Our new Loup

We finally have our new rescue boy.

You can follow him at:

http://aboutloup.blogspot.com/

Life Without a Dog

The house is getting cleaned cupboard by cupboard. The washing machine has never seen so much laundry in such short periods of time. The garden will be looking good in the spring as I split plants and moved them around. I finished my Ben book but am having problems uploading it. Perhaps that 'throttling' phenomenon done by Rogers.

No dog hair, no muddy paws or wet dog shaking once in the house. Well, okay, there is some hair floating around under the bed upstairs. Could be Ben's, could be Trickster's or just dust. Once I finished cleaning cupboards, I'll get to the upstairs although I tidied up a couple of Don's dresser drawers. Perhaps I'm doing that to tell him what a good girl I am and can we have a dog now : ) No, I'm not doing it for that reason, I'm just trying to get order in the house.

I am getting to know more and more rescue groups via the internet. So many deserving dogs out there. Don isn't ready for a dog yet.

Life after Ben

It hasn’t been easy but that’s a given. He was larger than life with a personality to match. I have signed on with the Southern Ontario Pyr Rescue and in doing so, told them that we weren’t quite ready.

A Pyr had come into a rescue who looked very much like my Poohbear. It was so tempting that I started an email to them but Don said it's too soon. I see that that Pyr now has an 'adoption pending' so Don is off the hook. I'm feeling better these days but sometimes I just miss the sweet side of Ben. I keep going to rescue sites. I really should stop that but that's easier said than done.

I'm not out as much as when I had Ben. Our neighbours knew Ben wasn't there but just didn't know what happened. I only met my next door neighbour yesterday when walking Trickster and told her. She was so surprised because she had gone over one morning to pet him because he had been barking for attention and Don was otherwise occupied. He was his usual wiggle bum self, loving the attention. That was before we realized how unsafe he could be. I have mostly such good neighbours who are so supportive and such dog lovers.

Whenever our new companion finds us, I’ll start a new blog. Check back here now and again. I have no idea when it will be but cross your fingers for me!

Dominate your Dog or Have Mutual Respect?

I have heard people say over our time with Ben that we need to dominate him, be leader of the pack and to show him whose top dog. This has puzzled me because I’m not a dog and my dog knows I’m not a dog. How about a little mutual respect which goes a lot further than hanging him or beating him up. Ben went a long way with praise/treat training and training was extremely enjoyable for both of us. We just couldn’t fix what was already broken a long time ago.

We considered briefly old school training in trying to save Ben. To see Ben trained to a kennel by forcing him in and letting him fight it out until he lay down from exhaustion or to be hung until he lay down from exhaustion and into what some would call submission. I can’t imagine beating the spirit out of any living creature. There wouldn’t ever be any respect or trust of me by Ben. He still wouldn’t be safe or maybe even worse.

I will always stick by the praise/treat method. It did wonders for Ben in the short term. It did wonders for the Twicksta boy. As for Clara, she was just a natural Pyr and did as she pleased in a respectful way.

There is an excellent article on dominance behaviour by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour. See the following link Lynn provided to me:

http://www.apdt.com/petowners/choose/dominance.aspx

Left to Pick up the Pieces

It feels like I was kicked in the stomach so hard I can't breathe. The wind has been taken from us. We spent four months, intense months on training Ben. And Ben ends up dying despite our efforts to save him. He was a 4-year old, healthy and vibrant Pyr with tons of personality and that was one of the reasons it was such a tough decision. I keep going around on this so stop reading if you like but it's my way of coping with this loss. I have to work this out.

I was so excited to come home and work with him because we always made such good progress. Ben really blossomed. I found it so exciting to take what I had learned from Lynn and apply it and then become really comfortable with it. Ben really seemed to look forward to it, too. I would guess that's because it involved so many treats but that is what worked. I have the feeling he enjoyed the work, too. It made him think and he was a very smart boy and a very quick learner.

He had lost all of his old, dry malnourished coat and his new coat was coming in. Thick and soft. He would have had a beautiful winter coat.

We're going through doubt, now. Ninety percent of the time Ben was a lovable goob and ten percent of the time he went blind. He knew what worked so he got his way. He was a 130 pounds of solid Pyr. He hadn't been taught any differently and he had to survive. He had to fall back on his wolf instincts and I'm told it was so ingrained in him that there was nothing we could do.

I opened the trunk of the car today. It sickened me all over again to see the collar Ben came with, encrusted with his blood, dirt and hair. It reminded me of how much pain he must have been in over time.

We went from one end of the spectrum with Clara our angel, to the other end we now know, with Ben, a neglected but loving boy.

He Rests in Peace. I'm so sorry, Ben Ben.

