Living

Rumor has it that Susan Miller, CVT, CPDT, CDBC, can work miracles…  little wonder, then, that it was Susan I turned to when Lily’s separation anxiety needed to be brought under control.

My dear, sweet Lily doesn’t want me to be out of her sight.  Actually, I am her person and she wants me in close proximity at all times.  Not only is this impossible, it’s not healthy.  When I’d let all the dogs outside to play in the back field, as soon as Lily would realize that I wasn’t coming along, she’d turn around and cry at the door to come inside.  If we were in the kitchen together and I left to go upstairs, she’d moan until I reappeared.  Even looking at me from the other side of the fence while I was gardening just a few feet away, set up too much of a separation between us.  Instead of getting better, things were clearly exacerbating with time.  I realized it was necessary to seek advice of a trained professional.

Although I’ve trained dogs myself since the age of 10 – and teach classes in therapy dog training, handling the issue of separation anxiety was beyond my capabilities.  As a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), Susan is equipped with the professional training needed to ameliorate the situation.

Susan came to our home for  our first meeting.  She assessed the situation, quickly noting that Lily’s eyes were constantly fixed on me as she and I stood talking in our kitchen/family room area.  When I moved from one area of the room to the other, Lily would get up and follow me.  In addition to seeing this type of behavior, I described in detail other scenarios, such as how Lily can’t bear to play outside with the other dogs putting me out of her sight.  I often take one of the dogs with me on errands around town.  They love riding in the car and patiently sit there while I run inside a store.  This is impossible with Lily…  she sets up a blood-curdling screech when I set foot inside a store.  (Sad, because she, too, loves riding in the car.  But, of course she would, we’re together in the car!)

Susan determined this to be a definite case of separation anxiety and she started giving me several different techniques to work on with Lily.  During our session, we practiced each exercise she wanted me to work on with Lily.  (I took copious notes.)  As always, with any dog training, especially when working through a problem, patience and baby steps are the keys to success.  Exercises were to build on one another…   take a wee baby step – many times, then try a step ever-so-slightly larger.

Susan left me with homework – and the encouragement that working through this problem slowly and with perseverance would result in eliminating the it.  She predicts that by the end of the summer, Lily will be a much more relaxed dog.  We scheduled our next appointment 3 weeks out, which would give us plenty of time to work on the basic building blocks.  During this time, we would have weekly check-in calls with Susan to discuss progress and get further suggestions from her depending on the progress made.

We are now 2 weeks into our exercises…  I am a very patient person.  I want this to succeed for Lily – for all of us.  Sometimes it’s two steps forward, then one step backward.  So important not to advance to the next level too soon.  Susan and I have had our weekly pep talks – and I am already seeing a more relaxed – therefore, happier – dog.  Lily is a wonderful, sweet dog…  she will get there.  It all depends on me!

Stay tune for updates on Lily’s progress…

Yesterday, Violet and I headed over to Berkshire Hills for the start-up of Puppy Buddies.  This is a group of adults who gather each Tuesday afternoon to handle and socialize the young pups – starting at 4 weeks of age until they leave for their new homes at the age of 9 weeks.

While the humans go about their fun task inside the puppy house, the now grown-up Labradoodles, owned by the Puppy Buddies, get to play together in the large fenced in field at Berkshire Hills.  It’s a full two hours of fun for all…  as the humans cuddle the soft balls of chocolate-brown hair, they have a chance to chat and catch up with their Buddy friends.  It’s been almost 4 months since the group was last together – so there’s much to talk about.  Outside, the adolescent and adult doodles do their own catching up with each other and occasionally stick their heads in the window, curiously peering in at the youngsters.  It was just last fall that Violet, her brother Owen, and Cadence (different litter) were among the pups being socialized by the Puppy Buddies  group.

By the end of the two hours, the pups are in nap mode – and the pack outside is well-exercised and ready to head home.  The Buddies say their good-byes and plan to meet up again next week.  Some of us make plans to meet for hikes in the woods…  a pleasurable event with a few doodles in tow.  Check in next week for more Puppy Buddy news!

