Today the senior women were out. Amy and Harriet were first, joined by mom and Betty. I decided to go out earlier than usual since Betty was out, though Amy went home by the time I went out. Gerald brought Hershey soon after and Harriet went over to talk to him about some possible business or something.
Anyway, I went up the street and Reina was out with Miki and Shammy. Kimo started breathing heavy and seemed ready to erupt. So I turned him away and he reacted badly as I turned him away. Like a kicking and screaming child throwing a tantrum. I think turning him away while he wanted to go the other way might have made matters worse. So it's a no-win scenario.
This afternoon, Koa was being taken for one of his infrequent walks. I don't know the neighbor's name that was walking him, but he's kind of a burly muscular guy. I think that was his wife with him, don't know her name either. And a bunch of neighborhood kids. Don't know their name either.
Anyway, Keith and Kimo were going wild. I was going to let him be in the back, but when they returned unexpectedly, I decided to take Kimo out. Also unexpectedly Pat had taken Keith out too. Kimo went wild, but this time instead of turning back, I held him tightly until he calmed down. Meanwhile Koa was made to sit and seemed to be behaving well. That's a good sign.
Then I followed the group up the road, trying to control Kimo. It was kind of like when I first met Miki and Shammy. I would follow them and eventually caught up with them. Then after doing this every day for a few weeks, Kimo stopped reacting and even became friendly to them.
Tragically Harold passed away. Harold kept Miki and a short leash and would hit her on the head when she misbehaved. While I don't recommend hitting dogs, this would keep her in control. And often Miki and Kimo would walk side-by-side sometimes even bumping each other like two ships going parallel in narrow channel. Unfortunately, I can't do that with Reina since she lets Miki out on a loose leash and lets her walk in front.
Anyway, lately Kimo has been acting up when he sees Miki. (Though, strangely he doesn't do so when Miki's behind her fence. Though he shies away from the fence and doesn't want to go close.) So I'm wondering what I should do. Should I continue to turn away? Or engage like I used to. I'm thinking I should engage now. When he acts up, I'll need to turn him away and hold him tightly until he calms. The problem is that sometimes Miki acts up too. And sometimes Kimo goes really out of control into the red zone. So I dunno.
[5/9/08] Dunbar suggests teaching the command, "GENTLY," which can be useful in diverting dogs from a fight. "SIT" and "OFF" are also important commands. It is important to be able to redirect your dog's attention to you -- and thus away from another dog who may be engaging in challenging eye contact and aggressive or otherwise undesirable behaviors. [I guess that's what I'll try to do. Redirect him to me. If you call turning him in a different direction redirecting :)]
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Fat Cat
Another thing that happened on today's walk was that Kimo wanted to go up Max's driveway. The fat cat was near the car of the back house instead of at Max's house.
I let Kimo up a little ways and the cat started walking down. So I let Kimo approach him. He slightly circled to the right. But the cat started looking apprehensive and pawed Kimo when he got in range. I was little surprised that Kimo didn't act back. But I didn't want to take a chance and took him away to continue the walk.
I let Kimo up a little ways and the cat started walking down. So I let Kimo approach him. He slightly circled to the right. But the cat started looking apprehensive and pawed Kimo when he got in range. I was little surprised that Kimo didn't act back. But I didn't want to take a chance and took him away to continue the walk.
Calm-Assertive
Calm-assertive is of course one of the catch phrases of Cesar Millan.
Today I happened to catch part of the Greta-Hoss episode. The owners asked will the dog eventually learn? Cesar replied. Eventually you learn. If you learn to become calm-assertive, they will become calm-submissive. There is no other way.
If he threw in a "grasshopper" in there, it would have been complete.
So this morning I worked on my calm-assertive energy. It's almost like working on your chi. Kimo was growling around the corner. I went next to him but he was still growling. So I figured maybe he couldn't see me. So I went in front of him, went down the side of the house to look in the front, saw nothing, walked back confidently and shushed him back from the corner. Later I saw him lying down relaxed on the slab.
To me, to move assertively is to move like Michael Jordan. He would trot light-footedly on the court, almost like a dance. Currently, Kobe's footwork is somewhat similar. Another one with a similar type of movement was Bruce Lee. He was also very light footed. Probably influenced by the fact that he was a cha-cha champion. And of course, they were both very confident, on the edge of being cocky. Or maybe over the edge.
I recently got the Kung Fu Season 1 DVD set (which was on sale at Amazon.com, come to think of it, I bought it with the NBA Legends DVD which featured Michael Jordan). On the first episode, Caine calms down a horse. When I think of Kwai Chang Caine, (beside the kung fu), I think of calm. I'd say he's the epitome of calm. But with inner strength.
Cesar of course is another good example. His walk can best be described as confident.
So if you combine the energy of Cesar Millan, Michael Jordan, Bruce Lee, and Kwai Chang Caine, you might wind up with a calm-submissive dog.
Anyway, today I tried to walk more confidently. And the walk went fairly well. I walked in short sections past Keith and he remained silent. A couple of times, Kimo wanted to look over and I just tugged the leash to turn his head back.
The only thing that went wrong was that a emergency medical vehicle (pseudo-ambulance) went to the Wong's house. When they first passed, I turned Kimo into somebody's driveway and away. But when the vehicle parked, I was forced to pass them. Kimo kind of acted up, but I corrected him a couple of times while continuing to walk.
Now that I think about it, he did act up when coming back from the Hayashidas. I don't know what it was, but I saw Flores in the distance, so maybe it was her. But he usually doesn't react to her much at all. Maybe she was wearing something different. Or maybe he just forgot.
After that it was food fetch on the steps which went fairly well. Though he missed going once. So I did one more and he got both of them. So I figured I'd quit while I was ahead.
Today I happened to catch part of the Greta-Hoss episode. The owners asked will the dog eventually learn? Cesar replied. Eventually you learn. If you learn to become calm-assertive, they will become calm-submissive. There is no other way.
If he threw in a "grasshopper" in there, it would have been complete.
So this morning I worked on my calm-assertive energy. It's almost like working on your chi. Kimo was growling around the corner. I went next to him but he was still growling. So I figured maybe he couldn't see me. So I went in front of him, went down the side of the house to look in the front, saw nothing, walked back confidently and shushed him back from the corner. Later I saw him lying down relaxed on the slab.
To me, to move assertively is to move like Michael Jordan. He would trot light-footedly on the court, almost like a dance. Currently, Kobe's footwork is somewhat similar. Another one with a similar type of movement was Bruce Lee. He was also very light footed. Probably influenced by the fact that he was a cha-cha champion. And of course, they were both very confident, on the edge of being cocky. Or maybe over the edge.
I recently got the Kung Fu Season 1 DVD set (which was on sale at Amazon.com, come to think of it, I bought it with the NBA Legends DVD which featured Michael Jordan). On the first episode, Caine calms down a horse. When I think of Kwai Chang Caine, (beside the kung fu), I think of calm. I'd say he's the epitome of calm. But with inner strength.
Cesar of course is another good example. His walk can best be described as confident.
So if you combine the energy of Cesar Millan, Michael Jordan, Bruce Lee, and Kwai Chang Caine, you might wind up with a calm-submissive dog.
Anyway, today I tried to walk more confidently. And the walk went fairly well. I walked in short sections past Keith and he remained silent. A couple of times, Kimo wanted to look over and I just tugged the leash to turn his head back.
The only thing that went wrong was that a emergency medical vehicle (pseudo-ambulance) went to the Wong's house. When they first passed, I turned Kimo into somebody's driveway and away. But when the vehicle parked, I was forced to pass them. Kimo kind of acted up, but I corrected him a couple of times while continuing to walk.
Now that I think about it, he did act up when coming back from the Hayashidas. I don't know what it was, but I saw Flores in the distance, so maybe it was her. But he usually doesn't react to her much at all. Maybe she was wearing something different. Or maybe he just forgot.