Ben
2005 - September 17, 2009

It was a tough night. We went for pizza and toasted Ben. We then went for a walk for Ben. I could never understand how people could go for walks without a dog because I have always, it seems, walked with a dog. So, that was sad. I awoke after midnight and sat on the stairs and sobbed. No barks or growly sounds as Ben used to lay his head down. No boy to have me to go down to comfort him to sleep. Don and I talked and talked. For some reason, I keep expecting Ben to find his way back home. Crazy.

My Ben Ben is gone. I am so sorry that this had to happen to him by no fault of his own. I couldn't say sorry to him enough as he lay there. My big, goofy Ben Ben.

I will say again that breeders and owners are supposed to prepare their dogs for the world, for civilization and not to leave them to their own devices and starve them. It is our responsibility to look after them and give them the best possible chance at a wonderful life in our world.

The house is so empty now. So quiet. I feel at such a loss. No more walking him in the morning or after work. No more training. No more feeding 3 and 4 times a day. No more night walks or trips to the fields. He's not here when we come home, no head peaking around the wall, waiting to be fed. No more trips to the cottage with him. No more slobbers and goober on my clothes and everyone else's. I came to love those goobers. He loved his tummy rubbed and to cuddle. He even came to like boat rides, on occasion. It's hard to believe he's gone.

I have a wide assortment of treats of different value levels left that I had purchased for resource training. I was ready to roll and continue on with Lynn's help until the attack on Don. We then had to sit back and think hard. Even after that, Don wanted to try the vet behavourist to get her take on it. Could Ben be fixed? He's some crazy guy who loved Ben. As time crawled along, we both realized it was really time to keep everyone safe. Don didn't care how many times he was bitten, but it was other people for whom we had to worry.

Ben, my bigger than life Pyr. I always knew you were there. And now I know you're gone and I'll miss you so so much. Be good my Goob. You'll always be with me.

May Our Ben Ben Rest in Peace

It is with deep sorrow and through tears that I announce that we will put Ben down today. My Prince, Goob, Goober, Boog, Booger, Goofball, Ben Ben and Benny.

We picked up an underweight, malnourished, desperate, beautiful Great Pyrenees, unneutered with open sores from an embedded collar on his neck and have tried desperately to save him. I have failed.

After much discussion, reasoning, researching, advice and soul searching, we have decided that it is best for Ben and us that he be put down. We never got to the vet behavourist because we felt that there was nothing she could do for us. Lynn had already advised us some time ago and we finally realized the reality. It is ever so sad because he is such a character and loves people. He had so much potential as a puppy and that was destroyed by a neglectful owner and bad breeders. He had to survive on his own for four years and he can't get past that. He was starved and can never get enough food. In Don's words, 'he is damaged'.

We gave him four good months of what a good life can be. He has finally realized how comfortable a thick rug can be on which to sleep. He is such a good boy but just can't be trusted. I've worked hard with him and he has been so receptive. The training for leaping was going so great as was collar and resource guarding.

But, can I ever trust him, ever, when he finds a Charlie Bear in a pocket. I saw him threaten me when I found him in the bedroom twice as he found his 'prize'. It was only a Charlie Bear. I can take those from him when I give them to him, I can pick up his toy and take it away from him. I trained him so I could show him the pigs ear and he took it in his mouth and then I was able to take it away. But if he found that pigs ear, could I take it away. Can I train him for that? And then when he threatened Jennifer over picking up his leash. Then Fred reaching for his collar and he bit Fred. I thought it was just mouthing but Fred's hand hurt although no bite marks. I think those were our lucky warning signs and very understanding people.

I still have to work at getting the leash on in the morning and at night. There is no problem during the day. Ben will mouth me if I get too close to his collar too soon.

We can't even leave him outside anymore in case someone comes up the drive. He would probably be thrilled to see them but what if they reach for his collar. He is normally okay with this is he doesn't 'feel' threatened but it's all the variables.

We've never had a dog like this, never seen the results of what neglect can do but only heard of it. Again, I wanted so much for him to work out. It saddens me so much that this is happening.

I could put another two years of intensive training into him but would that make him safe? Could I train him so that when I find him with a 'prize', I would be able to take it away? Could I wait that long and hope he doesn't hurt anyone in the meantime? Don has had one good bite from him and then attacked with four bites even though they were his fault. He's the one who has not wanted to euthanize him but wanted to give him a fighting chance. I had always said, too, that as a last resort I would try the old school method but do I want to break Ben's spirit, watch him get hung and beaten. I don't think it would have worked for Ben nor do I think any dog should have to go through that. We don't do it to humans, why pets?

We have our dogs to enjoy life with us, to give them the best life possible, to go everywhere with us and be able to leave them with anyone should we need to. They have to be part of our lives, not shut away. Us always walking on eggshells wondering when he'll bite next. We've managed him with no bites for three months and then it's happening again. As we have been asked by another knowledgeable person, 'when he bites the next person, are you willing to look them in the face and tell them that you knew it would likely happen?"

