Katie, the Journey of a Fearful Dog

Katie was adopted as a puppy by one of my clients.  When I met her, she was already a fearful dog. She did not like to be held by anyone other than her “mom” and struggled to be in attendance in one of my small classes.  Fast forward to today, even though she has accepted some people and feels safe and comfortable in their presence, she struggles with most newcomers, especially at her home.

Most of the work I am doing with Katie is a continuation of past work with her.  My client’s goals for her are to make her overall less fearful and more comfortable with people that come to visit at the home.

Working with dogs like Katie is a lot of what I do professionally. It requires copious amounts of patience, very keen observation skills, paired with clear goals for her improvement.

I decided to engage with her while she is in her crate with no one else around. The sessions are 30 minutes long twice a week.  Katie is a very tiny dog; so it is not really feasible to work with such a tiny dog for long without having her completely full before the hour has ended.

For the first few sessions, I showed up to greet Katie as she remained shaking in her crate – pretending that I was not there. Hoping perhaps that I would go away.

The procedure that I use for cases like this begins with classical conditioning where my only goal is to pare the delicious cheese that she loves with my presence and my absence - as I exit the room many times during our session with the flow of cheese coming to a halt. It is important to realize that no matter what the dog is doing, she gets the cheese. During this stage of the work, I am not looking for specific behaviors that I want later on, I am only (sigh!) looking for Katie to associate my presence and approach with the delicious snack.

The progress was slow at best. But Katie does not know how much patience I have.  She also doesn't know that I have worked with many dogs, just like her, and that they did get better.  For now, Katie just shakes- barely taking the treat I toss for her inside the crate.

If Katie was out of her crate, I would not be able to work with her at all as she would happily run to safety behind a sofa without me being able to see her or pay her with cheese.  Besides, she bit someone when in her crate at the Veterinarian’s clinic, so I am hoping to kill two birds with one stone.  I am aware that with this set up, Katie does not have tons of options and options my friends, are crucial for any animal that is fearful.
Mindful of this, I only approach the crate from one direction- giving her an opportunity to remain in the back of the crate.  She does have the choice to remain there or come to the front of her crate.  That was step number one.

The session that you will see on this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzERa4-pvU
 is a refection of many encounters as I describe above.   However, one day I got really lucky or really smart and I noticed that when I reached for the fastener of the crate, Katie to my surprise, rushed to the front of the crate.  “Wow” I thought, why is she so eager to come out and be in my proximity?  I decided to run with my instinct and be willing to explore other ways.
I opened the crate and Katie did not bolt out.  Instead she calmly came out of the crate, as I remained immobile. Seconds later Katie was about 15 ft. away from me and outside the crate altogether.  I continue with the same process of tossing cheese to her and leaving the room. Rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat.

As Katie learned the routine and she could relax a bit, I began to reinforce for very specific behaviors such as Katie remaining in place versus creating more distance between us, giving eye contact either on her own or when I pronounced her name.  Her eyes blinking softly instead of darting rapidly scanning the room.

I personally love this part of the process when the dog begins to learn that she still has choices AND that she will get paid when she takes a tiny brave step.

One of the most fundamental things about behavior is that there are many possibilities of responses to the same stimulus and this is exactly what I wan to teach her.

As part of this process the dog begins to feel more comfortable now that she begins to learn that humans are actually not that scary because they can deliver cheese or other things the dog really likes.

As I mentioned above, variability is one of the hallmarks of behavior so within the same exposure to the trigger, the dog can regress (from my perspective) and shortly after offer behaviors that are new to her.  Behaviors that I hope will become the norm as she learns to relate to other people with confidence that she is safe.

Rethinking the Use of Crates

People choose to put their dogs in crates for a myriad of reasons. First there is the thinking that dogs “like dens” and as such they must like crates. Second, people crate their dogs as a lifestyle instead of managing their dog and teaching the dog how to “behave” in their home. Others have chosen to crate their dog when she or he has become destructive as a result of a thunder-phobia or separation distress.

Trainers can also be part of the problem when we advocate for crate training as a way to house train without really explaining that the dog must first learn to feel comfortable in the crate.

In other words, no dog should be forced into the crate. Period! Just imagine if you were forced to go into a tiny room with no windows. With little room to move and worse you have no idea when you will be let out.
You are inside this tiny room without any control as to when you would be able to eliminate should you need to or just to stretch your limbs.

This is what we do to dogs. Unfortunately, the underline mentality of “teaching the dog whose boss” coupled with wanting dogs to “behave” at all times are some of the underlying reasons why folks crate their dogs without first teaching them to feel safe and comfortable in them.

Crates can be wonderful resources for people and dogs alike but only when they are used humanely. A crate should never be a lifestyle choice but a tool initially to help teach a dog to not eliminate inside.

