FRIDAY NIGHT DOG BLOG – JUNE JAUNTS June 28, 2008
Posted by wmmbb in DOG BLOG -.trackback
Until Wednesday, the walks were more or less routine. The sun goes down over the escarpment now in the middle of winter, so the our timing is by the sun. Then we were joined by Jock, who lives around the corner and across from the back fence.
The initial contact was not my initiative, but I was volunteered to take Jock for a walk. We have been hearing Jock barking incessantly, and it has gone on for weeks, so that even the most even tempered neighbours were driven to complain. In these situations there are always reasons, and the dogs involved can suffer. As it was the council fined the owners, with options to increase the penalty. You will see from the photos, that Jock is a very nice dog. His owner has a six year girl, whose name is Dakota, who is very fond of him. Jock’s owner works shift work.
I worry about Dexter and other dogs, and meeting Jock is an opportunity to further his socialization. Once the initial problem of bringing Jock into the backyard, and getting them out together, I hope the dogs will socially adjust to one another. Probably Jock has not experienced the close company of other dogs as well.
After two or three outings now they seem to get along. Sasha is enthused by Jock’s presence and is tired out when we return. Dexter has always been the energetic one, but he has met his match in Jock. As for me, I am exhausted by it all as well. I have to watch that the leads do not caught up and situations do not develop from than entanglement.
Dexter is all attention:
Sasha is calm and relaxed:
To my surprise, Dexter showed no inclination to join the game of soccer:
It might never be the same again:
“Look, no hands”:
Not forgetting Sasha, reflecting in the winter sun:
The ears have it, Jock:
Here we all go together:
There you go, Jock:
Taking it easy comes naturally:
Everyone included – some more than others:
Getting to know one another:
We will get out of this parochial mood and line up to join Friday Ark.
*
This week,the music is selected by associations with Jock’s name:
When we walking through the bush, and the Folk Festival was in full volume this was one song we heard (but perhaps without the accent):
I have wondered what the high road and the low road reference was about – so naturally let’s refer to Wikipedia:
There are many theories about the meaning of the song. One interpretation is that it is (apocryphally) attributed to a Jacobite Highlander who was captured after the 1745 rising while he was fleeing near Carlisle and is sentenced to die. The verse is his mournful elegy to another rebel who will not be executed. He claims that he will follow the “low road” (the spirit path through the underworld) and arrive in Scotland before his still-living comrade.
Another interpretation is that the song is sung by the lover of a captured rebel set to be to be executed in London following a show trial. The heads of the executed rebels were then set upon pikes and exhibited in all of the towns between London and Glasgow in a procession along the “high road” (the most important road), while the relatives of the rebels walked back along the “low road” (the ordinary road traveled by peasants and commoners).
It captures some of the romantic spirit of the lost cause of Bonnie Prince Charlie[2].
Mr. wmmbb,
Thanks for posting the pictures. They all look comfortable with one another. I don’t foresee any problems with this group:)
Jock seems to be a nice, smart dog. I like the peculiar shape of his ears:) They are petal-shaped and yet they stand! Wow! My one great grouse in life is that…I have floppy ears! Not that I can do much about it. Humans now have something called cosmetic surgery. I haven’t heard anything on the technique being adapted for enhancing a dog’s features!
After careful reconsideration (dogs just need a moment to reconsider their biggest decisions,) I don’t think I would like to go under the scalpel, even if the option became available!
Licks and Wags to you all and Pawshakes to Jock (Jock and I’ve just met, so some formality won’t hurt…what do you say?)
Oorvi
Photos never convey the full story. They do get along now after going out together. Dexter did grab Jock by the jaw on their first meeting. I bellowed, and he thankfully let go. I think Jock enjoys their company, and it seems he adjusting to more rough house play than he has been used to – I just stand clear, and advise Sasha to do the same.
You are right Jock is a nice, smart dog, and I feel some responsibility for his management. Yes, and the ears are pretty amazing too. However, in due course he will grow out of the puppy stage.
I have to say the subtlety of dog meeting and greeting is beyond me, and while I watch carefully for any signs of unfriendly developments, they are a set of rituals beyond my comprehension.
Thanks as always for the comment.
I too am enjoying Jock’s ears.. quite the set he has.