After that it was food fetch on the steps which went fairly well. Though he missed going once. So I did one more and he got both of them. So I figured I'd quit while I was ahead.
Chasing Koa
Today [4/28] Koa was loose again and Keith and Kimo were barking. Koa was up the road, on the side toward his his house. I decided to let Kimo loose and see what he would do. Reason would tell me that they wouldn't fight since they're both fearful dogs. But my reasoning doesn't always work that well with Kimo. I was hopeful that maybe they would end sniffing each other or something.
So what did Kimo do? Instead of chasing Koa (like he did briefly last time I let him loose when he was near the fire hydrant), he ran instead across the street to the Fong's house and went down the stairs. For some reason, he seems to like to go there. Actually it's a pretty nice place for a dog with nice grass and lots of plants and stuff. And it's enclosed except for the two stairways on each side of the house.
Anyway, he sniffed at the entrance to the lower floor (it's like a big laundry room), but didn't go in and proceeded to go in the back. Mr. Fong was back there and I guess he was surprised. Luckily he didn't try to pet him. I grabbed his leash and escorted Kimo back up the steps. No mishaps except for a pee on some object in the garage. I sprayed it and hoped nobody noticed.
Anyway, I took their newspaper and bottles down to Lanakila. I asked about the bottles and they were more than agreeable. (I guess that's why the bottles were outside next to the paper.) So we still seem on good terms.
So what did Kimo do? Instead of chasing Koa (like he did briefly last time I let him loose when he was near the fire hydrant), he ran instead across the street to the Fong's house and went down the stairs. For some reason, he seems to like to go there. Actually it's a pretty nice place for a dog with nice grass and lots of plants and stuff. And it's enclosed except for the two stairways on each side of the house.
Anyway, he sniffed at the entrance to the lower floor (it's like a big laundry room), but didn't go in and proceeded to go in the back. Mr. Fong was back there and I guess he was surprised. Luckily he didn't try to pet him. I grabbed his leash and escorted Kimo back up the steps. No mishaps except for a pee on some object in the garage. I sprayed it and hoped nobody noticed.
Anyway, I took their newspaper and bottles down to Lanakila. I asked about the bottles and they were more than agreeable. (I guess that's why the bottles were outside next to the paper.) So we still seem on good terms.
A Garden Fence?
I'm looking to build a fence in the back so Kimo doesn't have to be chained all the time back there.
Chain link seems pretty labor intensive. So does a wooden fence. So I'm thinking maybe putting up a garden fence. That should be enough to keep Kimo in, since the flimsy temporary fence in front of the garage seems to be working (except for the few times Kimo knocked it over when he got excited when Donna comes over). It might not work for Hershey since he figured how to push the "gate" open to get out. Hope Kimo wasn't watching.
Doing a quick search on the internet, I came to gardenfence.com and they have a section on light-duty pet fences. A 3-1/2 foot high x 50 foot fence kit costs $169.00 (deluxe $189). 6 foot x 50 foot costs $295. (This last one looks the same as their deer fence. Acutally it's the same product but they market it for difference uses.)
That's a lot cheaper than chain link. And installation looks much easier. No digging holes and pouring concrete. You just pound the stakes into the ground. I think a chain link gate alone would cost as much as (or more than) the whole kit. Plus they say it installs in about 30 minutes. So maybe 3 or 4 hours for me.
Here's a review. Sounds promising to me.
Chain link seems pretty labor intensive. So does a wooden fence. So I'm thinking maybe putting up a garden fence. That should be enough to keep Kimo in, since the flimsy temporary fence in front of the garage seems to be working (except for the few times Kimo knocked it over when he got excited when Donna comes over). It might not work for Hershey since he figured how to push the "gate" open to get out. Hope Kimo wasn't watching.
Doing a quick search on the internet, I came to gardenfence.com and they have a section on light-duty pet fences. A 3-1/2 foot high x 50 foot fence kit costs $169.00 (deluxe $189). 6 foot x 50 foot costs $295. (This last one looks the same as their deer fence. Acutally it's the same product but they market it for difference uses.)
That's a lot cheaper than chain link. And installation looks much easier. No digging holes and pouring concrete. You just pound the stakes into the ground. I think a chain link gate alone would cost as much as (or more than) the whole kit. Plus they say it installs in about 30 minutes. So maybe 3 or 4 hours for me.
Here's a review. Sounds promising to me.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Calming Signals
Amazon periodically emails me recommended items based on items that I have purchased from them in the past. On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals is one of them (recommended because I bought a used copy of Don't Shoot The Dog).
It gets a lot of enthusiastic reviews. Even Lee Charles Kelley gives it three stars. Three stars from him is like five stars from anybody else. I don't remember him giving any book more than three stars other than Natural Dog Training and Playtraining Your Dog.
I think I do a little of it now. I learned from Cesar to approach from the side rather than from head on. That's what I do with Kimo and how I am sometimes able to get close to Koa when he's loose. Yawning I believe was mentioned by McConnell though she said it could mean one of several things. I don't see it in The Other End of the Leash, so maybe it's in For The Love of a Dog. I notice Kimo often yawns after I call him back after he's been barking from the side of the house and have him sit. I interpret as him trying to relieve his tension. Maybe I should try it myself. Like taking a deep breath.
The author, Turid Rugaas, has a website, and an article called Calming Signals - The Art of Survival. I don't know because I don't have the book. But it sure looks like a lot of the material in the book is in this article. I might get the book for more details. And for the author to get her $1 cut or whatever if I buy the book.
Reading the article, I see that one of the signals is Walking Slowly. I notice this with Keith. If I walk briskly, I notice that Keith tends to bark more. And if I walk slowly and carefully, Keith sometimes doesn't bark at all. Like trying not to trip the motion sensor in the movie Sneakers (one of my favorite movies).
[4/28] Today while doing the slow walk past Keith, I notice that he licked his tongue. I guess that's a good sign. That was the second try. The first try going up, Keith barked and Kimo acted up.
[5/9/08] Here's another article on calming signals
[6/5/20] Lee Charles Kelley with his take (psychobabble?) on calming signals
It gets a lot of enthusiastic reviews. Even Lee Charles Kelley gives it three stars. Three stars from him is like five stars from anybody else. I don't remember him giving any book more than three stars other than Natural Dog Training and Playtraining Your Dog.
I think I do a little of it now. I learned from Cesar to approach from the side rather than from head on. That's what I do with Kimo and how I am sometimes able to get close to Koa when he's loose. Yawning I believe was mentioned by McConnell though she said it could mean one of several things. I don't see it in The Other End of the Leash, so maybe it's in For The Love of a Dog. I notice Kimo often yawns after I call him back after he's been barking from the side of the house and have him sit. I interpret as him trying to relieve his tension. Maybe I should try it myself. Like taking a deep breath.
The author, Turid Rugaas, has a website, and an article called Calming Signals - The Art of Survival. I don't know because I don't have the book. But it sure looks like a lot of the material in the book is in this article. I might get the book for more details. And for the author to get her $1 cut or whatever if I buy the book.
Reading the article, I see that one of the signals is Walking Slowly. I notice this with Keith. If I walk briskly, I notice that Keith tends to bark more. And if I walk slowly and carefully, Keith sometimes doesn't bark at all. Like trying not to trip the motion sensor in the movie Sneakers (one of my favorite movies).
[4/28] Today while doing the slow walk past Keith, I notice that he licked his tongue. I guess that's a good sign. That was the second try. The first try going up, Keith barked and Kimo acted up.
[5/9/08] Here's another article on calming signals
[6/5/20] Lee Charles Kelley with his take (psychobabble?) on calming signals
Koa^2
This (Sunday) morning Keith was barking at something and naturally Kimo had to join in. So I went in the front and looked and saw Koa up the road, heading home.
I grabbed the leash and went up the road, he kind of paused when he saw me. But then proceeded on his way.
When I took Kimo for his morning walk, not long after, Koa was in his neighbor's yard which is partially fenced in. I managed to coax him close enough to put the leash on him. All the while, Kimo kept his distance. He didn't act friendly, but at least he wasn't barking and growling at him.