Notice that the containment element does not teach the dog not to eliminate inside, it just prevents the dog or puppy to wonder off and sneak a pee etc. because he has no access to the outside or he has still not been taught where he needs to go - outside.

The same goes for destructive behaviors. Your dog must be taught what is appropriate to chew on and what is off limits. Also, many dogs are destructive in the home because they are basically creating their own fun. Who can blame them.  Similar I would say to prisoners writing on their cells as a form of killing the boredom and perhaps even anxiety of depression embedded within their situation.

Solutions for typical dog “problems” or more accurately said: problems people have with their dogs must always take both parties well-being into consideration.

When it comes to a dog truly being anxious or fearful in the home, forcing the dog to remain in the crate will only make the problem worse.  Besides how cruel is this? Dogs who are forced to stay in crates when they have not been taught to feel safe and comfortable in them will hurt themselves in efforts to gain their freedom back.

Of course, some dogs really take to their crates and choose to spend time in them because they were taught to do so.  Because their crate is seen by them as a place where they can chill and take refuge when they need some downtime etc.  Take the case of Deuce, my border collie.  He adores spending time in his crate. At night, he has the choice as to where to sleep and he gravitates from his crate to Rio’s crate (almost identical) and his bed in our bedroom.  Now, when there is a storm and we are not around, he will run to his crate in search of some comfort as he is afraid of thunder.

The process of teaching dogs to love their crates can be an easy matter-of-fact event or an arduous one depending on how it is done and the dog’s previous experience or association with the crate.

One last thing:  Crates should be ample enough for the dog to be able to STAND up, lie down and turn around so that they truly have freedom of movement.

Below are some tips in helping your pup enjoy his crate.

WARNING: If you suspect your dog suffers from separation distress (separation anxiety) please do not crate your dog.  Most dogs with this type of emotional  profile become even more anxious in their crates.  The protocol for helping dogs that suffer from anxiety or noise phobia is a different one that may or may not include the use of the crate.

Your goal is to create only positive associations with the crate and your dog.
Begin by placing the crate in a high-traffic area so that your dog feels comfortable investigating it.
Feed your dog either next to the crate or just inside the crate- if he has not had a previous bad association with the crate.  Make sure the door is left open and your dog can go in and out.

Place some high value treats inside the crate and the door open for your dog to find them.  Do this several times for a few days.  Continue to feed the meal next to the crate or inside by moving the food bowl a little more towards the back of the crate.  Take it slow!  If you rush your dog might regress.

Once your dog is eating happily inside the crate with the food bowl all the way inside and the door open.

Begin to do the same but once your dog is eating close the door and remain nearby.

After he has finished his meal let him out without too much fanfare. Repeat.

Slowly you will add time to your dog remaining inside the crate with the door closed and you nearby.

Begin to present a really coveted bone or chewy inside the crate.  
Ask your dog to go in and give the bone and close the crate. Stick around. You can praise your dog if you think this will help him relax.

If your dog is not excited about this prospect it means that either: You went to fast on the previous steps- so you need to go back to easy steps until your pup is successful or your pup is not interested in what you are presenting him at that time.  Try this and present him with something different and see how that goes.

Slowly you will have your dog stay inside the crate with a safe chewy- something you have seen him work on without eating at once or small pieces coming apart.  The best choice is a stuffed Kong.  If your dog has yet not learned how to extract food from a Kong you will have to teach him this first.  Remember, that when we skip steps or we push too hard the dog regresses.

If your pup is now happily and relaxed (most likely lying down) and enjoying the Kong, begin to exit the room or the home for a few minutes. Make sure to come back before your dog is done with his project.

Slowly continue to add 1 minute at a time (I know it sounds daunting but the minutes will add fast and your dog will be properly and humanely crated trained).

Continue to offer your dog a favorite safe chewy or a Kong before you exit the front door for a short amount of time.

As your dog continues to enjoy being in the crate because only good stuff happens for him while in the crate you can begin to leave him in there AFTER having him exercised, ready to take a snooze and with an empty bladder etc.

Humane Crate Times After Crate Training:

8-10 week old puppies: 1 hour
11-12 week old puppies: 2 hours
13-16 weeks old puppies: 3 hours
17-20+ weeks old puppies: 4 hours
Adults: 4-5 hours

This is especially important if your dog spends the night in the crate. Please remember that the use of crate is a tool and not a lifestyle for your dog.

I get a lot of pleasure of seeing both my dogs gravitate towards their crates, and you should too.

Getting Ready

Few of us have the forethought of getting ready in the event of a natural disaster. Here in the Santa Fe area our biggest concern is fires. As summer approaches and temperatures rise, the risk of a forest fire also increases. Yet, how many of us have a plan in place for ourselves and our pets?

