Bud joined in the Ramp Training problem for Red, not in its third day after Red was diagnosed with a fractured spine, which paralyzed his rear legs for several days.
Red is a strong and grounded dog, but he is terrified of smooth and uneven surfaces, he lived in Northern Ireland before coming to the United States eight or nine years ago.
Bud scoots up and down the ramp like a mouse, and he stayed close to Red today, seemingly trying to encourage him to come along.
I help lift Red to the bottom of the stairs, and then encourage him to walk up on his own, which seems to be working.
Bud was up top waiting for him. Red was too anxious to take treats on the ramp before today, but he is calming down enough to take a couple.
What this requires for me is the long view: patience, clarity and calm.
Red and I have a solid and trusting relationship, we have worked together in many ways for years.
Here, visualization is important. I clear my head, imagine what I want, set visual goals in my head, think of the outcome I want. Red definitely gets the idea, his anxiety is there but shrinking.
Now, he is mostly worried about taking that first step off of the ground. It’s important not to quit if the dog balks or is anxious.
It is in the nature of dogs to please, and this is a case where I will take it one step at a time, day and after, and over the next few days, Red will get it figured out. He knows he has to do it, he knows I won’t quit.
I position him at the bottom, tell him to stay and then tell him to “get up,” a command he knows. Each time we try it, it gets easier.
Tomorrow I’ll put a leash on him to keep him pointed at the bottom and give him no escape options. But is a riot as a cheering section, we’ll see what that counts for. I think it does steady Red, and Bud’s ego is immense, even though his body is not.
I take the ramp off when it’s time for Red to come down. A number of people have messaged me to keep the ramp up so Red can walk down it on his way out of the car.
In Red’s case, this is not good advice. People have a tendency to think what is true of their dogs is true of all dogs, but each dog, like each person, is different and must be approached in a different way.
Red has an easy way of sliding down out of the car, and since the ramp is heavy and disruptive, using it one way makes it easier on both of us. So for now, we’ll just use the ramp to get up into the car.
He is showing no anxiety or stress from the exercise, we’re really just down to getting self-started. It was a good idea to leave the ramp on the ground for him to walk on, and to put some biscuits on it so he can catch the smell of it.
We’ll try again tomorrow.
“Red is a strong and grounded dog, but he is terrified of smooth and uneven surfaces, he lived in Northern Ireland before coming to the United States eight or nine years ago.”
I think there are smooth and uneven surfaces in Northern Ireland. At least there are in the Republic. Perhaps Red never encountered them, though.
I think I know there are uneven surfaces in Northern Ireland Sheila, Red was raised on a farm in a barn and he didn’t get to walk on any.
Red is an awesome dog no matter what surface he walks on!
Can I just make a small suggestion ( from the same experience), put carpet or indoor type grass on the ramp, glued..it makes a world of difference in gripability..( not sure that is a word.lolol)
Christine, as I’ve told about 50 people today, Red does not need a carpet or grass or mat, he was gripping the ramp quite well, it is ridged and well made, his issue is with getting on, that is getting better by the day.
I forget that you have a billion people giving you advice, I suppose it does get really annoying..I will bear that in mind in future..but understand, that sometimes when reading your blogs it is like communicating with an “old friend” and one might be forgiven that this blog is not just for one person ( such as I Ok I am joking on that one) and talking to so many around the world..
Thanks Christine, I appreciate your thoughts and comments. I do not send messages to people saying “I don’t know you don’t want me to do this, but here goes…” I’m sure it is well meaning, but that’s besides the point. True friends accept the wishes of one another, they don’t blow them off.
I’m so dissapointed . I have to stop following you. I love your writing but I find that beneath your eloquence lies a mean spirited bully. As far as I can determine from the way others comment,they are afraid of you. I’m sorry that you have had a long difficult journey. A true sign of maturity is knowing when to say nothing.
I am definitely not mature by your definition, Arlene, to me a true sign of maturity is accepting people who think differently from me and respecting their wishes and feelings. I hope your recovery from me goes well. I’m afraid there is no instant cure for me, but I believe everyone who has fled or walked off has survived and healed quickly.
Bud was sent just in the nick of time to support and cheerlead Red.
I “found” my dog as an adult and she was terrified at the scratches in concrete around the dips at street corners. It took months before she would easily walk over them. Animals have these memories for a reason, who knows what happened to her around a similar surface.
Like you, I took it slow, we walked around edges for a long time. Now you’d never know it was ever a thing.
Rock on, Jon! I know that patience and clarity are your go-to’s and soon enough, Red will use the ramp!