Maya now knows how to turn a frown upside down.
The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself, too. - Samuel Butler
Thank doG for fun. For play. For silliness. For downright goofiness. For being in the moment. For joy. For love.
But what if it wasn't always that way? What if it took a ginormous amount of patience, and time, and clarity, and breathing skills? What if you had to go places in your heart and in your body that totally redefined "stepping outside your comfort zone"? What if you felt the lead weight of guilt creeping into your brain because lately you'd been thinking, "Maybe I can't do this?" What if you rarely got together with friends and family because, well...you just can't?
Enter Maya - one of many Shepherd/Heeler mixes waiting for a forever home at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society. Right about when Maya was entering adolescence, and every little thing under the sun seemed to elicit a fear response, her soon-to-be pet parent knew in her heart-of-hearts that Maya was indeed the one for her; her first dog. Undoubtedly, it was love at first sight. Yay!
Fear of strangers. Men or women. Fear of kids. Tall ones, short ones, teenagers, toddlers, babies - no matter; they're all freaky. Fear of hats. Fear of rats (pet rats - very cool). Not sure about cats, but maybe. Fear of bikes. Fear of loud cars and trucks. Fear of fast movements. Or odd movements. Don't wipe you nose! Fear of new places. Any place, really. Unsure of other dogs. Little dogs are strange... Fear of touch. Fear of loud voices. Fear of the wind. Fear of change. WHAT are we doing now?????
Maya's "Mom" feared that this was more than she had signed up for in her first dog. Where to begin? Does the fear - for both of them - ever end?
Maya's microcosm consisted of trick training. Management of her environment. Desensitization and counter conditioning exercises. Recall games. Play in the back yard. Management of her environment. Building trust. Clicker training. CAT for dogs (constructive aggression treatment). Shaping behavior. Getting to know the world in two minute increments. Management of her environment. Training sessions in the local parks. Capturing behavior. Short rides in the car. Finding joy. Crate training. Walking to the end of the driveway and back. BAT for dogs (behavioral adjustment training). Food dispensing toys. Management of her environment. Visits to the pizza parlor parking lot. Play as reinforcement. Embracing joy.
And breathing...Maya and her "Mom" breathing; always breathing. Making a connection; a connection unlike any other.
(Click on the Read More link below to well, read more!)
Thank doG for fun. For play. For silliness. For downright goofiness. For being in the moment. For joy. For love.
But what if it wasn't always that way? What if it took a ginormous amount of patience, and time, and clarity, and breathing skills? What if you had to go places in your heart and in your body that totally redefined "stepping outside your comfort zone"? What if you felt the lead weight of guilt creeping into your brain because lately you'd been thinking, "Maybe I can't do this?" What if you rarely got together with friends and family because, well...you just can't?
Enter Maya - one of many Shepherd/Heeler mixes waiting for a forever home at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society. Right about when Maya was entering adolescence, and every little thing under the sun seemed to elicit a fear response, her soon-to-be pet parent knew in her heart-of-hearts that Maya was indeed the one for her; her first dog. Undoubtedly, it was love at first sight. Yay!
Fear of strangers. Men or women. Fear of kids. Tall ones, short ones, teenagers, toddlers, babies - no matter; they're all freaky. Fear of hats. Fear of rats (pet rats - very cool). Not sure about cats, but maybe. Fear of bikes. Fear of loud cars and trucks. Fear of fast movements. Or odd movements. Don't wipe you nose! Fear of new places. Any place, really. Unsure of other dogs. Little dogs are strange... Fear of touch. Fear of loud voices. Fear of the wind. Fear of change. WHAT are we doing now?????
Maya's "Mom" feared that this was more than she had signed up for in her first dog. Where to begin? Does the fear - for both of them - ever end?
