they might just call out and say “Hi! I’m going this way, can you hold up for half a second while I get him turned around? Thank you!”

So get outside, take a deep breath of beautiful sunshine and morning and enjoy your day!

Disclaimer

Disclaimer:

Squirrels and other assorted wildlife do not speak English, or Spanish.

Waiting will not work.

Waving at them will not work.

I have tried. It failed. Spectacularly.

Learn from my mistake: one of my arms may be permanently

longer than the other…

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