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| Jack is such a love. |
Jack is such a soft and gentle dog who has the happiest tail I have ever seen when he's with his handler and can be a bit shy and withdrawn when he is not. His love for Ronda is powerful and his adoration of me is clear, but I am not his person, just the lady he hangs with until his person comes back to him.
I am the type of person who needs my space and Jack is the type of dog who wishes to share your space. It is not a good mix between him and I and I have to go through a gentle balance of giving him the attention and love he needs to keep his emotional balance and keep my personnel space without feeling like I am overloaded. I do love him and I enjoy his company, but there are days he's very intense on being in my space and it happens to be the days I need him to just do his own thing for a while the most.
This past week was like that. On Monday I was in so much pain I couldn't function. Emma and Jack are both very sensitive to people's emotions and their natural reaction is to provide comfort, but what I truly needed was for them to either lay near me or somewhere other than on me. They both wanted nothing more than to be on me.
It started with my arms burning and feeling heavy. They felt like someone had put a spike through my wrist up to my elbow. Nothing relieved the pain for almost 2 hours. Both Jack and Emma wanted nothing more than to make me feel better by cuddling, but their touch was more than I could handle. Poor babies just didn't understand why I kept asking them to go elsewhere.
Shortly after my arms stopped hurting so badly my left leg started. It was after only a few steps that it felt like I was tearing the tendons and muscles on both sides of my ankle, my right ankle felt much the same but not as sharply. Soon it was a sense of swelling on the outside of the leg, followed by the same burning and throbbing my arms had done. It was right after that it felt like someone had run a spike from my heel to my hip and every step was pure agony.
I was using my cane, which makes Emma a bit nervous at first, but shortly I had her and Jack following me like I was their mother. Each turn and each step was met with both of them glued to me. By noon I was near tears and by 3 PM I wanted to scream. Training was not an option for any of the dogs - though I had made an effort, I simply hurt too much to do anything.
At 3 PM I took a hydrocodone, even though I knew it would knock me into next week and leave me with a grumpy hang over the next day. I tend to not take it unless I can sleep it off, but I didn't have that option. I had, by 1 PM given up on walking - I simply couldn't take another step. I was using the power chair and was truly happy to see that it seemed to relieve Jack and Emma's stress. They no longer were trying to hover on me and were happy again.
I was happy to see their heads up, instead of held in the "apology" position. Their tails were up, which was a marked improvement from the tucked position they'd been until then. They were giving me soft mouths and relaxed bodies and their energy was up. I hate seeing them in the "I don't know what to do" body language. It is sad to see and hurts my heart.
So, for all of them, they had a chance to practice working around different mobility equipment. Emma and Jack are no longer afraid of the wheelchair and have learned how to move out of the way and not cause issues when I use it in the house. This was the longest I have ever used it in the home and the more I used it the more comfortable they all became. Malcolm wasn't even phased by my using the power chair.
Tuesday
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| But so soft his feelings can easily be hurt. |
The worse was Malcolm jumping on Jack's head and licking him until I was certain Jack would have no fur left on his face. He's growing tired of it and I can't blame him - Malcolm seems to get stuck when kissing Jack.
We worked on mat behaviors again for a bit, but after training Malcolm a little and Emma a little it became apparent I was not in the right mood to be any good to the dogs. It was another day of taking the dogs out for play or potty breaks and recovering. I ended up napping for 2 hours at one point with Jack sleeping by the kitchen and Emma curled against my stomach for a bit.
The nap helped, but I knew it was a day in which I just needed to take care of me and make certain the dogs basic needs were met and they were kept safe and comfortable. Emma was having an up and down week and Jack was acting off too. I hate it when they are not happy, it means I am not meeting some need they have and on Tuesday I couldn't think my way out of a paper bag to solve the issue. And, yes, that was the issue. The fact I felt bad and was not able to give them the attention they needed was why both of the soft and sensitive dogs in my home were looking whipped.
Wednesday
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| If he could, he'd be part of my skin. |
I also worked on introducing to him the idea he could pick his own food bowl. He gets silly when you point at something to pick it up and I need to work on him seeing we are pointing to something to be picked up and not go into spasms of behaviors because he's confused.
When I pull out food to he gets "food stupid" and completely forgets what we are working on. Thankfully, Robin, called and had some suggestions on how to deal with that problem. Her Poodle, Sherman, can get that way too and another trainer showed her how to work him and keep him from getting food stupid.