Something new in the mix…  Violet, a six-month-old Australian Labradoodle, owned  and bred by Sunny Goodwin of Berkshire Hills Labradoodles, is joining our gang of English Setters here at Bridgvale Farm.  Violet, aka Lillian, is the daughter of Alice and Keifer (from Alice’s very last litter).  Violet is being trained as a therapy dog – and she is learning very quickly.

I first met Violet at Sunny’s Puppy Buddies Group when she was four weeks old.  Here in Puppy Buddies, a group of about 8 people gather in the “puppy playroom” once a week to socialize the young pups.  Prior to this socialization process, the pups had been living inside Sunny’s house where they were born in her bedroom and spend those first few weeks with their attentive mom.  Sunny’s own family members start to handle the pups over the course of the first four weeks – at which point they are moved to the “puppy house” where they begin to receive a variety of stimulation set up in their play room.  By the time these pups are ready to go to their new homes at nine weeks of age, they have had quite a special life – all the socialization and stimulation a pup needs to development a well-rounded temperament.

In addition to knowing firsthand how Violet spent her first two months of life – handling her myself in Puppy Buddies,  I have had both of her parents in my Therapy Dog Training Workshops where they showed great promise as future Bright Spot Therapy Dogs.

With this knowledge, I’m 99.9% certain that Violet will be a superb therapy dog.  My future plan is to have my sweet, affectionate English Setter Lily and fun-loving, sociable Violet trained and ready to take over when James –  my very special, current therapy dog is ready to retire.  James is eleven years old…  and visiting is a tiring job.  When he’s ready, he deserves to enjoy his retirement years relaxing on the farm.

So, now, the rest is up to me…  thus, the training begins.  Stay tuned… I’ll keep you posted.

Just came inside after spending 3 hours sitting on lawn chairs in the backyard while the dogs played around us.  Ah…  what glorious sunshine!  What a wonderful feeling to be able to sit out in the back field with the dogs – talking and watching them play with fallen branches from winter storms gone by.  Brought out some coffee to drink and bones for the dogs to chew on.

It begs the question…  Is spring here to stay?  The month of March is so unpredictable!

On an early walk this morning, James and I watched as a pair of bluebirds flitted in and out of a nearby neighbor’s nesting box.  On Annie’s walk, she and I spotted a flock of robins landing in the sun-filled meadow.  After Lily’s walk, she and I toured our gardens, their winter blanket of snow now melted by our 60 degree weather pattern of this past week.  Oh…  I do hope spring is here to stay.

With the change of clocks and the official date of spring just 9 days away…  surely fickle March can’t pull too many more punches…  the dogs are so content just lying outside for hours basking in the warm sunshine under a clear bright-blue sky.  Such a simple pleasure…

Robert and I first met when he enrolled his dog in one of my Therapy Dog Training classes.  His dog was great in the classes and showed lots of promise as a therapy dog.  But, after the series of classes ended, I didn’t see Robert and his dog again for about 3 years.  We recently reunited at a Labradoodle event at Berkshire Hills Labradoodles and it was there that I learned that Robert is a professional photographer.  So, when I saw his announcement about photography workshops on facebook, I decided this is it – my New Year’s project…  I stepped right into action – and with Robert’s expert guidance – I purchased a very good camera and enrolled in his complete series of workshops!

Very good camera…  complicated?  Yes!  But the workshops are great.  I’m learning so much.  I’m absolutely intrigued with the art of creating beautiful images of my dogs (and other things – like my grandson, other family members, and the sunsets that I love so much).

Today was a perfect winter’s day for me…  I don’t like the cold and winter in general – because we have very few sunny days…  but today, there was a freshly fallen snow, the air was crisp, and the sun was shining.  I grabbed my snowshoes for the first time this winter – and with camera in hand – the dogs and I headed out to the back field.  As the sun shone over the light powdery snow, the surface glistened like thousands of sparkling diamonds.  The dogs were in ecstasy.  It was their kind of weather too.  They romped, they scouted, and they hunted for squirrels (those elusive squirrels).  Ever so silently, motionless most of the time, they watched for their prey.  And – I snapped one image after another.  I experimented with different techniques (those I could remember…  I’ve only been at this for 2 weeks and have a very long way to go!!!).  I kept snapping until my fingers started to freeze.

