Also like I said, this exercise is more than for teaching the down. Hoobie can do a down without the physical manipulation, though in training dogs like this I want first command and first performance. This is so important with a dog showing aggression towards....well anything....but especially for owner directed and resource guarding aggression. Most of the owner directed is fear based and control based. Fear based aggression or defensiveness is the easiest one to deal with. The bossy or dominant aggression is the harder one to convince a dog to give up. Hoobie has both.
The convincing him that petting is a good thing, hasn't been that bad (assuming there is no food or toy in your hand, and from the non controlling view of Hoobie - his back). Mostly that has been done with reward and positive reinforcement to this particular point.
Now remember Hoobie has food intolerance and resource guarding, and he aggresses when "treated" with either during training (and trust me I did put this too the test). In fact yesterday, with Hoobie's muzzle on, I fed him by hand or by hand with popsicle stick (this muzzle has a hole through the front, and Hoobie could in fact open his mouth wide enough to give me a good pinch in the front of his mouth). From now on, this is how Hoobie will be fed. He must give me a command for each bite. So just as my husband was saying "well isn't he doing good" I turned to explain to my husband he would still the aggressor if I moved, when Hoobie did indeed launch himself at me (or tried to), because I had turned to answer my husband. I almost forgot about that incident, until my husband came home from work and asked how that particular temper tantrum worked out (since that was the last time he saw me that morning, and Hoobie was still trying to get his way before he went to work). So today will be the second day doing that, but I am not teaching the down (though that is what I am getting), I am teaching some control of the resource guarding (down is still the molding of the down handling that is being taught). Today will be day two of handler feeding breakfast. We have three more weeks to go, and based on Hoobie's progress so far, it will take that much time just to really get started on it, unless he surprises me. This is always possible. In fact during week 3, I was sure that I had over estimated Hoobie's abilities and perhaps the training time LOL. I gotta tell you though, I don't consider even stable Springers to be the choice for a first time dog owner. They are tough and spirited and not that little a dog. Some weigh in at the same weight as a female Doberman. They are strong, and just because they are low to the ground does not make them small dogs. English Springers, like Hoobie, seem to be a bit smaller, but still quite built and active. He lacks bite inhibition, but I am sure that he has not unleashed the worst bite that he could give me. In fact, I am pretty sure he exhibited self control as he knows it.
Unfortunately, when SOME dogs learn the very true lesson that teeth=humans back off, they are going to lack any inhibitions about biting. So the trick is to teach them all sorts of situations and how to cope without biting. As you can imagine, there is quite a list of everyday situations that I would like to go over with Hoobie. I will touch on the most prevalent in the house, and in traveling with Hoobie. I am limited to my own creativity, and Hoobie's ability to get over his phobias within a time frame. These last two days, I have been very relieved to see the Hoobie that I know is in there again.
The very helpful things about Hoobie that allow for him to improve are:
- He really does like people, and he likes to be around people. He likes being petted right now by the people he knows in more varied situations than before. He seeks attention out even when he knows he is going to need to work for it. He runs to me for cuddles when he doesn't need to, he follows me out to lie beside me, he presses up against me for cuddling, he even comes on my lap (muzzled only allowed, if you move wrong and he was unmuzzled this would put you in quite a predicament).
- He doesn't mind touch, he just wants to be in control. To date, the humans ability to touch him at will has meant he will need to submit to something. Once we got going on the touch, I have had many requests (though I make him do something and do it on my terms) to be touched by Hoobie.
- Generally, when he learns not to be the aggressor on muzzle (truly not aggress, and that means you need to push him to see where he will), he doesn't seem to be the aggressor unmuzzled. When you start something new though, he doesn't generalize well, and so you need to muzzle him to again teach him not to be the aggressor in this new situation. At least there is a way, so that's good.
- He likes other dogs, which has been used as a reward. Course this is a reward that the owners won't necessarily have (and keep in mind that there are trained dogs here, not out of control dogs).
- He loves loves loves the outdoors. This is a huge reward.
- Excepting the down portion of training LOL, Hoobie does like the training. He likes doing it well and pleasing you. I expect the molded down will eventually turn into that. He likes giving me the down without molding.