Maya's microcosm consisted of trick training. Management of her environment. Desensitization and counter conditioning exercises. Recall games. Play in the back yard. Management of her environment. Building trust. Clicker training. CAT for dogs (constructive aggression treatment). Shaping behavior. Getting to know the world in two minute increments. Management of her environment. Training sessions in the local parks. Capturing behavior. Short rides in the car. Finding joy. Crate training. Walking to the end of the driveway and back. BAT for dogs (behavioral adjustment training). Food dispensing toys. Management of her environment. Visits to the pizza parlor parking lot. Play as reinforcement. Embracing joy.
And breathing...Maya and her "Mom" breathing; always breathing. Making a connection; a connection unlike any other.
(Click on the Read More link below to well, read more!)
"Oh, wait...we're going for a run?!" Yes, exercise can be man's as well as dog's best friend. Her "Dad" is a runner, thank doG...Lucky for Maya, her guardians are avid hikers, too. Only by throwing a blanket over her head could Maya's "Mom" get some reprieve from her dog's laser-like eyes, begging for more enrichment opportunities within the confines of her self-imposed 10' x 10' living room safety zone. I mean, c'mon! There's RATS in the other room, for Pete's sake! (Side note - I had a rat when I was a kid. He went everywhere with me. He was super intelligent and I adored him. Our cat however, feared him.) The offer to get Maya out of the house to relieve pent-up stress and angst and get her some much needed mental and physical stimulation, probably was a boost to the marriage. Keep breathing...
So, off they went. A man and his dog doing normal doggie things, like going for a run together. This is nice! Keep moving, keep breathing. No time to worry about falling leaves, or baby strollers, or Walmart bags blowing in the wind. Keep moving, keep breathing. Rounding a corner, and what to their wondering eyes should appear but an unleashed dog sitting at the edge of a lawn right next to the sidewalk. As they made their way to cross to the other side of the street (smart move), Maya's "Dad" hears a voice trailing after them, "Don't worry! That one doesn't attack!" The theme song from "Jaws" is playing in your head right now... Suffice it to say, that one didn't attack. But then there's the one that was behind a parked car in front of the aforementioned yard. That one did attack. Immediately to the throat, pinning Maya to the ground. Her "Dad" kicked away the aggressor while the supposed non-attack dog raced over to join in the frivolity. He must have once moonlighted with River Dance, because "Dad" kicked away that one, too. Miraculously, neither dog nor man was harmed. Stiff and sore but no puncture wounds. Still breathing...keep breathing.
Fast forward to today, and after two years of working with Maya and her pet parents, there is joy. It is everywhere and in every little moment they spend navigating this big and sometimes overwhelmingly scary world together. My first session many days past with Maya, found me squinting to see what her body language was saying from a distance of over 150 feet. Anything closer and she would explode. We used walkie-talkies so that I could communicate instructions to her "Mom" from across the great divide. Always cognizant of going slow; one step at a time - literally.
She's still unsure of other dogs; optimistically cautious, I like to think. The incident with her "Dad" thankfully, did not push her completely over the edge. While she doesn't run up to strange dogs or people to offer a wiggly-butt greeting, she can sit calmly beside her "Mom" while she's exchanging pleasantries. Upon passing dogs while out-and-about with her "Mom", Maya may let out a little fussy noise but basically shows little interest and keeps on moving toward the next adventure. I can toss Maya her FAV-O-Rite red ball and she'll roll it back my way. I can pick it up - not too fast, now - and keep the game going. This is nice! Hot dog and chicken pieces miraculously showing up in the grass nearby, and she's a happy camper. I take in a deep breath and release it slowly - not too loud, don't be weird - and Maya is breathing with me. Her eyes are soft; her mouth is open and she's gently panting. Look - there's a tail wag. Joy.
From Maya's "Mom":
"Today's session also left me feeling pleased and proud and quite euphoric. And although I can't see inside Maya's furry head, I am pretty sure she felt great too. She slept for most of the ride home, napped while I fixed myself some lunch, and then started signaling that she'd really, really like to go for a hike or a walk or something. This is a dog who used to be wiped out for days after almost any exposure to the real world, let alone a park with people running, rolling, and having water-gun fights, plus some training set-ups that made her really think hard. All that, and my robust, resilient little dog was completely fine and ready for more. While I have plenty of hopes for Maya to feel even more comfortable in the world, I also think that this, right now, is something really special."
