Sunday, November 25, 2012

Rip It Up

November 24, 2012

This was an intersting day.  Drake slept better last night and got up to start off on a wonderful day.  We got up did our morning routine, but I had a migraine starting abot 2:30 AM.  I had taking some Advil PM and was having a hard tie waking up.  The headache was still there.  So after I came p sof my morning nap I went into a deep sleep.  I could hear Drake barking and barking and barking.  However, I blocked it out and slept most of the day.  When I woke up I took him outside for a while and watched him very closely.  I came in the house a little after 4:00 PM.  I went to give the dogs their evening meal and then when into the little toilet area of my bathroom to sit.  The first thing I noticed was my toilet brush was moved and when I looked to where it had been sitting I saw that he had complete destroyed my soft sided toilet seat by chewing it up.  Likewise the over toilet cabinet had been chewed from the bottom up about 12 inches.  At first I couldn't breathe.  I looked at him calmly eating his dinner and felt a combination of anger and disgust with myself.  Why hadn't I put him in his crate.  How much damage do I have to endure from this one dog.  I knew that the toilet room was a trigger, but had removed the door becase I never closed it and it was in the way.  That was a long time before I got Drake.  I tried to pt a doggie gate up, but the opening was too small and I had not thought of an alternative idea of what to do.  So there it was.  An expensive lesson and just maybe an incentive to start crating him for naps or anytime I couldn't watch him.  It was going to be his new life and I was going to reclaim mine.

Even thogh he went to bed early again, I assured myself that tomorrow I would be a warrior.  He was going to get his training, the walks, sprayed with water, and locked in a damn crate for a while.  iIwould recrate trin him the proper way, but he would be retrained.  I would refer to the notes more ofter and call Shelly with any problems that I have.  Stay on track every moment and stop feeling defeated.  I think that he is feeding off of that energy and it is not getting the results that I needed.  I really do not mind the blind and deaf part of Drake it is all of his baggage that hs has picked up due to his impairment. 

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Can't Get No Satisfaction

November 23rd, 2012

I decided to take some action instead of blogging that I had a horrible day.  The first thing I did was to call Shelly.  She was a trainer that had worked with Drake the last four months that he was in prison.  I wrote a note to a lady here in Austin that works with blind and deaf dogs.  I sent a couple of paragraphs describing Drake and our issues, asking her for to arrange for an evaluation of him.  I called my friend Debi, who has a blind/deaf double dapple named Chewy.  I discussed some problems that I thought we had in common with our dogs.  They are also both two years of age.  The difference is that Drake was rescued at one and a half years old.  Chewy has been with Debi since he was 5 weeks old.  I also reread the notes that Christi made for me through her time training Drake.

My best information came from Shelly.  We talked about an hour and I was sort of retrained on how to handle Drake.  Many of the things that she said rang a bell, but had been buried with me trying new things and listening to people that have no idea about Drake.  The first thing was the water spray bottle.  She emphasized that I had to have it all of the time.  Well, I never take it outside and she also suggested that I get a little water gun (child's) to carry when I take him to dog, grain or building stores so if he throws a fit I have a very quick remedy.  Somewhere along the line I had started saying no, no instead of spraying.  Then no, no starting becoming less effective I started removing him and putting a lead on him.  These things aren't bad, but April was right to say that I was the weak link.  I felt his respect dissolve and have not known hod to regain it.  However, after Shelly had candidly shared his bite history, I decided I had to get his respect or he would slip back to biting.

The other thing that I figured out as I listened to her was that I was letting the compulsive behavior go on too long before correction.  We share the feeling that Drake has a psychological problem, probably stemming from his breeding.  I am guilty of not keeping up with his trainig as I shold.  She reminded me that when he left he would stay in place for 45 minutes, now he bardly goes into hold,  Most of his problems are temper (frustration), overstimulation (compulsive behavior) or some small wire crossed in is little brain.  We neither think that he will ever just be a dog, but that a lot of his odd behavior can be changed with constant reinforcement.  Also, the crate has to be used again.

My conversation with Debi didn/t really get to the meat of any of our problems.  We are becoming good friends and I think that we will be a good source of comfort and infromation.  The notes revealed a lot and also are a valuable tool if I use them.  I know that I can do so much better with Drake now that I feel refocsed.

Thanksgiving

November 22nd, 2012

The Devil In Disguise Returns

November 21st, 2012

Perfect Day In Paradise

November 20th, 2012

Well, this wasn't a perfect day, but pretty good.  I decided to take Drake off all drugs, real or herbal.  He went through our schedule and due to me not letting him stay in the yard like yesterday, he did not throw one fit.  Towards the evening upstairs he did spin barking, but was able to redirect easily.

I did watch him closely and while talking to one of my other girlfriends, Carol Lea, she said that when she watched something on Animal Planet, that she remembers that is what dachshunds do.  Sans barking.  They ran and dug, very quickly.  I looked the show up on YouTube and there it was, Dachshund 101.  They said that a dachshund could dig one and a half feet in a minute.  What?  That their toes were web like and built for digging.  He showed them digging just like Drake.  No barking or spinning in between.  Digging like they were manic.  Yes, manic like Drake.  Well, George was partly right.

I had made a rookie mistake.  I did not research the breed.  I fell in love with the dog.  I started off by putting his impairment ahead of him being a dog or his breed.  I had hesitated because he was a male, but never even thought of what the breed was bred to do.  I never liked the look of the breed, so I knew less about them then I did many breeds.  Now what?  I couldn't change his breed anymore than  I could change him being a male.

Another Man's Opinion

November 19th, 2012

I had another stressful day.  I had to redirect him all day.  One fit after another.  About 3:00 PM I was dragging a hose around trying to get a little watering done.  Drake was on a leash in the front yard, when a friend of mine and her husband drove up.  We chatted for a few minutes and then I told them to join me in the back yard and we would have some tea on patio.  As we chatted  kept Drake in my lap.  For about thirty minutes he was quiet and very good.  Eventually he got bored and started to squirm and bark.  The husband, George, asked me why I didn't let him down.  I explained that he had been acting out and barking all day.  Due to me wanted to continue our conversation, I didn't want the barking or for me to have to jump up to redirect him.  He said, "Just let him go and see what he does".  So of course he did.  Within two minutes he was by the goats pen, spinning and barking.


To my surprise, George said that he was just playing.  That his tail was wagging and that barking was all he really had to define his self as a dog besides his nose.  The wife, Becky. thought that I was too aware of what the neighbors might think.  I admitted that I was concerned about the barking, but that ultimately I cared more about Drake and if I didn't think he was stressed I wouldn't react.  George said that the bark was just a bark and Becky agreed. 

As I continued or conversation, Drake begin to dig and pull at a clematis vine that I had for six years.  When I started to get up, George said to just let him have fun.  That he was probably having the best time that he had ever had.  I did not have a direct view of the plant, could only hear the barking.  I did look over occasionally and all of a sudden I saw Drake running across the yard with the entire plant in his mouth.  I stated that I could not let him do this to my yard and we all laughed.  That left shortly and tried to replant, with Drake of the leash of course.

I felt sick to my stomach.  Was George right, was I making a big deal out of play.  April said that I was the weak link.  Machelle that I should just love him the way that he is.  Debi admitted that their was problems, but she had Chewy (another blind/deaf double dapple) since he was 5 weeks old and he was as big of a mess as Drake was.  So is this what's up.  I was so over my head and all of these opinions only confused me.  I had tried so hard.  Been so patient.  Read, ate, breathed Drake for three months.  This was my very first feeling that I could not keep Drake.  Through every other frustration and bad feeling I have had, I was just frustrated with how slowly this was going.  This time, I was sick in a sad way.

Why Can't I Leave Him Alone

November 18th, 2012

The day was pretty miserable.  I did not work in the yard at all.  I let Drake out three times on his own for fifteen minutes.  At fifteen minutes I walked to where he was leashed him and walked him back into the house.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Things are getting worse

November 17th, 2012

Maybe I am being too rough, or too many changes, or I am just wrong about everything that I am doing.  I have to say it all felt really right when I made the changes.  I haven't done a wiener roll since April told me not to overdo them.  When I was outside the leashing did not completely control him.  How it could be like an empty threat in this short time I don't know.  The playroom seems to bore him more than ever.  The licking, spin/bark, digging in front of the toilet and seems to be getting an interest in the tub again.  He has completely ruined Maddie's dish by spinning into it and breaking it.  It is from her other home and loosing it makes me sad.  She still uses it, but it is chipped all over.  He can't relax in my bedroom, he lays in front of the door out of my room and cries.  I don't know what to do with him.

I had been planning a trip to go up to Dallas to visit Betty for a Christmas House Tour.  originally I was going to take Drake.  Betty voiced her concerns to me about having Drake in her house while we gone and I said that I would think about it.  In the meanwhile Debi asked me to pick up a blind 3 month old Aussie mix and I agreed.  This concerned me even more, but before I could get too worked up over it, she asked me to pick up a 6 week blind puppy.  Well, that was it.  no way I could handle Drake and all that on the way home.  Since my hurry home was to horse/baby/dog sit for April, I asked her to watch Drake while I was gone.  She agreed.  

