Swim Stella, Swim!

Michael Baugh, CPDT-KA, CDBC

“This dog can’t swim.” That’s what I thought as I watched her struggle, bob and tip in the pond. I was about to jump in the murky water myself when I saw Stella briefly roll onto her back and then right herself. She stepped gleefully to the shore, shook off, dropped her ball, and looked up at me. She had no idea how pathetic she had looked.

Of course, I was concerned. Stella had swum before, albeit briefly. But, this last time was different. Physics failed her. She listed to one side, nearly sank, and then went keel up. She was wholly out of her element, and I’d so wished her element was water. I wanted it badly; I wanted it with every memory of the retriever before her, with every hope of the retriever I dreamt she would become. That was the problem. This wasn’t about me. It was about Stella; and Stella couldn’t swim.

I tried to get my brain around it. Maybe it really was bad physics. Stella’s chest is unusually deep and her waist is unusually small. She’s narrow, very narrow. She’s tall and long, unnaturally so. Her face and coat say retriever, but the rest of her says whippet or Italian greyhound. Okay if I’m going to be brutally honest, if you catch her at the wrong angle the whole package screams “cartoon dog.” Maybe her body just wasn’t built for water; maybe she was too lean, too spindly. Maybe she just couldn’t swim.

When my heart’s breaking, I write. So, I wrote some veterinarian friends of mine. No, they said. There’s nothing wrong with Stella. She is quirky beautiful and fully buoyant. I wrote to a local dog swim coach (who knew?) and she said the same thing. Some dogs are naturals, others are not. Stella can learn. She can swim.

I can’t explain what happened next. Sometimes there’s no way to fix a thing set askew. Then again, sometimes there’s no holding back a thing intent on setting itself right. Stella’s new coach is an affable woman in the middle of life, with an easy smile and a gentle feel for a dog’s spirit. She welcomed us to a long glistening pool in the early light of day. “Does Stella like toys?” she asked. “Tennis balls” I answered. The rest was unstoppable. It was the simple magic of letting things happen, letting go, swimming with the current of the moment.

Stella waded into the pool for her ball, and brought it back. On the second throw, she leapt across the shallow slope into the deep. Stella’s head slipped under and then popped up high in the water, a bow splashing and awkward, and a stern dragging too low. Her coach moved with deft purpose, the subtle speed of a woman who knows her craft. She righted Stella’s hips, bringing them level to withers just below the water’s crest. Stella sailed with ease back to the shallows and out. She dropped the ball and looked back at what she’d swum.

222531_224371824265357_107851415917399_539116_2541228_n — courtesy: Rummy's Beach Club

I threw again. Again she leapt and swam. Again, and again Stella’s body stretched, and her head skimmed the break where water meets air. Her legs tucked naturally, fronts propelling, backs adjusting for balance. She used her thick retriever tail like a rudder. Stella leapt and swam. She moved with ease and grace, ball firmly in mouth, eyes gleaming in the morning sun, nowhere to be but here, nothing in mind but now. Stella leapt again and then swam some more. She panted and pushed hard against the water, a wake behind her. The air was sweet with the smell of wet dog and abandon. I moved up beside her and kissed her cheek. I would have loved her the same no matter, but oh how I love my water dog.

We stayed on like that until we were both soaked through, swimming together.

Crate Complications

Michael Baugh CPDT-KA, CDBC

To: Ask the dog trainer column

My little heinz 57 rescue dog is almost perfect. She is quite well crate trained but has 2 odd quirks. When I got her a new crate that has a solid lid we started having trouble with it. She does not have visibility through her roof; now it is solid. Everything is higher than her, when her crate is on the floor. She will whine until I take her out. If I put her in her old crate she is fine. How can I get her used to her new crate? I like this one better for our travels since it collapses easier. I thought she would like the side door that opens like a garage door but instead she fusses about the roof. She has always liked to be within sight of me, and this roof is an obstacle.

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Dear reader:

Change is always tricky business isn’t it? My Dad, for instance, loves his Grand Marquis. He’s had several over the past 20 some odd years. He won’t look at anything else. I, on the other hand, love change. Let’s mix things up a bit to keep life interesting; that’s my motto. Regardless of where you fall on this spectrum (or more importantly, where you dog falls) change can be a little stressful. Fortunately, you can help smooth out the transition.

First, make the new crate awesome for your dog. Assuming Skittles is willing to go in the crate, leave her in there for short visits of 10-15 minutes. (If she won’t even go in, watch this video to learn more about teaching her the ins and outs of crate training). Include a delicious stuffed Kong Toy to make the deal even better. I like to stuff Kong Toys with a full doggie meal, not just some peanut butter and a few treats. Let her out before the Kong is finished and when she’s not whining.

( Read More )

The Truth About Canine Aggression

Michael Baugh KPA-CTP CPDT-KSA CDBC

“Your dog isn’t dominant; he’s frightened.” I say that to clients who have dogs with aggressive behavior more often than you might think. People are surprised, and many are relieved. The dog isn’t being mean to take control. He’s just trying to make something frightening go away or stop.

Understanding that leads to a fundamental shift in how we approach dogs who are behaving offensively. If a dog is afraid, it doesn’t help to assert our own authority (often with some aggressive behavior of our own). It helps much more when we teach the dog how to behave calmly under pressure. Better yet, let’s teach our dog that the thing he’s afraid of isn’t so scary after all. Now, there’s the challenge.

I see a lot of dogs who are afraid of people they don’t know, men in particular. Sometimes this fear is a result of trauma or abuse. More often, there was a lack of socialization with people in the dog’s early development. Whatever the cause, dogs will try to create distance between themselves and the thing they perceive as frightening. Some dogs increase that distance by running away or hiding. Others, the ones we call “aggressive,” try to increase distance by making the scary thing go away. They bark, growl, snarl and lunge. Some bite. Regardless, the goal is the same: Make the scary thing stop. (A person reaching for a dog will pull back when a dog growls). Or, make the scary thing leave (dog growls – person retreats – dog is relieved).

In most cases, like the example above, dogs who are behaving aggressively are trying to avoid something. Specifically they are avoiding close contact or interaction with something that scares them. Cases in which the dogs are aggressive to attain something are rarer. Most of those situations involve predatory behavior, in which a dog is chasing an animal or a person who is running away. Dogs who guard their food bowls and toys are somewhere in the middle. They are trying to keep a resource. Though some would say they are afraid of losing that resource, which brings us back to fear.

In the end, teaching your dog that the world is a safe place is your responsibility. So is training your dog to behave attentively and calmly in the presence of frightening things. Calm resolve and a focus on upbeat reward-based training is the key to success. Of course, there is help available. And, finding the right kind of help is absolutely essential.

Dog Behaviorists and Dog Behavior Consultants are qualified to assist people with dogs who exhibit aggression. The person you choose should be very familiar with applied behavior analysis and desensitization / counter conditioning techniques. Avoid trainers who use force to suppress behavior, or who insist you assert yourself as your dog’s “alpha.” That could just lead to more fear and unwanted behavior. Remember, he’s not trying to take over. He just wants to feel safe, and to know that you’re there to help show him the way.

Houston Dog Trainer Michael Baugh CPDT-KSA, CDBC specializes in cases of canine fear and aggression.