To my big, goofy, beautiful Ben Ben who taught me so much and whom I will never forget.

Yet Another Turn of Events

Last night was a turn for the worst. I left the washroom door open where Ben's food is stored. He got well into that bag. I called him to lure him out and then went to get some cheese. That wasn't working and then Don came in. Ben came up for a breather and was turning towards the door. Don took the chance to reach over to close the bag and Ben attacked. I didn't know if he would ever stop but it was so horrible to watch. I thought I would would have to call 911. Four bites and Ben walked away and lay down. Two bites on Don's hands, one of which the punctures were tears, one on his wrist and the worst was on his calf. He became quite bruised. I started thinking we needed to put hinges that let the door snap shut and we needed to put the dog food into a container he couldn't get into. I was going into management mode. That wasn't enough. We were stunned and mortified by what had happened.

I suggested it was time to Don and he told me he would support me in whatever I decided. I called the vet and then told Don the time we would take him in. Then another idea came up.

We have engaged the services of a vet behaviourist (as opposed to a behavourist)for Ben on the suggestion of Lynn Hyndman, our trainer. We will meet with her on September 24th. Even though he has progressed a great deal since I brought him home, we want to know if he will ever be safe enough for the way we live with continued work.

I even called the vet to see about something to calm Ben. They suggested doggy prozac but was very costly but it would have been worth it if it 'fixed' Ben. Last grasps of desperation.

He is such a goofball, very sweet and loveable. And it angers me so much that people like his previous human were allowed to even take him home from the breeders. At the very least, Joe may have been fine at the beginning but the breeders should have checked on Ben now and again. It angers me that Joe has turned Ben into the dog he is and Ben is the one who has to pay the price. And, it angers me that Joe did not tell me the truth. Aggression issues were written in the vet file but Joe did not disclose it to me. I asked him and he said there were no problems. It angers me that Ben’s breeders were allowed to breed because they are ultimately responsible for how Ben is today. The fact that they refuse to take him tells all.

So, if you ever go to a breeder for a dog, make sure you ask questions of the breeder and they ask them of you. Make sure they tell you they will be checking on that dog periodically, that they will ensure it is neutered/spayed and that if ever in that dog’s life, you have to find a new home for it that the breeder will be the first place you call and that the breeder will take it back for any reason at any time. Make sure you meet the dog’s parents, see where the dogs live and how they are treated. Do your research before you ever invest in a companion.

And the Beat Goes On

I haven’t been working with Ben besides the everyday behaviour because he picked up some bug; probably from the stagnant water on our hikes last weekend. The poor guy. He’s feeling better but last Monday night/Tuesday morning was bad. I was up all night/morning with him. He's going to be okay.

Ben has been really a good boy with training and everyday life that I may soon have nothing to write except what a good boy is he.

He needs to get out with more dogs again. We went to Bruce Pitt in the beginning (I don’t much like it there because its a zoo) and there were never any issues with other dogs. In fact, he ran loose there and he was great. That will be next Saturday morning. I’ll see if our Pyr friends can join us.

I’m feeling so good about Ben that I think I’ll go all out and get him a nice leather leash. Dare I?

Unbelievably Great

Saturday to Monday. Ben has been amazing for Ben.

Saturday morning's walk was good. Motor bikes, huge trucks and bikes...I clicked as he looked and he turned to me and he was praised and treated to the rooftops for not leaping.

But then, I stopped to talked to a neighbour. That was a mistake. She quickly swept her kids away to 'safety'. Their ball stopped from Ben about two feet away. I had to roll it back. She asked if I was keeping Ben. I hadn't decided, I said. She advised me 'Donna, you have to be very careful'. Steam flew out my ears. Gee, I wonder why I've engaged a trainer, why I train him everyday on his issues and what the trainer has shown us and with which she continues to help us. Mmm, yes, Don was bitten, his friend was bitten, Maryanne was bitten as was the vet tech, Angela. And she is telling me I have to be careful? And then a roller blader flew by and set Ben off. He skated right to Ben and I said 'no' to the guy as Ben was simply seeking attention. Ben was already wound and probably confirmed the neighbour's 'fears'.

Her comment upset me but I got on with my day. The leash is becoming a non-issue now. I show Ben the leash and he comes running and we do the 'yes' treat routine. It's so great.

He got into the boat with us (a little kibble in his bowl in the boat helped) and really seemed to enjoy it. Nose in the air, wind blowing through his coat. I did the same the next night but he was stressed this time so we cut the ride short.

I worked on nail clipping and may have to work with the dremmel instead. I cut one nail and he whimpered. Back to square one but it's coming along. I kept treating him for giving me his paw instead of when he let me touch his feet with the dremmel. I finally got it right near the end. It'll come together.