I was teasing April about how much trouble Drake was going to be, when she reminded me that she had worked with several blind/deaf dogs.  At the very least she could evaluate him as a neutral party with a trainers eye.  It got me excited.  It was not the reason that I asked her to watch him, it was just so I could help out Debi.  However, it is going to work out better than I could have planned.  It had never occurred to me to have her evaluate him.  All of these other people really did not have her experience. So it is going to work out great.

Overstimulated and Bored

November 16, 2012

The morning was going good until I decided to work some more outside.  I noticed a few other things today.  The first thing was that he is really bored with his playroom.  I think I need to use it as a class room twice a day like when I fist got home with him.  I can only remember about a third of his commands and we have to make the YouTube film yet.  Another thing is the exercise.  I have been so side tracked by all of his issues, making sure that he knows where he is by area, I have discontinued the things that he needs to be constant.  Exercise and learning.  He needs to be using his brain.  I think that I will try giving my xanex to him.  A little stronger drug might help him to focus and settle down.  I read that it could do the opposite, cross my finger that one isn't happening and I don't want to give him too much.  So I discontinued his herbal and put him on xanex.  I put him on the lightest recommended dosage for now.

When he was playing on his own and because i was being more aware of his playing, waiting to have to leash.him.  I noticed that when he first goes out, he plays pretty good for fifteen minutes.  He runs with his head up and stops to smell the ground.  It is a beautiful sight.  i have always wondered at his confidence.  I never want him to loose that.  Then he goes to one of about five different areas that are triggers.  I think there is so much at my house and while that is good for the average dog, can be overwhelming for him.  I think that instead of waiting for him to start his spin/bark I will let him play and before he looses it leash him.  I am hoping that if these things are compulsive that by catching them, I can stop them and eventually curing that compulsion.  Big order, but at least I have hope again.  i was pretty much in a rut and beaten down for awhile.  I have to stay positive and keep trying new things.

More Tough Love

November 15, 2012

Today I was trying to plant some bulbs and transplant a few flowers.  As I dug, planted and crawled around, only to be interrupted every few minutes by Drake spin/bark. The up and down was taking a toll on me.  As things have been going just the tiniest bit better in the house.  I at least felt that I could control the situation, if I just wanted to sit there and do nothing.  I couldn't get much done in there, but at least there was sleep.  Plus he would play for a short time, and I could more easily correct him.
So about my twentieth time to chase him down, something from another one of those dog training show popped into my mind.  I remember in one of "The dog or me" there were a bunch of chihuahuas that a very spoiled girl had that peed anywhere, anytime.  Victoria Stilwell told her to put a leash around her waist and correct the dog, take him outside to get him trained.  Suddenly, I thought if he bark/spins I will attach him to me and make him stay still and follow me around.  First off, it just popped into my mind in the form of a recall of the tv show.  I can never think of anything if I am trying to solve a problem.

For the rest of the time I was out there I made him follow me where ever I went.  Like everything else I have tried since my tough love training had started, it worked.  I was shocked, he didn't fight me, just followed me around.  The thing that caught me off guard was he didn't have one fit.  He was like a perfect dog. 

Now I have spent the last couple of weeks trying to figure out one thing.  Why does he constantly have these spin/bark.  Are they caused by a birth defect, like his hearing and seeing?  Are they compulsive from being left in the back yard alone in his dark and silent world?  Are does he just have a temper and he throws them from anger, as well as frustration.  The digging/bark definitely seems like frustration.  However, the spin/bark is different.  It seems more like anger.   If I do not respond he spins out of control and it was physically very hard on him the one time I totally ignored him.  Temper or not, at some point he looses control.

After all of these past days observing and trying to decide, I believe I have part of the answer.  It is more temper and compulsion than brain chemistry.  If it was his brain, he would act out when on leash, but he does not.  To me that means it can be controlled.  I do hope that I am right.  If I am the tough love has to continue.  However, I do feel my temper starting to surge.  So far I have not lost it, but I worry that he can sense my state of mind.  I try to keep it in wraps, but the constant barking and never feeling like I can leave is driving me crazy.  My phsical health has taken a beaten and I am beginning to feel trapped by him.

Friday, November 2, 2012

It's Me Not You....No It's Definitely You

November 2, 2012

Today was a hard day.  I think I'm just tired of the constant supervision.  I am confused over what to do about all of his compulsive behavior.  When he barks in the house, is he looking for me?  The real question, is he training me to find him when he barks and reassure him?  I don't know if I should just touch him to reassure him, or should I ignore him, to show that I am not to be trained?  I know I have made so many mistakes, but I also know how forgiving a dog can be.  I don't want to make his behavior worse instead of better. 

I was reading another article to day about compulsive behavior in dogs and they said redirect and do not punish him.  Well, his compulsive behavior out side is the hardest to deal with.  I have not been punishing him, but I do tell him no, no every time he spins and barks out of control.  If I can interrupt him before it starts, I just redirect him.  The reason that I always no, no him, is because he responds to me and stops.  If something works I continue.  Like removing him from the bed or closing the gate on his playroom.  These things work so far and I don't think they are as much of a direct threat to him like the wienie roll can be.

I Own This Bed Now

November 1, 2012

I think that his barking at night in bed is because he thinks it is his bed. I have seen this a dozen times of the dog whisperer. He smells either the dogs that are on the bed at the time of barking.  Maybe he smells the dogs that might have been on the bed during the day.  Whatever, it has to stop.  He wakes me up and disturbs the only time that I Have away from him.  He is starting to drain me again.  I want so much to uncover all of his buttons, issues and pain so that I can live a normal life with him.  It has almost been two months and he just sucks all of my time away from the rest of my pack.  I enjoy all of my dogs and have different relations with each of them.  However, since I have brought Drake into my life, 1005 of my time is for him.  I miss my routine, other pets and my life. 

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Halloweenie Mess

October 31st, 2012

hTough Love

October30th, 2012I

So all of my years watching "The Dog Whisperer" starting to resurface.  I remembered that Drake was a dog first and impaired second.  I needed to start treating him like a dog.  He needed some tough love and I needed a break.

I had decided to start removing him from wherever he was when he started the spin.bark combo.  If he was in his playroom, I would put him in the bedroom and close the dog gate closing him out of the play room.  He had a lot of things that triggered his spin/bark.  Being around water triggered him.  He was over the tub, but the toilet would send him into a good spin.  I heard that when he was with a foster before prison that he ate the water hose under the toilet and flooded the toilet room.  With that in mind, I had purchased a over the toilet shelving unit that would hopefully keep him from being able to get to the hose.

He would lick the tile in front of the toilet and bark looking directly at the toilet.  The licking the tile was not a new problem.  I had seen him do it in other areas of the bathroom.  I knew that licking is a form of anxiety.  He demonstrated every anxiety act that I had ever read about.  He panted,, licked, barked, spun.  Just a classic case of anxiety.  Question was, what was causing it?  Then what to do about it?

Same thing outside.  Water really seemed to be a double issue.  He could not stand to be sprayed with it.  However, wet ground, he just had to dig.  Every time he dug in wet dirt, he became manic and panted.  He would decide on a spot to dig by smell, sometime that would not include water.  When the digging started, the manic behavior always followed.  I know that Dachshunds would dig by breed in order to kill varmints.  So I assumed it was partially due to breeding, but his manic behavior did not seem right.  I always stopped him as quickly as I could, told him no, no and redirected him.  Many times he would be fine for a while.  Other times he did not snap out of it and just looked for another place to dig.

His behavior was improving on one level, but I was uncovering new layers of problems every day.  The layers of problems seemed endless.  He had such a sweetness about him.  Never seemed to blame humans for his problems.  Never offered to bite.  Always accepting of whatever I asked and always very loving.  I had my heart full of him, but I was so resentful of him at times, I didn't ever know how to feel.

Get Outta My Bed

October 29th, 2012

Well, the latest issue that I have had with Drake is the vicious bark in my bed.  He had slept in my bed since the second or third day that he lived here.  Lately he has started this habit of jumping up like he heard something and barking viciously.  I have been trying to figure out why.  Does he smell the other dogs in my bed and feel threatened or angry?  Does he see light through his eye lids or on the ceioing?  Is he having some kind of flash backs or dreams?  Why?

What I had been doing, unsuccessfully, is pulling him to me.  Then turning his tail towards where he had been standing.  Having his face towards me, telling him no, no.  It would work for two or three minutes and he would pull away, put his head towards the ceiling and bark so vicious.  I just kept repeating the same thing over and over, expecting different results any minute.   Not know what to do, I just tried to control the situation until he would fall asleep.  A cowards way out, but I just didn't know what to do.  I thought if I could just figure out why he was doing it, I could figure out the right way to handle the situation.

