Dog's Happy button has been located!!

If you're still reading this Garin, I wanted to let you know that Beckett has found his "Happy" button finally. Well, considering it takes up to 18 months to detoxify puppymill rescue dogs apparently, Beckett has moved ahead for some reason and I am not going to bother taking the credit for any one thing having done it. I think he finally clued in after months of us working with him.

His trainer, Kim who is with http://courteous-canine.com/ is helping us to help him through consistency and appropriate behaviour training. Clicker training is now underway because both Darrin and I need to uniformly create a bond with Beckett. At this point, Beckett is more playful with me than with Darrin. I attribute it to more romping and running which is more my style as well as Beckett's temperament. Darrin and run because of an old heel injury from track-n-field as a kid. I've been lucky to incorporate Beckett's need to dart here and there into a game of chase. At first I had him chase me or run along side and then past me. Now I have it going both ways. We'll start our walk (run) by me getting in a semi-crouched position parallel to him (looks like I'm ready to start a marathon race) and saying 1-2- and...... 3. As I'm saying this I am slowly moving my body forward in preparation for launching myself forward. As I bolt at '3' Beckett too bolts and runs along side. If I turn, he turns too. Shortly after a few of these warm-ups I'm somewhat playing chase or tag with him. It's good for the cardio I'll tell you. LOL

I'm going to try and get a small video of Beckett being a racing dog one of these days.

It is the change in season for us which means the migration to the cottage for the 'warmer' season. Warmer is relative I'll tell ya! Plus 4 is NOT warm. I think of it in terms of Canadian geese flying home when it's still freezing out and enjoying the arrival of the warmth. I do the same only I sit very near our wood stove in the living room watching tv and working on my laptop until I can go out on the patio and enjoy the weather. LOL

This year our construction project has turned out to revolve around.. yes.. .you got it... Beckett. Beckett needs space to feel free but still be contained. That is no small feat. We have decided to take the corner of the house outside the patio doors and transform it into an attached kennel. He will still have the warmth and sofa of the inside but also the ability to romp out in the sun's rays. This is our screened in private place which will forever be transformed into Beckett's playground. This is the screened in section and will have a doggy door out to and outdoor area which I believe is 10 x 12 or 14. There is also a new doggy door we purchased which is made of glass .

As far as I am concerned, anything that allows Beckett to be okay through the day is all that matters. He is making great strides in his 'okayness' with us and I don't want to set him back unnecessarily. Some things happen and then are things you can avoid having happen. Giving Beckett space is something we can help with in the country. Between Beckett and the horses that will be arriving at the cottage at the end of May, we'll have a full list of experiences this summer. Beckett already enjoys the horses from our little exposure at the farm this year so I'm not too concerned. I wonder if he'll enjoy our walks through the fields with the horses?
Today, as I was getting to the last of the work of preparation for moving to the cottage, Darrin and Beckett came back in from the cottage to visit and bring me breakfast.
After a nice spell with the two of them, I decided to go to down to the second floor level and work on the apartment again. As I was working away I heard Darrin say, "okay, let's go" which, to Beckett means that we're going for a walk. The just as I heard this I remembered that we had left the street level door open to allow the cleaner to come and go as I did my work. The next thing I know I see a fuzzy blur scram past the doorway of the second floor apartment and my heart raced as I realized the street door was open. Darrin too clued in and he was heading down from the third floor at high speed. As I ran down the stairs I was hoping I'd at least catch a glimpse of Beckett before he rounded the block corner so I'd at least know which way he was running.
As I reached the street level door, I halted and pretended to calmly walk out the front door. Low and behold, there was Beckett standing beside my car which was parked alongside the apartment house. I went out, telling him he was a "good Beckett" all the while, and I asked if he wanted to go in the car, in my 'car voice'.. I opened the back door of the car and gave the command for getting in. He came up, rounded the door and jumped into the back seat as though I was not an issue at all. Then as I praised him for coming through the open window I turned to see Darrin sitting in the hallway on the lower steps with the same look on his fast that I had in my heart... Thank Gawd that dog did not bolt away. He was happy going in the car and had no fear of us. I think we're rounding the corner.

Tonight, I'm hooked on to the Internet through my new phone (technology is getting too amazing) out at the cottage. Beckett is asleep next to the wood stove on his blanket with his squeaky toy laying next to him. Darrin is asleep upstairs already and I'm just waiting for that 11:30 'walk' time to keep Beckett on his schedule.

