Leash Learning

I don't think that Gorky has ever been walked on a leash and he probably hasn't spent much time outside of a backyard so another thing we've been working on is putting a harness on and taking it off, and also walking around while leashed.

Heading out on his first "walk"

Because so much of the noises, sights and smells of our suburban neighborhood are new, I'm not starting out actually attempting to just "go for a walk". I want this to be a positive thing for him so to begin with I attached a treat bag to my belt, harnessed and leashed him up, and then I let him sniff around our front yard and practiced walking on the sidewalk in front of our house and the neighbor's house.

Gorky set the pace and we walked around the yard while he carefully sniffed each shrub and plant. 

For the most part he didn't do a lot of pulling and stayed close so loose leash walking shouldn't be too tough to teach

Gorky was a little nervous but he is starting to understand that this is safe and fun and before we know it we'll be working on longer walks. For now we end our walks with a fun off leash romp in the back yard which is something that he loves to do. You always want things to end of a good note so that next time the leash comes out they are going to associate it with fun, and not something negative.

Gorky and the Grab

I had mentioned that Gorky has learned in his previous home that to be safe it's best to stay just out of reach of human hands if they are trying to reach for you.

This is the first thing we are working on which I'm working on in a bit of a round about way.

First off, I'm teaching Gorky that I am a wild and crazy treat dispensing machine. I want him to get a bundle of experience that when people are around great things happen. Remember, a dog often has a long history that has created a certain behavior, in this case avoiding a collar grab. Our job is to teach them that something else is a better option. The better option I'm giving Gorky is that when he hangs out near people, treats rain down from above and toys are offered.

Some dogs are too worried to approach people so you have to start out by tossing treats. Happily Gorky is willing to take treats from my hand already before he darts away. Remember that a training plan is always a unique plan, based on the dog you are working with. There is no such thing as one size fits all training. Your dog decides where the "starting line" is and with what speed the plan proceeds.

The other thing that I'm working on with Gorky is that looking at me is rewarding. I want to build up our relationship so he knows that checking in with me and paying attention when I call his name makes great things happen.

So now I have a dog who is paying more attention to me, and wants to come when he's called because it means his person might give him something tasty.

Now I sit down and wait for him to tentatively approach for pets. He gets love and attention and during this I gently hold his collar, still laying on the charm, and then I release the collar, give him a treat and lots of praise and maybe throw a toy. The key is to practice this a lot so that he doesn't learn that collar grab = end of fun time. Coming to his person should always be positive.

Gorky has proven to be a very smart guy and even after just a few days he's spending more time approaching me and asking for attention and less time worried that someone is going to grab him and do something unpleasant. Good job, Gorky!

Wrestlemania - Rat Terrier Version

Usually it takes a few weeks before Chima is able to relax enough with a new dog to play without getting too intense but I guess that Gorky can handle her because they are wrestling already!

It happens multiple times throughout the day but it seems like as soon as my camera or phone comes out they both stop and stare at me. Here they are refusing to wrestle after my phone came out:

I finally caught some wrestling on video though so enjoy these "vicious predators" in action.

Toy boy

Some dogs actually have to be taught that toys can be fun but Gorky is not that dog. After a few days of skittering around nervously, Gorky discovered that we have a doggy toy basket and he spent the morning getting each of them out, one at a time, tossing them around a bit and then returning to the basket to try out the next one.

It was very cute and I'm glad that he's able to entertain himself since most of my dogs aren't big on playing. He chewed on Nylabones, chased after rubber balls, and threw a few toys for himself to run after.

He even tried playing with Chima a few times and while Chima was interested she doesn't quite know him well enough to play yet but I'm sure that will come.

Getting to Know Gorky

With every new foster dog there is a time after they first arrive that I think "oh my gawd, what have I gotten myself into." Sometimes this faze lasts for weeks, sometime just for a day or less. Happily Gorky falls into the latter category.

When we get these young 9 month to 2 years of age dogs from the shelters it is almost always a case of someone getting a cute dog, doing absolutely no training and then blaming the dog for not magically figuring out how to live up to our expectations of how a pet should behave in our world. It's sad because these are smart, active dogs who are getting blamed for what is essentially their human's laziness.

It's not that these dogs haven't learned things. They've learned what a frustrated human looks and sounds like and that they are best avoided. They learn to not come when called because something bad could happen if they do. They learn that digging holes, climbing fences, barking at anything that moves is fun when you're by yourself in a back yard with nothing better to do and no company.

Happily, Gorky doesn't seem to be interested in hole digging or escaping fences but he is an energetic guy who has learned that humans can be unpredictable in their reactions. The result is that while he loves attention, he will stay just out of reach and finds grabby hands unsettling. We're working on this though.

He was super hyper when he first arrived - stressed out from his long journey and ending up in a house full of people and dogs he didn't know. A lot of people would have called his activity level and bounciness as being a happy dog. It was obvious from his body language though that he was overwhelmed - panting, unable to sit still, tight muscles in the face, stiff wagging of the tail and rigid postures as he hopped around ...

Now a couple of days later he is still a busy boy but it's a happy busy. I don't think he's ever lived inside a house so all the new textures and sounds and expectations are new. He's catching on quickly though and has settled right into the routine. He loves to play with other dogs so I have a feeling that before too long he and Chima will be having fun wrestling and chasing.

Introducing Gorky!

We had planned to have a little break between foster dogs but in rescue plans tend to change frequently and last minute we learned that our new foster boy, Gorky, will be arriving late tonight instead of next week.

Gorky is a big, short tank of a boy who has a handsome blue tuxedo tricolor coat and is always ready for adventure. He's about a year old and weighs around 20 pounds and has ears that just might be longer than his legs!  We can't wait to meet this silly guy.

Gorky is named for the Armenian-American Abstract Expressionist painter, Arshile Gorky. Gorky fled the Armenian genocide and immigrated to Russia first, then America where he enrolled in art school. His paintings and drawings hang in every major art museum in the United States including the National Gallery of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, Art Institute of Chicago, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Arshile Gorky

Mesa Paisaje

Organizaci II

Adopted: Tuttle Heads Home

We've had Tuttle a couple months now and he has proven to be a loveable, furry little imp - a rascal of the first degree! Always ready for fun and adventure and ready to make his own fun if you aren't quick enough. He has kept us laughing and I'm sure will have his new family laughing as well.

Tuttle's new family is a wonderful fit for him. He'll have a 6 year old boy to tear around with and a mom at home most of the time to keep him company. He'll get regular visits to nearby parks with his family and plenty of play time - just how he likes it.

So have a great life, Tuttle! We are very happy for you, sweet boy.