Today what a very trying day.  By 8:00 AM I was exhausted from him.  He was spinning in the family room.  Barking uncontrollably outside, miserable upstairs in his room.  I tried to put him back in my bed thinking maybe he was still tired.  Not the correct answer.  As the day went on he improved.  When I took him outside in the afternoon he played for a couple of hours and let me get a little work done outside.  The tension eased up a little.  By 5:30  PM when April called to pick up Tejas from his grooming, he was playing upstairs in his room, very quietly.  I asked my grandson, Justus, to listen for him while I ran to pick up Tejas.  I didn't want to disturb his quiet play by taking him with me.  When I returned, he was still playing quietly.

Becky, one of the people interested in buying Cisco my donkey, had called about 3:30 PM to see about coming over to meet him.  I had told her of course, even though my day had been awful and I really did not want to mess with that.  I had been trying to locate a really good home for him since I got Drake and realized that he was going to take up so much time.  I really liked Becky and knew she did not have a lot of time off.  However, as the day went forward, she had called me numerous times having trouble getting off, hooking up the new trailer hitch, with the lights on the trailer and just anything that could go wrong.  It was dark when she finally got on her way.  Drake was already trying to go to sleep and I knew I had to go get Cisco.  When she got here it would be dark and I did not know how long it would take to get him loaded.  He finally went to sleep and I wondered what the odds of him staying asleep without me in bed would be.  He had the habit of touching me all night.  If he couldn't feel me, he would wake up and start barking.  So I could only hope he would get to sleep deep enough for me to have the time to take car of Cisco.

I left him laying there and asked Justus to come and get me if he started barking real loud, but to handle it if he could.  I went got Cisco and when Becky arrived she decided to buy him.  By the time I got back inside the house it was 9:00 PM and he was barking and up.  I tried to calm him and go back to bed, but he was irritated.  He wouldn't settle down.  Kept barking and jumping out of bed.  Good ole Tejas, the boss of the house, was now getting irritated.  Trying to sleep over on his little bed on the floor, he was starting to growl.  As Drake walked by him barking, Tejas lunched at him with  big bark.  Just knocked Drake over.  Of course Drake hadn't heard the bark and getting knocked over just heightened his agitation.  So he started barking even louder.  I picked him up, hoping to put him in bed and calm him down.  Uh oh, he bite me.  Not a pressure bite, but a his mouth on my hand and his mouth closing.  I told him no, no and jumped up out of frustration, kicking Tejas out of my room.  Misdirected anger, but I was angry and knew better than to show Drake. 

Before throwing Tejas out, instinctively I had put Drake on the floor.  When I returned from throwing Tejas out, I noticed that Drake was suddenly calm.  Walking around in my bedroom.  I went over and closed the doggie gate into his playroom  Then I went over to the bed watching Drake.  As much as I believe in getting to the reason of the behavior and trying to prevent it from that angle.  I also know that some times you just stumble onto the answer.  Like I did when I watched Tejas roll him.  After about ten minutes he came over and calmly asked to go to be.  He laid down and was asleep in another two minutes.  Unbelievable.  Tejas had done it again.  Indirectly he had corrected Drake, making me angry enough to throw the little pain in the a$$ out of my bed.  Exactly what the dog whisperer himself would have told me to do a week ago.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

They Tried To Make Me Go To Rehab, I Said No, No, No

October 25th, 2012

So the morning started off bad.  For some reason I decided that I would spend some time in the family room.  I usually take him upstairs to my bedroom, where he has his playroom set up or outside.  Both places he knows well and is content when there.  In the family room we have a lot of windows and even the door is glass.  The room has a lot of natural light.  I have noticed that he barks and spins in door ways in general, but this door really sets him spinning.  So prepared to no, no all morning.  I sat on the couch and watched.  He was not happy to be in that room.  The colder weather is starting to come and this is where we will be instead of outdoors for half of the day.  I could have waited until then, but no, let's spend my morning correcting Drake.  He likes the kitchen, which is attached, if I am in there cleaning or cooking.  It isn't his favorite room, but tolerable.  The family room, yuck.

It was to be mid-morning, so I took him outside.  I had tons of canna's that I was moving and a sage that I needed to plant.  I found the place where I thought would be good for the cannas and then a place for the cannas.  I planted the sage, but the box with the cannas were so heavy that I got them half way back to the spot and decided to mow the lawns instead.  He was behaving and seemed content.  I mowed the front lawn and then the back.  Just as I was finishing I noticed he was starting to spin.  I put the mower up and went and picked him up.  I carried him into the house and put him down to drink.  While he was drinking, I washed my hands and arms.  My knee hurt and I was starving, so I decided to take some Ibuprofen and get some food.  There were some fresh bagels calling me.  However, the little rat ran back outdoors as soon as he drank his share of water.  Usually I would have brought him right back in.  I knew he was very tired and if he got over tired that he would even behave worse.  My hands were clean, the bagels were there.  I grabbed a soda and a bagel.  My daughter was off so I talked to her for a few minutes.  We talked about the movie which had just come in on net flex and decided to watch it after I finished my lunch.  All of this time,  Drake was in the corner of my yard spinning.  He was so tired he could hardly move.  Just as I was finishing my bagel, my daughter walked outside to get Drake for me.  

I could see his head hanging back and the tongue was hanging out.  She put him in her arms while I put the movie in.  His whole body was heaving as he panted, trying to cool down.  My daughter said feel his ears and head.  I did and they were so hot.  His tongue was just hanging.  I took him in my arms and his body was on fire.  He had over heated his self so badly that I was frightened.  I wondered should I douse him in cool water, what should I do.  I decided that I would just watch him carefully as I watched the movie, to see if he could cool himself down.  I gave him an ice cube, he didn't want it.  He loves ice cubes.  By the time the movie was over, he had stopped panting.  He was curled up sleeping in my arms.  I felt that I was very lucky to have averted a very sick boy.  A lesson was learned and a horrible situation was avoided.

My next decision was to get him half of a pill.  What an idiot I was, when he was doing better for just a couple of days, to remove the crutch.  He obviously still needed it.  He played a little while outside, and at 4:45 PM he went and sat on the porch.  I went over and opened the door for him.  I usually make him go through the doggie door, but he had a rough day.  We went upstairs and I fed my two afternoon eaters  Maddie and Drake.  I noticed when I put the food in Maddie's bowl that I spilled it around her bowl.  Drake went through his bowl fast, as usual.  I saw poor Maddie, who lives for food. eating as fast as she could.  She also went to the other side of the bowl to try to body block him.  Too bad for her, the food was pretty scattered.  He had followed the smell over, but as soon as he found the kibble by her bowl, he smelled in the air.  I think he realized it was her food.  He just stood there, as though waiting for permission to have a bite.  Maddie finished the last piece of food.  I was surprised at his manners.  He had touched Blue's bowl once and Blue had a fit.  So, I figured that Drake would repeat the bad behavior.  Blue knows better, but he does not like Drake at all.  I felt all proud of Drake. 

He played very quietly for awhile, but at 6:00 PM he asked me to go to bed.  Laid down and went straight to sleep. 


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

No, No Equals Yes, Yes

October 24th, 2012

Yesterday morning I decided I wouldn't give Drake anymore pills.  I had only been giving him a half of a pill since he got back from prison and his behavior seemed stable.  The vet had told me when I got the real drugs to SHUT HIM UP that the pill I had been giving him were herbal.  She said that there was need to give him a whole lot of the stuff.  That if it helped him, that would be all it would do.  Giving him a lot would not make any difference.  So in my mind, it seemed logical to only give him half. Then I thought, I will just not give him anymore.  It did cross my mind that the night terrors or whatever might have been the result of that.  I just thought I would wait it out and see.

Well, that was one of those decisions that you make when you are having a really good moment and not thinking things through.  The morning started out pretty good until our outside time came.  I had barely gotten him outside when it started.  That damn spin mixed with the howl.  I corrected him with a no, no and he would stop, but for a very short time.  After about an hour of really bad behavior, I grabbed him.  Put his behind out to the front with his head tuck under my arm.  Straight towards that little crate I went.  I stuffed him in and instead of a repenting reaction, like every other correction I had ever done, he went manic, like I had seen him since the day before I took him back to prison.  It was awful and it did not stop.  How in that tiny cage, I don't know, but he was spinning like a crazy dog.  Howling, digging, biting.  It was the most obscene horrible sight.  I have to admit I did not leave him in there but a minute.  I couldn't stand it.  It might have triggered something, I will never know.  It is like what he smelled last night in my bed.  When I took him out I told him no, no and let him go.  His behavior improved a little and when I told him no, no, he responded much better.  However, I will never use that correction again.

It was another long day and a long night.  When he went to bed, it was just like the night before.  All night, barking.  It is the strangest behavior.  All I do is say no, no and he goes right back to sleep.  I have to grab him, I am afraid he might fall out of be and be hurt.  What is waking him up and why is he barking.  The other behaviors annoy me more, but I can kind of get most of them  This one has completely baffled me.  Why does he wake up.  It is quiet, dark and everyone else is asleep.  I am started to loose sleep.  A night of interrupted sleep is like no sleep at all.