He slept through the night all weekend, noise and everything. He enjoyed the campfires, as always. It was the first enjoyable weekend I've had with Ben in awhile. Don only had a growl when he tried to get him to come out from under the ski ramp on top of the ski hill. I knew that would happen because Ben wanted to stay there where it was cool.

Resource guarding is going well. I look forward to our next session and in the meantime, the exercises are going well with no guarding. Yippee!! I'm having a good feeling this day. He isn't vicious and he is learning quickly.

It’s a Warmer Day for Ben

Ben got my extremely cold shoulder yesterday. After yesterday morning’s fiasco, I was extremely upset to say the least. My mind was heading to the same place it always does in these situations. I couldn’t even look at Ben when I got home. It wasn’t until I was upstairs reading and Ben was barking his ‘I want a hug’ bark that I finally conceded and went downstairs to pet him.

There is a dog somewhere in the neighbourhood that is also being trained. It appears its problem is other dogs. They purposely walk by our house on our side of the street. Never on the other side. It saw Trickster and started screaming and yelping like it was being repeatedly kicked. This set Ben off for the night and Don feels that it carried through to the morning. That may very well be but it's still not acceptable.

This morning was a new start. I am now going to work on actually putting the leash on so that eventually he won’t always have to wear the leash. Instead, I can go over and put his leash on when I want to take him out. I will still have to work on picking the leash up for other situations but this is a new tact I’m hoping will work as well as the collar training and muzzle work did.

There Was Light

And then it vanished quickly this morning. I knew we couldn't have a high for so long before it went bad.

I didn’t get to his leash until he had just finished his breakfast. I picked up the leash and he bared teeth, growled and barked. I hung on, telling him to sit and he came forward instead. I dropped it. Bad, I know.

I got the broom and tried again. He barked and growled but this time, grabbed the leash in his mouth in frustration so that much is good but he continued barking.

It sounded so bad Don came down and took control.

Leash in hand, we went on our walk. It was a very quiet one because I didn’t say a word to him. I realize he had forgotten the whole incident but I sure hadn’t. He still walks a fine line.

Just when his afterwork walk went so well with leaping. Unfortunately, he was already barking and starting a leap before I clicked but at least he stopped and turned to me, twice, for two different vehicles. I then got into the groove and watched him carefully and clicked only when he looked and then treated him. It went really well. And then, the gods were with me, I thought. I found five dollars in the grass. Yippee!! If this keeps up, I could get rich for keeping Ben in training.

Following this was resource guarding. What a star! Lynn may cringe but Ben was so bored at me putting out the metal spoon and all the unguarded objects. I then went onto a cracker, cheerios, cheese and a hotdog. I untied him finally because he wouldn’t come over even with treats. He just watched me like I was doing all this just for exercise.

I put the cheese in front of him, letting him smell it first so he’d be interested, and walked away and came back and picked it up and rewarded him well. We kept doing this and then I went to the hotdog. Same reaction. None and he was rewarded. I then started putting it to his nose after picking it up. He wanted to eat it but I said no, he stopped and I rewarded him. I kept doing this with cheese and then a bit of hot dog. When we finished, I threw down a few treats as per usual, saying ‘all done’, he didn’t even go for the treats.

...if you are unable to keep your dog for any reason...

"Truly caring breeders will insist that you return your puppy to them if you are unable to keep it for any reason during its entire life." from http://www.kateconnick.com/library/breeder.html

Understand that Ben's breeders are no longer breeding but that shouldn't matter. All their dogs should be important to them all the time. I talked to Ben's breeder and that was like talking to a brick wall. He was very defensive as I explained Ben's problems. He said it wasn't his fault. I explained that I wasn't saying it was although now that I think about it, they should have been keeping a tab on him occasionally. I was simply looking for a place to keep Ben should we decide to go away. I wasn't looking to return him (at least at that moment!) He has so many issues right now that I couldn't leave him with anyone else. He explained that they couldn't because they had guard dogs (they had those when they were breeding) and sheep (they had those when they were breeding) and something about their kennels but I didn't catch it. I even talked about considering euthanasia he had so many problems but he kept repeating they couldn't take him.



I am pretty annoyed right now. I can't believe they don't care about their dogs but now I do. How could they have called themselves reputable breeders but maybe they didn't? I am learning so much through Ben.

On the flip side, we had a great resource guarding session this evening. Lynn was pretty happy with Ben's behaviour as was I. I have many things to work on in the next two weeks with Ben. I have a good feeling about things right now. Of course, that's at this moment. Ben doesn't want to be bad, he just doesn't know how to behave and that's what we're teaching him.

Ben Still Lives Here

My vacation started out as less than relaxing. Ben became roaringly obnoxious which happened to coincide with Don's absence. I put up with resource guarding, and the leash resistance. At the cottage he had pulled my bag of clothes from the bed and had my clothing strewn about. I went to see what was going on and stood in the doorway. He was nasty. I just had to go the fridge and out he came. I put the bag away.