The idea was to walk them together to get them used to each other. Kimo walked about normally, though maybe a little more tense due to the unfamiliar situation. Koa was kind of pulling and I tugged and released numerous time to only very short success.
Coming back, the pulling was a little more pronounced. I think he wanted to go home. When he got to his house, I stopped on the driveway and noticed that Koa's tail was between his legs. So he was fearful of the whole situation. I kind of straightend out his tail and took off the leash. Koa went to the front door but couldn't get in. Then he went to the fence that he usually goes under. But it's like now he couldn't fit under. So he went back to the door and I opened it to let him in. Kimo was pretty much a bystander with all this and he went along with it with no incident as I could tell.
On the way back, I stopped by Big Koa. He gets excited when he sees me and jumps up on the fence. I had the Big Bonz treat (or whatever you call it). So I got him to sit down and tried to make him stay and calm down before I would give it to him. I did that a couple of times. Kimo doesn't like big dogs and growled on (I think) three different occassions. But he wasn't out of control as I when I heard the growl, I pointed for him to sit and he did so.
I suppose this was a successful walk. Although we have one fearful dog, one excited dog, and I guess another fearful dog (Kimo).
I grabbed the leash and went up the road, he kind of paused when he saw me. But then proceeded on his way.
When I took Kimo for his morning walk, not long after, Koa was in his neighbor's yard which is partially fenced in. I managed to coax him close enough to put the leash on him. All the while, Kimo kept his distance. He didn't act friendly, but at least he wasn't barking and growling at him.
The idea was to walk them together to get them used to each other. Kimo walked about normally, though maybe a little more tense due to the unfamiliar situation. Koa was kind of pulling and I tugged and released numerous time to only very short success.
Coming back, the pulling was a little more pronounced. I think he wanted to go home. When he got to his house, I stopped on the driveway and noticed that Koa's tail was between his legs. So he was fearful of the whole situation. I kind of straightend out his tail and took off the leash. Koa went to the front door but couldn't get in. Then he went to the fence that he usually goes under. But it's like now he couldn't fit under. So he went back to the door and I opened it to let him in. Kimo was pretty much a bystander with all this and he went along with it with no incident as I could tell.
On the way back, I stopped by Big Koa. He gets excited when he sees me and jumps up on the fence. I had the Big Bonz treat (or whatever you call it). So I got him to sit down and tried to make him stay and calm down before I would give it to him. I did that a couple of times. Kimo doesn't like big dogs and growled on (I think) three different occassions. But he wasn't out of control as I when I heard the growl, I pointed for him to sit and he did so.
I suppose this was a successful walk. Although we have one fearful dog, one excited dog, and I guess another fearful dog (Kimo).
Saturday, April 26, 2008
staying positive
I remember both Cesar and Silverman saying that you should end the session with success.
I'm trying to do this with the come. Kimo barked a couple of times, but came readily. I coaxed him back to the area between the chair and doghouse. And when he said, I praised and petted him somewhat lavishly. The hope is that he'll come more and more readily despite stronger stimuli (like Keith outside).
I guess that made us feel good. Temporarily anyway.
Later on, I took Kimo out and saw Keith and Pat coming out. We were coming down and I left the leash loose so Kimo could lead. He went to the driveway and into the garage. So I took him to the back of the garage and waited until Keith passed.
Then we went up the hill toward Melinda's place and stayed at a distance as Pat walked Keith (or vice-versa). After Keith finished, I slowly led him back with no problem.
All seemed well, but then Nalu's mom (I think that's his mom) came walking with Nalu's son. And Koa came loose again. Come to think of it, the Sakuda kids were out with David. All of them led to barking. But Pat let Keith bark, while I tried to quiet Kimo.
Press on.
I'm trying to do this with the come. Kimo barked a couple of times, but came readily. I coaxed him back to the area between the chair and doghouse. And when he said, I praised and petted him somewhat lavishly. The hope is that he'll come more and more readily despite stronger stimuli (like Keith outside).
I guess that made us feel good. Temporarily anyway.
Later on, I took Kimo out and saw Keith and Pat coming out. We were coming down and I left the leash loose so Kimo could lead. He went to the driveway and into the garage. So I took him to the back of the garage and waited until Keith passed.
Then we went up the hill toward Melinda's place and stayed at a distance as Pat walked Keith (or vice-versa). After Keith finished, I slowly led him back with no problem.
All seemed well, but then Nalu's mom (I think that's his mom) came walking with Nalu's son. And Koa came loose again. Come to think of it, the Sakuda kids were out with David. All of them led to barking. But Pat let Keith bark, while I tried to quiet Kimo.
Press on.
sit Koa
This happened on Tuesday. After I took Oliver home, I saw Koa's gate open. I went in and he jumped on me. I turned and got him to sit for food a few times. But the guy's so big he scratched my side right through my tee-shirt.
Well maybe I'll get to try this again one day.
Well maybe I'll get to try this again one day.
the snowman
Kimo has a snowman toy that he rarely plays with. In fact, he very rarely plays with any of his toys. But today (4/21) he pulled it down from the roof of his doghouse and brought it inside.
Don't know why. But I found it curious. Maybe he's getting his prey instinct back a bit.
Don't know why. But I found it curious. Maybe he's getting his prey instinct back a bit.
the hothouse slab
I don't know if Kimo is the swiftest thinker. Something might be wrong with his brain.
Sometimes he goes on the hothouse slab and seems stuck there. I have to go up and lead him down the steps. Maybe he's just scared to come down since those two steps are kind of steep and he doesn't want to jump down.
Or maybe he just ain't that smart. I guess it doesn't matter. I just have to cope with the situation.
Sometimes he goes on the hothouse slab and seems stuck there. I have to go up and lead him down the steps. Maybe he's just scared to come down since those two steps are kind of steep and he doesn't want to jump down.
Or maybe he just ain't that smart. I guess it doesn't matter. I just have to cope with the situation.
Friday, April 25, 2008
hats
I took Kimo and Hershey for their morning walk. Kimo lately doesn't want to play despite Hershey's efforts. So Hershey seems kind of disappointed and doesn't seem to try as hard (or maybe I'm just imagining this).
Kimo pooped while Hershey peed at the Flores. Hershey was kind of pulling. It was probably because he wanted to poop (why didn't he poop at the Flores?) And he went at Betty's yard. After that, Hershey walked pretty well.
No reaction from any of the dogs while passing Koa. Kimo and Hershey didn't even look.
Keith was quiet as I greeted him when he popped his head to the window. Again no reaction.
Melinda drives by shielding her eyes from the sun. I think she's avoiding me since she greets Reina and not me. Well, as long as she don't call the cops again I guess.
Kimo goes poop again at Hayashida. So all seemed to be going well, but then they spotted Mrs. Iha coming out in her yard. Kimo barked or growled. And I know Hershey definitely howled. I pulled back to the Ito curb and sat down. I tried to get Kimo to sit by touching his hind and he kind of snapped. I pulled up so as not to get bitten. Then waited until he was calmer.
Then we proceeded OK.
Usually Kimo has no problems with Mrs. Iha. But not all of the time, especially if she comes close to him at our house. This time, I think the dogs were spooked because she was wearing a large hat which she usually doesn't wear.
That reminds me of the story in one of Patricia McConnell's books where the dog barked because the owner was wearing a parka. I can't find it in The Other End of the Leash (which I bought), so maybe it's in For The Love of a Dog (which I borrowed from the library).
Kimo pooped while Hershey peed at the Flores. Hershey was kind of pulling. It was probably because he wanted to poop (why didn't he poop at the Flores?) And he went at Betty's yard. After that, Hershey walked pretty well.
No reaction from any of the dogs while passing Koa. Kimo and Hershey didn't even look.
Keith was quiet as I greeted him when he popped his head to the window. Again no reaction.
