Good news for Buddha

Dear Dog Friends, I must admit I was about to give up on training Buddha not to bark at the fence. I called the young hairdresser who had him from the time she was 17 and he was a puppy (he is 6 now) and who surrendered him to me because I could provide a better home and training.

Yes, Buddha is a much calmer, friendlier dog now that he has been neutered and is taken with me with my other two Boxers everywhere I go but work. But there is still the barking and fence aggression issues.

Since I will be 63 years old in April, I am somewhat dependent on my neighbors to give me hand once in awhile. A tree falls across the path to the river on my property. A neighbor with a chain saw cuts it up and moves it off the path. Or, I need to move a large piece of furniture. A neighbor will come and help me.

Right now, there are no neighbors who would dare come into the yard, with Buddha not confined.

So, I wrote a last ditch effort email to both my veterinarian and the well known dog trainer/author and behavioral dog therapist. I have trained three dogs with her, including Rocket, my blind dog.

I haven't heard from my vet, yet, as it is Sunday. I asked him about using Prozac. I have heard it is used for dogs with anxiety issues, and I wanted his opinion if it would be of help to Buddha.

The dog behavioralist wrote back immediately, and the news was the best. She asked if it would be okay for her to come to my home with her husband, also a dog trainer, and two of her students, trainers to be. She feels she needs to have a hands on with Buddha at the place of his anxiety, the fence. The neighbors, who have been so patient with Buddha, will have to help with this, just by being out in their yard. They, of course, are eager to help.

Best of all, this is free to me--about $1000 of behavioral training for free!!

In the meantime, before she comes out, I am to work with him in the yard when the neighbors are not outside, on recall, sit, down and stay. He is good with these commands in the house.

Today I took the dogs on a long walk off leash in the preserve by where I live. There was a trail we were on. Rocket usually lags behind, as he walks, not runs, because of his blindness, and he likes to stop and sniff, like any dog. The two seeing dogs, Buddha and Shelly, were about a block in front of me. Buddha would stop, turn around and check to see that he wasn't alone. Shelly, who is scatter brained, didn't care.

I did several recalls with him and each time he came to me and sat on command. I even leashed him to remind him how to heel for a time. He didn't do too bad, but he did pull slightly. He needs a refresher on heeling.

He does well in his sit/stay. He is such a good boy, at least to me.

So, my assignment, until the trainer team comes to my home, is to work with him in my yard and brush him up on obedience. Today I took him out by the fence when the neighbors were out. They knew I was training. They went about their business while I kept in in a sit/stay on leash next to me. We did converse. Buddha did fine, not trembling or growling. Not trying to lunge for the fence.

My trainer tells me to stop focusing on WHY he does things, but to focus on making sure he knows I am the alpha and he must obey me or I will be angry.

When he is in his "zone" as she calls it, and I call it his "crisis mode" barking at the fence, there is not a citronella collar in the world that would deter him.

She says the best thing to do is to not let that happen. Don't let him out off leash if the neighbors are out. If they are out, keep him on leash, approach the fence, put him in a sit or down.

She also wants me to keep him kenneled during the day instead of free in the house. My neighbor told me when I am at work, he stands at the patio windows and barks at them. I had loaned my large kennel to my neighbors on the other side, and got it back today. They, too, are excited with the hope Buddha will not be a nuisance in the future.

I will put the large kennel in the lower level that has a walk-out with sliding doors. The doors face the woods and the river, but he can't see the neighbors on either side. Then, my other two non-problem dogs can have access to the outside through the dog door in the garage.

Well, I certainly feel this is quite a blessing to have the help of professionals to train Buddha. I will do my best to make him a very happy dog. A dog can't be happy if it wants to bark and nip at the neighbors.

Be well, and have a great work week. Diana Lynn of Sunrise River Boxers in Stacy, MN

Thats great news about the training and what a bonus getting it free!


Good luck Buddha