MORE ON TRAINING
Recently I published one of my old columns about positive training. Never did I dream that a day would come when I would refer back to that column after adopting a senior dog. It has become apparent to me that working with an older rescued dog is not much different than working with a new puppy.
Nearly every day of the past six months that Dakota has been with me, I am reminded of how much I do not know about him and his past ten years of life. You start out with so many questions that cannot be answered, never the less you keep wondering about this and that. I found that this could drive you to frustrations that cannot be resolved.
It didn’t take long for me to change my approach with Dakota. Instead of wondering how he became afraid of storms, how he was fed, why he was responding in certain ways that surprised me, I decided to think of him as a new puppy. It has led to a wonderful world filled with training, revelations, surprises, and success.
I had to start, as I always do with a dog by putting on my thinking cap. I find that by watching a dog in his daily living, you can learn so much about him and his behavior, it makes establishing communications and bonding a piece of cake.
Since yesterday was grooming day again, let’s start with that. When Dakota arrived I had no idea how his grooming was handled during his life. I suppose most folks wouldn’t consider that something to worry about. Perhaps not. However, I don’t want to put a senior dog through hours of grooming in ways that he was not familiar with and possibly scaring him. My dogs have always been comfortable with their grooming because they were introduced to it in a way that made it tolerable and acceptable. Dakota had so many adjustments as it was, he didn’t need anymore.
I started out with just brushing and combing him while he sat and stood beside me. I proceeded with trimming his feet but I left the nail trimming to my vet at first. The reason being that if I made a mistake he’d never forget it and it would make future grooming difficult. I found when it came to his feet that I had to back off at first and not do all four at one setting. No, it didn’t set a precedence that he would pull that all of the time. I’ve mentioned before that I talk to my dogs…oh my do I talk to them. It’s the best thing I’ve learned in my 45 years of having dogs. Every time I open my mouth, they listen, even if I’m talking to someone else. They listen for key words. I’ve watched them so I know.
Through the past six months I’ve progressed with my grooming with Dakota. He accepts his feet being trimmed with occasional reluctance but mostly sleeping as I do them on the couch. He tolerates my Dremel to sand down his nails; he sits on the grooming table and endures the endless combing and brushing as he has such a thick coat. And he happily gets down and looks for his treats.
Through the months I have proceeded carefully with each task whether it is feeding him, going outside routine, bedtime routine, etc. I’ve learned that he has had some obedience work, he has done some hunting, he has his way of doing things and I’ve let him do it his way. Dakota loves the outdoors. The colder and snowier the better. I struggled with this one. At his age and with our sub-zero temps, I felt he would be happy to have a coat. Nope, that didn’t make him very happy even though he tolerated it. Little by little I gave up the coat and Dakota rewarded me with a huge smile, wagging tail, and playing away in our frozen tundra. He’s made it through and is as healthy as ever. Mom had a tough time letting go, but I did and it all worked out.
I have gradually tried an obedience command here and there and he responds, so this spring we will start with a relearning program and I have no doubt that Dakota will thoroughly enjoy the challenge.
But my biggest reward is that Dakota has tuned into my jabbering and as I watch him now and then he is listening to me talk and I can tell that he’s picking up on more and more words. Dakota is so in tune with me that he will do things before I have a chance to say something to him. He is a very perceptive dog and smart as can be. I’ve let him know that he can “be all that he wants to be” and he is branching out in new ways all of the time. It makes him so happy and he lets me know that too. The changes I see in six months are, at times, mind-boggling. It is so much fun to watch a senior dog that has been through some pretty stressful things in his late life take on new incentives and thrive on them. I am about to start ‘mind’ games with him where he learns names of items and then goes and finds them. I had another dog once that loved that game and we spent hours playing. Dakota loves to think and associate and he does it very well and efficiently and asks for more.