Maya's "Mom" is a bona fide bibliophile. You print it, she'll read it. I've share countless books, articles, scientific research and DVD's on dog behavior with her over the last couple of years. She's scoured on-line resources on her own for more, more, more. A girl after my own heart! We're always comparing notes on what we've read; checking in. What did you think? After we both read Kathy Sdao's, Plenty in Life is Free - Reflections on Dogs, Training and Finding Grace, she sent me the following thoughts:
"One of the great parts of Kathy Sdao's book was her description of dog-human relationships as a constant exchange of positive reinforcement -- we are reinforced when dogs exhibit behaviors we like, and then we get to reinforce them for making us happy. It's one of those things I've heard in different forms when perhaps the timing wasn't quite right, and then read it in her book and thought, "OH!!!! That's what I have right now!!" Following that, out of curiosity, I counted rehearsals of reinforcement on just one ordinary walk (a whole day seemed too high to count!). In 20 minutes through the neighborhood, I got to give Maya some kind of reward more than eighty times. How great is that?! And that's kind of how things are going here -- Maya gets a lot of things that make her happy, and I spend a lot of time grinning like a fool because, clearly, I must have the most awesome dog in the world if I am having to reward so frequently. It's awfully fun."
That brings me joy. If in my role as a professional dog trainer, I can in some small way lend a spark; nurture the possibilities of dog and guardian meeting each other halfway on this journey of life together, then it's all worth it. All of it. It sure doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes the crossing paths are just not meant to be. Or are they? If we can remain open to it, we can get something from each encounter with our canine counterparts. Some growth, some inner-knowledge; perhaps a greater sense of empathy for how difficult it can be coming from two different worlds.
I like quotes. So does Maya's "Mom". Although this post turned out to be novella in length, sometimes all it takes is a few, well-chosen words on the page to light a fire in your heart. Here's a few from Maya's "Mom" that ignited mine:
"And since I think that our underlying goal in all this is to help Maya lead a more joyful life, I am also fond of this one:
"Joy is a puzzling emotion, little examined from a biological point of view, perhaps because we suspect Stendahl to have been right when he said 'To describe happiness is to diminish it.' But it seems clear enough that it is, like other emotions, a reaction, that it does not spring to life by spontaneous generation, but in response to some sort of release.To be joyful is to be relieved, to be sprung free from anxiety. It then follows that absent real anxiety, neither can there be any real joy.” - Paul Gruchow in “The Necessity of Empty Places"
Shine on, Maya. Keep breathing.
So, off they went. A man and his dog doing normal doggie things, like going for a run together. This is nice! Keep moving, keep breathing. No time to worry about falling leaves, or baby strollers, or Walmart bags blowing in the wind. Keep moving, keep breathing. Rounding a corner, and what to their wondering eyes should appear but an unleashed dog sitting at the edge of a lawn right next to the sidewalk. As they made their way to cross to the other side of the street (smart move), Maya's "Dad" hears a voice trailing after them, "Don't worry! That one doesn't attack!" The theme song from "Jaws" is playing in your head right now... Suffice it to say, that one didn't attack. But then there's the one that was behind a parked car in front of the aforementioned yard. That one did attack. Immediately to the throat, pinning Maya to the ground. Her "Dad" kicked away the aggressor while the supposed non-attack dog raced over to join in the frivolity. He must have once moonlighted with River Dance, because "Dad" kicked away that one, too. Miraculously, neither dog nor man was harmed. Stiff and sore but no puncture wounds. Still breathing...keep breathing.
Fast forward to today, and after two years of working with Maya and her pet parents, there is joy. It is everywhere and in every little moment they spend navigating this big and sometimes overwhelmingly scary world together. My first session many days past with Maya, found me squinting to see what her body language was saying from a distance of over 150 feet. Anything closer and she would explode. We used walkie-talkies so that I could communicate instructions to her "Mom" from across the great divide. Always cognizant of going slow; one step at a time - literally.