Okay, I am going to raise my hand here. I have actually put together emergency kits just in case we have to evacuate our home in the event of a fire since we live close to the Santa Fe National Forest.

Yes, initially I dragged my feet in doing so, but like most anything else that calls for our attention the dreading part of it took more wind out of my sails than the actual chore! There is my first motivator for you.

Secondly, if we keep in mind that our brain has a difficult time planning (or getting motivated) to move forward when the end goal is not kind of immediate, we can more easily over ride that oh so very human MO. Once you have been aware that this is kind of our default setting, we can push to
concentrate on the “in the future (maybe) goal of being ready when calamity strikes" - ensuring as best one can that our loved ones (yes, I am talking about our pets here!) will be safe and as stress-free as possible.

Okay, hope the above serves as a motivator for you in getting your preparedness outfit in place. To make things a bit easier for you, I am sharing below what the group Animal Rescue Core (http://
animalrescuecorps.org/) suggests in terms of putting together a kit for your dog. They have on their website a list of supplies for a lot more pets and stock animals so if you have other animals in your life please check out their suggestions.

As for me, I put together my kits, which consist of three backpacks, one for John, one for me and one for the dogs that I can easily grab and carry to my car. If the season promises to be a very bad one, I might even keep the backpacks in my car. In addition, we made sure the fire dept. has a way to get into our property and that John and I know where we will meet if we have to evacuate pronto.

Here goes the list…

A large, lidded trashcan makes an excellent storage container for pet supplies. Supplies can also be stored in a pet’s crate. Make a copy of this checklist and tape it to the inner lid of the storage container for reference. Clean, dry spray bottles for cleaning and misting.

Water: A 3 to 7 day supply. A 10 pound animal needs about one quart of water per day; a 40 pound animal needs about one gallon of water per day.

Records: Copies of medical records, especially current vaccinations. Proof of current rabies vaccination is important for public health and safety. Boarding facilities may not take your pet without this information. If you are unsure about your pet’s vaccination status, contact your veterinarian. If you have pet medical insurance, include a copy of your policy.

Food: A 3 to 7 day supply. Food should be rotated every two months to ensure freshness. Don’t forget an extra can opener if using canned food.

Kennel or crate for housing: For dogs, it should be large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around, and include food and water bowls. Label the crate with guardian’s name, address, phone number and an emergency contact number.

Muzzle: A muzzle or a roll of gauze bandage that can be used as a muzzle in case your dog becomes agitated and aggressive during the confusion. Even the gentlest animal can bite when hurt and/or frightened. Your veterinarian can instruct you on the safe use of a muzzle. Or actually, call me! I can help you with this. :)

Towels: Towels for bedding and to cover the crate during transport.

Toys and treats: Just like children, pets can gain comfort with the distraction of a favorite toy or treat. Including an old unwashed shirt with your scent on it can be a comfort if your pet is being cared for by strangers.

I would add to this list the following items:
Harness and extra collar and leashes with id tags
A small first-aid-kit for dogs and instruction booklet
Some non-perishable chewy(s)
Some natural aid to help with stressful situation (try what works for your dog
prior to emergency)

Home Delivery

I am at home waiting for a home delivery. The home delivery people had called ahead of time as requested and now both dogs are in my office in their crates.

I hear a knock on the front door and in unison with my “come in” I hear Rio barking. Ah, she probably wonders: who is at the front door and why is it that I am locked up in my crate and cannot come to say hi! She continues to bark and now Deuce has chimed in once he has heard that yes indeed there is now someone inside the home.

I wait for a few seconds of silence and then I walk into my office. Both are looking at me and still silent. Gooooood dooogs! I tell them as I exit the room and close the door.

Rio begins again. I think about my strategy and my options.

Sure, I can walk in there pretending to be furious and yell at them a couple of times in my best impersonation of a sergeant's voice or I could also walk in there with a water bottle and spray both of them in the face, or use one of those popular pet correctors this one emitting a hiss sound that some dogs find very scary or I could….

I opt for a “nicer” option. Not only because (most of the time) I am a nice person but because I also know that instead of scaring my dogs by pushing my weight around with my bullying tactics, I can use this golden opportunity to teach them what I'd much rather that they do when I ask them to go into their crates and forfeit their meeting everyone that comes through the front door.

I wait again for a longer silent pause from the two of them and once again, I march into my office carrying an (almost deadly-weapon)…big chunky slices of hot dogs!

I begin to toss them the hot dogs and as they eat them happily I walk out of the room. More silence… more hot dogs coming their way at different time intervals from one another.