Anxious to see if I shot anything decent, I unstrapped my snowshoes and made a beeline to the house, the dogs flew to the door ahead of me and while they settled in by the fire, I unloaded the afternoon’s images.  I do like some of what I see…  but Robert?  I know I have a long way to go with this new adventure.  It’s going to be a great journey.  Hopefully my readers will soon be looking at far better photos of my wonderful dogs…

Those of you who have young children may have experienced a feeling of  joy when your children behaved well in public…  You take them out to eat in a nice restaurant or to watch a performance in a theater…  you may be holding your breath, wondering how they’ll behave…  and they surprise you by rising to the occasion, acting  like angels – even if they’ve been acting like little hellions at home.  Although my daughters are all grown up now, I can remember that surge of pride I felt when company came over and they showed off their manners.

Such was the case yesterday with my canine girls Annie and Lily.  Just a handful of days since Lily shred the fireside dog bed to pieces and dismantled my fur-lined winter gloves, she – and Annie – showed their darling, well-trained side to friends who came over for a visit.

Both Annie and Lily greeted them at the door with a Sit – no jumping up. Hallelujah!  They, then, proceeded to follow us into the kitchen and lie down in relaxed-fashion at our feet while we chatted.  James, of course, was present.  He kept his comfortable post on the couch, basking in the warmth of the fire.  He raised his head in acknowledgment of our visitors, then went back to his musings.

When it was time for them to leave, the girls ever-so-calmly followed us to the door, Sat (as taught) while I opened it and we said our farewells while the girls sat proudly at attention.  You could tell they were happy with themselves.  They knew, through consistent training, that this was what they were supposed to be doing.  I think they were as proud of themselves, as I was of them.  When my friends were through the door and on their way, I praised and released them.  Treats were given in abundance!  A big pay-off for such great behavior.

We all have those days when we wonder if our training will ever pay off.  I have my share of those days!  But, these young girls are coming through for me more and more.  Proof that consistent training is key to having a well-behaved, well-adjusted, happy dog.  It’s so worth the effort…  every bit of it!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!    

the goofy trio: Lily, Annie, & James

They’ve crept out the door for months, ever so slowly stalking the squirrels that hang out under the large maple tree in their yard.  They’re very serious about this business…  Today was their Big Hit…  sort of…  with a little help from the hawk!  It’s so much fun to watch them.

Our five acre farm in the country provides a fair amount of wildlife to keep my English Setters James, Annie, and Lily intrigued.  We often have flocks of wild turkeys that plant themselves right inside the fenced-in acre and a half…  teasing the dogs, I’m sure.  They’ll hang out for the longest time, then in an instant, they’ll whirl their clumsy bodies up into the air and escape the dogs who are quietly, slowly, creeping toward them.  We’ve had porcupines, deer, rabbits, bears, foxes, raccoons, coyotes, coy dogs, and – of course – lots of squirrels.  The dogs have pretty much learned that they all disappear beyond their reach.  No Fun!

Today, wow, all three dogs ran at the speed of a leopard out to the back of the field.  When I looked out to check, all three were bent over, tails up in the air, wagging happily.  They must have been saying to one another, Ah, a squirrel that’s not disappearing in a flash.  No, it’s just lying there.  Great!  Annie saw me heading out to them to check things out.  It was the hawk that flew up into the sky leaving a spot in the back field that tipped me off….  yes, he had been interrupted and forced to leave his breakfast behind.

Suddenly, James picked the lifeless squirrel up in his mouth and carried it proudly in his mouth, prancing around the fenced in perimeter of the back field.  He was one happy boy!  Round and round he went, just carrying it softly in his mouth.  Not wanting to destroy his triumph, I let him complete three rounds of the field, then called out, “Time to EAT!”  With this, James dropped his trophy and the gang came running for real food!  They started my day with a great laugh!