She's still unsure of other dogs; optimistically cautious, I like to think. The incident with her "Dad" thankfully, did not push her completely over the edge. While she doesn't run up to strange dogs or people to offer a wiggly-butt greeting, she can sit calmly beside her "Mom" while she's exchanging pleasantries. Upon passing dogs while out-and-about with her "Mom", Maya may let out a little fussy noise but basically shows little interest and keeps on moving toward the next adventure. I can toss Maya her FAV-O-Rite red ball and she'll roll it back my way. I can pick it up - not too fast, now - and keep the game going. This is nice! Hot dog and chicken pieces miraculously showing up in the grass nearby, and she's a happy camper. I take in a deep breath and release it slowly - not too loud, don't be weird - and Maya is breathing with me. Her eyes are soft; her mouth is open and she's gently panting. Look - there's a tail wag. Joy.
From Maya's "Mom":
"Today's session also left me feeling pleased and proud and quite euphoric. And although I can't see inside Maya's furry head, I am pretty sure she felt great too. She slept for most of the ride home, napped while I fixed myself some lunch, and then started signaling that she'd really, really like to go for a hike or a walk or something. This is a dog who used to be wiped out for days after almost any exposure to the real world, let alone a park with people running, rolling, and having water-gun fights, plus some training set-ups that made her really think hard. All that, and my robust, resilient little dog was completely fine and ready for more. While I have plenty of hopes for Maya to feel even more comfortable in the world, I also think that this, right now, is something really special."
Maya's "Mom" is a bona fide bibliophile. You print it, she'll read it. I've share countless books, articles, scientific research and DVD's on dog behavior with her over the last couple of years. She's scoured on-line resources on her own for more, more, more. A girl after my own heart! We're always comparing notes on what we've read; checking in. What did you think? After we both read Kathy Sdao's, Plenty in Life is Free - Reflections on Dogs, Training and Finding Grace, she sent me the following thoughts:
"One of the great parts of Kathy Sdao's book was her description of dog-human relationships as a constant exchange of positive reinforcement -- we are reinforced when dogs exhibit behaviors we like, and then we get to reinforce them for making us happy. It's one of those things I've heard in different forms when perhaps the timing wasn't quite right, and then read it in her book and thought, "OH!!!! That's what I have right now!!" Following that, out of curiosity, I counted rehearsals of reinforcement on just one ordinary walk (a whole day seemed too high to count!). In 20 minutes through the neighborhood, I got to give Maya some kind of reward more than eighty times. How great is that?! And that's kind of how things are going here -- Maya gets a lot of things that make her happy, and I spend a lot of time grinning like a fool because, clearly, I must have the most awesome dog in the world if I am having to reward so frequently. It's awfully fun."
That brings me joy. If in my role as a professional dog trainer, I can in some small way lend a spark; nurture the possibilities of dog and guardian meeting each other halfway on this journey of life together, then it's all worth it. All of it. It sure doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes the crossing paths are just not meant to be. Or are they? If we can remain open to it, we can get something from each encounter with our canine counterparts. Some growth, some inner-knowledge; perhaps a greater sense of empathy for how difficult it can be coming from two different worlds.
I like quotes. So does Maya's "Mom". Although this post turned out to be novella in length, sometimes all it takes is a few, well-chosen words on the page to light a fire in your heart. Here's a few from Maya's "Mom" that ignited mine:
"And since I think that our underlying goal in all this is to help Maya lead a more joyful life, I am also fond of this one:
"Joy is a puzzling emotion, little examined from a biological point of view, perhaps because we suspect Stendahl to have been right when he said 'To describe happiness is to diminish it.' But it seems clear enough that it is, like other emotions, a reaction, that it does not spring to life by spontaneous generation, but in response to some sort of release.To be joyful is to be relieved, to be sprung free from anxiety. It then follows that absent real anxiety, neither can there be any real joy.” - Paul Gruchow in “The Necessity of Empty Places"
Shine on, Maya. Keep breathing.
RSS Feed