He then pulled a pair of pants from the bed and guarded those. All for a Charlie Bear. The list of nasties goes on. By the Sunday night, I was very ready to drive into town and have him put down on Monday. I had to have Don's agreement. He called on his return from fishing and was heading up to the cottage on Monday. He suggested I wait and we would talk about it.

The rest of the week, Ben was very good and I cooled down. I managed to cut three nails but the next day he became a bear and I couldn't touch his feet.

He did become more sociable. He wanted to spend afternoons on the deck with us and seemed to enjoy the campfires. He got to have his 20 second crazy play run even though Trickster tried to end that. Trickster will not play with Ben but then, either will we.

I will be speaking to his breeder to discuss his issues. My hope is that she will take him when we go on vacation. Should we decide Ben is not safe enough, I am hoping she will take him, as well.

The French Bread is Best

I forgot about Thursday morning.

There it was, the ripped plastic on the kitchen floor. I looked on the counter. Yes, Don had left two loaves of bread there but one remained.

Don was in charge of the food for his camping trip. And, yet, he left it there on the counter for Ben. The soda bread was not Ben's preference.

It's Saturday morning and I'm ready to head up. Ben managed to break through the stair gate to get upstairs. He's parked under my desk.

Wish us well at the cottage.

And on the Fourth Day of Christmas

Four nights in a row, Ben has slept right through. That is a Christmas gift.

I've heard this from other crazy people who take in rescues and that is that it's as if these dogs are living the puppyhood they never had. I took Ben out for his usual after work walk and then fed him. Don had left for the fishing camp that morning.

I was going over to take mom out for groceries. Sounds easy, doesn't it. The routine was broken. Normally, Ben would get to stay outside after the little walk but not this day. I closed the door and Ben started bouncing off it, big paws sliding down the door windows and crying like he was being left behind forever.

I had to move Don's car to get mine out. Don's car battery was dead. My great brother-in-law came over to boost me (I'd forgotten what to do but will be fine next time). While waiting for Steve to come over, I brought Ben outside and he barked up a storm at being ignored. I then tried to get him to go in but he appeared angry about that by his growls so I left him. Once the cars were sorted, I made the bright mistake of opening of the hatch to return the booster cables and in jumped Ben.

I had to resort to food in his dish. I shook this and he couldn't quite decide which was more important but finally relented and in he came. I realized I had forgotten my wallet in the house and had to go back in. Of course, when I left, the big paws and fat face showed through the window.

I left. When I returned, I took the guy for a big walk on which he was determined to be obnoxious and was. He barked at a couple of dogs coming along and lay on the pavement. He got up when they went by, still barking. I waited until he sat before we moved. He was just looking for things at which to bark including cars that went by.

I was just tired last night and it's as if he knew this and took advantage of my weakness because I just wanted to relax and get some sleep. I think, too, that Ben's routine was broken because Don wasn't there. There are so many things to which Ben needs to adjust. He's a few years behind.

I'm off to the cottage with Ben and Trickster for a week so there won't be any posts. I think it will turn into a bootcamp for Ben and heaven for Trickster. Wish us well.

Riding the Wave

Things are coasting along for the moment. It is now two nights in a row that Ben has slept through the night without barking. I am so happy.

He has been fairly quiet on his walks. I catch him looking interested in something, and if I think he may charge, I tell him no and leave the leash loose. So far, so good. Okay, I get the occasional leap so, no, he's far from perfect. But we're getting there!!

This morning, I left the gate unlatched. I watched Ben get up, go over, as if he knew it were open, stick his nose in to open it and upstairs he went. That's where he is spending the morning. I think he thinks he is in paradise so he'll get his way this time. It is my fault for leaving the gate unlatched.

Last night's training was cancelled due to the heat wave. Our resource guarding session won't be until the first of September now.

Coming Clean

I don't even want to report this because we have been so careful. However, Saturday evening we were all heading out to see the sunset. Don was in the boat with Trickster, I was busy putting a treat on the seat to help convince Ben the boat is fun. Unfortunately, Don's niece (she is an adult) reached down to pick up his leash. I wasn't aware that she was doing this. I just thought she was untying the boat. Because Ben did not want to get in the boat, he barked and growled at her. Don got the leash and got things under control but I was pretty upset. I was angry at Ben. I didn't talk to him for a day and half. It really hit home that some things may not be fixed.

Being upset does not fix the situation. There is a reason I have Lynn to help and she has said he has to wear a muzzle all the time. She has the expertise and I do not. I have learned the hard way and he will wear the muzzle in other's company. I really want to get one that fits him better. He tries to get it off when walking. Working with the muzzle company has been a slow and arduous process. They take 2-3 days to get back to me each time I have questions and then they don't answer all the questions.