Melinda drives by shielding her eyes from the sun. I think she's avoiding me since she greets Reina and not me. Well, as long as she don't call the cops again I guess.
Kimo goes poop again at Hayashida. So all seemed to be going well, but then they spotted Mrs. Iha coming out in her yard. Kimo barked or growled. And I know Hershey definitely howled. I pulled back to the Ito curb and sat down. I tried to get Kimo to sit by touching his hind and he kind of snapped. I pulled up so as not to get bitten. Then waited until he was calmer.
Then we proceeded OK.
Usually Kimo has no problems with Mrs. Iha. But not all of the time, especially if she comes close to him at our house. This time, I think the dogs were spooked because she was wearing a large hat which she usually doesn't wear.
That reminds me of the story in one of Patricia McConnell's books where the dog barked because the owner was wearing a parka. I can't find it in The Other End of the Leash (which I bought), so maybe it's in For The Love of a Dog (which I borrowed from the library).
Kimo and Paco
Kimo generally doesn't like cats and barks at them when they come in range of the house. But he gets along with Paco. Or maybe it's vice-versa. Paco is used to dogs because since he's lived with Mochi and Fifi since he was a kitten.
Paco comes up to Kimo and headbutts his chest which is kind of a funny sight to see. Then he lies down and Kimo smells him. There was that one time that Paco started pawing him too much and Kimo went after him. But that was the only time and Paco came back the next time with no fear. (He does seem to know not to come around when I have Hershey with me.) I pull Kimo away after a little while just in case. But I think once or twice, I just left the leash loose and he or Paco just would walk away after a little while.
The other cat Kimo seems to get along with is a fat cat that lives at Max's house. This cat doesn't come to him, but doesn't run away when Kimo comes to him. I've let him go over and sniff a couple of times.
Kimo is kind of neutral to Katherine's cat. He usually passes by without much reaction. Though once in a while, he seems to kind of want to go after him/her. Hershey is another story. He doesn't react well to cats (though he seems to be getting better with Paco). And when Hershey reacts (usually by howling), Kimo sometimes gets wild.
Other than those, Kimo doesn't like cats. Though there was the time when he was barking at a cat lying on the stonewall at Pat's place. After I calmed him down, he seemed to tolerate the cat even though the cat just lay there for quite a while.
Lately there's been a cat behind the fence on AOP's side. Kimo don't like that and sometimes would go up on the hothouse slab. A couple of times, mom would clap to try to scare the cat away. But the only one who got scared was Kimo and he went a bit wild both times.
Paco comes up to Kimo and headbutts his chest which is kind of a funny sight to see. Then he lies down and Kimo smells him. There was that one time that Paco started pawing him too much and Kimo went after him. But that was the only time and Paco came back the next time with no fear. (He does seem to know not to come around when I have Hershey with me.) I pull Kimo away after a little while just in case. But I think once or twice, I just left the leash loose and he or Paco just would walk away after a little while.
The other cat Kimo seems to get along with is a fat cat that lives at Max's house. This cat doesn't come to him, but doesn't run away when Kimo comes to him. I've let him go over and sniff a couple of times.
Kimo is kind of neutral to Katherine's cat. He usually passes by without much reaction. Though once in a while, he seems to kind of want to go after him/her. Hershey is another story. He doesn't react well to cats (though he seems to be getting better with Paco). And when Hershey reacts (usually by howling), Kimo sometimes gets wild.
Other than those, Kimo doesn't like cats. Though there was the time when he was barking at a cat lying on the stonewall at Pat's place. After I calmed him down, he seemed to tolerate the cat even though the cat just lay there for quite a while.
Lately there's been a cat behind the fence on AOP's side. Kimo don't like that and sometimes would go up on the hothouse slab. A couple of times, mom would clap to try to scare the cat away. But the only one who got scared was Kimo and he went a bit wild both times.
Where does Kimo sleep?
Usually Kimo sleeps in his doghouse. But lately he's been sleeping in the dirt area in the afternoon. I guess it's been hot, and it's cool over there. Actually he used to sleep there all the time, but I moved him to the garage when we had a wet spell and he got used to sleeping in the doghouse.
But then, I started moving him in the back after Melinda complained that he would wake her up when he barked at the Advertiser van in the early morning.
The difference this time is that I faced the opening of the doghouse toward the door (instead of away). I think he feels more secure this way because he can look and see the back door and the light coming from the house. With this arrangement, he always slept in the doghouse.
However, tonight he decided to sleep in the dirt. Something he hadn't done in a while. I don't know whether he feels more secure and confident now and didn't need the security of being in the house. Or maybe his chain got stuck and he couldn't reach the house.
[4/25] Kimo was howling at the siren. I went outside and he was still in the dirt area. I went over and encouraged him out. Then he wanted to be petted and I directed him to the space between the chair and his house. And finally he went inside. I really don't know how smart Kimo is. Sometimes it's like he doesn't know how to move out of his spot. Or doesn't want to.
I went out and noticed the chain kind of stuck on the brick, so that he wouldn't be able to make it all the way back to the slab in the back. But usually if this happens, he barks to let me know he's stuck. Well, we'll see what happens tomorrow night.
But then, I started moving him in the back after Melinda complained that he would wake her up when he barked at the Advertiser van in the early morning.
The difference this time is that I faced the opening of the doghouse toward the door (instead of away). I think he feels more secure this way because he can look and see the back door and the light coming from the house. With this arrangement, he always slept in the doghouse.
However, tonight he decided to sleep in the dirt. Something he hadn't done in a while. I don't know whether he feels more secure and confident now and didn't need the security of being in the house. Or maybe his chain got stuck and he couldn't reach the house.
[4/25] Kimo was howling at the siren. I went outside and he was still in the dirt area. I went over and encouraged him out. Then he wanted to be petted and I directed him to the space between the chair and his house. And finally he went inside. I really don't know how smart Kimo is. Sometimes it's like he doesn't know how to move out of his spot. Or doesn't want to.
I went out and noticed the chain kind of stuck on the brick, so that he wouldn't be able to make it all the way back to the slab in the back. But usually if this happens, he barks to let me know he's stuck. Well, we'll see what happens tomorrow night.
Snoopy
Snoopy is a little brown poi dog that lives at the house behind Iha's house and comes up to our street every once in a while. He used to come more often but Diane (Diana?) Max's owner (Max is a Jack Russell that lives at the beginning of the street) said somebody complained about Snoopy pooping and they chain him up now.
Well I guess they don't chain him all the time as I see him once in a while. (Mr. Fong doesn't like him coming into his yard and put up a little doggie fence by his stone steps.)
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago (4/11), I heard Keith barking. I took Kimo out front and saw Snoopy by Hershey. I let Kimo loose to see what would happen (I did that one time with Koa and Kimo started to chase him home). To my pleasant surprise (I wasn't sure what was going to happen), Kimo went over and sniffed him without incident. Soon after, Snoopy wandered off and went behind Sakuda's house. We'll see what happens next time.
Well I guess they don't chain him all the time as I see him once in a while. (Mr. Fong doesn't like him coming into his yard and put up a little doggie fence by his stone steps.)
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago (4/11), I heard Keith barking. I took Kimo out front and saw Snoopy by Hershey. I let Kimo loose to see what would happen (I did that one time with Koa and Kimo started to chase him home). To my pleasant surprise (I wasn't sure what was going to happen), Kimo went over and sniffed him without incident. Soon after, Snoopy wandered off and went behind Sakuda's house. We'll see what happens next time.
Bark and Yap
I noticed this looking at this google ad that has appeared from AdSense and I see that this is a CD designed to stop your neighbor's dog from barking.
I don't know if I would recommend it. When Kimo lived at my neighbor's house, they had an ultrasonic device that was supposed to stop dogs from barking. I didn't see it in action, but from what I can surmise, this device made Kimo even worse. Not only did it not stop the barking, I believe it made him bark more in reaction and made him probably more crazy.
