Monday, April 25, 2011

With Games and Good Cheer

April 25, 2011

Lucy and I are learning each other.  
The first day I got her, she would not jump in the car.  I did everything I knew to get her in:  food lures, jolly fun pats on the blanket, encouragement, patience.  Did not work.  She looked so sad.  Sad lab with that fat tail wag.  So finally I lifted her front (at which point she collapsed and turned into dead weight) and walked her on her hind legs to the door, put her front legs on the seat, and then hoisted her up.  
She was hesitant about going up my long flight of stairs to the apartment, and adamant about not going down them.  I cajoled, encouraged, offered treats; all she did was look at me, do the sad lab fat tail wag, and step back.
But with cheer, she will do almost anything.  So I cheer-leadered her down the stairs:  Lucy, come on!  Yes!  YES!  You can do it!  You can do it!  Let’s go, let’s go, yes, yes, good girl, you’re doing it!  Good girl!”
That worked, and now she heads down the stairs without coaxing.  Thing is, I don’t think she ever did stairs before, so she is very cautious going down.  I must get a video of her serious lab face, looking down sadly as her paws slip down step to step, her face almost  obscured by the skin pushed forward in all gravity.
She is definitely a retriever.   I have a basket in my bathroom filled with extra hand towels and toilet rolls, and she methodically and very gently takes them one at at time (no play or killer shake) and deposits them in the family room.  She drags the scatter rugs from the bathroom, again one at  time and methodically, and brings them into the family room.  When she does this, she looks like she is carrying a duck.
So I replaced the towels and toilet rolls with actual dogs toys (which she ignores in the dog toy basket by her bed), and she happily retrieves them to their proper place in the middle of the family room.
I don’t think Lucy was ever allowed to be a dog in her past life.  She was a breeder until she was 5, then surrendered to the shelter.  She must have been a good momma; she is sweet and patient.  She lets me do things to her (ear cleaning, grooming, drying feet and belly) other dogs might resist.  I think she is used to puppies’ demands and rolling with the punches.  
So it’s fun to do dog things with her.  She snoots like a hound when we walk.  I love her taking in her new world with her huge nose.  She smells, looks and listens to everything.  So so curious about her surroundings.
She plays.  She plays in spurts, and when she does, it is a joy to watch.  It has been wet and muddy, but worse, I’ve been so sick, I can’t take her out to the park for play sessions.  She erupts in the house, scooting in circles  in the family room.
But my Lucy is not a confident dog.  She has some fear responses.  It stormed last night, and the thunder bothered her.  She got nervous and started alarm-barking at the top of the stairs.  She came to me when I called her, but I knew I needed to do something that did not reinforce her concern. 
What would Liz say?”   I always think what my friend and trainer Liz would suggest I do when I have a question with dog training.
(“Did you try redirecting her towards something she likes?”  Liz answered in my head.  “Can you distract her and have fun?”)  
I called Lucy over - me a cheerleader again - and started playing with her favorite toy.  “Lucy, get the toy!  Getthetoy!  Getthetoy!  Good girl!  Good girl!”  I threw Pink Pig, she chased and brought it back, again and again, basically distracting her and redirecting her.
Then I gave her her favorite treat:  a bully stick. She settled, chewed happily and ignored the storm.  
Thank you, Liz.
Mental note:  Keep bully sticks handy for Only Important Events.



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