- He is smart, but luckily not that smart. He can figure some things out that are not helpful, such as if he turns his body towards the front (which we are also training on approaching and touching from the front) he can delay the leash being put on or the muzzle being put on. Also he learned that not delivering the sit so willingly delays the whole down exercise!! However, he has not learned to hide his true intentions unmuzzled or with the PVC pipe. That is hugely helpful in knowing when he is truly progressing to the end goal.
- His body language is easy to read, even if his quick reflexes can be hard to avoid sometimes (at least twice so far). The watchful stare to the eyes is a challenge "if you come any closer or move unexpectedly I am coming for you". Shaking is usually when he is holding himself back from another bite or unwanted response to his handler. He is angry but barely controlling himself. I have only picked up on this a few times, and why it's so important to do molded exercises with dogs where you are touching them a lot, so you can feel their responses. When he looks away, you might not be able to get away with anything with him, but he is being respectful (ie letting you know that he is not challenging you). Panting means, he is doing what you want but not entirely comfortable with it. Tucked tail means the same. Tail wagging in the middle means he is pretty pleased with himself after a command or happy in general. High quick wagging tail means he is getting in an aroused state and a challenge may soon follow after.
- He can be moved quickly from a challenge to happy state, in general assuming he is not totally ramped up. Alternatively though, he can be happy and cuddling then totally concerned and challenging that you moved a certain way.
So we don't have the general treats and arbitrary touch to use as rewards, but we do have situations and events to use as rewards. Here is the thing though, it is going to be impossible for Hoobie to be rewarded for every moment in life. Though improvements were made early on in the less advanced training by being sure everything was good and happy for Hoobie, the truth is there are going to be some times where Hoobie is going to need to deal with what we know as "real life". Sometimes, he is going to need to get up and go out from his crate without trying to bite his owners, just because he is not totally happy that they are approaching. We are not going to want to reward Hoobie for not biting just because his owners walked by, we need him to know this is not acceptable. These are not unreasonable requests for a dog. Luckily, Hoobie has owners that have had him from puppy hood, nursed him through the medical issues that helped him be this way, and love him. A Hoobie in the shelter would not even be a consideration, nor is re homing Hoobie.
So a major reason for rehabilitating a Hoobie is that he has a home that will work with him and that already loves him (and doesn't have children in it). Another hopeful indicator for me is that while Hoobie has accomplished punctures-which no one wishes for or wants and are quite painful, he has demonstrated less control than we would like, but he has demonstrated control. He did get training before, but that training totally avoided these issues or did not deal with them. By having the owner be as still as possible, not facing, and not daring to move hand with treat, this actually taught Hoobie even more how to control his owners. So Hoobie still had and has loads of room for improvement. Also, there is an actual happy, friendly Hoobie in there that can and does enjoy life (including his owners and handlers). Finally, his owners have already endured four years of this. Already just the care time of Hoobie could probably be cut down quite a bit by his more cooperative behavior. The main problem is that he is the perfect storm of a dog. Medical issues in his youth before learning the goodness of hands, being a Springer in general LOL (and I am NOT saying they are aggressive, I am saying that they will wear you down whether cheerfully, fearfully, or aggressively with enthusiasm), not being able to be weaned by his mother, and having the Springer knowledge of how to control your owner and handler:) In order to train him, you need to be more stubborn than a Springer, and that is saying something (if you haven't trained yours, you wouldn't be aware and they can be lovely untrained dogs. try training your friendly lovely Springer though, and they will cheerfully and with love give you their middle digit). Luckily, I am more stubborn than a Springer, though I admit to going to bed at 8:30 most nights for the last five weeks
So at the end of week five, we have wiggling wagging Hoobie. Tomorrow, dancing and prancing Hoobie will probably arrive. Why? Because he is figuring out that just doing what I want is no big deal, and a heck of a lot easier than arguing with me. Cause I really don't give up. Once a dog connects the ideas that nothing bad happens to him and I don't give up; they become relieved and know the name of the game. OR you could say we have a communication or language going on now that is understood. If only we could speak English to our dogs, this would be a whole heck of a lot easier. I don't hold it against Hoobie that he has tried to bite me. I totally understand this is the only way he knows to react to the situation. It's not that he doesn't love his owners or like me, it's that he feels afraid and feels a lack of control over the situation. By doing it in a different way, he does get control over the situation in a way that make us both happy.
