Thursday, April 24, 2008
new level
I've started doing something new with Nemo, that seems to be working like a charm. When he starts getting uppity or aggressive towards another dog (which really only happens with this one German shepherd who lives on the same block as my office, with certain bigger/more alpha males at the dog park, and with Rex and Snickers out here in Jersey), I get all Dog Whisperer on him, get him over on his side, keep one hand on his neck and another on his hip, and keep him there until the dog passes. It works like a charm. He seriously submits entirely, and actually looks totally relaxed, instead of insane and straining on the leash like crazy. (We've stopped using the prong collar--partly out of convenience and partly because he's much better about pulling.)
It's one of those things that I knew about intellectually but wasn't ready to put into action. But now that I've had him for 18 months, and we're side by side constantly, I feel more confident in my ability to dominate him--so that he can relax and calm down, not so that I can feel bigger and stronger. Mostly it's just embarrassing to have other dog owners at the dog park see me struggle with him. I recall vividly the first (and really only) time he snapped at me, in front of the whole morning crew, when I tried to get him (for the 300th time) to stop eating wood chips. I knew right away that I should throw him over on his side and get on top of him, but I wasn't up to doing it with an audience. Instead I just tried not to flinch and got us on our way.
Now that I think of it, the real reason I can do this now with an 85-lb. dog is that he stole some of my lunch. After the birthday cake incident (which was entirely my fault) I figured food on the counter was safe so long as Nemo wasn't left alone for hours with it out on the counter. About a month ago I had defrosted a pound of hamburger, and left it on the corner of the sink while I was waiting for the Foreman Grill to heat up. I walked down the hall to my office to check an e-mail, and about 10 seconds later heard a sound in the kitchen, and when I looked up, all I could see was his two front paws up on the counter--his head was out of view behind the refrigerator. I let out a howl and came running down the hall, and to my surprise he didn't scarf down the rest of what was there before I got to him (his usual trick). I was so pissed off (not even that he misbehaved so much as that he took my lunch) that without thinking I yelled at him and threw him down on his side, saying "No."
He stayed like that on the kitchen floor for the next 20 minutes without a flinch.
I feel like I've graduated to a new level of alpha status, where I'm more comfortable in my skin and not constantly wondering whether I'm doing it right. It feels sort of natural, and he feels more naturally submissive. If only I could count on him to be this way with other alpha dogs.
It's one of those things that I knew about intellectually but wasn't ready to put into action. But now that I've had him for 18 months, and we're side by side constantly, I feel more confident in my ability to dominate him--so that he can relax and calm down, not so that I can feel bigger and stronger. Mostly it's just embarrassing to have other dog owners at the dog park see me struggle with him. I recall vividly the first (and really only) time he snapped at me, in front of the whole morning crew, when I tried to get him (for the 300th time) to stop eating wood chips. I knew right away that I should throw him over on his side and get on top of him, but I wasn't up to doing it with an audience. Instead I just tried not to flinch and got us on our way.
Now that I think of it, the real reason I can do this now with an 85-lb. dog is that he stole some of my lunch. After the birthday cake incident (which was entirely my fault) I figured food on the counter was safe so long as Nemo wasn't left alone for hours with it out on the counter. About a month ago I had defrosted a pound of hamburger, and left it on the corner of the sink while I was waiting for the Foreman Grill to heat up. I walked down the hall to my office to check an e-mail, and about 10 seconds later heard a sound in the kitchen, and when I looked up, all I could see was his two front paws up on the counter--his head was out of view behind the refrigerator. I let out a howl and came running down the hall, and to my surprise he didn't scarf down the rest of what was there before I got to him (his usual trick). I was so pissed off (not even that he misbehaved so much as that he took my lunch) that without thinking I yelled at him and threw him down on his side, saying "No."
He stayed like that on the kitchen floor for the next 20 minutes without a flinch.
I feel like I've graduated to a new level of alpha status, where I'm more comfortable in my skin and not constantly wondering whether I'm doing it right. It feels sort of natural, and he feels more naturally submissive. If only I could count on him to be this way with other alpha dogs.
