Thursday, 1/28/2010

Megan and I met at ACCT for Leo's next lesson: wearing an Easy Walk Harness, pictured below.




The purpose of the Easy Walk Harness is similar to that of a Gentle Leader. It clips in the front, so that if the dog pulls, it is simply turned around (clipping it on the dog's back defeats the purpose and actually gives the dog MORE leverage to pull).

However, because it is not worn around the muzzle, it is easier for the dog to adjust to wearing it.

I bought the Large for Leo, although it is just slightly too big. Megan has a Medium/Large (available only online) at home, and will bring it in for Leo to wear.

After fitting the harness on Leo, we decided to do a dog-meet, in anticipation of a regular play-date with another Pen Pal named Carl (here's Carl's blog: http://shelterdogbmod.blogspot.com).

The meet went very well -- even though Leo attempted several times to hump Carl, Carl did not seem to mind, and Leo didn't seem to mind when Carl tried to give it back. The two played very roughly, but did seem to wear each other significantly.

Afterwards, Carl went back to his kennel, and we began a review of things Leo knows (sit and down), and things we've been working on (touch and stay). Carl's Pen Pal, Dave, also showed us how to teach "Follow," in which Leo follows a downward-pointing finger in a figure 6, from facing you, to almost behind you, to a heel position.

Tomorrow (Sunday, 1/31/2010) will be a fun day for Leo. We are attempting another off-site trip, to Central Bark Doggie Day Care. They have graciously offered to open their doors to ACCT Pen Pals for some off-leash (indoor!) fun!

Sorry!

I apologize for not updating sooner.

On Wednesday, the most active Pen Pal volunteers gathered at ACCT to share ideas about training and marketing of our Pen Pals. Erin shared with us some great news -- Natalie OK'ed a generous offer by Portia of Central Bark Doggie Day Care to allow us to bring our Pen Pals on Sundays to run off-leash in their enclosed (indoor!) dog runs! Thank you, Portia!

On Saturday, Megan and I met at ACCT at 8:45, and attempted to ambush Leo with a Gentle Leader head collar. This is a dog wearing a Gentle Leader:


As you can see, a dog can still hold a ball, eat food, and take a drink. It is NOT a muzzle. It gives the owner control over the dog's head, which in turn, gives the owner control over the dog's body.

Unfortunately, most dogs do not immediately adjust to wearing this type of collar, because they are not used to having something around their nose. It usually takes time to get the dog to adjust to it, using positive reinforcement for walking nicely, without trying to paw it off.

Leo HATED it. He shook his head so vigorously trying to get it off. We managed to get from the shelter into my car for a ride down to Kelly Drive. However, in the car, he did get the loop off of his nose.

Once at Kelly Drive, we decided to leave the Gentle Leader off. He was shaking so much, we thought his shaking would be more of a turn-off for potential adopters than his energetic pulling on my regular leash.

We met John down there, and introduced him to Leo. John can't have dogs in his apartment, but he did sign up to be a volunteer for the PSPCA/ACCT!

Due to time constraints, Leo's journey to Kelly Drive didn't last too long, and didn't even put a dent in his energy level. We're hoping to take him to Central Bark on Sunday, January 31st, where he can RUN RUN RUN!

Also, because of a shortage of "Adopt Me" vests at ACCT, Megan ordered one on her own from Dog Booties. When we went down to Kelly Drive, nobody knew that he was available for adoption.

Congrats, Kev!

Leo wants to congratulate his buddy and shelter-mate Kev, who is getting sprung tomorrow! Kev is going to one of ACCT's rescue partners! Good luck Kev!

Thanks, kids!

I got an email from another ACCT volunteer today. She told me that a group of children from Nueva Esperanza collected a lot of money and are using it to sponsor Leo! They choose Leo from a group of 5 dogs. Leo is so thankful!

Leo is really hoping that the children will be able to come see him at the shelter!

Sunday, 1/17/2010

I met Megan at ACCT this morning, and we found Leo's kennel. We also discovered that he had been neutered!

He was shaking in his kennel, which he had also been doing when I went to ACCT on Thursday. I don't know if he's cold, or afraid. It really breaks my heart to see it, whatever the reason. He, like every other dog in that shelter, deserves a nice warm home and a loving family.

