Dog sitting - what can I expect?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How’s it going? Is the dog going home this weekend?

We are going take him through the weekend, and drop him off during the week. It’ll be the first day my husband gets to have the full experience!

He is doing pretty well. He’s got all this pent up energy in the morning and then by the end of the day it’s clear he’s really tired. And on walks, in the beginning of the walk, he is pulling and wanting to go at a full run in the beginning and in the morning, barking at everyone but then by the end of the walk he is more chill and keeps better pace with me and doesn’t react to other dogs or people.

I am walking him about 4-5 miles a day. My husband does the 5:30am wake up to let him out to pee, then feeds him breakfast, and then I run with him after for 2.5 miles at 6:30. He loves to play so we probably play with him for at least 2hrs a day. He’s being exposed to so many things and different environments on our walks and he is really good even around lots of people now.

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

My dog can get territorial too. The dog trainer told us escalating doesn’t work. Trading does. So if he swipes a shoe and then growls when you try to get it back, trade him something (little cube of cheese, toss a ball in the other direction so he goes to fetch it, and scoop up the shoe while he’s busy. If he’s resource guarding an area (couch), don’t try to physically move him. Trade him a treat or thing in the location you want him to go, and he will hop off the location he’s guarding. Let him have areas like his crate or dog beds be “safe spots” where no one but him goes.

And btw, you sound like you are doing an amazing job and are really naturally in tune with all of this despite not having done it before and having had it thrust upon you. You are amazing.

Thanks for the encouragement! It’s just my own anxiety that’s making me do my homework so i can make it work for our family. I’ve noticed that too about the trading. Luckily he doesn’t get territorial with us at all. He is maxing with our kids as much as they are in his face and space. Even when they play he is so gentle with them and afraid to play too rough with them. He is territorial with people (and dogs) outside our home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How’s it going? Is the dog going home this weekend?

We are going take him through the weekend, and drop him off during the week. It’ll be the first day my husband gets to have the full experience!

He is doing pretty well. He’s got all this pent up energy in the morning and then by the end of the day it’s clear he’s really tired. And on walks, in the beginning of the walk, he is pulling and wanting to go at a full run in the beginning and in the morning, barking at everyone but then by the end of the walk he is more chill and keeps better pace with me and doesn’t react to other dogs or people.

I am walking him about 4-5 miles a day. My husband does the 5:30am wake up to let him out to pee, then feeds him breakfast, and then I run with him after for 2.5 miles at 6:30. He loves to play so we probably play with him for at least 2hrs a day. He’s being exposed to so many things and different environments on our walks and he is really good even around lots of people now.

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

My dog can get territorial too. The dog trainer told us escalating doesn’t work. Trading does. So if he swipes a shoe and then growls when you try to get it back, trade him something (little cube of cheese, toss a ball in the other direction so he goes to fetch it, and scoop up the shoe while he’s busy. If he’s resource guarding an area (couch), don’t try to physically move him. Trade him a treat or thing in the location you want him to go, and he will hop off the location he’s guarding. Let him have areas like his crate or dog beds be “safe spots” where no one but him goes.

And btw, you sound like you are doing an amazing job and are really naturally in tune with all of this despite not having done it before and having had it thrust upon you. You are amazing.

Thanks for the encouragement! It’s just my own anxiety that’s making me do my homework so i can make it work for our family. I’ve noticed that too about the trading. Luckily he doesn’t get territorial with us at all. He is maxing with our kids as much as they are in his face and space. Even when they play he is so gentle with them and afraid to play too rough with them. He is territorial with people (and dogs) outside our home.

*amazing* not maxing!

[Anonymous]

OP here. My husband has just decided to take him to an off leash dog park and I’m so nervous. I don’t think he’s ready but my husband can be pretty stubborn. But I am hoping for a good experience, it would be a huge milestone if he’s able to pull it off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My husband has just decided to take him to an off leash dog park and I’m so nervous. I don’t think he’s ready but my husband can be pretty stubborn. But I am hoping for a good experience, it would be a huge milestone if he’s able to pull it off.

Update: He did great off-leash at the dog park! So proud of him. Apparently there were tons of other people and dogs, and he did fantastic. After an initial encounter with an over-excited large dog, he was very good the rest of the time and was great around other little kids too. And he finally got to run his full speed for over an hour, he was so excited. He is fast. And I've never seen him so tired at this time of the day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My husband has just decided to take him to an off leash dog park and I’m so nervous. I don’t think he’s ready but my husband can be pretty stubborn. But I am hoping for a good experience, it would be a huge milestone if he’s able to pull it off.

Update: He did great off-leash at the dog park! So proud of him. Apparently there were tons of other people and dogs, and he did fantastic. After an initial encounter with an over-excited large dog, he was very good the rest of the time and was great around other little kids too. And he finally got to run his full speed for over an hour, he was so excited. He is fast. And I've never seen him so tired at this time of the day!

That’s great! It literally sounds like this dog just has lots of energy to burn and is a real sweetheart when he has what he needs. Obviously he’s a work in progress because he wasn’t having his needs quite met and needs to practice manners. Just remember the weather isn’t always this nice. Five walks a day in slush when the sun sets at 5pm is not quite as pleasant…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

Please share your technique!

I have been holding him down and saying “down” in a calm/firm voice. I grab him at the shoulders and push down on his behind and keep him from twisting and whipping his head around in a frenzy. He eventually quiets some. Still agitated and vigilant, but quieter and not jumping and twisting or lunging.
[b]
The other thing I do is every time someone walks by and he does not react, I lay on the praise.

[/b]

Np Do not do this. It is not good advice to push on a dog

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

Please share your technique!

I have been holding him down and saying “down” in a calm/firm voice. I grab him at the shoulders and push down on his behind and keep him from twisting and whipping his head around in a frenzy. He eventually quiets some. Still agitated and vigilant, but quieter and not jumping and twisting or lunging.
[b]
The other thing I do is every time someone walks by and he does not react, I lay on the praise.

[/b]

Np Do not do this. It is not good advice to push on a dog

The first part. heaping on praise is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My husband has just decided to take him to an off leash dog park and I’m so nervous. I don’t think he’s ready but my husband can be pretty stubborn. But I am hoping for a good experience, it would be a huge milestone if he’s able to pull it off.

Update: He did great off-leash at the dog park! So proud of him. Apparently there were tons of other people and dogs, and he did fantastic. After an initial encounter with an over-excited large dog, he was very good the rest of the time and was great around other little kids too. And he finally got to run his full speed for over an hour, he was so excited. He is fast. And I've never seen him so tired at this time of the day!

Be careful of dog parks. My dog was bitten by a dog and it made him fearful.