Took Z. out for a short walk this morning. When I want no drama I have a little route that takes me down blocks with no dogs.
However, the magical block with no dogs now has a dog, and it rushed us. A huge pit bull mix came tearing off the porch and across the street and into the neutral ground, as her person was shouting for her. We were walking near the neutral ground and she got pretty close. I froze, trying to figure out the best situation, as the owner came barefoot off the porch to get the dog, shouting his apologies.
During this, Ziggy was watching very attentively but allowed me to turn us around and walk slowly in the other direction.
"OK, I got her. YOu're good," he shouted, and we turned around to continue our walk. "She's friendly, but you never know with dogs," he said. "Yeah she's a rescue so can be reactive with other dogs," I responded, "but this was a good reaction for her, so that was good."
Usually a dog rush is a very bad thing - it freaks Ziggy out and her cortisol levels spike through the roof and it takes a long time to calm her back down. Days even. But this? She had puppy interest but did not even bark or lunge once. She pulled a bit as we walked past, but I can handle that - one of our strategies from the beginning has been if we see a dog to turn and walk very quickly in the other direction, which she learned and now she tries to walk very quickly past any stressor, which is huge progress for her.
I am just so proud of this catahooligan, you can't imagine. Even two months ago the thought of her responding like this would have made me laugh riotously.
Don't get me wrong - Ziggy isn't "fixed." She will likely have a hangover from this interaction and will need to not have another stressor for awhile; she will get stressed whenever we walk past the house; she may flip out on another dog in the same situation. This dog was rushing us and was big, but she wasn't really showing signs of aggression. Understand that reading that is also huge - Ziggy's dog language has always been a little off. I credit Black Dog with really helping her. What a blessing he has been, that silly lab down the street. I will be so sad when they move (the house is for sale). I wouldn't say that he and Ziggy are good friends, but they are polite to each other and he has taught her language and signals through his fence. I don't know how else we could have done that so well.
To see progress like this is so gratifying. All the time we have spent on training, all the books I have bought and read, all the learning dog language and Ziggy's particular signs, all the going against what other people say to do what I know is best for my dog - it's paying off.
Roux's mom says it's also about Ziggy growing up, which is also true. And also about settling into life with me - it took us a really long time, but she's mostly adjusted. She knows we'll go home to a quiet house.
I'm thinking again about fostering dogs from the shelter. I think Ziggy could be ready. Am I? Well, maybe I need to paint first.
My darling little Ziggy Stardust.
However, the magical block with no dogs now has a dog, and it rushed us. A huge pit bull mix came tearing off the porch and across the street and into the neutral ground, as her person was shouting for her. We were walking near the neutral ground and she got pretty close. I froze, trying to figure out the best situation, as the owner came barefoot off the porch to get the dog, shouting his apologies.
During this, Ziggy was watching very attentively but allowed me to turn us around and walk slowly in the other direction.
"OK, I got her. YOu're good," he shouted, and we turned around to continue our walk. "She's friendly, but you never know with dogs," he said. "Yeah she's a rescue so can be reactive with other dogs," I responded, "but this was a good reaction for her, so that was good."
Usually a dog rush is a very bad thing - it freaks Ziggy out and her cortisol levels spike through the roof and it takes a long time to calm her back down. Days even. But this? She had puppy interest but did not even bark or lunge once. She pulled a bit as we walked past, but I can handle that - one of our strategies from the beginning has been if we see a dog to turn and walk very quickly in the other direction, which she learned and now she tries to walk very quickly past any stressor, which is huge progress for her.
I am just so proud of this catahooligan, you can't imagine. Even two months ago the thought of her responding like this would have made me laugh riotously.
Don't get me wrong - Ziggy isn't "fixed." She will likely have a hangover from this interaction and will need to not have another stressor for awhile; she will get stressed whenever we walk past the house; she may flip out on another dog in the same situation. This dog was rushing us and was big, but she wasn't really showing signs of aggression. Understand that reading that is also huge - Ziggy's dog language has always been a little off. I credit Black Dog with really helping her. What a blessing he has been, that silly lab down the street. I will be so sad when they move (the house is for sale). I wouldn't say that he and Ziggy are good friends, but they are polite to each other and he has taught her language and signals through his fence. I don't know how else we could have done that so well.
To see progress like this is so gratifying. All the time we have spent on training, all the books I have bought and read, all the learning dog language and Ziggy's particular signs, all the going against what other people say to do what I know is best for my dog - it's paying off.
Roux's mom says it's also about Ziggy growing up, which is also true. And also about settling into life with me - it took us a really long time, but she's mostly adjusted. She knows we'll go home to a quiet house.
I'm thinking again about fostering dogs from the shelter. I think Ziggy could be ready. Am I? Well, maybe I need to paint first.
My darling little Ziggy Stardust.
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