Pictures from Training

This is how it started.  First he was actually nice for a little bit but he is not a fan of small dogs.  They just look like prey to him.  Although he was at least nice in the beginning....

Then we had a moment in which Chingu was not so nice and he sent the weenie dog packing.  Poor little guy.

  

Here he was less than thrilled to be held but he handled it and when it was all said and done he let Gina pet him for awhile and eventually rolled on his side although that wasn't pushed because he was pretty done after being picked up.

Chingu and the Germany Shepherd.  He's kinda leaning away from him but thats cool because he just needs to be able to accept being near a dog but no biting the dog.

Picked Up

So Chingu amazes me and he really just rocks my socks off.  Sometimes being unemployed is no good and some might say I have an unhealthy obsession with my dog and its true I do often prefer to be with Chingu than people.  I will also admit that if I'm gone somewhere for more than a few hours I actually start to miss the little guy.  But my time with him is paying off and I think its been a blessing to not have to work right now.  Of course I couldn't have done this without my parents' help and I do have to give a big thanks to Chris and mom.  Chris has of course been super about being willing to work with Chingu despite the bite and mom has been awesome for coming to training because each week is tougher and I just really need to hold someone's hand.


So tonight Chingu encountered not one, not two, not three, but 4 dogs!  Of course they weren't all at once but rather one by one and he did amazing.  He did try briefly to eat the weenie dog but two he didn't even snap/bite at and the other two he was corrected and then sat nicely by them.  Those poor other dogs of course didn't really want to sit my Chingu but it was cool.


In addition not only did he encounter other dogs but he was handled by a completely new person tonight and he didn't try to bite her once!  She walked him, petted him, and even touched his tail and he accepted it all.  Was it his most favorite thing ever?  No but he did it and he didn't give me his, "mom get me out of here eyes."  So yay for Chingu!!!


So I was like this training session is great and the trainer was like OK thats all the dogs I have and I'm thinking sweet we're finally getting off easy tonight but alas that was not the case.  The last training session Chingu was fried just dealing with one dog but he dealt with those 4 dogs and he still had some spunk in him so Trainer Gina decided we could do some more with him.  This is when the scary stuff really started to happen.  What did she do?  She PICKED HIM UP.  That is huge for Chingu.  She manhandled him a lot before that and he accepted it but then she started by just picking up his back legs and he of course tried to bite.  He threw a tantrum and she just held firm, had his leash so he was corrected, and kept with it.  At first I could tell he was so scared and it just killed me but he accepted and did ok.  Then she tried picking up his front legs which he just did not like at all but the same thing as the back legs.  Then the moment of truth came and she picked him up!  He did try to bite and he wasn't a fan but he did it.  She then sat on a chair with him in her lap.  That was so weird to see.


I know that was really scary for him and Gina explained about when putting him down its like being up on a roof and you can't see the ladder so someone is guiding your leg onto that step and you're trusting in them to correctly place your food on that ladder.  Well Chingu of course has trust issues and its just terrifying for him but he did it and he was picked up a couple of times and each time he got a little better.  Thats the thing about Chingu.  He has to try something new, he pitches a fit, learns he wont die from it, and then he's better about it. 


Gina said he really is trying and he is.  He has come so far and he amazes me everyday.  His resilience and ability to learn and start to trust in people again just impresses me so much and I'm just the proudest dog mom.


Now for the hard part.  I have to start getting in there and pushing Chingu's buttons and I know the time is coming where he's going to try and bite me.  Chingu has nipped me in the past but no bites, but I'm going to have to work on picking him up.  I can tell Chingu is starting to have pain in his hips and I know the day is coming when a situation will arise and he'll need to be carried.  Working with him on this is probably going to mean one day we'll pass his comfort zone and he'll attempt a bite (I would never attempt this kind of training with him without a muzzle).  I've always been worried this will happen and it will change our relationship and how I feel about him.  I guess its hard to not take personally even though I know if he bites its not really personal.  So this week the hard work really begins but it needs to be done.  I might not be picking him up this week but I need to be working towards thats.


Anyways tomorrow night is our first group class.  We wont be participating, he'll just be watching for awhile but its a start and its just great we've made it this far.  When we started this journey and Gina talked about group classes and picking him up one day I thought it would never happen.  I honestly thought Chingu would never be allowed or able to handle a group class and here we are ready to be in the same room with all these other dogs in training.  He is super dog.