I'll start another journal entry tomorrow on Beckett's cottage life. We have big things happening and this guy is catching on quickly. He still isn't cuddling like most dogs do, but he is on his way to being a happy dog at least. So much now for him to become familiar with all over again. So far.. so good. Wish us all luck!

Dog training continues

Right now, there is calm in the house.
Although Beckett has had a very hectic day and many new experiences, he seems to rebound much more quickly now than he had in the past.
We went to the cottage to get some work done on Beckett's new kennel before we move out next weekend, plus open up the cottage in preparation. Next weekend will be far to busy for me to do anything at the cottage except land there on Saturday night and pass out.
Unfortunately Beckett wasn't too keen on the new property still. That, with being tied nearby as we worked on the sandstone retaining wall, did not make him much more pleased to dance around us as we moved stones. Lucky for us Darrin's dad came down to see the progress we were making. With him came Chance their Golden Lab. Chance enjoys seeing Beckett but in small quantities. Beckett on the other hand just goes crazy with

Fives steps forward and only one back....

I know it sounds funny but in all honesty, it's difficult to maintain the energy that this little guy has! I think it's because he sleeps all day while we're at work and waits until we're in bed to start roaming. It would be much easier if he didn't continue to come into the bedroom stare at us for a few minutes and then go back out to his 'play' activities. I don't know if his "needs" are being communicated or he's just making sure the parents don't bother him during his play time. Sometimes he'll just stand there in the doorway staring for a long time. It's sort of eerie waking up out of a sound sleep to see his little white body looming in the doorway. Lucky for us, I'm the one facing the door and it takes a lot more than that to give me a truly core rocking startle. I'm a huge fan of Paranormal anyway. LOL

I'll just do a bit of writing tonight and save this but I want to get a mini video of Beckett playing with me out in the field. He ALMOST plays. He definitely romps.. yes, he could say it's a romp he does with me. As long as I'm putting out the energy and not going at him, he loves to plays a little mirror play.

The fun part of the week was having Beckett wanting to tag along whenever we both got dressed to go out. He has made the association between the car keys and going for a ride. I have to make sure that I don't jingle my coat too loudly when taking him for a pee because he quickly hangs a right instead of a left when going out the door. The car is to the right.

There were only two incidences of messes in the house this week. It was a bad day for Beckett. For some reason he awoke on the wrong side of the blanket and was just a wired, cared dog like he was a month after being with us. There had been no reason for his condition due to some sort of external influence. The night before he was great and very much on track with the work we had achieved until then. Perhaps he had some sort of dream of his past. Anything is possible. Anyway, both times he paced and wouldn't come down stairs when called. Instead he messed up in the main apartment area. Both Darrin and I have this down perfect now, one of us goes to the side while the other takes Beckett out the door. Once he is out, the other cleans up the mess. It is the best method because he doesn't want to mess these days and seeing us clean it up only sends him cowering into the corner. That part is obviously linked to his past.

The dog trainer due on Thursday had to cancel due to illness but she is due in on Monday at 3 so we'll see what she professes to know with respect to behaviour modification exercises. I still have a couple that have rave reviews and noted qualifications.

Now April 16th weekend and we have been getting along okay. Beckett's trainer showed up on Tuesday past and has interviewed well. She, Kim, has experience in dealing with miller rescue dogs and interviewed well. This week she is going to deliver a plan for Beckett's behaviour modification exercises.

Isabelle, my granddaughter was over on Friday night. Beckett only took about an hour before he was quiet around her. Then on Saturday we all headed out to the cottage for a look-see at the condition after the winter's weather.

While on the way out we had to stop and pick up the dolly to help move some sandstone rocks over from the driveway in preparation for building the outer kennel for Beckett. Because the back seat was a bit ahead, Beckett decided to ride up front with Isabelle and myself. He sat on the floor in front of Isabelle without any issues apparently, well.. there was the issue of the static electricity and his fur. LOL. His hair was standing on end at his back and toward the dash. He looked like a bad version of Tina Turner's Thunder Dome wig! It was good for a laugh. We've discovered Beckett loves to be around people who laugh.

After we got out there, Beckett wasn't too comfortable with the yard. It will take him time to get used to the different textures. The dry stream bed with the river stones, the raised walk over the dry stream bed, and just the different flower beds seem to make him edgy. He ended up getting into Darrin's car for the duration of our 'rock rolling'.