Euthanasia came back up again but then, it has never really left.

Sunday, I walked him with weighted saddle bags and he was a good boy. And muzzle training, of course. I think the muzzle is going well now. It still takes a few treats before he'll let me strap it on. I think he plays me so he'll get more treats. It's also been so hot that he just drips drool, poor guy. I've been working to put it on, groom or walk him, take it off, put it back on etc.

Not a Ben Day

This is my friend's woolly mammoth, the one on the right. And she has no issues!!
Just for the record, the bare bum, the one on the left, was soon covered.

I Get By With a Little Help from My Friends

After the fiasco last night, I have turned to drugs (the one given to some dogs for flying) to help relax Ben when I am working with his feet and brushing his tail. The vet has worked with Ben and knows of his aggression issues so has agreed to this. It's not something I wanted to do but for more relaxed sessions, it will benefit both of us. He will still wear the muzzle during this time. With a little patience, I don't think I will have to use drugs because he will see it does not hurt.

I used to say, whenever I heard about a dog bite, that I would never have a dog if it bit just once, nor would I ever have a dog who needed to wear a muzzle. I could never figure out why people would have those kinds of dogs. They are dangerous. Then there is that old saying 'don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes'. That was me. Being judgemental.

Now that the tables have turned and I have the kind of dog I never wanted nor agreed with, I am walking that mile. It's an experience I never thought I would go through. I did not know how to handle this kind of dog. A dog who spent three years in a garage, was underweight, had sores on his neck from an embedded collar and wasn't neutered nor did I think for a second he would have issues. I'd never had a dog like this so I did not know.


People have their ideas on how I should deal with Ben and impart them but they have never had a dog like Ben. I am surprised to hear the ideas that come from seemingly gentle people with dogs. They suggest violence against Ben which really puzzles me. I should beat the crap out of a dog who has already had a rotten life. A dog who does not understand how to behave and I should beat him to make him understand and make him submit? I should hang him as does Ceasar on the more violent dogs? Sure, there are some days when I get so frustrated I want to kick him and hit him over the head. Well, instead of this, I was on the phone immediately to a recommended trainer–Lynn Hyndman from Dogs in Harmony http://www.dogsinharmony.ca/welcome/. She knows exactly the kind of dog Ben is and has advised us accordingly. She used to use old methods but has turned to much kinder methods and they have worked so well with Ben. It really is a matter of patience and consistency.

No, Ben will never be Clara nor the perfect dog who is totally trustworthy because of the first four years of his life but he'll be a much more manageable dog. We brought Ben in to give him a chance because he deserves that much. Today has been a good day so I can say this. Tomorrow is another day.

He's come a long way with Lynn's guidance and so have I. She has an amazing amount of knowledge and wisdom. I feel extremely fortunate to have found her.

Patience is a Virtue

Update: No longer do I use 'no' but rather distract and teach them how to trust me that good things will happen when we me.

The walk after work was really good. I stopped to talk to a neighbour and Ben was, of course, his usual charming self, sitting and wiggling his bum like a happy guy. Someone went by and I wasn't paying attention. Yes, Ben attempted to leap but I was able to stop him in time and said 'no'. Next time, someone went by and I watched him. He wanted to leap but I said 'no' very firmly, even though some would say my firm is like a pat on the head. He listened and looked but did not leap. Much praise. Then he became bored and stretched out fully on the walkway. That's my boy.

After we took our leave, I checked over my shoulder down the road for vehicles at which Ben might bark. A dump truck. I waited until he went by us and watched Ben, kept a shorter but loose leash. Ben looked intently and I said 'no Ben, no' and left the leash loose. He was such a star and didn't leap but instead, listened to me. Much praise was heaped upon him.

That good part was forgotten when I muzzled him and started the desensitization to the nail clippers. When I got to the part where I tried to pick up a foot, he was nasty. I had Don holding the leash up short but loose so he couldn't lower his head to paw the muzzle off. Ben's reaction, even with the muzzle on, still shook me up. I wanted to end on a good note so I simply moved my hand across his paws and put a little pressure on his pads. He was okay with this. I praised him a lot for that. I then made him sit, gave him a treat and removed the muzzle.

There is a lot of work to be done in the nail department. Patience, patience.

A Good End to a Really Bad Day

I had been pretty distraught all day. I want to be able to handle my dogs without fear of threat. This isn't always possible with Ben. And more than anything, I love to groom my dogs. I did get so much hair out of Ben in the beginning. He really enjoyed it except when a hair was pulled the wrong way and he barked and growled at which point I stopped. I think he learned this behaviour and grooming became more difficult.

