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!

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.

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.

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.