I remember talking to the neighbor when we were outside the courtroom when Kimo's case was being discussed inside. I mentioned the device on him and he became very defensive, backed away toward the lady who was the instigator behind the complaint, and roared that the dog was a nuisance and would take it all the way to civil court if need be. Well, from my perspective, if you get that defensive, there's something wrong with your end. Fortunately, some of the other neighbors were more friendly and could talk more calmly and peaceably.
I don't know if I would recommend it. When Kimo lived at my neighbor's house, they had an ultrasonic device that was supposed to stop dogs from barking. I didn't see it in action, but from what I can surmise, this device made Kimo even worse. Not only did it not stop the barking, I believe it made him bark more in reaction and made him probably more crazy.
I remember talking to the neighbor when we were outside the courtroom when Kimo's case was being discussed inside. I mentioned the device on him and he became very defensive, backed away toward the lady who was the instigator behind the complaint, and roared that the dog was a nuisance and would take it all the way to civil court if need be. Well, from my perspective, if you get that defensive, there's something wrong with your end. Fortunately, some of the other neighbors were more friendly and could talk more calmly and peaceably.
Koa
The other Koa in the neighborhood actually lives next door to the younger Koa. He's a poi dog and looks like he might be part greyhound. He live indoors with Ricky a dalmations who's deaf, but periodically (some might say regularly) gets loose. I guess it was last year, he was loose and started growling at Reina walking Miki and Shammy. And naturally Miki reacted back. After a couple of times of that, Reina never walks her Miki and Shammy toward that house and only goes a couple of times to the beginning of the street.
Once or twice I was able to get Koa to come to me and I put a leash on him and walked him. One time, I even walked him with Miki and Shammy. It was a struggle at first. And nothing ever came to that. I don't know if Reina liked that idea.
Anyway, Koa seems pretty friendly (when he's not scared and growling) but shy. So it looks like he's showing fear aggression. When Kimo went to sniff, Koa would shy away. Of course Kimo's shy too and one or the other reacted and Kimo shows fear aggression toward him and growls back. Not good.
When Koa gets loose, he generally goes to the end of the street and both Kimo and Keith go wild. On Sunday (if I recall correctly) Kimo went wild when Koa ventured near our house. I took Kimo up the street to see if I could get them closer and surprisingly they didn't react much to each other. Kimo even sniffed his butt with Koa turned away. A good sign. But then Koa quickly turned toward him and Kimo backed off. And I took him away. So this Koa is another challenge.
Lately Koa has been seen wearing a hood. I think his nose has been bitten possibly from a fight in the past and maybe the hood is to protect him from further injuring it. Dunno.
Once or twice I was able to get Koa to come to me and I put a leash on him and walked him. One time, I even walked him with Miki and Shammy. It was a struggle at first. And nothing ever came to that. I don't know if Reina liked that idea.
Anyway, Koa seems pretty friendly (when he's not scared and growling) but shy. So it looks like he's showing fear aggression. When Kimo went to sniff, Koa would shy away. Of course Kimo's shy too and one or the other reacted and Kimo shows fear aggression toward him and growls back. Not good.
When Koa gets loose, he generally goes to the end of the street and both Kimo and Keith go wild. On Sunday (if I recall correctly) Kimo went wild when Koa ventured near our house. I took Kimo up the street to see if I could get them closer and surprisingly they didn't react much to each other. Kimo even sniffed his butt with Koa turned away. A good sign. But then Koa quickly turned toward him and Kimo backed off. And I took him away. So this Koa is another challenge.
Lately Koa has been seen wearing a hood. I think his nose has been bitten possibly from a fight in the past and maybe the hood is to protect him from further injuring it. Dunno.
Play
Kimo doesn't usually play with his toys. But once in a while he gets in the mood. Last Saturday after I fed him and walked away, he nipped on my heels and jumped up on me. It's like he was in heat. I gave him his toy (the little orange man which was a present from Hershey) and he played with it for a while. I'm not sure why he chose this day to play.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The Biker
There's a guy who passes by on a racing bike once in a great while. He must be a biker since he's wearing a racing bike helmet.
The last time Kimo saw him, he was in the front and he went wild.
This time he was in the back. Keith started barking and then Kimo joined in. Keith normally doesn't bark at cars, but apparently he barks at bikes. I got Kimo to come with minimal difficulty, tugging and trying to be cheerful in my come.
But right after that, the UPS truck came. I got Kimo to come and sit. But when he heard the noise of the truck, he went a bit wild. I had to hold him tightly so I wouldn't get bitten. I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him up slightly and that seemed to calm him down.
I don't know if that's the right thing to do, but I do whatever seems to work. On the other hand, it kind of reminds me of the Teddy Pom Pom episode (I think it was) of It's Me or the Dog when the lady pulled the dogs off the ground with their leash when they barked too loud. Victoria didn't seem too pleased with that method.
I'm trying not to pet until he seems "calm-submissive" as I just watched an episode of the Dog Whisperer this morning. Looking it up, it was the Eppie episode. You don't want to reinforce the wrong state of mind.
The last time Kimo saw him, he was in the front and he went wild.
This time he was in the back. Keith started barking and then Kimo joined in. Keith normally doesn't bark at cars, but apparently he barks at bikes. I got Kimo to come with minimal difficulty, tugging and trying to be cheerful in my come.
But right after that, the UPS truck came. I got Kimo to come and sit. But when he heard the noise of the truck, he went a bit wild. I had to hold him tightly so I wouldn't get bitten. I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him up slightly and that seemed to calm him down.
I don't know if that's the right thing to do, but I do whatever seems to work. On the other hand, it kind of reminds me of the Teddy Pom Pom episode (I think it was) of It's Me or the Dog when the lady pulled the dogs off the ground with their leash when they barked too loud. Victoria didn't seem too pleased with that method.
I'm trying not to pet until he seems "calm-submissive" as I just watched an episode of the Dog Whisperer this morning. Looking it up, it was the Eppie episode. You don't want to reinforce the wrong state of mind.
Big Koa
After Keith seemed safely home, I took Kimo for his afternoon/evening walk. Koa got loose and I'm guessing came running to me when he saw me. Maybe it's because I feed him treats sometimes that he came to me. Koa is actually a puppy, less than a year old I think. But he's a chocolate lab and is like 80+ pounds. Compared to Kimo, who's less than 20.
I think Koa is friendly but gets excited and came running out to sniff Kimo, I think. But Kimo seemed scared and growled defensively. After about the third time, he went into wild wolf mode. I held up on his leash, so he wouldn't bite me, so he was up on his hind legs. It took maybe six or seven seconds (though it always seems longer) before he came back to his senses and recognized me and calmed down. After that the walk proceeded more or less normally.
Though he did act up a bit at Keith in the window and vice-versa. But this is manageable. I don't know if I'm making progress, but what choice do I have but to press on? Maybe I am. And so I shall.
I think Koa is friendly but gets excited and came running out to sniff Kimo, I think. But Kimo seemed scared and growled defensively. After about the third time, he went into wild wolf mode. I held up on his leash, so he wouldn't bite me, so he was up on his hind legs. It took maybe six or seven seconds (though it always seems longer) before he came back to his senses and recognized me and calmed down. After that the walk proceeded more or less normally.
Though he did act up a bit at Keith in the window and vice-versa. But this is manageable. I don't know if I'm making progress, but what choice do I have but to press on? Maybe I am. And so I shall.
Come Again
As soon as I came home from taking Uncle Bobby home, Kimo started barking. Apparently he was quiet in all the time I was away.
Kimo's sending Keith and Pat and running to the side and barking. I'm tugging at the chain and at least he's coming back to me. I'm now making him sit on my left side in between his doghouse and the chair I'm sitting on. We'll see how that goes.
