Elda's Progress - A Chimkin in the Hand...

Elda has been with us for 9 days now, and we're still taking it very slowly with her. Any progress we see is from her own initiative. She still barks if I go near, but not as  intensely as when she first arrived. She is taking treats out of my hand now - which is fantastic. This gradual improvement as she gets used to her new and me, is just what we want to see,

Debbie Hill

Chairman of the GSD Welfare Fund

You can help fund Elda's rehabilitation by sponsoring her or our other dogs in our long term care here - https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/sponsor-our-dogs.html

Elda Meets Dickie and Elda's Sponsorship Now Available

It was a cautious introduction and we kept plenty of space between them so as not to cause alarm. There's no rush here to force a result. We let Elda gain confidence at her own pace, and become used to being around other dogs.

"Dickie Hill here pupstars and I've been on a very important mission! I've been an assistance dog as part of the new dog, Elda's rehabilitation. Mum knew I would be the best dog for this. Calm under pressure and with my attention not focused on her- my behaviour kept Elda calm. Besides, delicious treats will always be the number  one priority. Until next time everyone! 🐾🐾🐾"

As well as Elda's steady progress so far, we're also pleased to announce that Elda can be now be sponsored directly. Visit our sponsoring page to sponsor her and some of our long term residents now - https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/sponsor-our-dogs.html

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Dickie's Diary - Four on the Floor

Hello pupsters. It’s Dickie here. I hope you are all getting lots of treats for being  good. My mum told me what a good boy I am this morning. I love being told that - it makes me so excited!   

It was a bit of a strange play time. The sun shone brightly, and spring smelt strong and fresh in the air. Well, that’s not quite true as I'm sure the springs were in my legs. I almost bounced, so full of energy and fun, and I really wanted to start a game with mum. She obviously didn’t feel the same as she didn’t join in. In fact she wanted to know if I'd eaten jumping beans for breakfast. How silly is that?  She knows what I'd eaten for breakfast!  

She then changed her mind, and we started playing a different game. Mum called it "Four on the Floor". We have played it before from time to time, but not as much as we did this morning. Mum is crafty though, as she didn’t tell me the rules. I still wanted to play spring legs, although I soon realised that wasn't how to play this game.

It always worried me when mum didn't respond. It's OK though, as I knew it meant that I needed to use my cleverness and discover what she expected me to do. I soon worked out that when I wasn’t jumping up I got a treat or fuss.  

What not as exciting as playing spring legs, the treats tasted yummy and more than made up for it.  I tried sneaking in the odd jump, but the treats immediately stopped. Such a shame. So I sopped jumping again, and the treats resumed. And before I knew it, mum stopped instructing me and I'd learned the rules. Mum seems to like this game, so I'm sure she'll want to play again. Next time I'll earn more tastiness as I know the rules. It's almost too easy!  

Lots of love Dickie 🐾🐾🐾

Elda's Progress in 'Baby' Steps

Elda continues to make progress at her own pace, and is looking “softer”, but there's still a ways to go. When I say ”progress”, I don't mean that she's running up for a fuss, and I haven’t attempted to touch her. However, she didn’t bark at me this morning as I let her out. 

In fact, she ran by me to get in the run. Until now, she's waited for me to leave  before venturing out. She still does a really sad cry., but also enjoys her enrichment activities. These have to be kept simple as it appears she's never been taught how to interact with them. Lickie mats are obviously easy but I have to put the treats on top of the snuffle mat. If you hide it she doesn’t seem to grasp it. Kongs she gets the bits that are easy access and doesn’t seem to know how to navigate the insides. She loves food so it’s not that she isn’t motivated by it. 

I honestly think it's because she’s so shut down, a not unexpected response to how she's been forced to live for past two years.

 

Use of the clicker, and tossing the treats away gives her the choice to come back. Again we move at her pace, allow her develop her confidence, and how she responds.