Who Knows What The Nose Smells

October 23rd, 2012

Today was another good morning.  He did his little routine and seemed fine.  However, I wasn't going to be fooled.  I knew that we had taken three steps forward over the last couple of mornings, and that we would have to take at least one back.  As the morning passed and he played,  I waited.  I now had the small crate ready to shove him in to correct his behavior.  Although for the last couple of days most of his behavior had been corrected with that little no, no to the nose.

He had spent a lot of time outside this afternoon, smelling.  That's what he does.  Head down, then all of a sudden the nose goes up and he takes a little sprint, with no hesitation, as though he can see where he is running.  It is amazing how much confidence he has.  That is what made me fall in love with him the first time I saw him.  He has never taken a victim's stance, always confident. I will admit that two of his favorite places are where the donkey poops and around the chicken pen where they sleep, and poop.  I think that's the male in him, poop, not many little girls are as interested as you guys.

I brought him in around 5:00 PM, except for a couple of spins, he had seemed balanced.  He always gets cranky when he is over tired, so  decided to put him to bed. He normally goes to bed around 7:00 PM and it was only around 5:30PM now. So, usually I wait for him to ask me to go to bed, but I just tucked him in because I was on the computer and he kept doing this three bark thing.  Not the howling or crying when he spins.  Just barking.  Even though I didn't think the three barks thing he was doing should be corrected, it was annoying.

He went right to be and to sleep.  However, not long after, he jumped up and lunged towards the other side of the bed barking.  An aggressive bark, like I had only heard a few times.  I grabbed his collar and pulled him back to his spot.  I said no, no (you know, on his nose) and he laid back down.  It was as though he saw something, but in his case smelled something, close.    He went back to sleep and then it kept happening.  After a few times I put his leash on, so he would wake me up.  Wake me up he did.  All night.  I have no idea what was up with him.  He kept smelling the sheets and pillow cases, and jumping back, like fear.  Scientist say that a dog can smell thousands of times better than a human and that a hearing impaired dog, can smell thousands of times better than that.  Who knows......just hope this is a one time thing and not some kind of a ritual for him  He has some strange ones.

Monday, October 22, 2012

SOS-Mayday-Mayday

October 22nd, 2012

So the morning and mid-day was as smooth as silk.  He had three little spin-barks.  One spray with the bottle.  Snapped back to normal.  So then at about 3:00 PM it began.  He became anxious to get outside, but seemed to be handling it.  I am really trying to get him on a schedule.  So a short time after that I took him downstairs and let him go out in the backyard to do his thing.  He was good for a short while.  He came in by his self, but didn't seem to want to be outside either.  Kept laying on my feet, but didn't want to be picked up or to go anywhere.  He finally threw a real spin in front of the door, when he does this he is being a brat.  He wants me to let him out the kitchen door, instead of going through the doggie door.  He was house trained at the prison and had to wait by the door to be taken out, but has been here six weeks and knows he can get out on his own.  However, from time to time he will do this at the stairs or the doors.  Any of the doors.  I am still just spraying him.  I finally just cuffed him (put the leash on) and took him upstairs.  Played in her room for about an hour, but wandered around in between playing. Just restless.

About 5:30 PM, he just starting barking.  No spinning.  Just barking, like at a dog.  This just started getting out of hand.  He was not even responding to my no, no or my spray.  I had a bad feeling about the alpha roll, but didn't know what else to do.  He didn't seem to take it seriously, squirming, not holding still.  I held the bite until he stopped squirming.  Paused and then released.  My fear of the roll loosing it sting if I used it too often was inevitable, and I knew it from common sense.  What was I gonna do now?  Just as I was pondering that familiar question, "what am I going to do about Drake"?  The phone rang and it was my friend April, a dog trainer.  I discussed it with her and she gave me another option to do instead of over using the alpha roll.

She suggested that I get a little crate, one of those solid plastic ones.  She said I will lend you one the approximate size I need.  Big enough to fit him in, but not big enough that he can stand or turn around.  Do not leave him in longer than a couple of minutes.  As always, remember this is a correction, not a punishment.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Whoa........Step Back Momma

October 21st, 2012

Today was another interesting day in the journey of life with Drake.  I had been warned about using the roll too often.  I could see that I had

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Birds of a Feather

October 20th, 2012

Today we re-visited some problems from our past.  Drake had a problem passing the chicken coop today and passing the parrot tonight.  It could have smelled the chicken feed.  Today I had decided to put food and water in their pen, getting ready for the colder weather.  I noticed that he nose was up and that he followed me to the pen.  He began to act manic, but I could control him with a no, no on the nose for most of the time.  Because I knew him and he kept revisiting the coop, I figured he would eventually act out.  So I pulled up a chair and kept a close eye on him.  Eventually he did act up and I rolled him.  Uh-oh.  The roll did not hold him.  In a few minutes he acted up again, so I rolled him again and this time I picked him up and took him upstairs.  So I guess the next step if you roll him and he acts out again, is to remove him from area completed.  I do notice that when he is tired he act out so much more.

When I got him upstairs, he laid down on the bath room floor, and took a very short nap.  I knew he was still tired so I kept a close eye on him.  Suddenly he was back smelling the bird cage.  He did not even back down once when I no, no on his nose.  He was defiant and angry.  I tried to move him by stepping in front of him and herding him away from the cage.  Also, I sprayed him a couple of times.  I eventually rolled him.  I had tried everything else because after the double roll outside earlier I knew I was over using the roll.  It was loosing it's effectiveness.  I even had to invent a backup for it.  That isn't good. 

I am not discouraged, but frustrated.  It makes me think of Paws in Prison and what they accomplished in just six months.  Actually the team that really trained, Cristi and Shelly, did not get him until four months before I got him.  That makes it even more amazing.  Machelle has such a positive energy and love for dogs, that she is an inspiration.  When the girls hit a wall or had a problem they said that Machelle would always say, "fix it".   She always believed they could do anything, and that kind of confidence pushed them.  The girls had a great mentor in Machelle and she was lucky to have those two girls.  However, all I have was me.  On days like this I so appreciate the incredible gift that those women gave me with this dog.  They are the only reason I can even begin to communicate with him.  I know if Machelle was here she would say, "fix it".   So I guess I better fix it.

Friday, October 19, 2012

We Are All Animals First

October 18th, 2012

Today was mostly good.  My new approach to treat Drake like a dog first and blind/deaf second is starting to give me hope.  I was stuck in a mind set and am so glad that I have broken through.  Now it feels right.  I am prepared to be flexible and give him 90% of my time for as long as it takes.  I am prepared to spend a year or the rest of my life working with him.  He is like a vocation to me, and it cannot be denied.  I believe his journey can make a difference not just to Drake, but to anybody that decides to take the same journey.  I found one other journey of someone that took this journey.  She created a web site, capturing pictures and advice about her journey.  I read it over and over.  It was helpful in preparing me and giving me confidence to start.  However, all of our journeys will be different because all of our dogs will be different.  They are dog first, with their own unique personalities to deal with that will have nothing to do with their impairments.  Drake is pretty balanced with confidence and intelligence, but he is not good with other dogs and he is living with seven.  That has to change.  I have a lot of work to do.

A friend of mine gave me two little bantam type hen.  I went to her farm and Drake walked around on a leash.  She had a six month old beautiful doberman puppy named Diva.  She was so cute and wanted to play with Drake.  Diva kept doing the little play bow, but of course he couldn't see her.  He could smell her presence , and should had known she was happy.  Instead he lunched at her with an aggressive bark.  I rolled him and he immediately got under control.  Of course poor little Diva had gone into her own little roll, call the fetal position.  Scared her very badly.  It was the same greeting that many of our dogs had gotten.  I don't even know how to approach this problem.

After we caught the little hens and put the crate in the back seat, I loaded Drake into the car.  At first he took a good position and seemed peaceful.  Suddenly, within the first two minutes, his nose went into the air and began to have one of his fits, throwing his head back, trying to follow the scent.  I could hardly drive home and it is less than two miles.  When I got home and drug him out of the car, I released him into the backyard.  I got the chickens and took them through another entrance.  I hurried and put them into the little small cage I had prepared for them to live in for the first week.  I barely got them into their pen when I spotted Drake, nose in the air, rushing right towards me.  His nose brought him right to the chicken coop.  He had never noticed it before because it is usual empty by the time he goes into the back part of or yard.

He began biting the fenced in area and climbing up on the pen.  It was just as he reacted to the parrot the first time he noticed it.  At first I just stood there.  I don't know why I didn't react.  I guess I knew the hens were safe, but I didn't roll him, I just watched him.  He suddenly got caught between the chicken wire and the heavy wire on the pen.  For fear of him getting hurt I finally reacted.  I grabbed him and rolled him in one continuous movement.  Put the bite on his chest and the no, no on his nose.  After he got up, he continued to whine.  I picked him up and put him in my lap.  For some reason my instincts told me to not let him whine or walk away.  I sat there for ten minutes just letting him smell the chickens and not whine.  So much of what I have decided to do is to trust my instincts and rely on my experiences with dogs.  Of course I also cross my fingers.  We will know in his actions as we continue this journey.