End Game

So tonight I attended group training class sans Chingu.  Trainer Gina suggested it just so I'd have an idea of what I'd be getting into and maybe I wouldn't be so nervous.  Every single session we have she has to remind me to breath and it can be hard to relax.  She said probably the first couple of classes she'd have to handle Chingu just to get him in line because he really feeds off my nervous energy.

Anyways it was very interesting and different handling dogs that aren't chomping at the bit to get at the other dogs, who like to be pet by strangers, and who are generally friendly.  It was like a whole new world and I think will be excellent practice for Chingu.

First all the dogs sat around in a circle, then they all had to do a down and stay.  Then we got up and we walked around the room while the dogs heeled.  Then we sat back down and all the dogs did down.  Then each dog had a chance to weave in and out between the other dogs while the others all stayed in a down.  Then we all just walked back and forth in the room heeling.  Then we played musical owners with us all switching dogs like 5 times.  Then back to the heeling, downs, sits a few more times.  Then we practiced stays and then finally the dogs were allowed to socialize.

I feel that Chingu could handle walking in a circle and sitting and down.  I, however, feel that I'd lose him when dogs started coming to sniff around and there's absolutely zero way we could play musical owners.  Although musical owners might be harder on me than on him.  I know once upon a time at the shelter different people walked him and he did live in two foster homes without any bites so I should give him more credit but its hard to let go.

Anyways it gives us a goal to shoot for.  I think if Chingu could successfully complete a class like that without incident I'd declare him successfully rehabbed.  That wouldn't mean cured or that I wouldn't still have to be vigilant but it would mean I could trust him a bit more.  Now he might not ever get there.  Musical owners is a big reach but who knows, you gotta reach for the stars.  When you start at the bottom you can only go up.

But the important thing I saw tonight is as nice as it was working friendly dogs I really missed Chingu.  Say what you will about him and I know he's scary to some but he's my little guy.  Chingu might not be for everyone but he's definitely for me and while sometimes his training is frustrating and hard I wouldn't trade him for anything.  I love that dog and he loves me.

Today we had a moment.  We've been working on him letting me handle his feet.  He'll usually just let me touch the tops of his feet or he'll very briefly put his paw in my hand (for .5 seconds).  But today he was laying on his chair and I was petting him and he let me keep my hand on his paw and then I tried gently holding it and he let me for a whole 5 minutes!  So we just sat there while I pet him with paw in hand.  It was so sweet and he laid his head down by mine and just closed his eyes.  Its moments like that that make it all worth it.

Terrible Tuesdays

So Tuesday came around again and this time I had to brave training on my own without mom in tow. This was session number 8 which is supposed to be the end of private classes. So how it works is I paid upfront for 8 sessions and once Chingu complete's the 8 he's allowed to attend group classes for free for as long as we want (6 months, 2 years, 7 years, whatever). Well he's not quite ready for that so the trainer is throwing in the 9th session for free and then each additional session is $30. My guess is we'll need somewhere between 4 to 6 additional sessions which is fine.

Anyways Trainer Gina is great but she will deliver the occasional leash correction which I have mixed feelings about: I'm a believer in clicker training, classical conditioning, and positive-only training. Everything I've read tell me leash corrections are not the answer, however, with Chingu I have seen results with him and Gina. I also feel that when he does something like he did last night and really went after this dog that a simple 'time-out' or turning away isn't really the answer to letting him know his behavior is inappropriate. But on the other hand I do not want him to associate leash correction = strange dog.

It's all a balance. Trainer Gina gets much more in his face and pushes his buttons more. Such as last session when she handled his feet. She just kind of went for it and he had to accept it. Part of it is she has 30 minutes to show me what I can work towards all week. I'm in no rush to hold Chingu's paw, so I can take all the time I want just touching his paw, clicking, and treating before I even begin to handle him. I've also seen that with Trainer Gina because she goes in with confidence and this attitude of 'try and bite me with the muzzle it wont work so I don't care' he usually responds and wont do it. Or he'll throw the temper tantrum once and then accept the touch. This I think is good for him because always at the next session he wont bite for the kind of touching she did in the previous session only new touches.  Also I actually think Chingu genuinely likes Gina despite her pushing his buttons and he's always happy to see her so as long as that continues and he's progressing I'm going to trust in her.

I also think that its important Chingu learns to handle loose or strange dogs or at least ignore them because already we've been approached by several off lead dogs and had a few very close calls. I'm all about giving him time and trying to counter-condition him, but due to the tons of people in our neighborhood who think its perfectly fine to allow their dog off lead I think its important to bring him up to speed sooner than later. I don't need Chingu to love other dogs or even like other dogs, I just need him to not attack with intent to kill and preferably ignore other dogs.

