CHIEF UPDATE



Chief is doing really well.  Back in 2011 when he was having problems in his adoptive home he was getting more and more reactive to people as well as dogs, when he was on leash.  He was also sensitive about being petted on his hind end.  He is now quite comfortable in meeting all people and passing people on our walk. He shows no aggression or reaction.  He is great with the dogs at daycare and was also good with all the dogs up North but on leash he worries when another dog approaches.  If pushed too far, to get too close to new dogs while on leash he reacts with growling.   We have a game plan for that though and his reaction is minimizing.  I walk him in places where I know dogs will be on leash and where there's lots of room so he doesn't feel too confined in having to pass a dog that he might be uncomfortable with.  I feel in time he will learn to get past these worries and be a candidate for off leash fun with other dogs that he doesn't know yet.  As far as his sensitivity to being touched on his tail, back legs, etc he is very accepting and enjoys a good scratch on the back as much as the front.   So all in all, Chief is getting back to the dog he wants to be.  

Last week I got to walk on some new turf.  I went out to Mission and Chief and I went for a walk down by the river.  What a great place for a walk...wide open space alongside the river and all of the dogs we passed by were either on leash or if they were off leash just kept to their own walk.  This was really helpful in having Chief walk with other dogs without them getting too close before he's ready.   We actually were able to pass other dogs on leash within a few feet and he ignored them.

Chief in Mission



By the river and happy for a moment of shade.  What hot
day for October.

 

Memorial Park in Mission

 

Chief chillin in the park while I read a book.  This is his

version of giving me space....he tried to sit on my lap before he

settled on this spot with his head on my leg.

Chief rides really well in the vehicle. He either lays down or sits quietly and watches out the window.  He barked once at a dog outside the vehicle and also once at a motorcycle that came too close to the back bumper while in traffic, but he is easy settled and is learning to trust that he's safe in the truck and doesn't need to protect us from the outside dogs and guys with helmets. 

When I went to curling the other night Chief was completely fine in the back of the truck, waiting until I was done.  Not a peep out of him. He just lays down and waits.  I set him up with lots of warm comfy bedding and put his jacket on him so he'd be extra cozy.   Afterwards I went and got him out of the truck and took him into the curling club briefly to meet a few people.  He goes up to people easily and will sometimes lean in for a good pat. 

Yesterday afternoon I went to MacDonald Beach with Chief.  There were only a few cars in the parking lot and those people were down at the main beach. So, me and Chief walked on the upper beach area and down the back path.  He was on the long leash and he doesn't seem like he would go very far away even if he was off leash.  He comes back when called and walks pretty nicely on short or long leash.

MacDonald Beach...can you tell Chief is not fond
of the sit-stay for his picture

At home, Chief is quiet indoors.  On the first few days of him being here, he started to bark at noises of my neighbours coming home but he was easily corrected and is not so sensitive to noises outside now.  Other than that one time he actually hasn't barked at all indoors.  Chief thinks he is a lap dog and if allowed on the couch he will want to lay at least 10% of himself on top of you.  He'll flop down right on top of you completely if you allow him to but will settle for a chin and a leg resting across your leg.  He loves to be close and is actually a pretty comfortable cuddler.  With his desire to be close, this also means he doesn't have the best sense of giving you space.  He tries to stay equal to you in going out the door and walking around things so I'm teaching him to wait until I've gone through a door first or past something without him squeezing himself past me at the same time.   The stairs are now a game and he stays even or one stair back whether we're going up or down.  If he goes too far ahead I stop and he jumps back into place.  At the end of the stairs he waits for lots of praise and that's enough to motivate him. 



A couple of stairs ahead.  I'm waiting for
him to come back down a few more.