The Alpha Wienie Roll

October 19th, 2012

While talking to my friend that is an dog/horse trainer, she warned me about using the alpha roll too often.  She said that it could make the dog fearful and in extreme cases they begin to urinate when they are touched.  The human would he an object of fear.  However, she did concede that it can be a very useful tool in his training.  When I roll him I am very careful and use extremely soft hands, except for the squeeze.  Timing is important.  You need to catch him in the act.  If the spin is slow and he is just beginning to spin, I use the water bottle.  If his spin is manic and fast, I grab him in mid spin and roll him on his back.  Grab his body, do not grab a leg and risk injury.  As I said, roll him as gentle as possible.  Quickly squeeze him, I grab his chest area, imitating a bite.  Firmly and hold it.  Before I release him I give him a no, no on his nose hand signal.  Do not squeeze him hard and never show anger.  It has to be a correction, not a punishment.

He seems to be getting the message.  He still comes to me when he wants a nap or to go to bed.  I see no difference in his affection that he offers me and mostly I see no fear.  He is as loving as always, just taking the correction and continuing his day.  I make sure that he knows it was me who gave him the correction.  I linger in the spot so he can smell my presence as he gets up right. 

Another thing that I discovered is that he loves ice.  I had a glass on lemoaide and dumped the ice in his water dish when I was finished.  Just to fill it up, not thinking about him liking the ice.  I do have another dog that likes ice, but am so caught up in the other stuff with Drake, I have never offered it to him.  He went after it like it was steak.  He threw a little tandrum when it was gone.  I gave him a no, no hand signal and he got himself under control.  It is another thing to use when I need to re-direct his focus.  Every tool that I can collect, goes right into my arsenol of weapons to win this battle.  I am beginningto think that he can be as normal as any other dog.  All of my dogs have little things that they do which stops them from being PERFCT.  One barks too often, one is bossy about when to feed or play with her, one is afraid of people,.  You get the message.  He will have his things.  He will always spin, that is part of him getting his bearings.  It helps him navigate.  However, I don't believe that he has to sping and throw tandrums.  Two entiierly different spins.  I also think I can get him through most of his ocd attacks.  Maybe I just hope it real strongly.  I do know I feel entirely different now about Drake.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

I Am The Dog Whisperer

October 17th, 2012

I woke Drake early and put him out with the other dogs.  He fell into the parade of dogs out in the morning.  I had hoped by making him wake up early, he might take a couple of naps and give me a break during the afternoon.  By late morning the barking and spinning was getting crazy.  I continued to put him in bed and contained him, but I also felt that it was not working. 

Mid morning my dog Tejas, the 70 lb. Poodle had come into my bedroom and was resting comfortably on the bed.  So when I picked Drake up and put him in the bed to contain him, he suddenly broke loose and ran right into Tejas.  This is the kind of thing that my big boy does not allow.  So, with a quick growl, he jumped up and rolled Drake onto his back.  He held him there with his mouth around Drake's breast bone.  He released him and Drake ran to me, huddled into me.  He sat there for at least five minutes before moving.  That is when it hit me.  I have to treat him like a dog, if I want him to be a dog.  I keep wanting him to be a dog companion, but treating him like a blind/deaf impaired dog. 

I am a big fan of Cesar Millan and agree with most of his training methods.  I have lived by his creed of exercise discipline affection.  I feel so ashamed that I had really not thought of Drake as a normal dog that should follow the same prescription that my other dogs had to follow.  I had given him everything in reverse.  I would normally never put up with his behaviors, but with Drake I was thinking his baggage was normal.  When I saw Tejas correct his behavior like a dog and him react like a dog, it clicked.  I spent the rest of the day correcting him as a dog or a pack leader would.  It did not change his behavior, but it definitely seemed to extend the good time.  I did give him half of a pill around  mid day.  He took several naps, got into the tub twice and licked grout all day.  While he licked the grout he would bark and occasionally dig.  I corrected him by flipping him.  I did try to redirect him, but didn't catch him early enough most of the time.

He came to me about seven and asked to go to bed.  He went right to sleep and was just as loving as normal.  At the end of the day he had responded to me, but still didn't know if it would really change him.  He seemed more confuused and not as he had reacted to Tejas.  He needs more exercise, that is for sure.  I will have to walk him at least once daily.  He is so hard on toys, that I have to be more creative.  The one thing that I have learned through this is to be more flexible and the plan is to not have a plan.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Welcome Back Kotter

October 16th, 2012

I had not been able to pick up Drake on Friday as planned because Machelle was out for the day.  By Monday I had worked up a migraine headache from hell worrying about starting all over again.  I tried to get on top of it, I had missed Drake so much and wanted him back.  However, for what ever reason I couldn't seem to move without wanting to throw up.  So by eleven yesterday morning I had called Machelle and taken a xanax.  I was out of migraine medicine and just wanted to sleep. woke

When I woke up, I was ready to get Drake.  I had analyzed the past month and knew several things.  One, I had been too soft on him, shown my pity and showered him with too much affection.  Two, pushed him way too fast.  He had picked things up so fast, I just kept introducing him to new things.  The plan that I had for his arrival had quickly dissolved.  Three, the ocd part of his brain had to be switched off.  I did not really need to know why he obsessed, he just needed to find a different way to live.  Four, he definitely needed more supervision than I had been giving him.

I had promised to do errands before I picked him up and it was almost noon when I got there.  The reunion was exciting.  He was very happy to see me and I was thrilled to see him.  So much more excited than when I had brought him home.  I had his cage opened to the front of the car and he went right in.  He played all the way home.  The rest of our pack was so happy to see him.  Don't know why, just the way dogs are.  He even seemed happy to see them.  I took him through the house, into the yard and then upstairs.  Part of my new approach was to limit how much of the house he would be allowed to go into.  Also, to not use the cage for correction.  I had to put him in it when I leave.  In the past I have put him in as a correction and many times I was frustrated when I did it.  I knew that I would have to tap into more patience. 

I didn't know that I would need so much patience, so soon.  He had only been home for a couple of hours when he started back, spinning, out of control.  I corrected him all day by putting him in bed and not allowing him to bark or get up.  I didn't think it was the best thing to do, but I was trying to try different methods.  I only knew the definition of crazy, which is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.  It was a hard afternoon.  Drake went to bed early and I was relieved.  I did not give him his pill, but I had decided to cut drugs way back on all pills.  I had mixed feelings about today.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Back Behind Those Prison Walls

October 8th thru 15th, 2012

So I went through the morning in a cloud of depression and confusion.  I waited for Betty to arrive and Drake napped most of the morning.  The drugs, that I had happily put him on to get through these few days until I returned him to prison, had kept him quiet at an expense.  He didn't seem any happier, but was clearly stoned.  Napping and barking.  It had been almost a month since I had brought him home with so much enthusiasm and hope.  I clearly needed some time to reflect on what had happened and what I could do.  The helplessness that I felt was robbing me of any common dog sense that I had.  As I continued to wipe tears throughout the morning, I hoped that I would be okay for the trip.  I wondered if I could get my mind off of Drake.

Betty had offered to drive me to Lockhart so that I could hold him for the trip.  I reassured him as we winded down highway 20.  He was quiet, stoned was a more appropriate word.  I would have rather told Betty to go on to Beeville without me  and stayed with Drake.  The only thing that stopped me from that was that I knew he would be better off away from me.  I was no good for him now and keeping him would be a selfish act.  I could only pray that I could get some rest and be ready for him next Friday.

I walked him back up the stairs, that he had walked down just a short while ago, holding his little blue leash in my hand.  Once inside, they asked us to wait for Machelle outside, because Betty had her purse.  Machelle came out hugged us both and took his leash.  Reassured me and promptly returned through the prison door.  My heart in the pit of my stomach, I tried to get my mind on reminiscing and the good old days. 

I realized how long our journey would be and how each little move would have consequences.  I pushed him too fast.  I had taken short cuts with drugs.  My house was not the best choice for a dog like him, but I knew it had to work.  He was my dog now and I had to make better choices.  I should not have planned the trip to Beeville right now.  I would have to say no to other people like Melody and her animals.  I had allowed way too much to get on my plate, as usual and this could not happen again.  I had to focus on what I wanted and I wanted this little boy to be happy.

Purple Haze

October 6th and 7th, 2012

Forget the Herbal, I Need Pharmaceuticals

October 5th, 2012

The morning brought new hope.  Drake seemed calm and happily went downstairs.  We had our breakfast and hung around downstairs.  I had decided I would get some laundry done.  I did not want to spend much time upstairs because of the bird.  While Drake was sleeping downstairs, I had returned the bird and the cage to the window where he belonged.  I had cleaned the cage and decided that I wanted him in my room.  I enjoyed his chatter and our morning rituals.  I was just going to have to desensitise Drake to the bird smell or redirect him as I had been doing with the tub.  The tub had been working, but I had to continuously watch that he did not get into the tub.  By redirecting him every time he went near it, he was staying out.

