update on ANGEL'S training

[Judi W]

Does your dog trainer know you plan on putting her into a dog pack situation?

[luv2beanurse]

The trainer is fully aware. It was his advice to begin doggy day care at least one day a week. We have done it once already. She is separated from our other dog, Koda (Koda stays home) and Angel is kept in her own area such as a fenced area of her own on the doggy play ground. He said that she did very well last week. He said that she didn't growl at any of the dogs and was sniffing and licking other doggies through the fences. Yes, my dog is very kissy, even with other dogs..hehe.. I think he wants to do this, because when on leash, she wants to attack other dogs that she sees...It is weird. She has gone through several group classes in the past and always got along with all the other dogs...then got sick...and now doesn't like other dogs...especially little dogs. So, I guess we will see. The other weird thing is (and I told the trainer about it), is that when she is starting to get in the "attack mode" and you give her a quick snap on the training collar and say "leave it" firmly, it as if that specific word in her mind makes her want to attack more!! It gets her more fired up! So we have begun using the word "Enough" instead, and usually she'll start to back down..Also, the snap of the training collar is almost useless...as it just almost fires her up more..so we have had to scroff her...in fact, we have had to progress to scruffing her down to the ground to get her on her back in a submissive position. It is the only position that she will get her to calm down. It is weird. Even when we are at the vets, it is the only position that she feels comfort for the vet to assess her. The training thinks it is because she wants to see everything that is going on around her and that she has issues with people being behind her due to being held down from behind during all the poking and proding they did when she was sick...basicly, we have come to the notion that we'll try anything at least once if it will help...

[frontierrots]

Well if all this is going on under your trainer's supervision and guidance, then I sure don't think much of your trainer. YOU are going to get bit one of these days at best case and a dog or the trainer will get bit worse case. What a botch job

Sorry but it's the truth

[spidey]

Wow...alpha rolls, doggy daycare, bad idea after bad idea...I agree with Diane, this is a disaster in the making. Someone is going to get hurt.

[Judi W]

would it be a good guess that the dog trainer is also the one who owns the daycare?

[AZBRAT]

My dog is very social with other dogs yet STILL had a scary experience at doggy day care. Day care providers with no knowledge of how to read dog body language + no clue how to break up dog fights = DISASTER!! I am very lucky - she is still her good natured self but that one experience could have ruined her.................NEVER, EVER again.

Just my .02........

[luv2beanurse]

Well, I have been very guarded about the doggy day care, but it we have done it twice now and she did excellent. They don't turn her loose with any old dog. Or a bunch of dogs for that matter. She is usually in a doggie park by her self with other well natured dogs in dog parks (divided by a fence) near her...where she can sniff and lick them if she wants to. Since we have done this, we have noticed a big change for the good. She no longer wants to attack a dog when she sees it. She still might start growling and barking if a commotion happens..for ex we sat in at a intermediate dog class (five dogs in the class) and when the owners released their dogs from a down stay and recalled them, Angel, who was lying down completely at ease, suddenly jumped up and started barking...which I corrected her immediately. Two seconds later, she was calm and laying around as if she didn't have a care in the world. So, we are seeing some improvements. However, the thought of how this all began has plagued me. She has always loved people and other dogs..until she got sick. Then I realized that we had a friend visit from Delaware on two occasions. Both times he brought his dog Meranda down with him. We found out very quickly that his dog was a bully and despite my dogs wanting to play, Meranda wanted to attack..so we ended up having to keep them separated from the remainer of his visit. Our friend is no longer allowed to bring his dog down with him since it bullied my dogs and PEED all over my house. AHgh! I love my friend to death...but we just bought that house...brand new...ugh! ANy ways, so I was thinking (from reading some other posts) that maybe when Angel got bullied by Meranda...it made her want to bully everyone else??? And so, if we continue doggy day care (in whom only my personal trainer works with her...and no one else) and she is continuously exposed to well tempered dogs...maybe she will realize that all dogs are not bad!? What do you think Judy W?...