A long long time ago, wolves saw humans as similar to themselves.
Humans hunted and lived in family packs, they communicated in song and
body-language, and they were gentle and attentive to their offspring.
But... they were vulnerable creatures, without strong teeth, fur, or speed.
So, the wolves offered some of their own to befriend the humans.
The wolves asked these ambassadors to do three things:
To keep humans safe and bare their teeth at enemies. To keep humans warm as they slept. And to use their speed to help humans hunt.
These original wolves quickly became man's best friends, and were given
new names, like dog, perro, and chien to honor their loyalty.
Celebrate the dog and love him for what he is, a symbol of the wild
designed for humans as a testament of our respect for mankind.
When working with human shy dogs it's helpful to enlist the
help of confident companion dogs.
Outgoing canine companions enhance the therapeutic process because they project body-language that tells a shy dog
the human or humans are safe. Therapeutic canines can be used in a variety of situations, but not all dogs are good candidates for therapy work.
Following are some of the ways I use canine therapy dogs to socialize shy, timid and fearful dogs. I've also listed the attributes of a good canine therapists.
Using A Confident Dogs As A Lure For “Come”
Most dogs can’t resist wanting want what other dogs have.
The shy dog in the clip was lured from under a desk. I
called his name… “Kris"... then "Come” ... then rewarded.
Confident companions for luring a shy dog to take treats will:
- wait for treats and not have food aggression
- be excited… but under control and not intimidating
- allow shy a dog space during treat taking
Using Confident Dogs During A Walk
Confident dogs leading the way, show the shy guy that all is
well ahead.
I use the words, “Let’s go” to get all the dogs moving forward as a group with
me.
Confident companions on a walk:
- are controllable on a leash
- move forward on verbal cue, to help pull the shy animal
along.
- allow the shy animal to explore and relieve himself when appropriate
Using Confident Dogs To House-Train
With a routine and supervision, Kris was house-trained from the start, but I
had to go leash him. The ultimate goal was to get him to come for leashing on
his own.
I used the excitement of the confident dogs and their regular
word, “outside” to get Kris to come and after two outings he comes on cue for
potty.
Spreading rumors is a form of bullying that kills, and throughout history, wolves have been fair game for human hostility without a justifiable cause. Rumors allowed people to embrace a "War on Wolves" that resulted in the extermination nearly all the gray
wolves in
the United States' lower 48 by the 1950s. Rumors allowed people to be cruel and apathetic so, it became acceptable for puppies to be clubbed, set
on fire, or left to starve after their pack was poisoned, trapped, and tortured. Since then, we've come a long way in our understanding of wolves and our human impact on the environment.
Yet, wolves are still being bullied... and once again being driven to near extinction because people can't let go of the "Big Bad Wolf" reputation that continues to circulate in children's stories, movies, and myths.
Perhaps we need to examine the more personal, self-serving reasons humans perpetuate lies that hurt.
Sadly, when the truth is revealed, it's realized wolves aren't they only victims of the rumors humans spread.
So.. Why Why Do People Spread
Rumors?
To Feel Better About
Themselves
Take the statement, “I
can’t find game like I did before wolves were reintroduced.”
The truth: Wolves have put
the sport back into trophy-hunting because they make game animals more cautious,
which makes it harder for hunters to find them. Now hunters actually have to
hunt. Some hunters have taken to to concept of earning big game through tracking and physical exertion, but most would rather resort to rumor and blame the government and wolves for their laziness and insecurities.
Hence, the rumor, "The government reintroduced Canadian
super wolves, which are bigger, meaner
and kill everything, leaving nothing for hunters."
The “Canadian Super
Wolf” it’s pure rumor, grey wolves are grey wolves. It's silly to think Canadian wolves never crossed borders before the United States was even established.
To Feel Like Part Of A Group
People want to be a friend, a
good neighbor, a good citizen.
Sometimes people feel pressured to support what the community supports, to hate what they hate.
"If you’re not with us you’re against us."
This same need to belong is strong among families too. Almost all anti-wolf sentiment is homegrown, just like prejudices against race, religion, and sexual orientation.
Revenge and Ignorance
People also spread rumors for revenge. In the case of the wolf, there are people who have a legitimate beef with wolves who’ve killed their livestock,
but in seeking revenge, some of these folks rally support and agitate the
community with another old exaggerated standby...
"Wolves are vicious killers, who
will kill for sport and fun."
But currently. wolves only account for
less than 1 percent of cattle deaths, while respiratory disease kills cattle by
the millions each year. According to USDA 2011 statistics, coyotes and dogs caused the majority of cattle and calf predator losses accounting for 53.1 percent and 9.9 percent respectively.