We took Leo out for a walk first, and while he still sometimes gets bursts of energy, he was slightly easier to walk. I still plan on getting a gentle leader for him, though.

We took Leo into the empty office again, and this time decided to try a new training treat. We had previously been using Natural Balance rolls, cut into small cubes, as well as some other treats that Megan was bringing. This time, we decided to use something different -- mild cheddar cheese!

Leo LOVED the cheese. Unfortunately, he was more interested in trying to steal the brick of cheese that I was cutting, rather than work for the few cubes I had already cut, and given to Megan to use with him.

So, I showed Megan how to teach Leo "stay." Basically, I got Leo in a sit. Then I said "Stay." and held my hand up (as if saying "stop"). And I fed him 5 treats in quick succession. The goal is to get him to sit for the entire succession of treats. If he got up between treats, Megan started over. Meanwhile, I went into the cafeteria to finish cutting the brick of cheese.

By the time I got back, Leo was sitting for the entire time it took to receive 5 treats. So, we upped the ante. We would have Leo sit, say "Stay," and this time, pause between each treat. We worked on this for the remainder of the session.

We'll each go on a different night this week, and work with him on "stay." Hopefully, we'll get to the point that we can take a step away from him in between giving him the treats. Also, I'm going to buy a Gentle Leader, and try to at least desensitize him to that, so that this coming Saturday (the 23rd), Megan and I can get him out of ACCT for the day, and maybe go for a walk in Pennypack Park, if the weather is cooperative.

Putting Leo "Out There"

Leo has been enjoying some Internet fame lately.

He made an appearance on ThePhillyDog.com.

And, he's taken out an ad on Craigslist.

So, come by and check out the local mini-celebrity! He'd love to meet you! (And go home with you!)

Email me, and we can set up a time to meet at ACCT.

Pics from Saturday, 1/9/10

January 9, 2010

After a Behavior Team meeting at the Erie Avenue Location, I went over to the Hunting Park shelter were Leo lives. He was already out in the yard with Megan, and I was told that he'd gotten into some trouble.

There are 3 fenced dog runs in the yard where we can take the dogs and allow them to run and play off-leash. However, Leo, the escape artist, manage to get out of the first one. So they moved him to a different one. He got out again. They moved to the third one. He got out AGAIN! Now, granted, these dogs runs aren't the most secure, but I've never heard of one dog escaping from all 3 in one afternoon!

So, since he had had some exercise already, Megan and I took him back into the empty office we used last time. We practiced some more of "sit, and "down." We also practiced more "touch," and he's beginning to hit the target (my fist) no matter if it's in front of him, to the side of him, or over his head.

We also tried to figure out whether he's really deaf, partially deaf, or just has selective hearing. We still aren't 100% sure. He doesn't react when I click my clicker right next to his left ear. He only barely reacts when it's clicked in his right ear. He jumped when I dropped a metal bowl on the bare floor (but he could've reacted to vibrations in the floor), and he also heard a mouse squeaking under a treadmill in the room.

And we also discussed what would benefit Leo. He definitely needs more exercise. Part of the Pen Pal program is "signing out" the dog once a month and taking him an off-site location (away from the shelter). I plan to take Leo to an enclosed roller-hockey rink near my house where he can run around and play fetch, without being able to escape.

We also feel that it will benefit him tremendously to be neutered. I'm also going to update his Petfinder bio, with a new write-up and pictures, and include my email address as primary contact for potential fosters or adopters.

We may also try to contact rescues to see if they will take in Leo. Megan is going to contact a rescue that recently took in another of ACCT's "hard-of-hearing" pit bulls, Kirby.

Leo has TWO Pen Pals!

Tonight, I met Megan at the shelter. She's going to be a second Pen Pal for Leo, so he'll get extra face time for training and socialization, and have double the exposure!

I took him into a dog run outside, and let him run to burn off a fraction of his energy (he has a LOT!). I attempted to take him for a walk, but mostly just got dragged around the yard.

