24.......... back in training

“All clear” and “go for it”, says the surgeon, 3 months post-op.

Clearly this leaves unrealistic opportunities to do too much and restraint is definitely the name of the game.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Two weeks of performing ‘tiny’ height dog jumps could now at least progress to ‘toy’ height and we have now moved up to ‘mini’ height with the odd tunnel, curved, of course, to ensure he uses his weak leg more than the undamaged one. Weaves poles is back on the list too but they are minimal and channelled. And steps, more up than down - need to work out a plan for him to do these on his own - this is exhausting! It feels like it’s been ages but he has forgotten nothing – his “left” and “right” is still instant and works if I say it at the correct instant, his start light is still sold and he still responds with eagerness. This Boy is just so excited to be back at the club again!

Interspersed with training he still goes swimming every 10 days and joins me at the chiro every third week. His weight is still a concern and now that he’s on JD Light hopefully starts dropping; need to get an entire kilogram off him. Walking 2 km to the vet once a week for a weigh-in is an option and he’s doing the entire trip (bar crossing two Main Roads), off lead!

His “in-house” behaviour has progressed to unbelievable limits (he isn’t scared of the clothes horse and is no longer banished to the study at night but sleeps in the bedroom.

With all this exciting focus on getting Mac into ‘action’, I am forced to take a 2 week break to go on an overseas holiday. I am leaving both my wonderful dogs and an irritating-can’t-live-without-it cat, with an unknown house sitter for the first week and my almost 4-year old twin grandsons and family are moving in for the second week. My ‘house sitting journal’ is detailed and probably extreme and the twins have been rehearsed in looking after the dogs.

How am I going to relax chilling in the sun while floating down a river in France on a barge with my husband and 6 close friends? Will definitely have to chance having the odd glass of wine to dilute the stress!

I pray he doesn’t regress or that he seizes the opportunity to chase a car!

Mac and Me

C’est la vie

23.......... a normal dog

A stormy day almost exactly one year ago, Mac “shut down” on both courses so badly, it would have been futile to try and keep him moving. The wind was lashing ropes against flag poles and the trains were noisy going past the competing grounds. I was asked by a well-meaning handler if Mac would ever be "a normal dog”.

What exactly is 'a normal’ dog?

·         normal dogs bite

·         normal dogs have no standards as to appropriate elimination sites with the exception of “where I sleep is out of bounds”

·         normal dogs do not come when called if something more interesting is going on

·         normal dogs default to responding to new stimuli in their environment fearfully.

Fear is a survival adaptation and keeps a dog safe.

·         normal dogs chew, dissect, and destroy things

·         normal dogs resource guard

·         normal dogs bark and growl

·         normal dogs dig holes

·         normal dogs hump legs

·         normal dogs vocalize when left alone

·         normal dogs chase squirrels, deer, and cats

·         normal dogs kill small animals

·         normal dogs pull on the leash

·         normal dogs often like to run around as fast as they can, even if they knock over small children or grandma in the process

·         normal dogs lift their legs and pee on trees, even when we bring those trees into our houses and put lights and ornaments all over them

·         normal dogs like to sniff EVERYTHING – crotches (human and canine), fire hydrants, trees,  bushes, gopher holes

·          normal dogs eat poop

·          normal dogs tear up the garbage, counter surf, and eat expensive panties or heels

·          normal dogs roll in poop and dead things

·          normal dogs do not like every dog they meet

•   normal dogs do not want to be hugged, kissed, touched, or stared at by every person they            meet in every situation
•  normal dogs don’t like having their nails trimmed, mats removed from their coat, or grooming
•  normal dogs don’t naturally love being crated

         (http://blogs.dogster.com/dog-training/the-myth-of-normal-dogs/2010/11/)

I’m mad about Mac, my "not so normal" dog!

Mac and Me

C’est la vie

22.......... 3 months post op

Just over 3 months and it feels like forever.

This poor Boy is even getting used to all the hands on attention!

Up until a month ago he was been visited weekly by Dawn Jones. This has now been reduced to once a month to make time for swimming at Rene Baard’s Pet Hydrotherapy Unit. Initial lessons were focused on getting him familiar with everything happening at the facility; the harness, the spa, the ramp, the pool, the attention and encouragement. These are weekly sessions and he now leaves the ramp in the pool independently, to swim to get the ball. Amazing things tennis ball. (Previously reluctant to shake himself, he now does it spontaneously without scaring himself). And he's mad about Arlene, Renee's assistant.

                                             

I thought I would be able to use my ladder to do his walking cavelettis, but its metal so that idea was a bad idea. Tried to do them at the club but not being able to play with all the familiar faces made him bounce up and down.

Back home his “other issues” are becoming easier for him to accept. Being confined for all this time he now stands still when we pass him in the passage and will even carry on eating. He spends less time hiding in the study and more time with us in the lounge. This gave me the chance to teach him to “nose touch” and to “talk”. And even though he almost never barks, Charlie is still not happy to hear him bark on command. He is allowed to play “catch” at a standstill and together with an improvement in his eye-ball co-ordination; he now also puts the ball onto the couch. He’s also allowed to tug and is becoming less threatened when I pull harder than usual.