The muzzle training has paid off and last afternoon I was able to groom him while he wore it for about 10 minutes. I kept telling him what a good boy he was and gave a very occasional treat. I was thrilled as huge tufts of hair came out of his 'pants'. I had been wanting to get to those for so long. I started on his tail but that is where I got some growling so I just did some so he would get used to it and not hate it so much. There were no barks, though, and that makes me happy. He probably hadn't been groomed in three years as you can see by the original photos of him.

We took the boys out to the farm on this humid evening. You can't really tell how fluffy his pants and part of his tail are in the above photo but they are!! Ben was wearing a leash but thanks to Photoshop, he's not. You'll notice the strange angle of Ben. The photo is a funny angle but he does have extremely dropped hips or croup which gives him a real rolling gate in the back end and he really brings his hind end under himself. I really hope this won't present him with problems in the future.

I do know who his breeder is and they are no longer breeding.

Ben has bought himself some more time. That changes a lot, too. He's down there barking for attention. He wants to come upstairs but no way. He just doesn't behave well enough yet and he sleeps so much better downstairs. I never thought I would keep a dog from coming up here until Ben.

Bad morning

Rather than wondering if he was going to bark/bare his teeth at me for picking up his leash this morning, I ate, got ready to walk the dogs and then fed them. As Ben was eating, I picked up the leash no problem (could have been a fluke because there are times I can pick it up when he is lying down), waited until he finished and off we went for our walk.

I don't like this. I don't like that Ben does this threatening to me or Don about the leash pick up. I can train him on putting the leash on which I am doing now but that won't do me any good when he doesn't want to go out. It's frustrating. He can be fine sometimes and grouchy other times but we don't know what he'll be at any given time. It's such a simple task yet it's become stressful.

All we can do is go for the leash, regardless, and hope he just threatens but never does anything. If he does bite, the decision is made. He is on borrowed time as of today. In fact, I'd rather just be able to clip the leash on and not leave the leash on all the time. What an idea!

I love him to bits and it's the last thing I would want to do. I will keep working with him and do everything I can to help him.

Goods days Bad days

Ben did not end Saturday night at the cottage well. We went to take them out for their bed time walk. Don reached over to pet Ben's head and Ben went for his hand. Don pulled his hand away in time. Ben did not want that leash picked up. I got the broom out again.

Sunday was another story. I worked on him with the muzzle and all went well. I groomed him for 10 minutes with it on, working on his chest. He does not like this and I've had to stop all the time before. He growled and barked but couldn't touch me. He did this three times and then stopped and he was quiet and seemed to enjoy it. We then went for a long walk down the cottage road. I can put the saddle bags on with no problem. I put weights in them and off we went. He was so good. Cars went by on the narrow lane. We pulled off into the grass a bit. I kept telling him what a good boy he was (I had run out of treats) and he was. He gave a small attempt to leap once but I had a short leash on him and insisted he was a good boy. It is so true that when the leash is tight, this aggravates the situation but when loose, he will all of a sudden stop when there is no tension.

He loves the dock and barrels down there with us. We will be vacationing there for a week. He'll be a very happy boy.

Good Ben Ben

I haven't written much on Trickster. He is such a good boy and who wants to hear about how good he is when we have Ben.

That being said, yesterday was a perfect Ben day. Using the broom in the morning, I picked up the leash but Ben just got up without a sound and came outside with me. In the afternoon, Ben walked around the block with the muzzle on. I think I may have to get the Leerburg muzzle back because this one may move back into his eyes.

Don went to the store for the chocolate treat. I was upstairs at the computer when I heard the big footsteps coming up the stairs. I hadn't locked the gate. I listened. Up on the bed he went. I could hear him going crazy pulling at the bed clothes. Man, he looked so happy. I could only laugh. I got him off with treats and downstairs.

And best of all, he didn't even bark at last night. That's my Ben.

Trickster is always helping me with Ben as he is always standing by at training time. He deserves treats for being so good, too.

Things all changed this morning when I put some treats out for Ben but he wouldn't even get up for them. So, I got the broom out. He barked at me and showed me some teeth but I didn't give in and took my chances. Out the door we went with no bites.

The Terrible Fours

Ben had a great time at the cottage. We let him romp about at times. And then night time came. As we lay in bed under the mosquito net wondering from whence the droves of mosquitos were coming as they buzzed in aeroplane unison, Ben barked up a storm upon hearing a noise of any kind. At one point, he went up to the screen door. He is good with his big paws and one swipe would put him through the screen so Don went to sort this out. Ben did not like being told what to do and barked and growled but finally went and lay down.

This did not set a good tone for the rest of our stay. When Don and Trickster went out for their sunset boat ride (Ben wouldn't get in the boat), we trekked back up to do the dishes. Ben proceeded to look for some attention so leapt up on the couch and went crazy pulling at the cushions whilst looking at me, waiting for my reaction. None came. He finally lay down, looking very cute but I couldn't let him know that. When the dust had settled, I called him off with a treat.

