The #1 Question I Am Asked

Before I answer the number 1 question, the most frequent comment I get as a foster doggie parent is, "Don't you get attached to the dogs?"

YES...oh my gosh...YES. It is hard, but that is life. I'd rather risk the loss than not make the effort to save these dogs' lives. My feelings aren't the issue here.

I will say this, I feel MUCH better when the dogs are placed with a solid owner. I can get a feel for someone in seconds, like a dog sniffing another dog's booty.


Now to the big question:
The number 1 question I get asked is, "Have you got bitten by any of the dogs?"

YES...yes I have.

I just got bit really bad two weeks ago. My left arm is still healing. I took the risk of taking in George, a pitbull mix that is very pitbull.

He most likely was a bait/fight dog based on all the scars his front legs and chest area have. Because of this he has triggers. How did I find out about these specific triggers? I found out when he jumped on Albert my big Lab as my neighbor walked in my house.

What was the trigger? My neighbor's energy (someone new introduced) in a small, tight space with both dogs in a state of excitement, rather than calm submission.

Lesson learned?

Nope. It had to happen again before I put the equation together. I'm a slow learner I guess. The second time is when I got bit bad by the other dog.

I've had to make a break stick to use on George, inserted between his back molars (pits have this big gap) and it is only for pits. I had to practice with George in my backyard when he goes crazy after a tennis ball. You can't learn this on the job...you have to practice opening his jaw in a controlled environment so you can react w/o thinking in a real life situation.

A little dog in the neighborhood crawls under the gate into the street and literally goes after anyone walking by. He will strike at your back legs repeatedly. This is an UNBALANCED dog! Yet, because it is small, it gets away with this behavior.

The owners have done NOTHING to control their dog. I wrote a very nice letter asking them to respectfully take care of the gap in the gate.

They disrespectfully ignored the letter...and all the others from neighbors.

Walking George one day the dog jetted out under the gate and bit his leg.

Count with me...1, 2, 3...BOOM, George was having a late afternoon snack.

This was NOT a pretty site. I hope nobody experiences this. I punched George in the head, face, neck over 20 times as hard as I could...no break! I'm 6' 230lbs...and not a dent made with him.

Finally the dog was free, but it bit me twice. I never get bit by the dog biting, it is the other dog that is in panic mode, wanting to bite anything to get some control. The dog was OK because I saw him running under the gate a few days later at someone.

These fights look 1000x worse than they really are, but nevertheless, are to be avoided at all costs.

What's the lessons?
1. Experience
I had little experience before I fostered dogs and was given almost no guidance, so I was on my own. The Dog Whisperer DVD's became my resource. A friend sent them to me and I devoured every episode taking notes and then typing them up. Having a big heart is not enough, you must learn, learn, learn...and not just book learnin'...you gotta get in there and get your hands dirty, working with the dogs individually day in and out.

2. Know the Triggers
Each dog has triggers. With powerful breeds, knowing the triggers are essential, especially with rescue dogs with unknown backgrounds. This takes sensitivity and awareness to make quick decisions. The key is avoidance...preventative maintenance before a situation escalates.

3. Be Wise When Mixing Dogs Together
This is tough for me. I hate seeing George in a dog run all day, fenced in like a prisoner. I love freedom, so I do take high risks. This is my personality. I have learned much since I started last year and would not make the same mistakes. I always walk a dog when I first get it for a time to bond together. I introduce slowly to the others dogs the next day, letting the new dog sleep alone in a quiet place. Sometimes this is difficult, like with my Lab Albert who whined all night. Even after three LONG walks, he still was wired. I've learned that it takes about 48 hours for a dog to settle into a new environment.

4. Be A Strong Pack Leader
I have never had a problem with the dogs at home with ME. It is always the introduction of someone new or a dog in the street coming at my dog that is loose. At home I do not tolerate aggression in any way. I work with each dog separately and in groups if I can. I have clear boundaries, not a lot of rules, but the ones I do have there is NO negotiation. I try to establish not just trust, but respect, and respect is measured in obedience. This is the crucial step. Dogs are quick to trust, but respect takes effort and consistency over time.

I have had to put down all my dogs at one time or another in a hold that puts me in a dominate position. The dog is not hurt in anyway, but it is a simulation that what would happen in the wild with a pack leader. Those who do not believe in this theory would not like this, but it works when done CORRECTLY in a calm/confident manner.

Like a good parent, you never discipline in anger. With dogs however, you have to act quickly. They do not have the muscle memory a human does and the gap of time is limited for the dog to connect your discipline with their behavior. Some feel this is a 10-15 second window after the incident takes place, like peeing on the couch or nipping at another dog.

I try not to humanize them, it is hard however. I must always remember the four-fold hierarchy; animal, dog, breed, pet. Dogs cannot NOT be an animal, then a dog, then their specific breed, then a pet. If we love them we will respect this order. Love is an action!

5. Never Give Up or Back Down
Life can be messy. Dogs are NOT politically correct. If they don't like something they let you know. They live in the moment. They pee when they want to mark whenever it feels right. They don't have human limitations.

Frustrations occur...so what? That's life. Learn from it. Seek first to understand before being understood. I have made mistakes, but my deeper desire to love them by saving their lives, training, walking, feeding...all the good stuff is much greater than the few mistakes I have made. It's all about a balanced perspective.

Lastly, I learn a lot about myself through the dogs. This is a choice I make. I want to be open to why I do what I do. Dogs can reveal inner motives and desires.

6. Enjoy Your Dogs
Yeah, I know...obvious...but it is the little nuances I love. It doesn't bother me when Albert takes my new slippers my mom gave me and tore them apart when I wasn't home. He is being a dog! This is what I meant at the end #4 above. He is a dog! That's what they do.

If I want him to not do this, I need to hide my slippers before I leave or make a lot of effort to train him. If I do not do this, Albert is NOT at fault...I AM! This is what I meant by learning a lot about myself above and to first seek to understand.

I laugh out loud all the time with my dogs. They crack me up. When I got nipped in the inner thigh by George playing with him, taking risks as he went to grab a tennis ball (oh, btw, George grabs with his teeth...haha) it hurt, but it happened. So what? I took the risk and had to deal with the consequences. This is my personality. It wasn't George's fault. He was being a dog! I rubbed the blood off me and continued playing with him.

Dogs are AMAZING animals. They are much deeper than we think. Like any relationship, we must continually grow or we get bored. Guess what? So do our dogs. We are the leaders and must always lead. They cannot open the sliding glass door, drive the car, open the bag of kibble in the locked plastic container...we have to and when we realize our power, we need to use it with kindness, gentleness, firmness, and enioyment for the little creatures we call dog.

That is what I have learned so far.