Okay. So, exercise is a big thing. What kind of exercise is good for not paying any mind to the dog (keeping with the isolizaton thing)? Obviously not fetch. A bike ride is a good idea, once I find a bike. Anything else?

Oh, so in my signature yes, she is on the couch. BUT that is at our old house before I learned the rules. She used to sleep on the bed with us. I know, bad for the pack structure. It won't happen anymore though.

With my FIL, he will not come out of his room unless she is locked in her cage, and we have repeatedly assured him. Should I be leaving the bedroom door open for her to watch everyone that way? With my MIL, when they first met, Sascha snapped at her, but eventually my MIL kept giving her treats, and Sascha loves her now. So, Sascha whines whenever she sees her because she thinks she will get a treat.

Should I be skipping the pack structure thing for now?

I know I am new at this, and I really want to do things right, so bear with me. I just wish I had started off right, so I wouldn't have gotten into a situation like this. I just don't know how to start fresh.

I don't know how to let Sascha exhaust herself with out my attention. If I let her run on her arial run (which we just put up today yay!), and no one gives her attention, she barks her head off. She is a dog that needs constant interaction. Is this because of the lack of pack structure?

Edit: I am also wondering if anyone has any advice on local trainers in my area. We are in Michigan City, IN. It's about an hour from Chicago. Any trainers available for a home visit? Thanks

Edited by Michelle Kohler (07/05/2009 03:10 PM)
Edit reason: forgot

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

Remember that the dog is experiencing a traumatic life change, just as you are.

On top of that, she has new people who are afraid or anxious or otherwise negative around her.

I'd be spending a lot of time outside with the dog and me, with loads of exercise. This would be one of my top priorities.

What I am hearing from a few folks is that this may not be the best time to be concentrating on the isolation thing too much; everyone involved (dogs and humans) are stressed out. Inoring her at this stressful time may only add to her frustration. If just You and Your Dog can interact through exercise with her getting your calm, leadership/attention and lots of exercise, she may not have as difficult a time adjusting.

 Quote: Barbara Schuler

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

Remember that the dog is experiencing a traumatic life change, just as you are.

On top of that, she has new people who are afraid or anxious or otherwise negative around her.

I'd be spending a lot of time outside with the dog and me, with loads of exercise. This would be one of my top priorities.

What I am hearing from a few folks is that this may not be the best time to be concentrating on the isolation thing too much; everyone involved (dogs and humans) are stressed out. Inoring her at this stressful time may only add to her frustration. If just You and Your Dog can interact through exercise with her getting your calm, leadership/attention and lots of exercise, she may not have as difficult a time adjusting.

Yes, Barbara, that is what I'm trying to say. My priorities at such a stressful time would be the ones I've outlined.

JMO.

Thank you.

 Quote: michelle kohler

... Should I be skipping the pack structure thing for now?

Pack structure is a daily thing -- 24/7.

Right now, perhaps the program as outlined in the video and the articles, and which is the best ever, by the way, has to be modified for these stressful and unusual circumstances. The dog is not even in her own home (or your own home, I mean).

No, not skipping it: the dog needs structure and absolute reliance on her position as well as yours more than ever. NILIF, and very frequent upbeat ob sessions, and power walks with you where you are in charge and the dog marches along briskly until interludes where you allow breaks -- YOUR say-so, for sniffing, looking around, peeing -- loads of focus work, etc., always being on-lead, plenty of tethering to you --- these would be things I'd be concentrating on.

Did you see Steve's ob-with-fetch suggestion?

What marker work have you done? I am thinking of building confidence (in you AND the dog) with basic ob, such as near but not in the middle of groups of people when you take walks. Focus on you is the opposite of this: "Sascha became very unsure of Adults, even those we introduced her to as a puppy. Her hair would staind up, and she goes nuts. Although she won't bite anyone, she snaps at them."

I know that others will help too.

It's a new and tough situation, and dogs need the solid assurance that the boss is still the boss and will make all the decisions no matter what has happened in the household.

 Quote: steve strom

In a nutshell, you throw 1, she brings it back, you throw the other one. Getting her to drop the first one can sometimes be a little tricky. With my Rott I kinda changed it a little and only used 1 ball and included some obedience.

I walk a straight line throwing the ball to the side. Sometimes I have him sit when he gets it, sometimes I down him when he gets it, then recall. It goes to the left and then the right and after a while he could pretty much hand it off to me as he ran by. The sprinting tires him physically and the ob keeps him thinking.

Why have I never thought of incorporating sits and downs in the ball throwing game? DUH!

Great idea. Thanks

Hey Michelle, try thinking of structure as a planned day with a schedule. The times out of the crate are for good, constructive, positive exercise and training with you. The time in the crate is to rest and think about how great it is to be with you.

If your schedule is consistant, it can help relieve that anxiety. I don't know anything about social isolation, so I'm sorry if I'm contradicting something you've been doing, but this type of structure has been a key to my dogs behavior.

Okay, so I have stopped the isolation thing since we could not stand her constant whining.

I have used "yes" as a marker with her. Pat taught us an eye contact game to use it with. Where she sits in front and I hold a treat out to the side. Sascha has to look me in the eyes. I mark with yes and she gets the treat if she looks me in the eyes. Also, Pat had us teaching her "quiet" with "yes" and a treat when she is quiet. I have never given in to her barking for attention, except we taught her to bark to go outside at first, so I guess she thought it was okay to bark and be sassy.

When I play fetch with her, I have always had her sit, stay, and or down just to make her listen to me. For example, I will tell her "sit" and "stay", then throw the ball. Then, I tell her "down". She waits for her release word, "ok". Then, gets the ball. The thing is we began teaching her "stay". So now, she doesn't stay in a sit or down with out "stay".

I know dog parks are a bad idea, but we live by lake michigan, and there is public access in parts where dogs are allowed. Any thoughts? She LOVES the water. She doesn't pay any attention to other dogs durning walks, even the ones barking their heads off. I would definitely keep her on lead at all times, and there is a law in the city that all dogs must be leashed, so I would only take her there if everyone was following the rules. I don't trust other people with their dogs. Some people are just dumb when it comes to owning dogs. LOL. The second day we moved, the lady across the street let her pit bull out, who darted across to my dog. The lady didn't even call her dog off until it decided to get in my dogs face and bark. I do NOT trust pit bull owners, especially when this lady is a drug dealer. I should just teach Sascha "seek dope".

Anyways, I cannot wait to be out of the situation we are in. The kids do not seem to listen that well, which just makes my MIL nervous. They are good at throwing her ball for her, but they get in the way of her run. Luckily, they haven't been knocked over yet by the dog. They are always screaming at the dog too when we tell the dog "down", they are shouting "doggie lay down! lay down doggie!" ARGH! They really don't know the meaning of "no" (spoiled little brats lol).

When the kids are here, should we take the dog away for an all day walk or something? Any ideas?

Oh, another thing, when we go for walks, I use her prong collar. Although, she needs quite a bit of correction. Not just a simple pop of the leash. I think she has gotten used to it, and you have to pop the leash harder then when we first got the prong collar.