Yet, the actions of a handful of wolves, has far reaching consequences for all because… rumors are like
viruses they spread and mutate, they become stronger over time until they wipe
out the truth.
People don’t know the truth anymore,
so they continue to spread rumors out of ignorance.
To Force Out And Exclude
Others
Rumors are a form of exclusion because they make wolves seem
less worthy of our attention, protection and respect than other animals, which
makes it easy for people uncertain about wolf issues to not care about the fate of wolves. Rumors Kill
Wolves were placed on the endangered species list in 1978, and 66 wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone and Central Idaho in the mid 1990s. The wolves of the Northern Rockies (NRM) only recently reached an estimated 1,600.
In
2012, the NRM wolves and the Western Great Lakes
were "delisted”, meaning they no longer have the protection of the Endangered Species Act.
This happened not as a result of research that wolves are making a comeback and are essential to the environment and animal habitats, but because of rumors and hate.
Killers were poised and ready to bait wolves. In less than 2 years, 872 wolves of the NRM were hunted, trapped, and poisoned. That's more than half the population.
Now, the US Fish & Wildlife Service is proposing to remove nearly
all wolves from the endangered species list.
No living being deserves to be a victim of rumor.
Every year many of our children and teens commit suicide from the pain inflicted by rumors. We can make a huge difference for all effected by rumors. Don't spread them, and don't give hate an audience.
I'd
rather people adopt any breed dog or wolfdog, but being realistic I know
people will buy puppies anyway, so I'd rather see bad breeders and con artists sink
like stones in a quarry pond.
To be fair, legitimate breeders may
do some of the things I mention here, but I’m setting up this list of
warning signs that can tell you something may be fishy. So, always trust your gut.
What can possibly be wrong?
They run a puppy mill. The pups could be sick. The pups could be
stolen. They won’t deliver/ship the pups after you pay. They may bait
you with a picture and deliver a completely different animal. And most certainly, wolfdog breeders can and very often sell you a $3,000 wolfy looking mixed breed dog of northern heritage, aka a mutt.
So how can you be sure?
There’s no way to be sure if you buy anything online or sight unseen.
RED FLAGS
They Don’t Ask Questions
Someone who cares about the animals they breed will want to screen the
people they sell to. If you’ve done your homework on a particular breed,
you ‘ll know what kinds of questions they should be asking. If you’re
not sure, you need to do more homework. They Won’t Allow Pre-Purchase Visits
Sometimes breeders don’t want someone in their home for various
reasons, but it should raise a flag if you are not allowed to meet a
pup before you purchase. A good breeder will want to see how you
interact with a pup before they allow you to take it, and will arrange a
place to meet you. Personally, I would want to see the home and one of
the parents first. Note: Anyone can copy and print pictures off of the internet, and misrepresent those animals as the parents. They Make Excuses
A bad breeder is
secretive because they know what they’re doing is morally or legally
wrong. They will make all kinds of excuses to keep you away from the
pups and or them before a purchase. “I don’t let people see the pups
because they haven’t had shots.” “I can’t get around much, so you’ll
just have to take my word.” But... they’ll personally pack the pup in a
crate and send it off across the country on a plane. As if there are no
germs on planes. They Rush You
They’re in a rush to
find a buyer, so if it’s not you, you’re wasting their time... and time is
money. They will tell you there are five other people who want this pup
sight unseen, and ask, "So, do you want it or not?”
They Make Guarantees
Bad breeders need to make a sale. They will promise the impossible.
“All my pups will have great temperaments, make great house dogs, and
are great with kids... I bred them like that.”
They Make More Excuses
If a bad breeder does meet you with a sickly puppy, she will make
claims that the pup is underweight because he was stressed on the ride,
or all puppies have eye drainage, or bald patches. These are
professional crooks who will count on your sympathy to take that pup
with you no matter what.
They Must Have Full Payment Immediately
Yes, some breeders ask for deposits to hold pups and some will not
breed unless they have a deposit on an approximate litter. But if they
are asking for full payment immediately by PayPal, sight unseen, without
even asking your address, then you may get scammed.
Spotting Bad Breeders Outright
Good breeders care about the animals they brought into this world. They
want to know you, your lifestyle, and that you’d make a good match.
Puppy mill breeders and scammers only care about making money off of
your ignorance or sympathy for the pup. They don’t want to know anything
about you, and they don’t want you to know anything about their bad
practices.
Con artists and bad breeders come in all sizes and
shapes, and they even use front people to gain your trust, like sweet
little old ladies, or smart looking women with twenty years of
experience breeding show dogs. If you don’t feel right, follow your
instincts, don’t buy that puppy, you’re just encouraging them to do it
again and again.