We can do it....

Continuing the Education... all round!

This blog 'was' something I maintained in order to keep a journal of where the good, the bad, and the snugly took place. Sometimes we forget how far we have actually have come, but in the grand scheme of things, it never hurts to trace your footsteps in order to know where to move next.

Let's just say, the best of intentions are sometimes what guide us to do things that don't always turn out right. Last week we had been having a great time and amid the shining moments we had a dark spell. Beckett is not without his ability to surprise us by catching on to something very quickly. It shouldn't surprise me that he is so smart with catching on to new things. He looks to 'avoid' and in doing that, he recalls what he did right, and he repeats it. It is the 'old' things that he had experienced that I have the problems with.

Beckett and Darrin had another run-in last week. This time Darrin didn't sustain any blood letting results. He did however lose a nice leather glove and I for one, am glad it was the glove that took the brunt of the argument. Since this is his second occurrence with Darrin, we're going after some outside help on this issue. I've contact the WIN association and this week has been a series of e-mail between myself and the members.

There was some back and forth with WIN and as much as I respect their suggestions, I know what I need help with and what I am doing fine with. Because Beckett was quick to come to us, I don't think there was a great deal of 'examination' possible to figure out what he would or would not react to because of his past. My initial questions of what was it that Beckett had experienced still exist although I know he was turned over from a miller in Quebec. What I now strongly suspect is that he was extremely abused over the duration of his almost two years in that place.

He will not tolerate small spaces, being cornered , having anything put over his head, any approach from his right, a tug too 'urgent' on his lead, and almost never allows someone to walk on both sides of him. He curves his stomach up and to the right when he is near a stranger. It doesn't take a genius to figure out he had obviously put up a fight now and then and when he did... he was treated even more violently. It's obvious from his 'fright fight' stage that he goes into what would be a craze as if he were in a battle with another dog. Knowing this, I am keenly aware of when he may or may not have that reaction. I don't know how to over-lay better reactions but that is why I am on the hunt for research material on Dog Behaviours Modification Exercises. Darrin ordered "Bones would fall from the sky" but being impatient, I actually bought the on-line version and downloaded it. I'll keep it near so I can read at will.

As for Beckett's other 'things', he doing fairly well. he has nights where he still pees in the house so we try to keep him as empty as possible by taking him for runs as much as we can. He absolutely loves the car, and recently, chewing things in my car when left alone too long. Today, aside from turning the emergency blinkers on and off a lot, he discovered the emergency brake sticking up like a big chew toy. Oh well, this will have to be my beater car I keep until I have it towed away as a junk car!

My grandchild Isabelle came to stay with us this weekend and with the recent issue with Darrin, it meant constant supervision of Beckett around her and her constant education on what was okay to do and what wasn't. The big surprise was how friendly Beckett became while Isabelle was in the house. In this mini video you can see, he just jumped up and snuggles in next to us. Isabelle and I were watching a movie and he decided he wanted in on it too I guess. The same thing in the car. Beckett just gets right up there with us and starts licking our ears.. first mine, then her's.

There he sits, surrounded by the toys he finds enjoyable. His favorite, a fuzzy beehive that has three fuzzy squeaking bees that he can pull out and chew on. He LOVES this toy and having us restuff the bees back into it so he can pull it out. I think he is trying to improve upon his time so he can make the "Bee Extraction" games at the doggy Olympics.

