Aggression training with Bodhi

Thu - June 1, 2006

Bad Night

The tone of the night was set when we greeted Shawn outside, on leash, and both dogs went crazy. It took 5-10 minutes of walking close to Shawn, letting Bodhi flip out and eventually getting him to sit and check him out, then flip out again until it suddenly clicked that Bodhi knew Shawn and he instantly changed into a wiggle-butt soft, typical australian shepherd.

...Shawn wanted to see how Bodhi would do in the apartment though, so real quick I ran just him upstairs and inside, took his leash off, sat down and started watching tv. Shawn came up, knocked on the door, and I put Bodhi on the leash and let Shawn in. The whole thing started again, but he recognized Shawn a lot quicker and then chilled out.

...When we walked by Charlie with me and Buggy closer to Charlie, and Bodhi the furthest away we didn't have an issue, but if Bodhi was on the closet side he would bark and lunge.

...To avoid this happening in the future, until I figure out what to do I have to just turn around every-time I see a person, not have people over, and that sucks.

Posted at 09:54 PM Read More

Tue - May 30, 2006

"Stranger" entered the apartment

Last night a friend from work needed to spend the night because her car broke down and it was too late to get it repaired.

...Buggy's anal gland business is really irritating, but I don't worry about him causing bodily damage from his anal glands, ending up with me getting sued and him getting put to sleep.

Posted at 12:17 PM Read More

Tue - April 11, 2006

Gentle Leader

I carefully followed the acclimation instructions and yesterday was the first day we walked outside on leash. Today, being day two on the gentle leader outdoors was a bit disappointing in one respect.

Posted at 04:50 PM Read More

Wed - March 22, 2006

The three stooges (picture)

Posted at 09:22 PM Read More

Day "Who knows what" (LONG CATCH UP)

I haven't gotten back in touch with Steve about the training because I have just had so much on my plate---that and I'm just embarrassed at the outlook it seems I have with Bodhi and my apartment.

...I have a 500 square foot apartment and it just seems like its too small to be successful at training. The way I understand it is this: you bring the dog right to the "trigger point", right before he freaks out, give him a treat and the start over.... I feel like my apartment is too small to work with Bodhi on men being in my apartment because once they enter the apartment the human male is already WAY to far inside the "trigger zone".

...Brandon (my boyfriend) and I have been taking the Caesar Milan approach to dog training by having the very controlled 45 minute walk and enforcing a more "pack-like" atmosphere throughout daily life.... Off-leash my control is very variable depending on how far away I am from Bodhi, how close the intruding human is, and what they look like.

...He was fence fighting with some dogs on the other side of the dog run and I grabbed his back end (hips) to pull him away and he turned around bit me on the arm.

...I obviously don't know how Bodhi has associated the event psychologically, but when he fence fights with the dogs on the other-side of the run I step in between the fence and Bodhi and shoo him back.

...However, when someone has crossed the trigger line (or something, Bodhi goes into a rage with cats too), he is in such a "zone" I don't think he hears me or even knows I exist.... Point is, I don't think positive or negative reinforcement at this zone will get through AT ALL.

...As I mentioned, I don't know how comfortable I am physically correcting Bodhi in these situations anymore (though I think me grabbing his hips in this stage is probably way different than a collar correction).

...I never had to be negative, I just gave treats when he would be good and if it looked like we were getting close to that trigger point we would back off until eventually a man on a bike or a jogger could run by me half a foot away.

...To refresh the minds of those that are curious as to why Buggy is on meds and not the dog that is being trained for aggression, its because Buggy is a feral dog and has a heightened fight or flight response because of it. Anytime Steve would come over to train Bodhi, Buggy would be barking obnoxiously from the corner while expelling his anal glands and having his eyes "Bug" out of his head.... He still doesn't want them loving on him, but he is fine being in the same room with a stranger (though I'm not sure about at my house).... As of a week ago Brandon has taken an active role in the dog training too, and now Buggy will let Brandon approach him, put the leash on him, love on him....

...Its not that I'm lazy, I'm willing to do the work training, but I feel like I've maxed out my capabilities, my skill set. I also feel like I might be a key variable as to why Bodhi acts the way he does. Maybe if I was removed from the situation and someone else could work with Bodhi on being close to men in an apartment, or other confined space it would make a difference.

Posted at 07:42 PM Read More

Wed - February 8, 2006

Day 20

So, for like an hour they were just banging right outside of my window, my door, etc. At first Bodhi was barking like crazy, but then we started working on all the obedience we knew.

Posted at 03:22 PM Read More

Tue - February 7, 2006

Day 19th Personal Epiphany and great dissappointment

This morning, on our way back from the dog run and our first bathroom break of the day, there were some of the maintence workers right by the stairs to my apartment.

...This whole time, the maintence men were about four feet away and they were just laughing and talking about what was going on in Spanish.

...Also, I don't really feel comfortable just asking friends from school to come over and deal with what looks like a rabid dog.

Posted at 09:53 PM Read More

Mon - February 6, 2006

Day 18- Town Lake/6th Street

Our trainer, Steve, wanted us to go down there and sit on the side of the trail and just see how Bodhi does with everyone running by.

...We even got to go up to a guy with his bike and he showed Bodhi what a bike was, moved it around, got on it and road around and Bodhi was so amazed but not aggressive!

...All kinds of people were going about their business, delivery men, business men, joggers, drunken fools, etc. The only people Bodhi barked at were these three homeless people that came up to compliment me on how beautiful he was. When they were standing about three feet away Bodhi was fine, but one of them wanted to get closer and Bodhi did a simple warning bark and the man stopped and that was the end of that!

...I talked with the homeless people for maybe fifteen more minutes and Bodhi just laid down, with his back to the group, and watched what was going on elsewhere.

Posted at 04:58 PM Read More

Day 17 Super Bowl Sunday

Apparently no one wanted to hang out with a dog barking his head off during "the big game".

Posted at 04:47 PM Read More

Sat - February 4, 2006

Day 15-16

There were mostly people zooming by with little chance of Bodhi even having a chance to show signs of aggression.

...He's never showed signs of aggression towards kids, but I don't want to find out with him eating someone's child's face off.

Posted at 04:39 PM Read More

Thu - February 2, 2006

day 14, work

Well this morning on the way to take the dogs up to work there was one of the apartment workers RIGHT outside my apartment and Bodhi was back to square one with his behavior.

Posted at 11:10 AM Read More

Day 13 vet

I took the dogs to the vet and she ran blood tests on Bodhi and Buggy and the vet called the behaviorist at Texas A & M and my trainer to see what they recommend.

...Hopefully his fight or flight response will be lowered and he'll get the picture that humans are scary and at that point we will slowly wean him off of the drugs.

Posted at 11:10 AM Read More

Day 12

Even the girls at work have been working on trying to win Buggy over and nothing is really working.

Posted at 11:09 AM Read More

Day 11 training

Bodhi was doing real well (fortunately, his basic training commands are very good) and Steve had me put him on a very slack leash and then he approached him in a very aggressive manner and Bodhi went for his leg.

Posted at 11:09 AM Read More

Day 8-9

All of the maintenance men that have been replacing all the balconies in the apartment complex have been test dummies for Bodhi and he's passed with flying colors!

Posted at 10:57 AM Read More