. How good of you to take him along on your walks.
The walks with Jock have now ended. His owner has said that I am not to take him out any more. If they would take him out for his walks that would be fine, in fact ideal.
However, this is not the expected program, and since it not, I can foresee problems if Jock is left in his yard all day with a muzzle to stop him barking. If you are interested I recount the fuller story.
Hi Mr. wmmbb,
I don’t understand this sudden turn in the story? What’s with Ms. Paula? Her dog gets to go out with people who care and with two other canine friends, she doesn’t have to suffer guilt-pangs during her shift, and the neighborhood enjoys some quiet time!
It’s a win-win-win situation!
Do tell us what you foresee. Colleen and I may be able to make suggestions. I’ll also ask Mercury and Cameo for their more “human” viewpoint!
Licks and Wags,
Oorvi
OK Oorvi here is a quick recap of thee story so far:
Jock has a reasonable size yard but had been barking without stop and so had been reported to the Council who fined Paula,his owner. These penalties escalate, starting from almost $300.
I figured since I take my dogs out I should be able to get Jock to join them. (The meeting and greeting thing is a problem that I have not managed well. In fact, yesterday, Dexter bit me on the calf – I now know what incisors are – and I have not told anybody.)
Paula has a young daughter who tends to come to Jock and hug him, and as far as I can see there was not problem there, but if Jock is now kept in the backyard and has the “muzzle” (gentle leader) there may be a problem. Her concern was twofold. Firstly, she said she took Jock down to the beach where he attacked a pregnant friend’s dog. Secondly, she said that Jock did not obey her.
Jock is a healthy animal. In my opinion,He needs exercise, ideally by his owner.
There is another element in the picture, and his name is Hayden, who is the visiting husband. As far as I am aware he has not volunteered to take Jock out.
Dog are different from humans in many ways, but alike in having a developmental patterns that should not be frustrated. If any of the foreseeable dire consequences were to occur, I will be the convenient person to blame, since Jock is responding in part to Sasha and Dexter. Ownership of animals also carries with it responsibility for their welfare, and that requires basic knowledge and attention to them.
It comes down to the basic point that there is no problem if Jock gets regularly taken out for a walk, but if he is not there could be several problems, and that is what concerns me. Secondly Paula is concerned that she has lost control over Jock.
Now I did ring the local Vet and they can advise dog owners about the needs of animals and potential problem behaviors and how to avoid them. So I might drop a note in Paula’s letter box or mention it to her if I see her.
Whoosh! it was so much easier for me today with just Sasha and Dexter.
Oorvi,
Your win-win-win was fantastic. We humans at our best usually conceive of win/win.
Dear Mr. Wmmbb,
Thanks for explaining the issue in detail.
I ran it through Mercury and Cameo, and then we discussed it at length.
This is how we understand Paula’s, and also Jock’s mental states (both are important.)
Paula is confused. When she had adopted Jock she had probably adopted him with an expectation – that he’d grow up to be a happy, friendly dog; who’d also guard the house and the family. Unfortunately (and inexplicably, from her view point) Jock turned out to be different.
Jock on the other hand requires company and exercise (all dogs do – larger dogs need even more exercise.) Instead of receiving love and affection, and enjoying his walks; he ends up chained and muzzled! When dogs are chained they become ferocious (wouldn’t humans behave similarly, if chained?) When they are muzzled, they’d become impossible to handle. I personally feel this to be an inhuman technique.
Now…what can be done?
Well, I think that poor Jock isn’t in a condition to help him, and the only person who can make a real difference is – Paula, with some help from a very nice guy called Mr. Wmmbb!
Jock’s Wishlist:
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From the canine viewpoint – what Jock requires for turning into a nice, friendly dog is:
1. Companionship – Does Paula play with him when she’s home. Even a few minutes with the one human you trust, would work wonders.
2. Freedom – removal of chains/muzzle. Now this is tough. It seems that your neighbors are willing to put up with the infernal musical din caused by the humans but they aren’t willing to accept the barks of a lonely dog. Fair enough, for the world is ruled by humans. Now, as I can make out from your post, when Paula is home, Jock is a quieter guy. So for all the time, Paula’s home, Jock shouldn’t be chained or muzzled. He should be allowed to sniff around. When Paula relaxes she should allow Jock to move around her (without a chain, of course.)
