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.