Day 3 -- So Soon?

Not only were we gloomy today because it was our last day with Cooper but it was also raining. Cooper didn't want to have much to do with the rain and preferred to be inside most of the day.

I think we've really worn him out this week. He loves lounging around. When he first came he seemed a little more anxious. He was scanning the perimeter looking for ways out and, when that didn't work, he'd go inside and scan the perimeter inside the house. He would interact with me and the dogs occasionally but it didn't seem a big draw for him. But now, it's a different story. He's playing with the other dogs a lot and really wants to snuggle up when he wants to relax. I haven't noticed him looking for his escape route at all today.

So, in cases like that, where a dog is not wanting to be confined and drawn to wandering, it's important to get them keyed into people. It makes it a challenge though, when that dog also has separation issues. So it's a fine balance between getting him more focused on his handler but also feeling confident enough to be alone. So that means trips to other rooms without a shadow following behind you, refraining from petting or touching him too much, and really low key exits and entrances.

 Short departures and a low key return will help him to relax more. Finding things that he LOVES and can do unsupervised will help him too.

And maybe as his confidence builds and he feels more settled his wanderlust will subside. But for now, he must wander on back home. One thing is for certain, he will be missed here...

Day 2 -- Another Busy Day

So much to do today! Cooper starts his day off right by "saying please" to go outside. What a good boy! The sunshine was out and he was ready to romp but he still had the self-control to sit to ask to go outside.

We're continuing to practice being separated by a barrier (in this case a gate). In a very matter of fact tone I say to him "I'll be back" and I don't give him any attention when I leave or when I return. Right now I'm still staying in his sight. He does well with this but I don't want to move too fast so I like to stay on levels that are easy for him for quite a while. This will help him build up some confidence and it will help him to realize it's not a big deal when he's confined without his person.

I make sure to break up the lessons with play. It's a nice stress reliever for the dog, it's enjoyable for both Cooper and myself, it helps Cooper release some energy, and it makes training more fun. He loved the whip toy. I made sure to stop the play before he got too worked up over this toy. It can be a really exciting toy for a dog but you don't want them to get too revved up or obsessed with it. Cooper played really nicely with it and easily gave it up to me so he could play some more.

We've been working a lot on getting comfortable with the crate. Right now I'm just tossing tasty treats into the crate and letting him go in on his own terms. I'll shut the crate door but open it again less than a minute after I closed it.

We're trying to change his association with the crate to more positive feelings. Right now he is nervous about the crate because he associates it with the panic feeling he gets when he's inside the crate and he is being left at home.

Because he enjoys his meals so much, I can also use mealtime to help him create a positive association with the crate. Sometimes this works but other times that panic feeling is just too much for the dog to overcome. Time will tell if Cooper can work through this.

Silly boy...I was on the floor trimming another dogs' nails when Cooper decided my lap looked like a good spot for a nap. I guess we wore him out again with all that work and play.

Day 1 -- Getting to Know You

One thing is for sure, Cooper sure is handsome. After arriving, I gave him time to explore his new temporary environment on his own. We spent some time in the back yard and then in the house and, once he seemed pretty comfortable, started introducing him to the dogs one at a time.

Because it can be a little overwhelming coming into a new environment with new people and new dogs so we like to take it slow. He did well with his one on one with Brutus. Once they are comfortable around each other, it's a good opportunity to practice some name recognition.

It didn't take long for Cooper to get use to the new dogs. None of the dogs are overwhelming and all are responsive to my verbal direction so it makes it easier to introduce them all and monitor their play.

Name recognition is going well and he's figuring out that paying attention to his handler will really pay off well for him.

Playing with other dogs is a good outlet for Cooper and great for his socialization. But it also gives a lot of opportunities for learning and practicing his skills.

Working on his recalls helps keep him tuned into his handler and provides a nice interactive game that will keep him engaged.

We are slowly getting him use to being left for very short periods of time. I make sure to pay very little attention to him when I leave and when I return. Right now we are just doing separations for a minute or so and just with a barrier between us. We've also practiced going into the crate for very short periods of time to work on getting him a little more comfortable with that.

It was a busy day and we certainly wore Cooper out. Time to rest up so we can be ready for tomorrow's adventures. What a good boy...