This morning I remained outside the run, and she responded well by coming closer to investigate. Being careful not to present my hand, I offered the tube of tasty treats and again responded well by investigating and taking some treats.

The fact that she doesn't advance, but backs away usually means that she should be easier to work with. It’s heartbreaking to see her so confused, and unsure, but it's still early days and we'll get there with baby steps. 

Keep up to date of Elda's progress via these links:

• A Very Special Welcome to Elda
• Elda's First Day
  
• Elda's First Weekend
  
• Elda's Progress in 'Baby' Steps

Debbie Hill

GSD Welfare Fund Chairman

Behavioural Topic - Problem Behaviour?

Lisa Hird's latest article looks at when problem behaviours are actually problems or not, by knowing your dog and examining the context.

Lisa Hird is an experienced and qualified behavioural expert and you can find out more about her services on her website - https://www.dogbehaviourclinic.co.uk/

We now also have an archive for all of our articles which can be found here - https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

Problem Behaviour?

I posted up these images on my own personal Facebook page a few years back. The bed was chewed by one of my own senior dogs. Comments that followed were all humorous and in keeping with what I intended. The behaviour was not a problem to me. It is very typical of the way she played - pouncing, digging, ripping, and “shredding and deading!”

She had some typical terrier traits. Terriers, whether they be Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier or any other kind of terrier often enjoy:

• Digging - she dug her bed, our bed, and covers on the sofa
• Barking - yep, she enjoyed barking for sure
• Pouncing, ripping and shredding type play - she always loved pouncing on toys and ripping them to shreds

It occurred to me that we often talk about problem behaviours in dogs, and these form the bulk of my work as a behaviourist. This shredding and deading of a dog bed could be identified as a problem behaviour, and often is!

But who is the behaviour a problem for? It certainly wasn't a problem for her - it is part of her natural behaviour repertoire. She thoroughly enjoyed pulling out the stuffing and slept soundly afterwards! It might well be a problem behaviour for an owner though - dog beds aren't cheap!

So what can we do?

Dogs have various natural behaviours and preventing them from displaying these goes directly against welfare. Does that mean we should let dogs rip up all the dog beds? Not at all. Instead, we must look for alternative ways to direct these natural behaviours:

A dog that digs up flower beds - could have a sandpit or a specific area where he is permitted to dig.

A dog that enjoys ripping up toys - could have a cardboard box to be shredded or a selection of safe stuffed toys purchased from a charity shop.

A dog that scavenges and raids the bin - could have his dinner scattered, hidden around the garden or given in interactive food toys.

It is our responsibility as their owners to understand their needs and their natural behaviours, and provide opportunities that are acceptable to us, while meeting those needs.

The “dead” bed

This is one of the reasons I always talk about enrichment opportunities and using scent games.

In respect of my little one ripping up the bed - well that was my own fault. I knew there was a tiny hole in it and hadn't sewn up the hole. Consequently, she had spotted a tiny bit of white fluff sticking out, so she did what came naturally to her - shredded and deaded it!

Discover other informative and useful articles not only concerning GSDs, but for other breeds here -  https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

Elda's First Weekend

 

Saturday and Sunday were spent pretty much the same with me tossing treats into her run every time I passed. Lots of enrichment was kept in her run to help keep her mind and body occupied. Her barking has continued to reduce when she sees me, but instead gives a low, sad cry. 

Elda's body language remains still, quite stiff, and fearful. When released into her run this morning, she gave the “sad cry”, but went straight to her snuffle mat that Auntie Mary sent. She’s continued eating all her meals, her appetite not affected by the change in her circumstances should be a positive sign. Even with all the enrichment I've provided her attention was spent mostly watching what is going on. 

It's still early days, but Elda's doing great. 💖

Keep up to date of Elda's progress via these links:

• A Very Special Welcome to Elda
• Elda's First Day
  
• Elda's First Weekend
  
• Elda's Progress in 'Baby' Steps

Debby Hill

GSD Welfare Fund Chairman