Sorry, no photo of the actual event.  Didn’t have my camera in hand.  Darn!  I’ve been trying for weeks – camera ready – to capture their morning ritual of creeping out in a line… unsuccessfully!!!  I’ll keep trying.

I find myself forgetting that Lily is still a youngster.  She has a mature look about her and when I take her for practice visits at the nursing home on Sunday mornings, she never fails to amaze me with her ability to interact with patients.  In addition, she performed far better in her Intermediate Manners class than I had expected – given the distraction of other dogs and the distraction exercises our trainer introduced.

With all of this, I do forget that English Setters are still puppyish at the age of two, as are Labs, and many other breeds.  She needs to play and play a lot.  And, she loves to be busy, like most puppies.

Yesterday it was bitterly cold outside and none of the dogs wanted to stay out for more then 10 minutes.  This translates into a lack of exercise.  I had run out of my arsenal of frozen marrow bones.  It’s always a salvation to pull 3 of them out of the freezer.  Keeps the dogs gnawing for hours (and polishes their teeth at the same time).  And, I had a lot of work to get done – meaning the dogs were getting neglected.  James (11) and Annie (4 1/2) are okay with this – at their age, but not our youngster Lily.  She busied herself first with ripping the fake fur off my down gloves I had left out by mistake.  I think she thought they were a toy – or looked like a small furry animal!  That over with, an hour later, she was chewing on the corner of the dog bed I had just placed by the fire for James to lie on.  Chewed the zipper pull and an inch of the zipper teeth…

Suddenly it dawned on me that we needed to shift into winter mode (those wonderful warm days seem to be over.  It is January!  The dogs simply won’t want to stay outside, as they usually do, running up into the woods chasing squirrels and chipmunks, and pointing at birds.  I need to provide the “mental” exercises that can eat up their energy, just as physical exercise does.  Games like  fetch-bring it back-drop it and hide-and-seek work well.  Sometimes I set up a small Rally course and take them one-at-a-time through the stations.  Doing this helps us practice their obedience commands – and they love the attention.

Wintertime brings on a different daily life here.  I’m not a fan of cold weather and being inside.  I tend to deny its coming as long as I can…  Well, time has come – like it or not – and poor Lily needs me to get with it and make a shift!  And – I raided the marrow bones at the butcher. We’re set for at least a month!

This was, indeed, a Christmas to remember…  marked by the birth of our grandson on Christmas Eve.  What a joy!  It was fun opening presents with family and canines – but the best gift of all was video chatting with our daughter and her husband holding their newborn son in their arms from their hospital room in Boulder, CO.

Rest assured, the dogs were not forgotten on Christmas Day.  They started their day, as usual, with their walks, then joined us for a family breakfast, followed by presents…  They loved their homemade dog treats given by cousin Moose, an English Pointer.

Now we’re hoping for more photos of our grandson as his parents take him home today! 

Today James turns 11 years old.  He and his sister Julia (who passed away last October) came to live here with us on Bridgvale Farm when they were 5 1/2 years old.  From the moment James entered our lives, he stole our hearts with his soulful look, his gentle manner, and his innate ability to comfort when needed – both at home and at “work” as a certified Therapy Dog.  During the 5 1/2 years he has been visiting in the nursing home, psychiatric facility, and hospice, he has touched the lives of over 5,000 patients and residents.  In the past 2 years, his special expertise has been with hospice patients where he often will lie for an hour at a time alongside his patient in bed with his head ever-so-lightly resting on their chest.

We all adore this true gentleman-of-a-dog.  We are honored that his breeder, Judi Hunter, let him come to live with us.  He has carried on the meaningful therapy dog work started by our first English Setter, Beatrice, back in 1992 – followed by Trudi, Phoebe, and his sister Julia.  I start every morning with this wonderful dog walking at my side.  James, I hope we will have many, many more special walks together, starting our day with the sun rising over the pasture in the distance as we chat about the day ahead.