Then, Megan and I took him into an empty office. We practiced "sit," and "down." Leo performs both of these actions with great enthusiasm! It's really funny to watch him dive to the floor.

We started to introduce the verbal command for "down," and also started "touch." "Touch" is a precursor to "come." "Touch" teaches them to hit a target. You start off very close to the dog, then gradually move the "target," (your hand) further and further away.

But the biggest obstacle to training Leo is his boundless energy. Leo will need a very active family. As I said, running in the kennel burned off only a fraction of his energy. While training in the office, despite the lack of distractions, it was hard to keep his focus.

So, we ended the evening with some belly rubs.

So, the plan is that at least one night during the week, Megan will go to ACCT, take him to an outside run and exercise him, and practice the commands that have already been introduced. Coleen will go on a separate night, and do the same. And hopefully one day a week (most likely the weekend), they will both meet at ACCT and introduce new commands together.

Training

As I said, my first two goals in training Coolio are to get him walking on a loose leash, and to teach him "down." I plan to do this with positive reinforcement, using a clicker. Here's a brief overview for those who aren't familiar with clicker training.

A reinforcer is something that the trainee (Coolio) wants. Coolio seems to be perfectly happy to work for food. I've been using Natural Balance rolls, cut into small pieces. The treats are referred to as "primary" reinforcers, because they are something the dog wants naturally.

In the beginning, a clicker means nothing to the dog. You establish the clicking sound as a "secondary" reinforcer by pairing it with treats. Click once, and give the dog a treat. Click again, and give the dog a treat. Repeat as necessary until the dog expects a treat each time he hears a click. That means the dog understands that when he hears a click, a treat is coming.

Now, you can use that clicking sound to mark the behavior that you want to see. The clicking sound creates a picture in the dog's mind of what it was doing when it heard the click, and it knows that a treat is going to follow. This increases the likelihood that the dog will do that behavior again, knowing that it will earn treats.

Once you have gotten the dog to perform that behavior reliably, you can put the dog on what's called a "variable schedule of reinforcement" in order to maintain the behavior. This is more effective than rewarding the behavior every single time. (Think about slot machines -- you don't win every time. But you keep on playing, hoping that this time will be the "lucky" time that you get rewarded.)

Clicking is also helpful in teaching a chain of behaviors. Clicking-and-treating at each step can interrupt the dog's concentration. Say you want the dog to sit, then lay down, then roll over. You can click when the dog sits (but not give a treat), then click when he lays down, and click when he rolls over, and then give a treat at the end of the chain.

Coolio

My Pen Pal's name (for now) is Coolio. He is a 1- to 2-year-old pit mix who was found as a stray. He has been at ACCT since August 6th, 2009. That's 150 days (4 months, 28 days).

I interacted with him for the first time today. I determined that he already knows both the verbal command, and the hand signal (a raised, closed fist) for "sit." I also determined that he has selective hearing. He listens when he wants to.

My first two goals are to introduce loose-leash walking, and to teach him "down." We worked on the second one today. I was able to easily lure him with treats into a down position several times.
I'll work on loose-leash walking once I fit him for a Gentle Leader head collar. It is a special training collar which loops over his muzzle. To some, it looks like a muzzle, but it's not. The dog can still open his mouth to take treats and drink water. But it gives the walker control over the dog's head, which (if you're familiar with walking a horse), gives the walker control over the dog's body.

He is a very energetic dog, and VERY curious. Since it was below freezing outside, we were working in the "bowl room" of ACCT, and he was interested in exploring EVERYTHING.

His behavior notes say that he has not been cat-tested yet, but does well with most other dogs.

The ACCT Pen Pal Program

Overview

The ACCT shelter has a number of dogs who have been waiting longer than others for an adoptive home. These dogs are smart, loving, healthy, behaviorally adoptable dogs who, after spending so long in the shelter environment, may not appear as adoptable. These "long term residents" often exhibit depression or kennel stress, hurting their chances at adoption. The Pen Pal Program aims to improve the quality of life for these dogs and prioritize their adoption.

The Pen Pal Program is also an opportunity for volunteers who cannot foster an animal in their home to act as a kind of foster parent for a dog in the shelter by focusing on socialization, marketing and post-adoption support.