Kimo's sending Keith and Pat and running to the side and barking. I'm tugging at the chain and at least he's coming back to me. I'm now making him sit on my left side in between his doghouse and the chair I'm sitting on. We'll see how that goes.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
How To Teach An Old Dog New Tricks (by Ian Dunbar)
[4/17/08] I was doing a search about Ian Dunbar (since he's one of the big names in the dog world) on ebay and saw that his book How To Teach An Old Dog New Tricks was available. (I had earlier been considering his book An Owners Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet.) I looked at the book at amazon and read an interesting excerpt on unexpected aggression (coincidentally this was the day of the latest bite -- before I was bitten). The book got good reviews by the amazon readers, so I placed a bid on the book.
Actually I now see the book is actually titled How To Teach An New Dog Old Tricks. If I had noticed that, I might not have been as inclined to buy it. Still it should be interesting and give me that viewpoint of a noted authority. I won the bid and am awaiting its arrival.
[4/28] eBay sent me a notice that I should get my money back on this item. Evidently the guy selling it hasn't been delivering, or some such problem. Email to him got no reply. Guess I'll go through PayPal. Good thing it wasn't for that much.
[5/23/11] Bought Dunbar's book After You Get Your Puppy at Book Off for $3. In the meantime, I won the bid for HTTANDOT on ebay (we'll see if it arrives this time). Now I see that two of Dunbar's books: Before You Get Your Puppy and After You Get Your Puppy are available for free as pdf files at dogstardaily.
Actually I now see the book is actually titled How To Teach An New Dog Old Tricks. If I had noticed that, I might not have been as inclined to buy it. Still it should be interesting and give me that viewpoint of a noted authority. I won the bid and am awaiting its arrival.
[4/28] eBay sent me a notice that I should get my money back on this item. Evidently the guy selling it hasn't been delivering, or some such problem. Email to him got no reply. Guess I'll go through PayPal. Good thing it wasn't for that much.
[5/23/11] Bought Dunbar's book After You Get Your Puppy at Book Off for $3. In the meantime, I won the bid for HTTANDOT on ebay (we'll see if it arrives this time). Now I see that two of Dunbar's books: Before You Get Your Puppy and After You Get Your Puppy are available for free as pdf files at dogstardaily.
Come
A week ago Thursday, I was reading more on Natural Dog Training and Lee Charles Kelley.
I'm not exactly sure this was the first time I did it. But Kimo was barking around at the side of the house. Usually I would go to the side of the house and carefully edge in front of him to claim his space. But this time I decided to softly tug on the chain and say "come" in a playful voice. And to my surprise, he came.
Later I tried just saying come without tugging and he came (at least it worked a couple of times). Then on the front steps, I just tried going past him and saying come as I walked down the steps and that worked a few times. And when it didn't work, a soft tug on the chain accompanied by the come worked.
Unfortunately this was also the day that he bit me. (As I basked in my first success, I just sat on the cement with him lying down behind me.) I'm not sure but I'm guessing he might have nodded off when he heard the bark and woke up and bit my hand. I'm not sure because I wasn't looking. I guess I need to keep my eye on him at all times especially if he's lying down. It seems he can nod off really quickly. (And get up even quicker :(
[4/25 am - looking through my logs I see that on 4/19, I did the come while he was barking at the fence at the front of the garage. I walked passed him toward the laundry room and told him to come. And he did. I guess that's good.]
I'm not exactly sure this was the first time I did it. But Kimo was barking around at the side of the house. Usually I would go to the side of the house and carefully edge in front of him to claim his space. But this time I decided to softly tug on the chain and say "come" in a playful voice. And to my surprise, he came.
Later I tried just saying come without tugging and he came (at least it worked a couple of times). Then on the front steps, I just tried going past him and saying come as I walked down the steps and that worked a few times. And when it didn't work, a soft tug on the chain accompanied by the come worked.
Unfortunately this was also the day that he bit me. (As I basked in my first success, I just sat on the cement with him lying down behind me.) I'm not sure but I'm guessing he might have nodded off when he heard the bark and woke up and bit my hand. I'm not sure because I wasn't looking. I guess I need to keep my eye on him at all times especially if he's lying down. It seems he can nod off really quickly. (And get up even quicker :(
[4/25 am - looking through my logs I see that on 4/19, I did the come while he was barking at the fence at the front of the garage. I walked passed him toward the laundry room and told him to come. And he did. I guess that's good.]
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Bark Busters
[10/26/08] Another Midweek article.
Scott Argus, owner of Bark Busters Hawaii, says he can teach a dog to instinctively focus on the owner and follow cues as to what it should do and should not do.
Argus visits the home of the family for a private training session lasting about two-and-a-half hours (four hours for multiple family members). He suggests a good time to do it is in the morning, or whenever the owner is able to concentrate on learning to “speak dog,” as there is a lot of information to absorb. Most of the time Argus’dog Rufy accompanies him to the home to help teach people how to communicate with their dogs.
* * *
I mentioned Bark Busters in a previous post on my original blog.
I notice on their website, there's a book written by Sylvia & Danny Wilson evidently explaining the Bark Busters method. The book is called Training Dogs The Aussie Way. It's available at Amazon. I'll add this to my list.
[10/26/08] I'm looking at the Amazon reviews on the book. It got three five star ratings and one one star rating. The one star review is by Tom De Luca who is a professional who advocates of positive reinforcement methods. Different strokes says the three star review.
Scott Argus, owner of Bark Busters Hawaii, says he can teach a dog to instinctively focus on the owner and follow cues as to what it should do and should not do.
Argus visits the home of the family for a private training session lasting about two-and-a-half hours (four hours for multiple family members). He suggests a good time to do it is in the morning, or whenever the owner is able to concentrate on learning to “speak dog,” as there is a lot of information to absorb. Most of the time Argus’dog Rufy accompanies him to the home to help teach people how to communicate with their dogs.
* * *
I mentioned Bark Busters in a previous post on my original blog.
I notice on their website, there's a book written by Sylvia & Danny Wilson evidently explaining the Bark Busters method. The book is called Training Dogs The Aussie Way. It's available at Amazon. I'll add this to my list.
[10/26/08] I'm looking at the Amazon reviews on the book. It got three five star ratings and one one star rating. The one star review is by Tom De Luca who is a professional who advocates of positive reinforcement methods. Different strokes says the three star review.
Hawaii Dog Foundation
I was wondering if there were any animal shelters in Hawaii, along the lines of DogTown on the National Geographic Channel.
A google search turned up this site which linked the Hawaii Dog Foundation. The following is from their FAQ.
1. What is HDF?
We are a small 501c3 nonprofit organization that takes homeless dogs and finds loving, nurturing homes for them. We currently use a network of foster homes but plan to build a shelter as soon as possible.
2. Who are you affiliated with?
The Hawaii Dog Foundation is independent from all other organizations. Although we used Best Friends as a guide when establishing our organization, we are not directly affiliated with them. There are a lot of wonderful groups working to better animals lives. We support most of the animal rescue organizations.
3. Do you support the "no-kill" movement?
Yes! It's actually in our mission statement. We believe that every healthy adoptable dog should have the chance to find a family - no matter long it takes.
A google search turned up this site which linked the Hawaii Dog Foundation. The following is from their FAQ.
1. What is HDF?
We are a small 501c3 nonprofit organization that takes homeless dogs and finds loving, nurturing homes for them. We currently use a network of foster homes but plan to build a shelter as soon as possible.
2. Who are you affiliated with?
The Hawaii Dog Foundation is independent from all other organizations. Although we used Best Friends as a guide when establishing our organization, we are not directly affiliated with them. There are a lot of wonderful groups working to better animals lives. We support most of the animal rescue organizations.
3. Do you support the "no-kill" movement?
Yes! It's actually in our mission statement. We believe that every healthy adoptable dog should have the chance to find a family - no matter long it takes.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Oliver
My neighbor Wendy got her rent raised by the guy who bought the property. She's moving, but can't take Oliver (one of dogs that I take walking with Kimo) since the place where she moved doesn't take pets.