From 10 minute “slow pace” walks, we were given the go ahead to start “trotting” for 30 second intervals within a 20 minute walk and to gradually increase this. Permission was granted to take him out on to different surfaces to get him to distribute his weight evenly on all 4 legs. So, at last, we are out and about and back to some of his old locations. He trots on command and slows down to “walk”. We are up to 4 x 2 minute trots within a 30 minute walk!

(This, unfortunately, means that for the first time ever, I have to leave Emma on her own as she just can’t keep up. Tied to whatever, she seems content enough to watch Mac and me jogging up and down for no apparent reason.

At times all the rehab, the exercises, the timing, the discipline, the isolation, feels never ending and there are days when I really wonder why I need to get out of bed - not being a fan of Winter and still being involved in dog-agility-dom, adds to my occasional misery.

But that all changes now that his surgeon confirmed at Mac’s 3 month post op check that it’s OK TO START TRAINING!!!!

Mac and Me

C’est la vie

21.......... close!

I’ve never been able to train Mac according to any instruction manual - habit has just become behaviour.

Mac knew exactly how long my arm was. He was always too nervous to come into my space and for his first 2 years with me, if I needed to do anything with him, I had to go into his. He would respond to his “let’s go” recall immediately but stop almost 2 metres away from me. I would then have to advance into his space and collect him. This was even the case getting to the start line. He would wait outside the ring and I would have to carry him to his measured distance before the first jump.

Because of the gap he was creating, treating him was difficult. He would stretch himself as much as possible and sniff suspiciously before accepting any. This made working with them as a reward too slow and therefore unproductive.  If he was under the slightest stress, he wouldn’t even look at a treat. I remember clearly how exited I was when he took a step towards me to accept a piece of chicken. I couldn’t let out a big yay; but he got his first “close”.

He loved retrieving but would drop whatever (obvious articles only) I had thrown and drop it a few feet away from me. Close started helping here, inch by inch.

Tugging was a definite no-no. If he picked up a tug toy and I grabbed the other end, the slightest pull would make him release it. Pressure on the other end obviously meant he wasn’t supposed to have it in his mouth.

Feeling the need to alter this “my space v his space” issue, I started revving him up so that he would jump up on me. To most other handlers this would have been against the ‘etiquette rules’ but it was all I could think of. The first time he jumped on my legs I think he got a bigger fright than me. Just touching me by choice was new to him. All he got from me was a yay! Good Boy! Again and again and again. It started paying off after a few weeks until a year later he was doing it to people he knew well, Lindsay, Chantal, Marlize, Annaret, Linda and Megan were his favourites and lucky for us they all understood and for the most part allowed it and praised him for it. That’s true support! Thank you girls.

This advance in his behaviour prompted me to teach him a few “dance moves”.

I started off with getting him to weave through my legs. With the aid of a tennis ball, this was an instant hit as he loved weaving and he loved tennis balls. He weaved while I walked, he weaved while I stood still, and he weaved for a warm up exercise and when I needed to relax him on the start line. I then introduced his left and right commands with the weaving and in a short while we had a little weave routine going.

“close” is something he now understands and albeit it sometimes a creep, he does come right up to me.

Now, how about we work on something even closer?  - "touch" or even “kiss” would be good!

Mac and Me

C’est la vie

20.......... on the home front

Progress on the home front was a lot slower. He appeared to be more relaxed outside when he was busy/occupied either while doing agility or playing with other dogs, but indoors ...............

A doorway was still a source of fear for him and was a problem for us as the 2 outside doors were on large hooks to enable dogs to go in and out at will without us having to get up each time they needed to go outside. He was convinced the doors were “out to get him” and would just stand there.

This presented yet another issue - Mac is the quietest dog ever! We don’t hear him on the laminated flooring and he would be standing waiting for a while before we noticed that he wanted to go outside. We just stopped getting up to open the doors and he eventually snuck though the gap. This was a huge step for him and was great to see after more than a year of living with us.

He almost never barks and gave us quite a scare when he eventually did - he was already 2 years old! He still only barks watching other dogs doing agility, or to coax another dog to play with him, but almost never in the house. What a pleasure!

He still spent all of his “home time” under my desk. I would have to call him outside to train or just to get some fresh air. I really wanted him to sit with me while I worked in the garden, but as soon as my attention was diverted, he would creep back inside again. I remember sending Lindsay a sms to let her know that Mac had ventured outside on his own accord and was lying down next to me. A beautiful moment and one that I could not acknowledge - a loud ‘‘yay!” would have sent him flying back inside.

Thanx to all the interaction he was getting with agility handlers, he was starting to warm to people visiting. He would come when called, and creep off again. He was still uncomfortable around Charlie who, unfortunately, made a comment every time Mac scuttled like a scared rabbit when they happened to pass each other in the passage;  re-in forcing unwanted behaviour?!

House training was still messy! I did try and give him the house at night, but the slightest noise would make him nervous and he would choose the lounge (carpet) to let me know. Many mornings were unpleasant. “Time out” meant back to sleep in a closed study and rewards a few nights later would be with the door open again. It was during one of these nights that Mac crept into our bedroom and lay down on the floor at the base of the bed. This was a huge step for him as our bedroom door was kept open only with a soft door stopper. He had to have actually pushed the door open to get into the room.

This is today his ultimate security space in the house. It’s the room furthest away from activity and no one really knows he’s in there. But just the fact that he let me know I am his security is more than OK.

Mac and Me

C’est la vie