It was a very long day! Our appointment was at three and we didn't leave until 6…he is a resource guarder when it comes to food and his ambivalence towards other dogs is fear based. Yet the fear doesn't show through because he has a boldness in him true to his personality. Considering that he comes from a good size ltter and his litter mates as well as dam and sire don't have these issues she says its indicative of genetics playing a role (when breeding pure sometimes they can get too much of a good thing). We are to implement "nothing in life is free"..which she says is making him obey a command before eating and getting treats and picking something else he enjoys and making him obey a command before he can get/have it. Based on her description we have already been doing it- he has to sit and stay for his meal, he always obeys a command before treats and he has to sit before entering our home. Also I am to remove all triggers of food aggression so he has nothing to trigger over in order to get his reactionary level back down. Trashes are up, when I cook he must be out of the kitchen, when I eat he must be crated (she believes he will NEVER be able to be near the dinner table bc of his inability to be in control around it), if he steals food out of the trash or on a sidewalk that he can have it unless its a danger rather than take it from him. I have to feed him in a low traffic area and let him be while eating. As far as the dog to dog issue, she recommends using a head halter (which he started about a month ago) to gain better control in situations he may try to nip, she thinks exercise is a big part of it. Since my knee injury we no longer run- she wants me to find a dog daycare but I highly doubt one would take him with full disclosure, I also think its a liability right now as he is so hit or miss. Also, once he gets tired, naturally he gets cranky..No more than 5-6 hours in crate at a time so I've hired a dog walker I know to come midday and wall him..but as a single woman with a management job I can't help my working hours. She think he needs two hours minimum of high energy exercise. She still thinks I should try dog parks with a muzzle. I brought him to one in wrentham Saturday and got twenty minutes out of it, some with the muzzle, some without. He got along without incident chasing the big dogs but ran into a tiny rat terrier..no fight but he didn't back down when she gave him clear indicators too..it got too busy and I decided to leave- also there was a couple who brought their 4 year old and a couple with a stroller, that's too much stress for me as the behaviorist suggested at this stage not to allow children to interact with him as you don't know if they have/had food. She wanted to out him on a six month trial of Prozac which I declined. I firmly know and believe his lack of intense exercise is the issue more than him needing meds. But she did say it was on the table and that Prozac can help with resource guarding and aggression over guarding...I just am not comfortable. It's a lot to take in and digest- its a time consuming change and also expensive but I am committed to trying to make him a mor reliable dog around other dogs and to be able to have him around people/people food without incident. I hope for my sake that we can make progress because I want to have A family one day and his behavior is certainly a stress factor for me. The saddest part is that when it comes to him with other dogs I know he wants to have fun with them and play... You can see plain as day he is conflicted about what he wants and what he's compelled to do to/with dogs.
I'm hopeful, it's been tiring. I have to nail down a more permanent schedule at work, get up much earlier and dedicate an hour in the mornings to him and an hour when I get home..perhaps find an indoor area we can rent time in when weathers bad to be able to exercise...yesterday he was exhausted and he was great...but I know there will come a day when I have a family and I may not be able to dedicate my entire life to him..I hope he can handle it. As hopeful as I am, I'm also overwhelmed and feeling a bit constrained- like I will never be able to so anything like go out with a friend or a date..but maybe it's because I'm in the thick of it. I can't think long term with him bc it worries me he may not accept me having a family, babies... As the doctor said, and it rings very true..with a dog like Oakley "there is no room for error".
Chealsie & Oakley
Good luck tomorrow.. I hope its as helpful as it was for me and sonny!