It starts as a moving exercise in which we work on something Jack is solid on. He takes a few steps and I click, pull the treat out and take a few more steps and give him the treat slowly. If he mugs my hand, crosses my body or gets stupid the treat is put away. It doesn't take long to realize that they need to wait for the treat to arrive and keep thinking.
I did this for a bit with Jack, but I could feel the first sensation of tearing in my joints and stopped. But the short period we worked I saw improvement. I will work out a way to get him to look at where I point (break it down better) and not go into spasms of joy that I am putting my hand down where his nose is.
One thing that happened for Jack was a filed trip. I had paperwork I needed to drop off and took Jack for practical training. We went to the DSHS office. He is still a bit shy about suiting up, but once in his suit he is up and happy about the idea of going somewhere. He walked, providing counter balance. He was a bit flighty on the counter balance, but seems to be getting the idea that the uniform means he is at work. This is good to see.
He did very well entering the building, tucking by me and letting me take care of my business. I was asked to meet with someone, which I had not planned on, and so we headed to a seat where I could tuck him out of the way. It was quiet in the office, but that wasn't the point. I had not intended to work him for a long period with very few treats on me.
There was a man who made him a bit nervous, but with some treats and re-positioning him he was okay. He was rewarded for not reaching out and touching people as they passed him and for not trying to engage people in petting him. He got a lot of pets and loves for good behavior as rewards also.
When I was finally called, about 35 minutes after we arrived, he was getting a little antsy. A toddler had been playing quietly until he was walking me to the booth I would sit at and then the toddler screeched and Jack became worried. I had run out of treats, but with praise and redirection he settled by me and let me conduct my business. He was not as stable walking me out of the building as he was walking me in, but once outside he settled right back into work mode.
All told it was 45 minutes and was too long a period for him - right on that edge of too much. He did very well, but he had the rest of the week off as a result.
Thursday
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| He loves to play. |
I worked with him again on picking up his bowl. I had stopped using high value treats and started using Cheerios instead. The lower value treat kept him from becoming food stupid and he was making good progress on taking and holding the bowl.
We also worked on taking direction when I asked for space without my having to move him. He has a habit of putting his face in mine and/or laying his head or chest in my lap. It's just to invasive for me and I am working on him understanding that.
Unfortunately, when I ask for space Jack acts like I have taken his supper away from him and grounded him for a month. There has to be a balance between my needing space and Jack needing my attention. I will find it.
Friday
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| But is happiest when with his people. |
I was bundled in my jacket, hat, scarf and gloves just to be out with the dogs. I had also found and dressed Dieter in his sweater. That was what made our first playtime outside interesting. Jack, Malcolm and Emma all hovered on poor Dieter and tried to figure out what he was. It was not the first time Emma had seen Dieter in his sweater, but it was for Malcolm and Jack. Emma though, was the one who spent a very large amount of time harassing Dieter and I finally had to call her off and send her out to play.
The pure joy in Jack's body language as he played tag and wrestled with Malcolm was wonderful. His tail was up and he was that happy, goofy boy I try to have when working with him in the home. He ran like a deer through the yard with both Malcolm and Emma and even went into pure goof when he decided to join Max's game of fetch.
It was wonderful and both times I took them out for about 45 minutes at a time for playtime he was truly a happy and relaxed dog! We didn't do any training, but we did do a lot to restore happy emotions in everybody.
By the time Ronda came to pick him and Malcolm up (I had a client meeting) he was totally back to the happy Jack I had missed seeing for the past two weeks. I was so happy to see that it made my heart sing.
Level 1
| Zen | Target | Come | Sit | Down | |
| Step | Completed | Completed | 2 | Completed | Completed |
Level 2
| Zen | Come | Sit | Down | Target | |
| Step | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | Completed |
| Focus | Lazy Leash | Go To Mat | Crate | Distance | |
| Step | 1 | Completed | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Jump | Relax | Handling | Tricks | Communication | |
| Step | 1 | 4 | Completed | 1 | 4 |
Level 3
| Zen | Come | Sit | Down | Target | |
| Step | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Focus | Lazy Leash | Go To Mat | Crate | Distance | |
| Step | 0 | Completed | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jump | Relax | Handling | Retrieve | Communication | |
| Step | 0 | 0 | Completed | 2 | 0 |
Level 4
| Zen | Come | Retrieve | Target | Relax | |
| Step | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Focus | Lazy Leash | Go To Mat | Crate | Distance | |
| Step | 0 | Completed | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Handling | Communication | ||||
| Step | Completed | 0 |
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