By now the delivery has ended. I go back to let both dogs out of their crates and as I open Rio’s crate she just waits inside - no rush in getting out. Her coy expression asking for more hot dogs. I slip her one more piece just for being cute and we march out towards the front door so that they can act as pet-detectives and sniff around perhaps somewhat disappointed that they missed out in making new friends.

Tonight I will sleep very well. Not only because we now have a firmer mattress, but because I did not cave into intimidation to get the job “done”. Instead, I followed what the science of animal learning has proven time and time again: we do not need to intimidate, create pain or discomfort to modify behavior. We can instead make it up to the animal and reinforce for WHAT we WANT them to do!!

Doesn't this make more sense? Why focus on the “problem” – problem for whom may I ask? Instead on what we want our dogs to learn?

As an added bonus to me experiencing a warm-fussy feeling inside, my dogs are also feeling that warm-fussy feeling towards me. No scary owner, no yelling into submission - with nowhere to go (remember they are crated) instead they are left with a better understanding of what I would like them to do when they are in their crates.

The bottom line is that in my personal as well as my professional view, we must time and time again choose to teach with the knowledge that reinforcement works. Second point, when anyone acts accordingly to their (moral) values they are not in a situation of conflict: love my dogs but I scared them/hurt them etc. and that is a great recipe for a good night sleep! Zzzzzzzzzz

Rest Spots & Secret Places

As I walked through the front door, Rio excitedly comes to greet me. With my hands full of the day’s mail and a small grocery bag, I ask her to go get her toy as to avoid being jumped on. She runs to the basket containing most of her toys and comes back with the favorite one of the moment. By now, I have put the stuff down and I can throw her toy for her. We do this for a couple of times until she can calmly come to me to say “hi”.

Then it dawns on me that Deuce is not in the living room. I peek into my office thinking that most likely he is lying in his crate or… maybe in my shower? One of his most favorite spots to lay when it is very hot outside.

Mmm, I wonder where that boy is? I know he is somewhere but where? I call but he does not show up. So I walk outside to the fenced-in backyard and walk through the gate that divides the lower people-friendly) part of the backyard from the area that we affectionately call “Deucy’s hill”. Indeed this name fits the location to a “t”. As Rio and I walked towards the highest portion of the backyard I find Deuce lazy and half asleep under a juniper tree. He had made a perfect doggie-bed for himself. His own private hiding place! It’s cool and has the best view of the land.

From his perch he can see the front part of the house and take note of our comings and goings as well as the hill to the right where we climb the steep slope for off-leash romps.

Oh, there youuuuu aaareee, I tell him as he stretches and gives Rio and I a little yawn. Dogs and their favorite spots and hiding places. I have always been fascinated by how dogs make decisions. I am still trying to understand what leads to a (certain) dog to go lay in a particular place? Why that place?

In search for answers, I watch my dogs carefully and kind of map their resting locations. Each one of them has their resting spots. They go to these spots regularly and I think that it's accurate to say that I had never found one of them in the favorite resting place of the other - with their dog beds being the exception.

Besides his crate, Deuce will lay in our shower, no brainer on this one: it is cool, when hot outside. Or he will lie just between the master bedroom and my office regardless of where I am. When we are watching TV, he might “grace” us with a short visit on the couch but quickly leaving for more “comfortable” grounds: the wooden floor in one of three locations in the living room.

I had never come home to Deuce lying on the sofas (which they are permitted to be on) but Ms. Rio…ah, Rio learned early on about comfy beds be it hers or ours, or the couch. She loves soft and cuddly.

She also has as one of her favorite spots the oversized pillow by the west-facing window. Many times she is snoozing so hard that she fails to see me approaching towards the front door, always a lovely site for me.

Rio and I take turns lying in perhaps the most coveted spot on the living room sofa… the sheepskin that I bought after many months of consideration. I guess the girls like their comfort.

I read in a book by a knowledgeable trainer and Border Collie breeder that border collies are not so interested in laying in comfort, instead they lie in “strategic” locations. Say by the front door, or in between rooms (just like Deuce). She gave no explanation as to why she thinks this is so, thus I am left guessing that it must be because of their strong “work-ethic” ready to roll on a short-second notice.

These exercises in observation of my own dogs and at times my client’s dogs open interesting windows into the individual personalities (or shall I say: dogonality?) of dogs. What other of our dog’s habits can we become in-tune to? What valuable information can we glean by becoming more consistent observers of their likes and dislikes?

Isn’t it so that knowing an individual’s likes and dislikes among other peculiarities are at the crux of an intimate relationship? So then, perhaps one of these days, I will spend some time mapping the locations of rest and comfort of my dogs and creating with this information some sort of visual testimony of how they like to spend those precious and long hours of relaxation… I’ll tell you, the (hard) life of (some) dogs…