I was coming out of the laundry room when I saw him start up the stairs.  I stopped and watched him.  When he got to the middle landing, he started to spin and bark.  Very fast and manic.  I ran upstairs and grabbed him.  He was throwing his head and kicking for every thing he was worth.  It was about 12:45 pm as I sat down holding him.  For the next two hours he encored his behavior from the night before.  I could only hold him for the first hour and then into the crate.  It made me so sad to watch him in the crate, I wanted to cry.

Once he got to sleep I called the vet.  I was supposed to pick up his other anxiety pills and wanted to ask if I could give him three or what the limit would be for him.  She told me that the pills that he was currently taking were herbal and that they either worked or didn't.  That by giving him more it wouldn't really change his behavior.  I explained what was going on. She suggested that she give me some drug that would calm him and keep him calm.  I asked for enough to get me through the next two days until I returned him to prison.  I picked up the drugs and gave him a half of a pill immediately.  As when I had first upped his herbal meds, I immediately saw a calmer Drake.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Bye Bye Birdie Bye Bye

October 4th, 2012

Today was a stellar day.  At least until about 5:00 this evening.  I have two parrots that live in seperate cages, side by side, in mybedroom bay window.  Drake has always been aware of them, but just sort of acted afraid and avoided that area.  Not tonight.  We were in my bedroom, except I was soaking in a well deserved bath. I heard the birdcage rattling, but thought the parrot was playing.  Then I heard another sound, bird screeching, dog barking.  So bath interrupted, I flew into my room.  The cage was close enough to the window ledge, close enough that he had managed to get up on the window ledge.  He was balanced because of the window on one side and the cage on the other side.  Drake had his nose pushed all the way inside the cage through the bars.  He was barking at his new friend or being aggressive, who knows.  However, my parrot Boggie looked at it as a home invasion.  As I got out of the tub I had seen Boggie quickly moving towards Drake, but I couldn't move fast enough.  More Drake did not see or understand what was about to happen, but I saw Boggie's beak on Drake's nose several times.  Looking back now in a calm manner, Boggie did not bite Drake, there was no blood or evidence of a bit.  Boggie will thump you with his beak, which is what I think happened, but it sent Boggie into a dark place that I had only heard about. 

I quickly moved the cage and grabbed Drake, thinking he was injured, he was kicking and barking.  He was hysterical.  I had to hold him in a Heimlich position for over an hour.  I finally called my grandson first to hand me his second pill for the day and then to get Boggie out of the room.  He had to disassemble the cage partially to get through the door, but Drake raged on.  He was tired, his barks were now whimpers.  No matter how tired he was, he continued to fight me.

Once the cage was out of the room, I put him down.  He went to the spot and whimpered, smelling the floor, the window, just running around in that area.  Then he turned on his own crate, which is wire and to him as close as he could find to the cage that housed the BIRD.  Then went on for another hour.  He was on top of the cage, inside the cage.  Barking, scratching, biting and barking with renewed energy.  I used my last resort squirt bottle, only a momentary surrender.  After two hours, I made the decision to give him another pill.  It was his third one for the day, but it was too late to call a vet and I knew he had to come out of this. 

After another half an hour went by, finally sleep.  He didn't sleep soundly, so after another hour, I moved to my bed where he normally slept.

My Name Is Einstein

October 3rd, 2012

The day started so pleasant for me.  It was his first day that he could leave my upstairs bedroom and make it all the way out the doggie door to the outdoors on his own.  I feel that we have made it over a major mile stone.  Drake is a genius.  He learns so quickly.  To think I cleaned the house before I brought him home because I wanted him to map the house and know where everything is.  I thought I would have to keep the house perfect and never change things.  It is the opposite.  Nothing fazes him about running into things.  He approaches the stairs and some things so cautious, yet he has so much confidence about just walking around.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

He Found The Powder Room

October 2nd, 2012

Yesterday I decided to help him get downstairs and out the doggie door with out a leash.  I just directed him out the bedroom door.  Down the stairs was no problems.  He keeps wanting to turn right instead of left at the bottom of the stairs.  For the first couple of weeks I turned him right to go out the front because he did not want to use the doggie door.  He also would not walk around the back yard carefree.  I indulged him and let him go out the front, brought him home through the back.  This original mapping that he did is completely opposite what I am asking him to do know.  Very confusing.  We have only been back home a couple of days from our doggie  sitting and since then I have turned him the opposite way at the bottom of the stairs.  Yesterday, I had to drag him with his collar to the kitchen.  As soon as he got to the kitchen he realized he had to potty, and he finished the trip.  Today, I just barely tugged on his collar to make him turn left.  I think He is doing incredible.  This is just his third week and five days was at another house.

One issue is water.  Today I decided I had to detour his jumps into my bath tub.  They are the main source of circling and barking upstairs.  I tried to block the tub, but he got around, under or over everything that I put in front of the tub.  I have a really large European ironing board that I used to cover up the top of the tub.  He jumped on top of the ironing board and before I knew it had torn the cover to shreds.  Not only that, but I have a wide ledge window behind my tub, and he managed to knock off everything from the window sill.  I am at a lost as what to do.  I suppose that I am going to have to close the door, but the bathroom doubles his area to play, and I hate to sacrifice any of his play area.  I am still working on that problem.  He just seems to have obsessive behavior wherever there is water. 

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Digging Is His Unhealthy Obsession

October 1st, 2012

Things were going so great with Drake.  He was fitting in with all of my loverlies and learning everything I threw at him.  Had to go on a dog sitting job and I had been making plans to have a dear friend of mine drive down from the Dallas area to join me on a trip to my home town of Beeville.  There we were going to have a 50 year reunions of sorts.  50 years of friendship.  I had make my hostess aware that I would have to bring him, but had reassured him of his progress.

I had been outside with all of my dogs etc working in the yard.  I had the sprinklers on and was having a great morning.  I decided to go in to fix lunch.  As a habit my dogs all follow me in and out most of the day.  I did notice that Drake did not follow me in, but I saw him and didn't have a worried thought as I sat down for lunch.

As I started back outside, I noticed I couldn't see him anywhere.  I ran outside with my eyes sweeping the yard from left to right and back again.  I moved off the porch, still searching.  Suddenly I saw my Mexican Pansies moving, like wind gently blowing.  It caught my attention.  As I moved closer I could see him.  Digging as fast as he could and then tried to shove his whole body through the hole and under the fence.  Then  dig, dig, push again.  I could not believe my eyes.  He was almost out of the yard.

I felt panic as I ran the last few steps to grab him.  He was covered in mud and defiant as I picked him up.  When I put him down, you know by now what he did.  Started digging again frantically.  I grabbed him several times before removing him to the house.  I had to put him in his crate.  He was barking and crying at the doggie door because I had closed it.  I ran outside and begin to drag a couple of eight feet four by twos over to bury in the ground behind the fence, so he couldn't get out.  i did sixteen feet, but would have to watch him now until I could get the wood to finish.

He was in that same manic state that he would get into when playing in water or spinning in my bath tub.  It was that "60" that I talked about in the beginning.  It just seemed that I didn't know what would start him off next.  It wasn't just his manic behavior, but I cold not seem to bring him out of it.  I thought I would have to just be aware of him at the bath tub or in pools of water, but now it was under a fence.  If I didn't know what to redirect him from, what was I to do.  If anything and everything could set him off, how could I redirect him.  How could I help him.  I knew that I was not equipped to handle him when he got into that state.  He would just have to wear himself out sleep and then eventually go to bed.  Try again the next day.

 
Then had been the most serious so far, in so many ways.  He would have been helpless if he had gotten out.  I might have lost him or worse.  The other thought was, is this how we got him in the first place?  Did he escape from a loving owner that did not know his fate?  Had he gotten into the state we found him in by his own demons.  What had he been through?  How much farther did we have to go before we could help his anxiety or whatever is throwing him into these states.  I needed to get him tagged.  I needed to put some notifications on craigs list in Houston, just in case.  I can't imagine loosing him and having to imagine horrible endings, instead of knowing.  Most of all I have to learn how to help him.  I am so over my head.  I have to find some knowledge hidden deep in me that I haven't remembered yet.  So many years of rescue dogs, so many different problems, so many of my own pets, so many years of experience.  I just felt over whelmed and I knew that basically that was what was wrong with my boy.

Two Hundred Dollar Tummy Ache

September 30, 2012

I vaguely remembered that Drake had tried to vomit through the night.  When I woke up I say a couple of spots that just looked wet.  It wasn't pee and didn't look like vomit.  I was due to change the sheets anyway, so just had to strip the sheets a little earlier than I had planned.

