I am just realizing that I never did write an Introduction to my Jack CD. Jack was a rescue dog that came to me about three years ago. He was SUPPOSED to be a foster dog. Six months went by, and I realized that I could not send him back to Doberman Rescue Unlimited to find another forever home. Coincidentally, my husband asked me what I would like for my birthday gift!! I said, "Jackie of course."
Why was I having trouble thinking of Jackie in a new home? He is what I will call "quirk infested". Some of these quirks will cost him his life if left unchecked (his need to eat things that do not belong in a canine stomach for instance). Some of these quirks can harm other animals and possibly humans if left unchecked (resource guarding). Some of these quirks will test most dog owners with busy lives (his peeing issues that include submissive pee, marking pee, and his housebreaking I am just have to pee). That was just the tip of the iceberg with Jack. It has taken much training and hard work to make Wacky Jacky into Jack CD, now training for CDX.
Jackie is the second dog showing some aggressive (as average pet owners understand them) behaviors that I have owned. The cause in Jack was completely different than in my other dog, Neptune, who had fearful or defensive dog aggression. Jack is a much more confident sort.
About six months ago, we had an incident between Jack and another dog that resurfaced a bunch of issues between my two dogs, Jack and Leon. I have been working with a strategy to rebuild the relationship between them to where it was when I first got them. Knock on wood, it has been paying off so that the last few days there has been relaxed playing in areas that used to be "the battlefield". Or the places that Jack was not allowed untethered to me for quite awhile first, so I could catch him getting snotty. The first sign of which, he got a time out and, obviously, was not allowed to lunge, jump, snarl, or anything like that.
Jack is the very first dog, that I have personally owned, where the protocol of not being on the furniture, following EVERYONE HUMAN AND CANINE into openings such as doors, waiting back in a stay until released for his meals, and so on became a key feature in his training plan. It really pays off with Jack to pay attention to these details. With Neptune, it was not a confident thing on his part nor bullying really. He was just very very scared that other dogs were going to attack him. They were welcome to his resources LOL. Jack is a very different dog. He's also a very good, sweet, loyal, and loving dog. That is why he wants to please despite what his "limited patience" is telling him to do at the time. That is why Jack is an excellent learner. Even with the smartest and most willing of dogs, it takes time, work, and effort to make these changes.
This morning I woke to two red boys having a great time chasing each other around the bed (a former place of contention). Neither worrying about the rights of the other in reference to the bed or me.
By the way, Jack had graduated for dragging a short leash around the house, to a tab two weeks ago. (Knock on wood) it has been great in the house. And still the training and supervision are not over.... In fact, this is the time to be most alert so that bad habits do not resurface with the privileges that have been allowed.
Having multi dog problems? Mannerly Mutts Dog Training deals with pack behavioral issues. Please call Maine Dog Trainer, Robin Rubin, at 207-361-4395. Or e-mail for your Maine Dog Training needs mannerly_mutt@yahoo.com. Mannerly Mutts Dog Training also serves New Hampshire Dog Training and Massachusetts Dog Training needs.
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