Where problem dogs are no problem

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Day 28

Thought I should post about Apollo's progress.  Today he is feeling his oats and trying to convince everyone else he is in charge.  He barks and snarls and the other dogs just look at him and walk away.  He is coming along nicely on his training.  He has his basic commands down although he is still a bit reluctant to down, but he is getting better.  His stays are good and we are increasing the distance and time on those.  He has an object that he has been taught to "take it" and "bring it", however, not without some tooth marks and some shaking it around.  He is a very mouthy dog and is having a little trouble with this.  He will go around behind me and sit on command, however, he sits facing me instead of away.  My arms are nowhere near long enough to get that treat out far enough to get him to turn around.  Guess I'll need another human to help me with this.  He needs a lot of work on come, as most dogs do.  I'll be teaching him a really reliable recall that will teach him to come every time he is called.  So all in all, he is doing pretty good.  He is really a very smart dog.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Day 18

Well, today has been quite a day for Apollo.  Two dogs pooped in the house this morning while I was in the kennel.  From the looks, I am going to blame one of them on Apollo.  And they had all just come in.  I was sitting on the couch and noticed Apollo pulling on the homemade quilt my husband bought me years ago--I looked and he had chewed a hole in it.  I was getting dressed and noticed a rip in the crotch of my most comfortable jeans--I have no idea when he did that.  When I was getting ready to go outside, I could only find one red clog.  I finally found the other one hidden in the bedroom in pieces.  Good thing I love him.  I just want to know--how do I get the puppy out of him???

Friday, October 19, 2012

Day 17

Apollo was neutered last week and is doing well with no complications.  It didn't slow him down at all.  He was right back to himself the next day.  His training is going well.  He knows "sit" and we are working on "stay".  He will do "down" for a treat.  Today he learned "take it" and "leave it".  That went pretty quickly.  It's easy to work with a dog who will work for food!!  When I looked over the lists of tasks he needs to learn to do, it doesn't seem as overwhelming today.  There are 3 lists and some of the behaviors are the same on all 3 lists.  Apollo is going to make me a better dog trainer than I was before he came.  Every dog has something to teach me and I am grateful for everyone that comes and spends time with me.  They have picked out 2 veterans that might be appropriate for Apollo.  I have talked to one and she seems very nice. I think Apollo would be a very appropriate service dog for her.  I will be calling the other one this afternoon to see what her needs are. 

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Day 6

This morning started with a disagreement over a cookie.  My girls like to save their cookies and then get all upset if anyone even looks in their direction!  Anything for drama!

Today Apollo and I went for a walk.  I knew it was going to be a challenge because whenever I put him on the leash, he pulled.  Apollo's head is resting on the back of my hand as I try to type this.  I pulled out the Starmark collar and put it on Apollo.  He didn't care for that much at all.  He got used to it very quickly and walked very nicely on the leash.  Then we worked on "down" and he almost has it.  He knows to sit if he wants anything.  He is going to be a good service dog.  He spends a lot of time sitting on my lap and is very alert to noises that seem strange to him.

Dinnertime is always fun when a new dog comes to the house.  Of course it takes them time to learn the rules and the other dogs are on high alert lest someone want their bowl.  I made the mistake of feeding Emma before Apollo tonight and when I saw Apollo start towards Emma's bowl I reached down to pick up her bowl.  She must have seen Apollo too and when I reached for her bowl she bit me.  Ah the joys of my job!  It's not bad, doesn't need stitches and my tetanus is up to date so we're all good here.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Day 5

Well, there was a little excitement here tonight.  Apollo decided to pick a fight with Emma and he got all of the dogs on him.  I don't know why he picks on the females instead of Barney, probably because he knows Barney will kick his butt!  We got it all sorted out and Apollo is unhappily cooling off in a crate.  I hope this stops when he gets neutered.  After I let him out of the crate, he went and found Barney and started licking his face and rolling over on his back.  I guess he listened to Barney's 2 hour lecture when he got here!

He has been eating 1 1/2 cups of food twice a day and getting snacks in between.  He is learning to sit and wait for his dinner until I tell him OK. 

Day 4

Lily is here today and she finds Apollo a bit overwhelming.  She is more Apollo's size and he won't leave her alone.  She is quite disgusted with the whole situation and has crawled up on the couch with me to escape his antics.

Apollo went to the vet today.  He weighs 35.6 pounds and the vet thinks he will weigh 50-60 pounds full grown.  We practiced out out in public manners today.  We need a lot of work.  Apollo barked at everyone and everything in the vet's office.  He does not know how to walk on a leash.  There seems to be a little bit of fear aggression.  When I placed my hand on his nose and told him "no bark", he bared his teeth at me.  If he was barking and Emma got too close to him he snapped at her.  He was fine all through the exam, even having his temperature taken.  So, I'm not sure what was going on but will keep on top of it and get him out to get him socialized more.  He is going to be neutered and microchipped next Wednesday, 10/10. 

Friday, October 5, 2012

Day 3

Apollo and Emma have been wrestling around the house all morning.  There was a slight skirmish between Emma and Apollo over one of Emma's toys but it was minor.  I heard Apollo barking this afternoon and thought he wanted to go out but I found him in the kitchen barking at his bag of dog food on the counter!  We worked on down some more.  We are always working on come to get him to come in from the garage.  He hasn't caught on to the fact that cookies are passed out every time you come in the house. 

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Day 2

Apollo only got me up once to go to the bathroom last night, however, my husband said Apollo got in bed 4 times to snuggle with him!  Apollo has 2 barks, a whiny bark that says let me in and a deeper bark that he uses when he barks with the pack.  We did some training today and all he knows is sit.  We will be working on down and come for the rest of the week.  He is a loveable little guy and will make a great companion and helper for someone.  He hasn't eaten since he got here but he sure gobbled the snacks while we were training--almost ate my fingers, too.  He is not sure who will play with him yet but he does know that Wilson is only going to growl and snarl at him.  When he is in, he wants out on the porch, when he is out on the porch, he wants in.

We had a mild breakthrough today.  I had to go out to the kennel and Ray was out in the barn so just the dogs were in the house.    When I came back to the house, all was quiet.  Apollo was not scratching at the door and screaming like being alone was the worst kind of torture.  When I opened the door, he wasn't even by the door!!   Progress!!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Apollo has arrived

This is Apollo.  Apollo was a free dog on craigslist in Kinderhook, NY. My friend Heather from SFLS made me aware of him.  I talked with the owner and made arrangements to go meet him and see if he was appropriate for the Shepherds for Lost Sheep program.  Of course I took him. He is about 7 months old and is a GSD mix.  The only problem he has is that he absolutely hates to be alone.  He got to meet Maggie and Tim and Danny before I brought him home and they approved of him.  We got home and he had to meet the whole pack here plus my daycare dog was here.  Barney proceeded to give Apollo the instructions of the house, I'm sure included in those instructions was the fact that Barney is the Big Dog!!.  Dinnertime came and it was time to start learning sit and wait for his dinner.  He didn't eat all his food and it disappeared.  He really wasn't too concerned.  He is still settling in.  I can hardly wait to see what tonight brings!!  I'm not counting on a lot of sleep.