This is just one more reason why a senior dog and a senior person make such a good team. I have the time, desire, and interest and Dakota wants the bonding and attention and loves to have someone to give him as much time as he wants.
Nearly every day of the past six months that Dakota has been with me, I am reminded of how much I do not know about him and his past ten years of life. You start out with so many questions that cannot be answered, never the less you keep wondering about this and that. I found that this could drive you to frustrations that cannot be resolved.
It didn’t take long for me to change my approach with Dakota. Instead of wondering how he became afraid of storms, how he was fed, why he was responding in certain ways that surprised me, I decided to think of him as a new puppy. It has led to a wonderful world filled with training, revelations, surprises, and success.
I had to start, as I always do with a dog by putting on my thinking cap. I find that by watching a dog in his daily living, you can learn so much about him and his behavior, it makes establishing communications and bonding a piece of cake.
Since yesterday was grooming day again, let’s start with that. When Dakota arrived I had no idea how his grooming was handled during his life. I suppose most folks wouldn’t consider that something to worry about. Perhaps not. However, I don’t want to put a senior dog through hours of grooming in ways that he was not familiar with and possibly scaring him. My dogs have always been comfortable with their grooming because they were introduced to it in a way that made it tolerable and acceptable. Dakota had so many adjustments as it was, he didn’t need anymore.
I started out with just brushing and combing him while he sat and stood beside me. I proceeded with trimming his feet but I left the nail trimming to my vet at first. The reason being that if I made a mistake he’d never forget it and it would make future grooming difficult. I found when it came to his feet that I had to back off at first and not do all four at one setting. No, it didn’t set a precedence that he would pull that all of the time. I’ve mentioned before that I talk to my dogs…oh my do I talk to them. It’s the best thing I’ve learned in my 45 years of having dogs. Every time I open my mouth, they listen, even if I’m talking to someone else. They listen for key words. I’ve watched them so I know.
Through the past six months I’ve progressed with my grooming with Dakota. He accepts his feet being trimmed with occasional reluctance but mostly sleeping as I do them on the couch. He tolerates my Dremel to sand down his nails; he sits on the grooming table and endures the endless combing and brushing as he has such a thick coat. And he happily gets down and looks for his treats.
Through the months I have proceeded carefully with each task whether it is feeding him, going outside routine, bedtime routine, etc. I’ve learned that he has had some obedience work, he has done some hunting, he has his way of doing things and I’ve let him do it his way. Dakota loves the outdoors. The colder and snowier the better. I struggled with this one. At his age and with our sub-zero temps, I felt he would be happy to have a coat. Nope, that didn’t make him very happy even though he tolerated it. Little by little I gave up the coat and Dakota rewarded me with a huge smile, wagging tail, and playing away in our frozen tundra. He’s made it through and is as healthy as ever. Mom had a tough time letting go, but I did and it all worked out.
I have gradually tried an obedience command here and there and he responds, so this spring we will start with a relearning program and I have no doubt that Dakota will thoroughly enjoy the challenge.
But my biggest reward is that Dakota has tuned into my jabbering and as I watch him now and then he is listening to me talk and I can tell that he’s picking up on more and more words. Dakota is so in tune with me that he will do things before I have a chance to say something to him. He is a very perceptive dog and smart as can be. I’ve let him know that he can “be all that he wants to be” and he is branching out in new ways all of the time. It makes him so happy and he lets me know that too. The changes I see in six months are, at times, mind-boggling. It is so much fun to watch a senior dog that has been through some pretty stressful things in his late life take on new incentives and thrive on them. I am about to start ‘mind’ games with him where he learns names of items and then goes and finds them. I had another dog once that loved that game and we spent hours playing. Dakota loves to think and associate and he does it very well and efficiently and asks for more.
This is just one more reason why a senior dog and a senior person make such a good team. I have the time, desire, and interest and Dakota wants the bonding and attention and loves to have someone to give him as much time as he wants.
posted by Katie | 8:51 AM
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