I noticed that he was moving a little slowly and when I tried to feed him breakfast, he didn't eat a kibble.  He lay around most of the morning and instead of worrying, I admit that this quieter version of my usually very busy boy was a nice change.

Just as I began to really get things done, he began to hack like he wanted to vomit.  All that came up was a little clear water, with the slightest tinge of red.  It looked like it could be blood.  I just couldn't be sure.  His mood was so somber, that I admit, I began to worry about him.  I thought, well I will just watch him.  I was beginning to think he must have eaten something that he was attempting to throw up. 

They had told me in prison to always pick up the stuffing out of his toys because he would eat them.  I had seen him attempt to eat his rubber toys and the squeakers that came out of them.  Now I starting making phone calls and describing his morning to friends.  One of my friends said that if I really thought that he might have eaten something, that the vet might be able to make him throw it up instead of having to remove it surgically.  I still hesitated until I saw him throw up tons of water.  I hadn't even seen him drink any, but it wasn't going down.  I called the vet and she was in, but of course it was Saturday and about 12 minutes after they closed.  I knew it would be an emergency call, but decided not to wait.

As the vet examined Drake, her urgency seemed to fade.  She said that he seemed fine, she didn't feel anything.  The dog didn't seem stressed.  I said let's take an ex ray, I just knew something was wrong.  As they left the exam room, for the ex ray room, I thought could it be something that poisoned him?  Around the corner they both came.  Dr. Moore said, "The only thing I see is an enormous amount of feces".   What?  He was vomiting and gaging.  She explained that some dogs get nauseous when they get constipated.  Did I want something for the nausea, she asked.  Yes, but for me.  Not for that dog with the little upset stomach from constipation.  I knew that just walking in the door was over one hundred dollars and it was sounding like a two hundred stomach ache to me. 

 
She gave him a shot for his nausea and I paid the bill.  As I put him in the car, my anger immediately turned to relief.  I was so happy that he was going to be fine.  She had suggested that I stop on the way home and get a little canned pumpkin for his food to help his "sticky" situation, so of course I did.  She said that he had to eat to get things moving.  He did and it did and I was relieved.  I looked at his odd little face when he was asleep, I recognized what I was feeling as love.  In spite of everything that was happening on a daily basis, and everything that I was sure would come, I loved the little bugger.  I also knew that as much as he would tear my world apart, that he would add so much to it.

He Smells The Tail That Wags

September 29th, 2012

The next morning after arriving home from my house/doggie sitting job, Drake seemed calm.  He was even approaching my dogs to smell them first.  He wagged his tail and I saw him do a play bow several times, but unfortunately the dog had moved on, not seeing him trying to play.  Most of my pack is too old to want to play, but there are a couple that I hold out hope for a play mate.  I have been told by Paws that he does like to play.  I am hoping for that to happen.

With Drake calmer, I decided he could and should spend more time in the back yard.  It had dried up from my watering, so I was hoping he could explore.  Explore he did.  He seemed so happy again.  He did spin in a few spots, but I would touch his color area and he would be fine.  He did not want me to take him in, so when he would feel me, he would turn and go the opposite way.  Like a kid would.  I would smile every time.

 
I noticed that he paid much attention to the donkey, but when I went back to check on him.  I found the fascination was not with Cisco, but with his poo.  Drake thought it smelled delicious and wanted to eat it soo-oo-o badly.  I tried my best to redirect him away from the donkey and eventually he smelled the chickens.



I know I shouldn't have laughed or be laughing now, but funny is funny.  I will have to start by telling you about my rooster Ruby.  Yep, Ruby is sorta a girl's name, but he deserves it.  It was after the  fire we had last September.  I was trying to reunite pets with their owners and was going out to the local shelter every day.  I kept seeing this small white chicken sitting in a little bird cage, laying in front of bird food.  So on the ninth day I asked what they were going to do with it.  They said, they didn't know what to do with her.  Nobody had claimed her.  I said I have a couple of chickens and could I just take her home.  They said, sure.  As I picked it up to take, I noticed that the feet were all burned on the bottom.  It looked and smelled infected, so I took it straight to the vet.  She said it had a 106 degree temperature, was heavily infected and might not make it.  However, she said 50/50, so I said let's try to save her.  Two months of changing bandages every four days and treating her burns, the vet deemed her well.  The only problem was as the two months went by not only did she heal, but she started to crow.  Now I had two hens, Juanita and Lacey, so you would think romance was inevitable.  The only problem with that was, while we saved Ruby's life, he lost all his toes from the advanced infection.  So when poor Ruby would try to woo Juanita or Lacey and would jump on a back, he had nothing to hold on with.  Just his beak, but he would oh so slowly slide to the side and then to the ground.  Well, I had entertained myself with that maneuver for months.  I will never know if Juanita's eggs had any little Ruby's in them, but it sure was fun to watch him try.


Back to Drake.  I was about to watch sweet little blind Drake kill Ruby and Ruby kill him right back.  Drake would get the scent.  Nose in the air straight to the chickens, of course the chickens had the advantage of sight.  So they would run, not Ruby.  He was ready to fight for his girls.  Problem being roosters fight with their feet (eh toes).  Rudy posing, Drake running the wrong way.  Chickens gone, Drake could never even get close enough to Ruby for him to get a swing with his little nubs.  Now, again, I know I shouldn't have laughed, not to mention be smiling as I'm writing.  However, it might be one of those things that you had to be there for, but I hope one person gets a smile at the expense of my great little ban of animals.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Changing Locations

September 23rd-28th

Today was the first day of a house/doggie sitting job.  I occasionally would watch my neighbors pets while they would travel or if they had an emergency.  Originally I thought this job was for next week and Drake would have more time to adjust to his new home, before having to stay in another home.  I had explained everything to the people that I was going to work for, and they had suggested that I come over a few times be fore they left.  Drake could map and be familiar with the pet and the house before we went.  We had been over three times.  Drake seemed to enjoy it.

He did great at their house.  He used their doggie door, ignored their dog, just as he had mine.  He ate well.  I never saw him stressed.  He would spin very rarely outside.  I thought he was more happy in their home than he was in his home.  They only had one dog there, she ignored him.  They had a smaller home, one story.  I didn't have to water the yard.   I think his transition would be much easier at our home if we did not have a seven pack household.  I kept most of their house and especially the bathroom closed off.  I was always that the size and lay out of my home would be a challenge.  He didn't seem to find things to obsess over, much like his life behind bars probably would have been.

So I just bonded with him, played with the other dog and enjoyed my time in my neighbor's home.  I knew that they would be home and I would go back to the transition of Drake into my world.

A Garden Tub Is My Nemesis

September 22nd, 2012

Wow!  Now he seemed to want nothing but to spin in the tub.  He wouldn't stay out of the tub.  I knew I had to stop this.  It was quickly becoming a neurotic experience and he was obsessing.  What could I do.  I had created him a play room, hoping to replicate the cell he had been living in size and play area.  By narrowing down the area for him to be at any one time, I had thought would keep him from being overwhelmed.  Here he was, as overwhelmed as I had seen him.  He was not having fun, he was acting out in some bizarre way and for some bizarre reason that I did not understand.

Splish, Splash, Now He Needs A Bath

September 21st, 2012

As I did my morning ritual with my Drake, I noticed he was more curious about the backyard.  I slowed down and took my time.  I decided that this after noon I wold bring him out with me and do some watering.  My poor yard had been so neglected, like everything else, since this wonderful creature had come into my life.  Maybe it was just boredom.  Besides it had been nine days since he had moved in, with his precious ball.

As first it was fabulous.  He had always been so independent.  That is the very first thing I had noticed about him the day I first laid my eyes on him.  He was in a very big room, with lots of chairs and tables.  It was the visiting room, so it certainly was not empty.  There he was navigating around at full speed.  Tail and nose high, you would have never guessed that he was blind, much less further impaired with his loss of hearing.  I was seeing that same confidence, as he navigated around my yard.  He visited all my out door pets.  Smelled them and showed no fear, just a healthy curiosity.

Then it happened.  I had been watering and some of the water had run down and formed a little shallow river.  Drake found it.  At first it was just barking and spinning.  I would touch him and he would move a little,but was still near the water.  He had loved water while at Paws.  They said one of his best tricks was to be showed a stone, that would fit into his mouth.  Then they would throw it in their shallow little pond (container purchased from Tractor Supply), and he would retrieve it.  So, thinking that he would have the same reaction, I found a stone.  He showed no interest, just continued with his spinning.  Now he was frantically digging and barking.  It was not a healthy game, he was manic.  I picked him up, took him to the kitchen for a quick rinse off.  As soon as I rinsed him off, I put him down.  He ran out my doggie door into the back yard and the mud.  By the time I arrived, he was muddier that the first time. 
 
Everything seemed to turn into some seemingly obsessive and manic behavior.  His joy always seemed to turn bad.  I had to take him into the house, give him a full on bath and lock the doggie door.  He cried and would spin at the door, so I eventually took him upstairs to play in his play room.  I was going to have to really monitor him, especially when he seemed to be having a good time.  That is what always lead to trouble.  How sad I thought, he can't seem to relax enough to just enjoy anything.