Personally, I feel there are plenty of adoptable pups and adult dogs
out there to choose from. The pups may not still have that milk fed
puppy smell and the adult dogs may need a review of manners, but it’s a
misconception that dogs in rescue or shelters are broken. They are
usually there because the owner was broken and never considered a dog to
be a lifetime commitment.
And where do these broken people get dogs… puppy mills and bad breeders.
This is a companion article for the "Introducing The Leash" videos.
Bringing timid, feral and fearful dogs and wolf-dogs out on a leash can be a challenge, but it's an extremely important task in an animal's socialization process.
I've seen many animals suddenly come to life and show me a whole new side to their personality.
Dogs that were too scared to move about in their pen have pulled me over to smell something interesting. There have also been dogs who don't leave the safety of their pen willingly at first,but after a couple walks strut confidently with their tails high.
Walks are a game changer for these animals, so it's worth the effort to get them out and about as soon as possible.
So, you've spent weeks getting them to trust you, next...
Leash Introduction
Carry the leash in with you during your socialization visits. Let feral animals get used to seeing this new object, and show dogs who've had negative associations with the leash that its not a threat. Hold the leash in your petting hand or let them brush against it in passing, always keeping note of their reaction.
If they shy away, take that as a sign to back off just a little but don't stop. If they have no problem, keep going.
Leashing Introduction
Make a loop and get it over their head. At first don't tighten the loop; it may spook them. Another good advanced tip is to offer treats when they stick their heads through the loop. Again, don't tighten just yet.
Leashed Introduction
Once they are comfortable with the leash over and around their head. Distract with treats and close the loop a little but not tight. Use treats to lure-lead the animal around their pen, even if small in a shelter on a loose lead. When comfortable lure-leading, let them move about on their own as you follow.
Some animals may take to it right away and don't mind the feel of the leash tightening, others may need a little more time. If they don't mind, they are ready to go.
HOWEVER, ready or not... if they have made attempts to bite the leash, you will want to use a properly fitted choke chain collar and leash. Wolfdogs are especially good at biting through leashes in one bite and you don't want to risk them getting away from you.
I also do not recommend using a regular collar with a choke chain collar because the collar can interfere with the tightening of the choke and both can slip over their head in a struggle. Plus, since I use every safety precaution possible, I prefer to add a harness with a separate leash for back up since timid guys are a flight risk.
Still, a properly fitted choke chain collar should do fine, but it not for corrections, it's to prevent biting through the collar and leash.
How To Properly Fit A Choke Chain Collar?
Using a soft tape measure, measure the widest part of the skull around the ears. Add
2-3 inches to the measurement to allow the least amount of slack in the choke collar. Large dogs will need a chain thickness of 4 mms for strength.
Tips For Leash Weary Animals
If the dog is moving slowly with uncertainty, you will want to continue to let them lead and use your praise with treats until they are comfortable.
Use a confident dog to take the lead. Sometimes they will follow.
Read their cues and respect them. Most animals prefer you and all walkers take the lead, so they can keep an eye on you. Others prefer to step ahead, but will stop and panic if they turn and see you coming.
In case of the later, use the calming signal of avoidance, turn and look away until they've calmed down.
Socializing very shy animals takes time. We have earned the trust of the animals in these videos. The videos only shows the potential of shy animals, but each person who handles a shy and timid animal will have to develop a relationship of trust on their own.
When you decide to adopt a shy animal, your first goal is to build your relationship, then introduce the leash. Even though we've shown the animal's potential. The animal is starting over with you. Be patient.
A positive socialization process can take week, months, or even years. For more on socialization videos see my channel at Sangay Glass YouTube
This is a photo of Mayhem (photo credit: Alyssa Costa. I'm sure Mayhem never ever goes potty inside... lol.
So what can you do about regularly UNscheduled potty times?
First, if your dog was house-trained and is suddenly doing his business inside, he may have a health issue that needs further investigation.
Also, very timid animals who have experienced a move or change may not
feel comfortable in their new home or doing business in front of a new
person. It's not uncommon for them to poop when no one's looking inside
for awhile. Be patient.
But most of all be consistent, even if it means getting your @$$ out of bed at the sound of pattering in the wee hours.
Crates are useful, but they are only a tool in the process. Animals
need to know their potty needs will be met at regular intervals.
In the beginning, the intervals need to be short (every two hours) and
your eyes and ears need to be sharp to prevent accidents. As time goes
by, the intervals can be increased.