Rewards and praise are great for many dogs. Even some very stable dogs though can be made crazy by too much of this being used. Some owners think their dogs out of control and heightened state of expecting a treat at any moment is what makes a happy dog. I disagree, a calm dog is a dog that gets his physical and emotional needs met. My dogs don't need to turn inside out at the idea of a walk, they get plenty of exercise and activity everyday. Treats are great, but they are quite limited in my house due my concern over their weight and health. Also, I really want my dogs enjoying the work NOT the treats associated with the work. I can start exercises with a treat, if they are afraid of that position or if they are having a hard time getting it. Case in point with my dogs, roll over was a very hard exercise to teach my dogs even with treats. They just did not feel comfortable going onto their backs, especially around other dogs. Treats helped them get over it, but I really know they enjoy what they are doing when they give it to me without a treat. In a beginning puppy or adult dog, I may start with a bunch of treat luring, but I know the way to really test your dog is without reward or correction. Or I should say the test of a trained dog is without reward or correction. In other words, they are doing the work because they enjoy the partnership and communication.
The other side of training is corrections. These are needed when reward does not entirely do the trick. I freely admit there are some dogs that do incredibly well with purely positive training. However, not ALL dogs do well. I can't say whether most dogs do well or not, as MOST dogs are not trained at all and vary in stability in their home. My dog, Leon, for instance naturally does not do most anything wrong. My dog, Jack, is a very different story even though they are the same gender and breed. Both are lovely dogs, and I love them equally as I have loved all my pets. Their difference in temperament and ability make them no less my beloved dogs. If one needs more work than the other, that is just the way it is, and that is what I need to provide. Same thing with medical attention et al, they are still your beloved companion.
Should you allow your dog to control you though? No, it's not healthy for the owners or the dog. I assure you that when Hoobie is taking a fit, he is not happy. He is in fact, quite distressed. Obviously, his owners can not go on the way they were. Their life became so restricted due to their devotion to Hoobie. So the things we are doing like molding and leash corrections, are not punishments. They are directions. Punishments are what would happen when you are already to late to change the behavior. After Hoobie bit me for instance, I went on with what I was doing (giving the medicine) or taking off the leash. I did it in the same controlled way that I started, being a bit more careful, obviously. However there was no punishment. After the medicine, I did need to corner him with a stool nearby, but it wasn't a punishment--it was needed to pick up his leash without being bitten again. I am sure that act did not teach Hoobie anything. If I am putting Hoobie in a position that he has broken during aggression, that is not a punishment. It's just doing what we were doing before, as calmly and in control as possible. If it is at all possible, I don't make any indication that the dog has done anything. Screaming, getting nervous, yelling, et all serve to just ramp a dog up. Now there is a difference between a short loud noise when stopping something from happening, then a prolonged yelling or screaming. Also you need to be able to read whether that did anything at all. Some dogs are very non plussed by this LOL. Other dogs are very accommodating to a quick short loud sound or command. Mostly dogs are very conscience of calm, practiced, and deliberate action.
This means the trainer needs to commit to the action with authority and commitment. To do these things half way only prolongs the training time. Something we really don't need with Hoobie. Looks like we are able to move on from down to other things now with Hoobie. That does not mean stop training on the down, but it doesn't need to be the primary exercise (I don't think) from this week forward. This has been an important part of Hoobie's training, and although it held us up a little, it was very important in him allowing touch. I am not even suggesting that the owners would go around doing this to Hoobie years from now randomly (ie not as a structured exercise). However, realize that a dog with trust, fear, and control issues needs to be worked to accept much more than will probably be asked in the end. That way those normal every day things seem like no biggy later on:)
Video will be taken on some of this progress today.
Mannerly Mutts Dog Training
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