3. Acceptance of Canine Destruction – Freedom will initially lead to destruction. I’ve lost count of the books, shirts, bed-sheets, pillow-covers, and shoes that I’ve destroyed. Does Jock get chew-toys? (chewy treats would be better.)
4. Exercise – This should have two dimensions – companionship and activity. I agree that Paula may not enough time to take him out on long excursions, but she can surely take him out for 5-10 minutes. This will help Jock review the environment while he feels protected – eventually, he would stop perceiving threat from the environment (more specifically, from other dogs.) After about a week, you may review your decision of allowing Jock to join Dexter and Sasha.
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Now all this requires a serious buy-in from Paula, and right now, Paula doesn’t seem very receptive.
Cameo says that a heart-to-heart talk with Paula will help you discuss and sort out a workable plan for Jock (and he adds that Jock will love you for it, forever; and we will too.)
Call Paula for a small, informal chat over a cup of Cappuccino. The venue could be your garden or Paula’s. (The idea is to make it feel informal.) For added effect, a small box of fresh cookies could be added. After the preliminaries (especially “it must be tough to be a working mother,” and so on,) tell her that being the nice person she is, she couldn’t have adopted Jock to muzzle him up and tie him down! Naturally, she’d say, “Of course not! But I didn’t expect him to grow up into a…” Now, gradually talk about the reasons behind Jock’s problems. Tell her that “due to her busy schedule and other responsibilities, Jock isn’t getting her love, affection, and companionship that he craves for, and to make matters worse, he was kept in chains (no fault of hers, though)”.
Now, she can take the steps as outlined in Jock’s wish-list, even if she begins gradually, in about three-months, she should have a dog who’s as sensible as Dexter (Don’t share Dexter’s recent faux pas with her!)
So the rough plan is:
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A. Ask Paula to define 10-minute slots for:
1. playing with the dog (play with ropes, tug-toy…)
2. taking the dog out (could be either in the morning or in the evening.)
B. And to:
Banish the chain and the muzzle whenever she is home.
C. And to:
Reduce the use of chain when she is not home. She may want to keep him inside (prepare for damage reduction by removing chewables from the room.)Over a period of time, the damage will reduce,and then dwindle to zero.
I guess the muzzle shouldn’t be used to stop a dog from barking (it can be used temporarily, to prevent the dog from biting or attacking others.) Instead, she could get a DAP diffuser. (Read about DAP or Dog Appeasing Pheromones at http://www.cal.net/~pamgreen/dog_appeasement.html)
D. Also tell her that you could help by taking Jock along for walks, provided she follows the other steps. If nothing else changes, the walks will only aggravate the situation, as Jock would feel even worse tied down and muzzled up – for he would miss the wonders of nature and the pleasures of running and playing!
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Another very important point –
Let her know that you are concerned about the dog and that you are talking to her after giving all this, due thought. She should feel that you appreciate her difficulties and understand her position. (This is very important for humans.)
I wish you and Jock all the best. I hope something works out for him. I know that Jock is feeling miserable right now, but that he appreciates your efforts. I too appreciate your efforts a lot – if I could, I would share all my toys with you.
Licks and Wags, and best wishes,
Oorvi.
Thank you for your careful consideration of this problem, Oorvi.
You are insightful about Paula and Jock’s mental states. Jock is a very nice, and healthy dog who requires exercise and an owner that plays the role of pack leader for him, so that he has boundaries and also has freedom.
The situation is not as bad as I might have implied. Jock is not chained up in the backyard, nor is he muzzled. I have seen him with the “gentle leader”, which I am told is not a muzzle. The reason, I think, that he had it on at the time was that was immediately after the problem with the other dog at the beach.
All the other things you mention, it seems to me , are spot on, and I will see what I can do to get a better outcome.
The thing that I was missing in my thinking was a greater appreciation of Paula’s point of view. In fact, in retrospect Jock, without intending to be, was at times a handful for me – but most of the time he was not.
Thank you very much because now I have got more ideas for a positive outcome for the problem.
You are welcome, Mr. wmmbb.
I think Jock is lucky to have a nice human like you as his neighbor:)
I wish you the best for your mission.
Licks n Wags,
Oorvi