I'm looking for someone to adopt him, so I took him to tennis (instead of Kimo) tonight. Everybody liked him on first sight. [He's a pomeranian, which I suppose is synonymous with being cute.] I was surprised he was so sociable and would come when you called his name. Ann took to him. And, surprisingly, so did Bob. Bob played with him and took him walking.
I was hoping that Cathy's mom might take him. Or maybe Ann. But Cathy said he was too small and would squeeze through the fence. And Ann said their cat might not get along with him. Well, the word is out.
Ann (the neighbor) said they can't take another dog (they already have Mochi and Fifi plus Paco the cat). And Malia said they have too many dogs (Petey, Chloe, and Shirley plus a couple of cats).
One problem is that Oliver is not housetrained and is tied outside all day. That's why I was surprised he was so sociable.
I don't have a picture of Oliver handy. But he kind of looks like this.
[4/23] After taking home Hershey and Kimo, I took Oliver for a long walk today. That's the first time I ever walked him past the street. Around past the teahouse, I came across another small dog who was near red zone when I walked Oliver passed his gate. Oliver didn't react much to the barking, whereas Kimo might have gone wild. I wanted to see how long the dog would bark, but the lady who lived there came home. So I kind of started going and the barking subsided. Then I started going down the Alewa Drive hill and passed a man who said he used to have pomeranians. One lived to like 17 years old. Then I think I went on Woodlawn (I think) where there were three small chihuahuas barking behind a fence. Then there was a lady coming back from walking her small dog. But when I passed there were a couple of small dogs barking at me. I didn't realize there were so many dogs in that area. And barking is par for the course.
I walked to Puunui Park where a small group of seniors were doing tai chi. I tried to give Oliver some water out of my hand but he wouldnt take it. Further on, I saw a couple of young girls playing in a wading pool with a small dog. Opportunity for a new home for Oliver? Unfortunately, the small dog started barking at the fence when I got close. Never mind.
Finally I decided to walk past David's house. At first I wasn't certain that was his house and kind of doubled back. David happened to not have work today (and this week and last) and saw me and opened the garage door. That's the first time I saw him in a while. He gave Oliver some water and Oliver lay down on the floor. After talking about home repair and home improvements (I told him about our gutter and roof and that I wanted to build a fence), I mentioned that I might have to carry Oliver home. He offered to drive me back home and I accepted. I put Oliver on my lap, something I would be very leery of with Kimo.
Naturally Kimo barked when we go there. But subsided somewhat but didn't stop even when he saw me. After showing David where I wanted the fence to go, I went walking back Oliver with Hayashida's daughter who was visiting the old house. And I brought Oliver back home and he seemed to want to go to sleep in the shade of the house.
Tonight after walking Kimo, I saw June outside and was going to get Oliver to show her. But when I went to get him, Wendy had come home and said Oliver was gone. He had gone to a dog breeder (James Lee?) who wants to breed him. [I guess that means he's been put out to stud.] It's kind of sad that Oliver's gone but at least he'll have a yard instead of being chained up all day. I'll miss him. And Kimo too (he'll probably still want to go down the driveway to look for him). But at least everybody got to meet him at tennis and I had one good long walk with him.
Wendy said she put an ad on Craigslist with Oliver's picture and she got a bunch of phone calls. But I guess she deleted it because I couldn't find the post. And by coincidence, she said she's moving to the area where I happened to walk Oliver today.
I'm looking for someone to adopt him, so I took him to tennis (instead of Kimo) tonight. Everybody liked him on first sight. [He's a pomeranian, which I suppose is synonymous with being cute.] I was surprised he was so sociable and would come when you called his name. Ann took to him. And, surprisingly, so did Bob. Bob played with him and took him walking.
I was hoping that Cathy's mom might take him. Or maybe Ann. But Cathy said he was too small and would squeeze through the fence. And Ann said their cat might not get along with him. Well, the word is out.
Ann (the neighbor) said they can't take another dog (they already have Mochi and Fifi plus Paco the cat). And Malia said they have too many dogs (Petey, Chloe, and Shirley plus a couple of cats).
One problem is that Oliver is not housetrained and is tied outside all day. That's why I was surprised he was so sociable.
I don't have a picture of Oliver handy. But he kind of looks like this.
[4/23] After taking home Hershey and Kimo, I took Oliver for a long walk today. That's the first time I ever walked him past the street. Around past the teahouse, I came across another small dog who was near red zone when I walked Oliver passed his gate. Oliver didn't react much to the barking, whereas Kimo might have gone wild. I wanted to see how long the dog would bark, but the lady who lived there came home. So I kind of started going and the barking subsided. Then I started going down the Alewa Drive hill and passed a man who said he used to have pomeranians. One lived to like 17 years old. Then I think I went on Woodlawn (I think) where there were three small chihuahuas barking behind a fence. Then there was a lady coming back from walking her small dog. But when I passed there were a couple of small dogs barking at me. I didn't realize there were so many dogs in that area. And barking is par for the course.
I walked to Puunui Park where a small group of seniors were doing tai chi. I tried to give Oliver some water out of my hand but he wouldnt take it. Further on, I saw a couple of young girls playing in a wading pool with a small dog. Opportunity for a new home for Oliver? Unfortunately, the small dog started barking at the fence when I got close. Never mind.
Finally I decided to walk past David's house. At first I wasn't certain that was his house and kind of doubled back. David happened to not have work today (and this week and last) and saw me and opened the garage door. That's the first time I saw him in a while. He gave Oliver some water and Oliver lay down on the floor. After talking about home repair and home improvements (I told him about our gutter and roof and that I wanted to build a fence), I mentioned that I might have to carry Oliver home. He offered to drive me back home and I accepted. I put Oliver on my lap, something I would be very leery of with Kimo.
Naturally Kimo barked when we go there. But subsided somewhat but didn't stop even when he saw me. After showing David where I wanted the fence to go, I went walking back Oliver with Hayashida's daughter who was visiting the old house. And I brought Oliver back home and he seemed to want to go to sleep in the shade of the house.
Tonight after walking Kimo, I saw June outside and was going to get Oliver to show her. But when I went to get him, Wendy had come home and said Oliver was gone. He had gone to a dog breeder (James Lee?) who wants to breed him. [I guess that means he's been put out to stud.] It's kind of sad that Oliver's gone but at least he'll have a yard instead of being chained up all day. I'll miss him. And Kimo too (he'll probably still want to go down the driveway to look for him). But at least everybody got to meet him at tennis and I had one good long walk with him.
Wendy said she put an ad on Craigslist with Oliver's picture and she got a bunch of phone calls. But I guess she deleted it because I couldn't find the post. And by coincidence, she said she's moving to the area where I happened to walk Oliver today.
Lee Charles Kelley vs. Cesar Millan
Like many others, I'm a fan of Cesar Millan. Kelley seems to have respect for Cesar's abilities but believes his philosophy is fundamentally wrong.
For one thing, he says the dominance theory comes from observing wolves in captivity (and scavenging dogs) not behavior in the wild. Well, to me, I would think the dominance theory would still apply to pet dogs since, when you think about it, they actually are in captivity and not in the wild.
And as I read further, there's is a lot of overlap in their methods. In any case, both get good results. (I wish I could obtain a fraction of their success with dog rehabilitaton.) And that's really what counts.
Anyway, while googling, I found this post by Eva in the DogWhispererFans Yahoo group.
DogWhispererFans is actually only the fourth most popular (as counted by number of members) in the Dogs/Training and Obedience category on Yahoo. Number 1 is agbeh (aggressive behaviors in dogs group). I'll be wanting to check this group out.
For one thing, he says the dominance theory comes from observing wolves in captivity (and scavenging dogs) not behavior in the wild. Well, to me, I would think the dominance theory would still apply to pet dogs since, when you think about it, they actually are in captivity and not in the wild.
And as I read further, there's is a lot of overlap in their methods. In any case, both get good results. (I wish I could obtain a fraction of their success with dog rehabilitaton.) And that's really what counts.
Anyway, while googling, I found this post by Eva in the DogWhispererFans Yahoo group.