A Tiger By The Tail

September 20th, 2012

Because he seemed to be a little calmer upstairs without any other dogs, I decided to keep my routine the same for now.  Wake up out the front door, around backyard, into the kitchen for morning training.  Then upstairs for playing and first pill.  The issue of that darn bath tub was again going to be an issue.  In the tub, I had started throwing his "special occasion ball" to make his fun last a little longer.  It would give me about 2 more minutes.  It was frustrating, but I didn't want to close the door to the bathroom, it was such a great area for him.  I knew I had to come up with something.  As I watched him play with his ball in the tub, I had a really bad thought.  Things could get worst.  What if he somehow destroyed or lost the ball.  I had asked Machelle about getting more and she said she had no idea where it came from.  It had been very popular and if I found it to get a couple extra.  Well, I had begun to feel guilty about taking the ball out of the mouth of another dog.  Of course that feeling had not bothered me until, I had said ball, safely to my house.  I quickly found the exact ball online.  Found 'em, ordered 'em. bam.  Done.  Now back to the tub debacle.  As I watched him, I saw him go from 1 to 60 so fast.

I haven't shared with you about a "60".  That was his umber fit.  They were horrible and I think extremely hard on Drake.  He would go into them so fast.  He would become angry, spin like I thought he would turn into butter and his bark would sound more like a yelp.  I would pick him up from behind, as I had been taught by my ladies at Paws.  Wrap both arms around his chest, and hold on for his outburst.  He trust around yelping, throwing his head from side to side, and fighting me with all of his strength.  I would sit down to conserve my strength.  His yelp would slowly turn into whimpers.  It was not unusual for him to turn his head and lick my mouth, as he would melt into my arms.  You had to continue to hold him for awhile and make sure he was okay.  If you would start to reach down to release him too soon, he would immediately try to rip himself away from you.  Then you would have to pull him back for a short struggle.  If you let him get down, it would start all over again.   It was as close as I would come, or even imagine coming to, having a tiger by his tail.

The fits look like a temper fit, but I have never thought they were that simple.  He will spin and always will, it is part of mapping.  All blind dogs do this to make sure where they are.  He does it all day, but comes out of it by his self.  What causes these '60" fits?  Are they frustration, manipulation of me, senses overwhelmed, fear or are they all for different reasons.  I am trying so hard to understand, if I could, I could really help Drake.  In my journey to locate a reason, I did reach out to another blogger, named Harold Gale.  His blog is called Blind Dogs Forever.  He has much scientific information and really did teach me alot about the double dapples.  However, this is an emotional outburst and only I can figure this out.  Research, watch over him and continue to take all his fears away and replace them with trust.  Well, that sound pretty darn simple.

,

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Back To The Research Table

September 19th, 2012

The next day did seem calmer.  I developed a little routine that would work for me and would help him.  When he awoke, I would take him out the front door as planned for his walk and morning potty.  Change his route home through the back gate, and do my guided tour around the back yard.  Then when we got into the kitchen, I had picked a area on a rug for training.  He would train and get his morning 1/2 cup of food for breakfast.  Then upstairs, his morning pill and then he would quietly play for a couple of hours until time for his next walk.  Then I could begin a leisurely morning and finally get something done.

Lasted for about 10 minutes.  I heard him barking loud, I ran to the bathroom, there he was in my huge garden tub, spinning.  I couldn't believe he had been able to jump into the tub.  However, I thought how cute, and through his ball into tub to play.  Remember his "special occasion ball", which had become his "car ball",.  Well, it had become his "only thing to shut him up ball" and he had it with him at all times.  He seemed to be so happy to have the ball.  Again, I went to start my morning over again.  Only to hear his familiar bark.  Seems he could not get out of the tub and that ball was now his "boring ball".  I removed him and his ball from the tub.  Back to playing he went, I felt encouraged after watching him for another 10 minutes.  Third time will be the charm, I thought. No, no, there would be no charm today.

The next hour was spent training me to get him out of the tub, every few minutes.  Drake in, ball in, both out.  Exhausted, I put him in his crate a little earlier than planned and a little more often than planned.  I had only created another problem.  The play room was used, but not for very long at a time.   Honestly, I thought my ideas were good.  I knew they would work, if given enough time, but what to do about the tub.  As the day continued, I tried to stayed positive.  He had cut down on the spinning, he was much calmer with my new scheduled and did I think this was going to be easy?  Of course not.  Had I made progress, yes.  He continued to not want to share space with any of my dogs.  Most of them kept trying to approach him.  There was still a list of  problems to live a normal life with this sweet, intelligent dog.  I trusted my instincts more and knew there was more information to be found.  I would have to dig deeper and expand my circle of advisers.  Time, I have always known that time was your best friend in every occasion.  So, I would be calling on my old friend once again. 

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Pack Leader Relies on Instinct

September 18th, 2012

Now that he had his drugs increased,   The manic behavior was so improved, that I began to study his actions.  The girls at Paws had given me a lot of information, but I was finding that many of his actions were new.  As far as we knew, he had never lived in a home as a companion, so his transition took many forms.  I had noticed that he seemed more comfortable in my bedroom area.  Because by spending time in the entire house might be overwhelming,  I limited his time in the other areas of the home.  Wanted him to use one area, let him get comfortable, and see if that would help the spinning.  I had a large bath room connected to my bedroom, so I decided I would make him a big play area. I put a large rug down for him to play on.  All of his toys were put in a plastic container under the vanity, between the double sinks, where he could get them. 

I put his crate in my bedroom.  Inside the crate I put a couple of t-shirts, that I had slept in, with the little blankets from the Paws girls.  I put a toy that he could not destroy inside.  Beside my bed I put a purple donot shaped bed.  In the bed, his little favorite bone, so he could stop to rest and chew.  I did not let any other dogs up there until night time.  Those changes seem to make him calmer.  He played with his toys, running back and forth.  I had not wanted to use water to correct him, but decided to get a squirt gun.  I was afraid that by me touching him everytime he would spin, was trainig me instead of him.  Also, saved me a few steps and believe me when dealing with Drake, every step saved was needed.  Any time that he would circle and bark, I gave him one quick squirt.  I do not understand why, but 95% of the time, that little quick squirt stops him.

The other problem that I had noticed during the first week, he did not like the backyard, unless I had him on leash.  Also, he would not use my doggie door. He knew it would take him outside, but he would stand at the front door and bark.  The doggie door was in the back.  At this point I decided to take him out the front door to potty and a short walk.  He loved his little walks.  I took him three or four times a day..  After his little walk, I would then take him to the back yard through the gate instead of the back door.  I would keep him on leash and walk him around the yard.  I would then take him in the back door, letting him walk around for about thirty minutes and then take him back upstairs.

I felt good about all of the changes that I had made.  Hopefully, they will make him feel comfortable, keep him independent and he will stop the spinning.  I had discovered that the spinning could be a part of his mapping.  Mapping is what a blind dog does when he gets into a new situation and wants to knows where he is as he moves around.  Every night I researched his actions from the day to try to understand him.  That night, I smiled as I held him in my arms, and dozed off myself.  I thought that my reaearch days were over.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Got To Get You Into My Life

September 15th, 16th, and 17th

So the week-end came, and the week-end went.  Drake continued to be the center of each day, he was controlling me.  As much as I was beginning to resent him, I was also started to connect with him.  See his anxiety, starting to see what he needed when he barked,  Even when he would spin.  I was just so frustrated and tired from his antics I couldn't even think.  He needn't help, but I needed rest.

Monday morning, as I listened to my dogs growl and Drake bark, I had a thought which accidental floated into my tired brain.  Maybe Drake was as exhausted as I was.  He was currently on an anti- anxiety, half a pill in the morning and half a pill in the evening.  The girls had told me what a difference that pill had made for him.  They had tried several things, but this really had turned a corner for them.  So I thought, since he is going through this transition with me, maybe he needs to up his meds to get him through this big change. I was certainly using more Advil for Migraines.  One pill had helped him, he was already settled.  Now he was anything but settled.  So I got the name of his vet from his pill box and called him.  He was great, he said to up it to one pill in the morning and one pill in the evening.  He said if I did not see a change in a couple of days that he would give me a little stronger medication.  Suddenly a feeling of hope, allowed a smile to accidentally make it though my tired facial muscles, and faintly cross my lips.

I gave him a whole pill that morning, and by the time I gave him his second pill, I could see such a change in his anxiety.  He slowed down, everything he did slowed down.  It was a little scary at first, I guess it was guilt.  It just got so much easier, so fast.  I was hoping he was not ,going to be drowsy and his personality changed.  He had suddenly started napping several times a day, but still going to sleep at the same time.  By the second day, I realized that he was as happy as I  was with his new speed.  Things certainly weren't perfect.  We still had so many issues, but this new and improved Drake, was such a welcome change.