Prime Times For Early Potty Training Outings Other Than Scheduled Times
- After Naps - After Eating or Drinking - The Second Zommies End - Three Minutes After Play Begins
Visual and Auditory Signs Of Impending Doom
- Sniffing - Circling - Wandering Away From The Action - Whining - Barking - Slow Pattering Of Paws or Collar Jingle In the Next Room
Additional Tips
- Clean accidents with solution of Lysol and water - Or spray spots with Lysol (it eliminates the odor) - Designate a potty area and bring on leash, not just let out - Enlist the help of a potty-trained dog to show him the way - Bring poop outside and leave it in the designated potty area - Praise and Name it... good potty/business when they stoop - Keep praise low or no key for timid animals; it may startle - Reward and praise some more
If you have tried and true methods or tips, please feel free to add, I'm always learning too.
It’s the moment we all dread, the split second you realize your beloved pet is beyond your reach.
Maybe a gate was left open, or he slipped past a friend at the front door. Whatever the reason, you’ve got to act fast.
The trainer’s number one rule, don’t chase your dog. It’s a good one. Getting them to chase you to a safe area is recommended.
Still, it doesn’t hurt to have a little insurance that could give you a slight advantage.
Like all training, preparing for such emergencies takes practice, and
the more you reinforce the “return” behavior the better it will work.
There are a few variations and techniques to use but they all lead to one thing, as fast response.
Choose Your Words
You can use any word or very short phrase as long as you always use it with an upbeat tone and reward.
I personally don’t use the word “come” because I sometimes ask my dogs
to “come” and all they get is praise. The same goes for using their
name.
I use three words for an emergency return... “treat”, which means
they are getting something, so I have their attention, and “let’s go”,
which means they will get a HIGH VALUE treat if they get over here now.
High value treats are, moist, yummy and special, they are not dry biscuits, and if your dog eats raw, the bloodier the better.
Guard Your Words
Keep your return words sacred. Never speak them unless you can produce a
high value treat. This is especially important during practice. Whether
you’re at home or out, it’s not a bad idea to keep something with you.
Sealed Slim Jims are really handy for the car, pocket, and purse. Other
goodies can be kept by the front and back door. If your dog has a pen,
keep something nearby, sealed and out of reach.
*Special
consideration for wolfdogs. Understand that being single event learners,
wolfdogs will quickly learn the return and just as easily learn to
ignore it… if the goods are not delivered every single time.
Getting Their Attention
When you practice your return words make it fun. I always start on
leash. Like training to “come” they should not have a choice at first.
Say your attention getting word with excitement, when they look,
immediately treat. Keep the sessions short (3-5 tries) but practice
several times a day.
Make Fun Runs
Start in the areas where your dog could get loose then choose a threshold for delivering the goods.
I worry my dogs will get loose in the front yard because that’s where
we get into the car and it’s where I walk them at night. So, I want them
to know that following me or anyone into the yard is the best thing
that can happen all day.
First leave the yard, house, or pen
gate open. Then lead your leashed dog out of the “safe zone”, let him
sniff, or whatever, then with excitement use your phrase, “treat, let’s
go” and run him into the yard. Once past the gate or threshold, reward
and praise.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Think of
several scenarios and exits and practice those thresholds too. At first,
practice every day, you’ll know when they have the idea because they
will start pulling you to the yard. That’s when I start phasing out daily practice.
But don’t stop there; reinforce it
at least once or twice a week. This way they will know the result but
won’t expect it every time you go out.
Share Practice
Let others who spend time with your dog use the same return command and let them practice on occasion too.
Always Keep Your Cool
Never, reprimand your dog once you get him safe inside the safety zone.
For Timid or New Dogs
Sometimes when a dog, especially wolfdogs are timid, fearful or new to
your home, praise and excitement may startle them. Be sensitive to
their needs. A fun run to the yard may traumatize them and do the
opposite of what you want to accomplish.
A good way to inspire
them is to lead them out on leash and have a big treat or meal ready
inside their pen or waiting for them on the floor at the door. This way
there is no bending or movement that will startle them. Then leave them
alone to enjoy it.
Thankfully, my foster wolfdog never got
loose, but she was always anxious to get back to her pen because I would
toss a chicken leg in there before we left, so it was there when we
returned.
Other Places and Tools To Use
I travel a lot
with my dogs. I taught them to come to a whistle (a bear whistle, not
at full blast) by playing “hide, seek, treat” with them in the house. I
also often treat them as soon as they hop in the car because …why would
they want to leave a “happy fun place” to be confined to a car?
These are not foolproof methods, and while rare, I’ve had success using them.
If you have tried and true methods to get your dogs back, absolutely feel free to add them to this post.