So anyways getting to the point. Trainer Gina brought out her awesomely trained German Shepherd who totally didn't respond to Chingu's several attempts to bite or intimidate. The thing is Chingu likes to sniff other dogs but if the other dog even thinks about sniffing him its on. He went after this dog 3 times and each time a leash correction was delivered. Now this is at the point where I'm thinking all this counter-conditioning work is going right out the window and I've just undone weeks of training. Well that is a risk with that but its not like the leash correction was delivered and then the dog left. Instead Chingu and the other dog were made to interact with each other so that Chingu saw if he allowed another dog to sniff his butt he would not die. In fact Trainer Gina made Chingu lay on top of the other dog and then had the other dog lay on top of Chingu and Chingu handled it remarkably well and then the two were able to lay down next to each other for several minutes without any problems.

Here the two are laying next to each other side by side.  So next week we're going to try this again and try him out with another dog and then slowly we're going to start incorporating him into group classes.  Tonight I'm going to observe a group class without him just so I can have an idea of what we're in for.  It should also help me relax because Chingu is very sensitive to my energy and the cues I give so when I'm nervous it makes him more nervous.

I do just want to emphasize here: I do not advocate leash corrections and I don't think thats the best way to go.  Trainer Gina is a trainer professional and I've seen enough results with Chingu that in this case I'm choosing to trust her but if I think for a moment its made him more reactive to dogs (which today on our walk he did just fine when seeing strange dogs) then it'll have to stop.  I also will never personally deliver a leash correction because I think thats best left up to the professional and I prefer to work with hot dogs and clickers only.  All dogs are different and some are very very sensitive and I think leash corrections can be very detrimental and I also think owners often deliver them in moments of frustration and anger which is totally the wrong way to handle them.  I only share the part about the leash corrections because I think its important to share details of the entirety of his journey even if they only play a small role in his journey.

I still believe that his behavior changes have been brought about largely through counter-conditioning with a clicker and treats and the positive touching Gina taught us about in our first session and the touching she does with him in his sessions.  But I'm very proud of the progress he's making and nervous/excited about his upcoming group classes.

Progress

So Chingu is making real progress. Every week we go to the trainers and every week he gets better. Sometimes though the trainer really does scare me. I dread every Tuesday at 7:30pm because I know its time to go to see Gina.

The thing about training is Gina really pushes his buttons. Each week she pushes and pushes and I know that at least once he'll bite. I absolutely hate seeing him like that but every single time the button she pushed the last week that made him bite if she does it the next week he accepts it and is fine.

But its hard to watch sometimes. He is just so sure that he's going to experience 'death by petting' and it breaks my heart. I hate that he thinks most human hands will bring him pain or discomfort and I hate to think of what his former life must have been like to make him think like that. But he's getting better and learning that touch is a good thing and if he'll just accept it he might actually enjoy himself.

This Tuesday he only tried to bite once and that was when Gina went to touch his butt. He's not a fan of that but as she said who really is? But once he settled down he actually enjoyed his butt massage. He also allowed her to handle his feet (not happily but allowed it) and wag his tail.

We've also started to visit the park and to see him now and think of what he was like just 9 weeks ago is amazing. When we used to walk and we'd see other dogs he was a barking, lunging beast who didn't care if I waived a steak in front of his face he could not be calmed down. He pulled constantly and walked nicely only when he felt like it. A big part of that is my fault because I allowed this in Korea but here there are too many dogs.

Now Chingu knows the command 'heel' and while if he sees ducks or squirrels he still wont listen the first time but he will respond. In addition he can now sit calmly and quietly while other dogs pass by and today he even did a 'down' while one passed by! Of course I am stuffing his face with hot dogs the whole time, but who cares?!

He's also started to learn on his own if he hears a dog bark to not respond but give me a 'watch me' and I've noticed now that even with dogs coming near-by or if something is coming up thats going to make him uncomfortable he'll look to me which I of course immediately click and reward. But this is huge that he's starting to look to me for guidance in these situations. Part of his problem in being fear-aggressive is he's afraid and he feels the need to protect himself. I need him to realize that if I'm present he doesn't need to be afraid and that I'll protect him. He's had to fight for survival alone long enough in this world its time for him to retire and leave that job up to me.

We still have a long way to go and Chingu will always need training and reinforcement to help him with his problems but I am super proud of him. He's come so far in such a short amount of time. When this all started I wasn't sure if I was up to the task of helping him. I didn't know if he could be helped or if I was capable enough but I feel more confident about his 'rehab' and more confident in my ability to guide him through this.