There is the experience of euphoria about getting a new dog, a sense of excitement, a connection, flutters of the heart, the experience of love.
Then there is the day after, when some reality sets in and you realize you are dealing with an animal, not a furbaby, and to have the dog you want and deserve, and for the dog to have the life he or she wants and deserves, there are going to be some training issues, some problems.
This can be especially true of an adult rescue dog, who often comes with behavioral problems and a history of some mistreatment that affects their lives with us.
Bud has a great first day, but he is a year old and he has some habits that I will need to train him through, and this is a task I relish and welcome, but a new dog – even a sweet little puppy – brings some reality into the narrative.
The very definition of a good dog is a dog that behaves like humans, not a dog who behaves like a dog. Dogs love to squabble, have sex, mark territory, dig up gardens, chew on furniture, run free, eat revolting things.
A bad dog is a dog who behaves like a dog. A good dog is a dog who behaves as close to a human as we can get them, with our own sense of etiquette, cleanliness and decorum.
Two or three training issues have already presented themselves with Bud. One is that he is a fervent marker of territory. He was only neutered a few weeks ago, and he has been marking territory for a long time, and everywhere, from our short time with him, inside and outside.
That is a tough one training wise.
Some people recommend a belly band, a kind of diaper for the dog to wear inside. That is not for me. He will need to be corrected when he lifts his leg inside, and that means Maria and I have to be diligent for a few days.
As time goes by, the marking instinct usually declines after neutering and he is a smart dog, he will sense our displeasure and intentions. This is a time for positive reinforcement, praise for marking outside, a sharp ‘eh-eh’ for lifting a leg side.
There is a bigger problem. It also seems a crate – central to my whole idea of housebreaking, obedience training, and control – is a problem. Bud not only freaked out in his crate tonight, he actually got the gate open, the first time I’ve seen that.
While I honor his commitment and focus, I’m not giving up on the crate. This is a must win, i believe, even if I have to get a concrete crate with rebar. He’s eating in there, and it is loaded with snacks and toys.
Tonight, I learned that if I move the crate into my study and put him in it while i work, he is quiet and goes to sleep. That is something for me to build on. it isn’t the crate, it’s being alone in the crate. So he might be sleeping upstairs in a crate in the bedroom.
But also is not obedience trained, he doesn’t sit, stay or lie down. So I’ve got some obedience training to do. I’ll keep all of you posted on all of it.
Another issue is that it seems clear to me that Bud was manhandled, probably by a man. He freezes when I reach for him, and then loves to be held and stroked. He is less fearful wit women.
I think he was picked up and moved around roughly, I see some signs of trauma. He is timid in new situations, content and at ease once he is comfortable.
So I need to work on trust and confidence issues.
There is absolutely nothing aggressive or hostile in Bud, he is not a dog who is looking for any kind of trouble and he accepts being handled, he just freezes. He is rapidly getting over his fear of me, belly rubbing helps. We have bonded.
Reality comes on the first night or second day of a new puppy or new dog with an unknown background. I’ve got some work to do, some interesting issues to work on. We can learned together.
I love training dogs, and I love training challenges. This is all about learning to communicate with a dog, showing him how to live safely and peacefully in our world.
I’ll share the process, every step of the way.
The good news is that Gus is a great dog with a wonderful temperament, I’m going to try to train him to be a therapy dog at the Mansion and perhaps other places.