We left after dinner on Sunday night. The mosquitoes and Ben were too much for another night. Ben let the neighbours know we were back as he barked all the way into the driveway at 10:00.

Monday was a better day especially for Trickster. We went to the farm where I let Ben go chasing ground hogs. No worries. He is not a good hunter, at least not yet. Trickster thought this great fun and would run after Ben and then leap onto him. Ben didn't seem to notice and kept running. Trickster then tried leaping solely on his head but still, no reaction.

I'm back working with the muzzle on him. It's too long but it's all I have and he needs to have it on. After trying to get the leash on this morning, I can't wait.

Jealous

I should know better by now. No sooner do I say that Ben is getting better when last afternoon he leaped out at a dog on leash, pulling the leash out of my hands as I felt the burn of the nylon. He jumped in the dogs face, barking at it. I managed to get him back under control.

We went for a walk in the farm last night. As usual, I left the 10 foot long rope trailing behind him when I let him run loose in the uncropped fields. He loves chasing birds and groundhogs.

Our angel Trickster joined us after this romp and was quite happy to see Ben but I don't know why. During a phone call last night, I was petting Trickster. Ben was lying out of site in the corner, barking and growling. He finally got up and confronted Trickster with barks and growls. Brother. He was jealous of the attention Trickster was getting. Trickster went upstairs and Ben moved into place beside me.

This morning, I brought out the broom again to get the leash. Handle through loop and then Ben barked and got up but it worked.

The new muzzle arrived. I don't know if it fits or not. Is it too close to his eyes? Too much nose room in the front? Can he open his mouth enough? I'm waiting to see what the trainer says. I've removed the photos of Ben with the muzzle. It just reminds me of how sad his story was.

Euthanasia keeps coming to mind for Ben. He isn't an easy dog. He's had 4 years of bad behaviour. I understand he was kept in a kennel in a garage three of those years and pretty much starved but it doesn't make him any easier to live with now, knowing that. We can't leave him with anyone to go on vacation nor can we leave him in a kennel because he goes ballistic in one. We want to take him with us but he isn't ready nor do I know if he'll ever be ready to go on a camping vacation or be able to stay in a rented cabin. I did not know what I was getting when I picked him up. I still love the big guy but when he growls at me when I pull a hair the wrong way, it upsets me because I have to stop what I'm doing. He controls the situation and he knows it. Hence, the muzzle, if I ever get one that fits.

Introducing the Trickster

I only had to go downstairs once, okay, maybe twice last night to settle Ben down from barking. Crazy but I wish people would stop making noise after Ben is settled in for the night. Trickster boy will arrive today. He will bring with him his calm, cool demeanor from which my big boy appears to observe and learn.

Trickster is a 5-year old rough coat collie whom we have been fortunate enough to have as a buddy on weekends or whenever his real person is away. He has been with us since he was a puppy and grew up with his aunty, Princess Clara. She was his mentor. She was the coolest Pyr around. Our beautiful Clara passed away last fall, 27. November, 2008. She was 13 years old and lived a good life of canoe/camping, cottaging and showed no mercy to groundhogs. I'll talk more about her later.
Trickster seems to like Ben even if Ben tries to boss him around in the car. Things were straightened out the first time they met. Ben tried three times to hump the little fella but Trickster put him in his place in short order.

The new muzzle arrived but is not yet in my hands. Muzzle desensitization will resume tonight. Don and I need to know that Ben will not bite when we go for his leash or take anything from him. Work with the trainer will begin once the muzzle can stay on for a length of time.

Overall, Ben appears to be settling in very well. He hasn't been leaping out at passing bikes, trucks or pedestrains recently. Nor has he been leaping onto the counter when we forget to tie him up while we prepare or eat food.

Ben and the Broom

Ben is our 4-year old Great Pyrenees whom we took out of a home who did not have time for him. It has been two months he has lived with us. He has since been neutered, put on about 18 pounds from his 98 pounds, the sores on his neck have healed and he has lost pounds of dead hair. His coat has filled in beautifully and he'll have a great winter coat.

He is left with many issues and we are working with a wonderful dog trainer who is helping us with those. His main issue is resource guarding as he has had two bites doing that. I am waiting for his muzzle to arrive before we get down to work.

In the meantime, there is an issue with his leash. We leave it on him all the time. He is better about us taking his collar but if he doesn't want to go out, we wouldn't be able to get near his neck. Leaving the leash on makes it easier but is still an issue because he growls and barks at us when he does not want to go out. We don't know if he'll bite and we don't want to find out. This morning, he growled/barked at me. I got the broom, stood the broom's length away and put the broom end through the leash handle and, voila, I managed to go in for the leash. Pathetic but it worked.

The photos here are ones taken the day we brought him home. I will post updated ones shortly.

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