"Mmmm...frosting!!"
Training Falkor has been quite the journey so far and I have thoroughly enjoyed it...except for a few bumps in the road...which is to be expected of course. Although sometimes I can't help but feel like just as things are moving along nicely we hit the next giant brick wall. First is was the knee issue, and then it was zoomies after a Rally jump, then it was zoomies during recalls, then it was working through a jumping issue after Falkor jammed and cut his toe on a jump in Rally, and now we are dealing with reactivity.
Falkor has been becoming reactive to some dogs. At first is was only dogs that challenged him, then it was only certain intact males, and then it was only certain males and now it can be any random dog, although I don't think I have seem him react to a female dog. It is incredibly frustrating and disappointing because up until about a year ago Falkor loved all other dogs. I could take him anywhere and he was thrilled to play with any dog he came across. I don't think anything specific happened to trigger the reactivity we are dealing with now.
I am able to "manage" him and most people that meet him wouldn't guess that Falkor can be a jerk to other dogs, but I hate having to be on alert all the time. And it can be difficult with such a large dog in tight quarters.
We are working on behavior modification and desensitization techniques, and I'm confident with lots of work we will get to a place where we are both comfortable. But I can't help but feel a little sad that we could be spending all that time on training for performance instead. I did everything that your supposed to do...research the breeder (and Falkor's breeder has been completely wonderful and supportive), research the sire and dam, socialize, socialize, socialize, etc. and I am still having to deal with this issue. It's just a bummer.
In much happier news, Falkor's little sister Famke got her third point this weekend at the dog show in Des Moines!!! It was my third time ever in the conformation ring and my first point with her. (One of her breeder's showed her last summer and she got her first two points then). Famke LOVES it and thinks that dogs show are giant parties. It was a fun weekend!
Training Falkor has been quite the journey so far and I have thoroughly enjoyed it...except for a few bumps in the road...which is to be expected of course. Although sometimes I can't help but feel like just as things are moving along nicely we hit the next giant brick wall. First is was the knee issue, and then it was zoomies after a Rally jump, then it was zoomies during recalls, then it was working through a jumping issue after Falkor jammed and cut his toe on a jump in Rally, and now we are dealing with reactivity.
Falkor has been becoming reactive to some dogs. At first is was only dogs that challenged him, then it was only certain intact males, and then it was only certain males and now it can be any random dog, although I don't think I have seem him react to a female dog. It is incredibly frustrating and disappointing because up until about a year ago Falkor loved all other dogs. I could take him anywhere and he was thrilled to play with any dog he came across. I don't think anything specific happened to trigger the reactivity we are dealing with now.
I am able to "manage" him and most people that meet him wouldn't guess that Falkor can be a jerk to other dogs, but I hate having to be on alert all the time. And it can be difficult with such a large dog in tight quarters.
We are working on behavior modification and desensitization techniques, and I'm confident with lots of work we will get to a place where we are both comfortable. But I can't help but feel a little sad that we could be spending all that time on training for performance instead. I did everything that your supposed to do...research the breeder (and Falkor's breeder has been completely wonderful and supportive), research the sire and dam, socialize, socialize, socialize, etc. and I am still having to deal with this issue. It's just a bummer.
In much happier news, Falkor's little sister Famke got her third point this weekend at the dog show in Des Moines!!! It was my third time ever in the conformation ring and my first point with her. (One of her breeder's showed her last summer and she got her first two points then). Famke LOVES it and thinks that dogs show are giant parties. It was a fun weekend!
7 comments:
Jennifer, I can completely relate to what you're going through right now! On all accounts!! It is so frustrating to feel like you're really starting to get some where only to have some sort of set back in training or competition. ARG!
I can also totally relate with the reactivity. What you described is pretty much exactly what I went through with Heffner. Used to love absolutely everyone. Then at about 18 months, he started reacting to certain dogs, then it was predominantly male dogs, and now there are very few dogs that he doesn't react to. I did so much socializing with him as a puppy and onwards. Took him everywhere with me. He got to meet a variety of dogs of all ages and sizes. And I really don't know what triggered the reactivity. It's an incredibly isolating feeling at first though and you just feel horrible. We've worked through a lot, but with Heffner at least, it's always going to be there to a certain extent and is something that I have to stay on top of.
And even though it's hard at times, don't let people make you feel like crap because of it. That's probably one of the worst things about having a reactive dog is that people don't really understand and they often respond out of this misunderstanding.
Hang in there! I know that you two will still do great things!
:) If you need another person to vent to or whatever, I'm here for ya! It helps a lot when you don't feel like you're the only person going through this.
There's nothing I can really say that Lindsay didn't already. I don't deal with this but I have seen her deal with it with Heffner and it's incredibly sad and disheartening. But you aren't alone and I know she is a great resource to at least share your woes with on this topic since she has to keep up the same vigilance, too, when out with Heffner. I guess the other thing is just sharing with people who assume wrongly it's all about how a dog was raised. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I wish the "switch" could be flipped back.
I'm so sorry you have another issue to deal with! Layla's slightly reactive in the sense that it's just to dogs that challenge her. But one day last month I took Casey out (one of the few times he and I have any "just us" time) and it was absolutely night and day compared to taking Layla out. I always think of her as being an easy dog in the sense that she doesn't get frightened, which is true. But I didn't realize how I was constantly "on guard" with her until I had Casey there to compare it with. It was an absolute pleasure to answer with 100% certainty when someone asked whether or not Casey would like to be introduced to their dog. A lot of people phrase it as, "Is he/she friendly" which is a wrong way to phrase it; friendliness has nothing to do with it, and people don't seem to get it when I say, "I don't know".
Anyway, my point was, even though Layla isn't as reactive as you describe Falkor, I empathize with you always having to watch him! It's freakin exhausting!
I'm also here if you ever want to vent!
PS ~ That's awesome about Famke! I don't know any of her dam's side, but I love all of Karin's dogs.
PS ~ I passed along a blog award for you!
Hey Jennifer - I feel your pain! I've had to deal with the same issues with Jackson. He does not like dogs in his face - especially happy, friendly, bouncy dogs. With him I think it's a lack of confidence/fear issue. He has calmed down some as he's gotten older, but it's something I'll always have to manage. I believe some dogs are just wired to be reactive and it's not something you can socialize out of them completely.
I was mortified when it first started happening, but now I don't worry about what people think. I warn them sometimes that he can be reactive and have gotten pretty good at reading him so I can avoid those situations. A lot of dogs at the club are reactive, but you don't see it because their owners have learned to manage it.
If I keep Jackson in 'working mode' i.e., attention on me/heeling when I'm close to other dogs, I don't have a problem. It's the down time - waiting around the ring - that I have to be more watchful.
I just take things in stride now and don't stress about it. He is what he is :)
Thank you all for your comments and support. It really does help me to feel better to know we have others in our corner.
It can be a very isolating feeling like Lindsay said and I need to work on not worrying about what other people *might* be thinking.
We will keep working and things and plugging along that is for sure!
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