We’ve had some issues with Katie that have been building and becoming more severe. Mostly we’re frightened that she will lunge and bite someone the way she lunges and shows her teeth at us when unexpected sharp noises occur at home. We can’t sneeze, tear tinfoil, change the garbage bag, or vacuum without risking getting attacked by a snarling hysterical dog. Well that’s not good. My 75 year old aunt sneezed and Katie hit her right in the hips and knocked her into the kitchen cupboards. So you can see the problem.
Today we had an animal behaviorist come out to the house. He’s someone I’ve used occasionally for obedience training in the past, but Katie doesn’t know him well. He spent an hour and a half talking to us and evaluating Katie. Luckily Katie displayed some of her bad behavior when he pulled tissue from the box and sneezed. He was so good with her. He showed us how to slowly desensitize her over several weeks.
And more importantly he told us we had to show her we were the leaders of the pack, and that there was a “new sheriff” in town. No more jumping on the furniture,unless she’s invited, no more sleeping with us. (at least for 30 days, then we can invite her to sleep with us one day a week for another 30) Her toys are put up and we give her one to play with when we feel like it, and we take it back when we feel like it. She gets to eat when we allow it, after 20 minutes whatever is left in the bowl is put up for awhile, and then we award it to her again later on. She has to earn all the things she wants.
The trainer says that Katie is actually acting out of fear and that she will be much more comfortable when she doesn’t feel like she has to control everything, because she can trust us to handle stuff, to be the leaders of her pack. So we’re going to try. Heavens, we don’t want our Katie-girl to be afraid and on guard all the time. Though the on-guard part is in her genes I think!
This is so HARD for me!!! She always snuggles up on the bed in the evening with me. Tonight I have to tell her “OFF!” over and over. But she’s getting it. She’s sleeping next to the bed now. I sort of miss her though. Husband and I played with her seperately this evening. We each picked out one of her favorite toys, played for awhile then put them away. I think I am going to miss her bringing me her favorite toy. But the point is that WE are the ones that decide when to play, not her. Because there’s a new sheriff in town and it’s not her!
We’ll be doing the desensitizing tissue work every day for a week. Then we’ll be desensitizing her to us sneezing for another week at least. Then we’re going to have to go find people that are willing to come over and sneeze! He says the best thing would be if we can teach her to do a trick when we sneeze..like roll over or something. But at worst (and this would be fine) she should not jump on the person sneezing!
Since we can’t afford to allow her to hurt someone, we’re taking this very seriously. BUT IT’S HARD!! She looks like an angel doesn’t she. Don’t let her fool you; just try sneezing!
I’ve been going out to the mall every day in an attempt to increase my exercise level. You know…from zero to anything. The mall is about 4 exits down the freeway from me but it’s worth the drive; it’s in the shape of a long oblong track, with stores on both sides and it’s just over a mile around! How perfect is that! It’s indoors, well lit, warm and there are lots of other people there in the mornings doing their walking. There’s lots of stuff to look at, and if you turn around every other lap you get to see all the store windows! I leave my wallet hidden in the car so I know I can’t spend anything.
While lying awake late at night I often plan tomorrow’s day. Think about all the things I want to get done. Things that will be good for me, maybe good for Katie the dog too. It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow, oh yea, lots of stuff to do! Things that have needed to get done for a long time, possibly for years. And since I’m not working I have all sorts of time to get these pesky tasks done. Right? Sounds good in the warm darkness, under the blanket, with sleep seeping around the edges of my consciousness.
Change Is Hard 