http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en carriejohnson@mac.com Thu, 01 Jun 2006 21:54:33 -0500 Thu, 01 Jun 2006 21:54:37 -0500 iBlog 1.4.6 Carrie. Random thoughts A collection of rants, raves, and musings. Carrie. carriejohnson@mac.com Random thoughts Health http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E20060601215415/index.html Thu, 01 Jun 2006 21:54:15 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E20060601215415/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E20060530121743/index.html 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. ]]> Tue, 30 May 2006 12:17:43 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E20060530121743/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E20060411165049/index.html 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. ]]> Tue, 11 Apr 2006 16:50:49 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E20060411165049/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E20060322212247/index.html Wed, 22 Mar 2006 21:22:47 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E20060322212247/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E20060322194211/index.html 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. ]]> Wed, 22 Mar 2006 19:42:11 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E20060322194211/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E793417807/index.html 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. ]]> Wed, 08 Feb 2006 15:22:28 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E793417807/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E1786323567/index.html 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. ]]> Tue, 07 Feb 2006 21:53:12 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E1786323567/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E1719885011/index.html 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. ]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2006 16:58:00 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E1719885011/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E1491952288/index.html Apparently no one wanted to hang out with a dog barking his head off during "the big game". ]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2006 16:47:39 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E1491952288/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E1650754929/index.html Sat, 04 Feb 2006 16:39:55 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E1650754929/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E2145810969/index.html 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. ]]> Thu, 02 Feb 2006 11:10:28 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E2145810969/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E1738817082/index.html 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. ]]> Thu, 02 Feb 2006 11:10:12 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E1738817082/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E911658028/index.html Even the girls at work have been working on trying to win Buggy over and nothing is really working. ]]> Thu, 02 Feb 2006 11:09:53 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E911658028/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E10847972/index.html 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. ]]> Thu, 02 Feb 2006 11:09:38 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E10847972/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E369913543/index.html 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! ]]> Thu, 02 Feb 2006 10:57:48 -0600 http://homepage.mac.com/carriejohnson/iblog/C1217979692/E369913543/index.html