Still surprises now and then... it keeps the hope

This past week with Darrin out sick a few days, his work load very heavy with deadlines for building designs due, etc. it was not the best for me heading out for two days. I think an already taxed man was put under more pressure than he expected in my absence. During last week we experienced Beckett do something he hasn't for a spell. He was peeing through the night in the house even though I would take him out at midnight and sometimes later. Standing here and there with the night winds blowing up my coat didn't put me in the best of humor at 12ish I'll tell you. It wasn't usual for where he had come from, so we need to fix this somehow! If only we could understand what causes the backstep. On Saturday spent 11 hours painting the apartment building hallway (It is five different paints and the trim is fine detail so it took longer than I expected) and at the end of the day I was exhausted and obviously my immune system was down and out because I became ill fairly quickly. Since Darrin was working, Beckett wasn't sure what the heck was going on. Here I was with paint and roller and such but I never left the house. He is used to us getting things together and then exiting. Perhaps he thought I couldn't find my way out. LOL The next day, Sunday, I was sick. I hoped it's from the drywall dust and not the flu! Either way, I was down and out and in a lot of pain, chills, and upset stomach. The whole deal! The funny thing is that because Darrin was off to work again, I had solo time with Beckett and truly dreaded the thought of standing for what seemed like hours while Beckett got his fill of smells and local activity before he decided to pee. Instead of whining about it I decided to head out to pick up my granddaughter. If I had to go out, I was going to make the most of it. Beckett came with me and spent the morning with us. After a few hours I had zero energy and headed back to the apartment with Isabelle and Beckett in tow. He wasn't too comfortable with her being in the apartment but I couldn't help it and couldn't take Isabelle back until 12:30 as I had agreed when picking her up. It was a timing thing for when her mom was back. Instead we settled in by watching cartoons on the sofa. Beckett was very interested in why this stranger was cuddling with me. It really wasn't necessarily cuddling, I was too tired to sit up. He didn't take his eyes off us and now and then would do his growl/whine sound like as if to say "is she still here?" After taking Isabelle back to her mom's, I came back to the apartment and laid out on the sofa again to await the people coming to view the middle apartment between 1 and 3. I honestly would have cancelled it if I had two clues about me. Anyway, I showed the apartment at 1 to a nice lady, but while I was in the hallway speaking to her, Beckett was pacing up and down our stairs in the apartment because he could hear our voices. Once again he didn't know what the heck was going on and why was I loitering. I explained to the lady that he was a miller rescue and tended to be a little nervous. I avoided introducing them since everyone I happen to present him to lately gets the gift of a nervous poop left behind! Why tempt fate when I knew what the odds were and honestly felt like I was going to toss my cookies as well. LOL The next appointment didn't show until 2 so i did the 'sofa' time while waiting her arrival. Odd thing, Beckett jumped up on the sofa and laid next to me. I wasn't too aware of much but did register that what was happening was new. Did the little guy actually care about me enough to try and comfort me... or.. was he smelling death and wanted to be first in line once I passed over!! I think I would have been safe because his dish still had food in it. :P The second, and then the third set of viewers showed before 3 so I was exhausted after the last left and retired to my bed with a cold cloth over my eyes to try and relieve the pain. As I lay in the fetal position, Beckett jumped up on the bed, for the first time ever, and cuddled in against my stomach. I had my cell phone with me and snapped a picture because Darrin would never have believed it. I think this little doggie actually was trying to comfort me and not attempting to than drive me nuts when I was too weak to tell him to get off the bed. LOL He just may care after all. Just so you know, I am NOT a person who lets a dog sleep in the bed with him. I survived 3 or 4 years with the last dog having to do that due to his blindness and health condition so ... no more. In Beckett's situation I was so pleased that he showed any sort of attachment that I allowed it. I may regret it later on but if this is what it takes to build the bond, I'll work through it and correct him later on once he's more secure. The picture at the top of this entry is the picture of him actually sitting on the bed. Don't say anything about getting my hand in the way.. I'm surprised I actually got the picture.. or even thought to take a picture. The phone was next to me in case I had to dial 911.
Here is Beckett on the farm checking out the horses with me for the first time. I didn't get it downloaded from my Blackberry until today. I thought better late than never for posting.

It's a tough go with only one person

Hi to anyone who is still stopping in now and then to check on things with Beckett. He's doing well but I think we've hit the wall for things he will take on with heart and the things he will not attempt because he doesn't know what to do. It is evident in the training he adheres to and the work he will do when he has to versus when he feels he has not choice to do. In my books, a dog needs to "want" to please the master of the house and not because he feels he has to or be punished. That is the true turning point. In my case, it was very clear early on that even though you couldn't stuff Beckett into a holding kennel without sedating him heavily, he will readily hop into the back seat of the car because he likes to be there. He loves sitting in the back driving to new places and old while alternating from window to window to poke his head out. I'm sure he thinks that just approaching the window makes it open. LOL we watch for him and will lower the windows on the side he nears while closing the opposite. When you look into the mirror your see him actually enjoying the wind in his face. This is what I mean by Want versus Must. I want Beckett to want to have us pet him because he likes it and not because I have cornered or made him come to me. With another dog getting attention, he does look to 'want' to have it but when we get home he goes back to his growling state. This week I planted the seed of finding Beckett a companion dog. I do have the pup on order for the fall and my hopes that there is a 'normal' dog out there needing a loving home before the fall is just that, a hope. I know that these dogs are great family pets and the odds of me finding another dog to balance Beckett is fairly slim. Then again, finding Beckett was pretty slim too. It would be a crying shame to have him for a year and then discover that he can't or won't ever go to that point where he is a great dog that is part of the family. Right now, as much as I think of this little guy, I mentally have him just at the edge of my heart because I know he is the one who will make the decision or not to be part of the family based on his ability to adjust. On our side... OMG.. we are adjusting much more than we had thought we could. Still searching for that magic switch that lights up Beckett's life.

