This morning's walk with Ziggy Stardust was a 9 out of 10. We saw a dog in a backyard that we haven't seen before and she lunged up to dance around like a deer, as she does, but she didn't lunge towards the dog or do any barking. I greeted the dog and it seemed friendly and Ziggy only dance-lunged twice and then we continued on our merry way. Then a cat was in the street walking toward us and Ziggy pretended to barely even notice. Then we got to Black Dog's house and he was there (finally! Three walks past and no Baby) and he came down and they greeted and Ziggy was extremely mannerly - no barking, no lunging, everything by the Calming Signals book. Then Black Dog peed through the fence and when he finished Ziggy peed on the sidewalk beside it and I don't know what that means but he got obsessed with it and Ziggy was fine to keep on walking.
We walked past the same dog in the backyard and there was one dance-lunge until I greeted the dog and then we kept going. Then a dog being walked up ahead a block, the way I need to go, oh shit. So we took off running toward the dog. A slow jog of course and a turn at the block. I know Ziggy saw the dog but it wasn't reacting and was still a ways off and we were jogging so she didn't pay it any mind.
This. This right here. This is HUGE progress for Ziggy.
And why?
Cortisol vacations.
Ziggy loves walks and I love taking her on walks, but the stimulus stacks up and pushes her to overreaction. So when she's worked up, we stay home.
This is completely against what most people say. "Your dog needs more exercise." No, my dog needs less stimulus. And when we are able to reset her adrenaline meter, she is able to keep herself much better under control. Much less reactivity. STill her sassy pants self, but not a jackass.
We walked past the same dog in the backyard and there was one dance-lunge until I greeted the dog and then we kept going. Then a dog being walked up ahead a block, the way I need to go, oh shit. So we took off running toward the dog. A slow jog of course and a turn at the block. I know Ziggy saw the dog but it wasn't reacting and was still a ways off and we were jogging so she didn't pay it any mind.
This. This right here. This is HUGE progress for Ziggy.
And why?
Cortisol vacations.
Ziggy loves walks and I love taking her on walks, but the stimulus stacks up and pushes her to overreaction. So when she's worked up, we stay home.
This is completely against what most people say. "Your dog needs more exercise." No, my dog needs less stimulus. And when we are able to reset her adrenaline meter, she is able to keep herself much better under control. Much less reactivity. STill her sassy pants self, but not a jackass.
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