DogWhispererFans is actually only the fourth most popular (as counted by number of members) in the Dogs/Training and Obedience category on Yahoo. Number 1 is agbeh (aggressive behaviors in dogs group). I'll be wanting to check this group out.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Lee Charles Kelley's Amazon blog
It's kind of hard to navigate through LCK's amazon blog, so I've started this (orignally lck.htm) table of contents.
4/19/06 - And So It Begins
4/23/06 - What’s so Positive about Positive Training?
4/24/06 - Boomer's First Day, and Today
4/25/06 - Boomer & Malachi Go on a Walk Together
4/26/06 - Guilty Secrets
4/28/06 - The Slower You Go, the Faster You'll Get it Done
4/28/06 - Dougie Throws Me a Ball, Boomer Plays Fetch (a Little, Sort Of)
4/30/06 - Summer in Carroll Gardens, A Visit to Grey Gardens
5/1/06 - What's So Right About Dogs
5/2/06 - The Spoon Game
5/3/06 - Boomer's Progress
5/4/06 - Knowing When to Quit
5/5/06 - To Jump or not To Jump, To Prong or not To Prong
5/6/06 - Lost Post
5/7/06 - Never Scold the Alpha!
4/19/06 - And So It Begins
4/23/06 - What’s so Positive about Positive Training?
4/24/06 - Boomer's First Day, and Today
4/25/06 - Boomer & Malachi Go on a Walk Together
4/26/06 - Guilty Secrets
4/28/06 - The Slower You Go, the Faster You'll Get it Done
4/28/06 - Dougie Throws Me a Ball, Boomer Plays Fetch (a Little, Sort Of)
4/30/06 - Summer in Carroll Gardens, A Visit to Grey Gardens
5/1/06 - What's So Right About Dogs
5/2/06 - The Spoon Game
5/3/06 - Boomer's Progress
5/4/06 - Knowing When to Quit
5/5/06 - To Jump or not To Jump, To Prong or not To Prong
5/6/06 - Lost Post
5/7/06 - Never Scold the Alpha!
pawing the pillow
Here's an answer as to why Kimo paws at the towel and cushion before lying down? According to Yahoo Answers it's called cushioning the area.
Question: Why do some dogs move in circles and paw at the ground before they lay down to go to sleep?
Answer: All dogs do this, it is called cushioning the area first...they tend to think, the pawing and scratching of the area first will make it more comfortable.....for real this was in Dog World a few months back....
Question: Why do some dogs move in circles and paw at the ground before they lay down to go to sleep?
Answer: All dogs do this, it is called cushioning the area first...they tend to think, the pawing and scratching of the area first will make it more comfortable.....for real this was in Dog World a few months back....
howling at the siren
Another thing he does is howl at the siren. Like an ambulance or firetruck. It sounds more like a cry then a howl. I don't know if he does it because he's scared or is trying to communicate with it. He didn't do this when he first got here but started doing it some months ago.
There's a discussion at seefido with no real answer. But according to this linked page on dog communication, it's a wolf-like effort to communicate. Well, Kimo does look like (and at times acts like) a wild baby white wolf.
There's a discussion at seefido with no real answer. But according to this linked page on dog communication, it's a wolf-like effort to communicate. Well, Kimo does look like (and at times acts like) a wild baby white wolf.
bit again
I'm starting this blog after getting bitten by Kimo again. This time it was something new. I was sitting down with him (not looking at him) on the back slab. Then he heard Keith bark, went wild and went after my hand. I'd rate this the third worst bite after the first bite when he bit me on the front steps when I was reading the paper and he woke up. That about ties with the time he claimed a kleenex and took it to his area in the back (near the air conditioning unit) and I tried to take it away with my foot while he was growling. The first two I went to the doctor and got anti-biotics. This time, I think (I hope) I can get away without going to the doctors. It doesn't look that swollen. To me, anyway.
The fourth worst was a couple of weeks ago when I was on the front steps and he was on the landing just below me. He must have dozed off and when he awoke he went after my arm. Luckily most of the attack was blunted by my sweatshirt. (This sounds like I'm in denial at the dangerous behavior. Maybe I am.)
One thing I did this time was kind of moaned and said ow after he bit me. I don't know if that did anything. But he did seem to look remorseful. He even licked my wound later on. I let him lick my back of my hand earlier and today I let him lick the heel of my hand (which has the heavier wounds).
I've been reading the reviews and blog entries of Lee Charles Kelley. Something new I tried (I think I started just before I got bitten, but I don't think there's a connection) was to try calling him with a playful voice to come. It seems to work when he's barking in the back with his head around the corner of the house (he can just reach with the leash and chain (not really a chain) on. I also tried it today when he was barking at the fence in the garage. I walked past him while and said come as I walked to the back of the garage. And he came.
Today after feeding him (he didn't eat all), he nipped at my heels and jumped on me as I was leaving. So I gave him a toy to play with (the gift from Hershey). And he played with it for quite a while whereas in the past he generally ignored it. Except for the times, I would hide food under its feet and he would tip it over.
I don't know if this is related (maybe partly), but I tried a little of the feed and push technques as expained by Lee Charles Kelley and Neil Sattin. I would be rubbing his chest as I fed him and gave very slight pressure. If I gave too much pressure, then he wouldn't eat. Maybe he doesn't like the food THAT much.
He was barking on the landing just now and I tried to get him to come. I had to tug slightly at the leash and encourage him and he eventually came. Though it's early, (8:26 PM) as I write this, I gave him his favorite pillow with a blanket on top. He growls as he arranges the blanket with his foot. And I don't know why. He does the same thing with the towel in his doghouse. And actually he kind of does the same thing with the pillow itself. Maybe he's trying to dig into it like he does with dirt?
He just now was barking at the landing and I walked quickly past him down the steps and said come. And he followed me. I doubt that it would work if he's barking fiercely at a dog or big truck though. But I guess it's a start.
The fourth worst was a couple of weeks ago when I was on the front steps and he was on the landing just below me. He must have dozed off and when he awoke he went after my arm. Luckily most of the attack was blunted by my sweatshirt. (This sounds like I'm in denial at the dangerous behavior. Maybe I am.)
One thing I did this time was kind of moaned and said ow after he bit me. I don't know if that did anything. But he did seem to look remorseful. He even licked my wound later on. I let him lick my back of my hand earlier and today I let him lick the heel of my hand (which has the heavier wounds).
I've been reading the reviews and blog entries of Lee Charles Kelley. Something new I tried (I think I started just before I got bitten, but I don't think there's a connection) was to try calling him with a playful voice to come. It seems to work when he's barking in the back with his head around the corner of the house (he can just reach with the leash and chain (not really a chain) on. I also tried it today when he was barking at the fence in the garage. I walked past him while and said come as I walked to the back of the garage. And he came.
Today after feeding him (he didn't eat all), he nipped at my heels and jumped on me as I was leaving. So I gave him a toy to play with (the gift from Hershey). And he played with it for quite a while whereas in the past he generally ignored it. Except for the times, I would hide food under its feet and he would tip it over.
I don't know if this is related (maybe partly), but I tried a little of the feed and push technques as expained by Lee Charles Kelley and Neil Sattin. I would be rubbing his chest as I fed him and gave very slight pressure. If I gave too much pressure, then he wouldn't eat. Maybe he doesn't like the food THAT much.
He was barking on the landing just now and I tried to get him to come. I had to tug slightly at the leash and encourage him and he eventually came. Though it's early, (8:26 PM) as I write this, I gave him his favorite pillow with a blanket on top. He growls as he arranges the blanket with his foot. And I don't know why. He does the same thing with the towel in his doghouse. And actually he kind of does the same thing with the pillow itself. Maybe he's trying to dig into it like he does with dirt?
He just now was barking at the landing and I walked quickly past him down the steps and said come. And he followed me. I doubt that it would work if he's barking fiercely at a dog or big truck though. But I guess it's a start.
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