March 14th week, it's never just another week!

Ah, the last week before "Spring" and what looks like a promising week of events ended yet again with an episode that sets us all back to square one... or maybe it just feels that way.

Good points of the week..car rides and head stuck out the windows, dog play with different toys, walking (AKA Bekka-Heel) next to me on command, meeting new people without dogs on the sidewalk, meeting new people with dogs without warning, seeing horses (big dogs who obviously don't play), seeing a bicycle for the first time, and most appreciated from my point of view, less bio-messing in the house (never to be confused with Beckett-mess).

Poor point from the week.. back to being scared and growling a lot, not liking the 'drying time"after being out in the rain, dropping logs around new people who happen to talk to him on the sidewalk, and a very bad bite on Darrin's thumb.... loss of attachment from Darrin because he is now afraid Beckett will bite again.

Quite the mixed bag of ups and downs. For some reason the week started out well enough but Beckett did have a 'distance' in his approach to us by Tuesday evening. As always, you can't MAKE him change his attitude, you can only make sure he doesn't get more distance between you through is actions. It is extremely difficult to come home several times a day, deal with life's stressors, and not have it get to you now and then. The weather also plays a huge part in how things transpire along the way. To think it doesn't means you're going to be in for a very rude awakening. One night this week Darrin ended up taking Beckett out for a walk and it was pouring. Upon returning, Darrin stopped at the lower landing and was about to dry Beckett off, which I had been doing all week because of the mud, only this time Beckett turned on Darrin and bit his thumb. It was a sever bite and ended up with four deep punctures and a lot of blood. We managed to get the bleeding stopped and arrested any swelling, but the deed had been done. The dog that wouldn't bite, or so we thought, bit.

At first I tried to make the normal excuses for Beckett such as, Darrin must have approached him from the wrong angle, he must have moved too fast, maybe the drying glove (we know he doesn't like towels over his head) touched him in the wrong way, etc. It was a bite, brought on by Beckett's fear/anxiety. Until now he would always allow us to pick him up, do different things and growl or freeze but he never bit. Darrin on the other hand has lost confidence in Beckett's 'comfort' with us and I can see the withdrawal from physically handling Beckett. This is going to take a bit of work to mend this fence.

This weekend hasn't been the best for Darrin, his thumb is still sore, he has a bad cold, and the weather is cold. I've sort of been running all interference so he doesn't have to contend with Beckett's growling disapproval or distance stance he puts out when he's not a happy camper. I don't need the synergy of two negatives being more that the sum of the two individuals. It's easier to just keep them apart until things improve.

The weekend hasn't been too bad for Beckett and myself. As always, the more time he spends with me and out of the apartment the better he seems to be. Getting together with other dogs or riding in the car seems to remove the edge from Beckett so as much as I can, we do that.

The horses were a new thing today. Although I had taken Beckett out to the farm a few times, it was the first time I took him down to be around the horses. Lucky for Beckett, they're used to Sadie, the family's chocolate lab so another dog didn't seem to throw them off much. They were more interested in who the new dog was and came over to the fence to see him pretty quickly.

At first I took him into the corral but when it became apparent that they were going to come investigate the new dog on the property and Beckett couldn't be released from his lead, I had to exit the corral before they came in from the outter field. It was fine because as we got outside the gate, they were right there with their heads over the fence.

Now that it's Sunday evening, we've had our hour walk through down-town mostly to get used to new places, learn to heel when I give the command, and most importantly, to empty out his bowels before the long night! He's doing well, but why test fate when you don't need to! Always hedge your bet and prepare for success. Oh by the way, if you want to see a dog in bliss, leave a basket of dirty laundry out over night. What you find in the morning is a a content little doggy laying all over your stuff like it was his treasure.