From Puppy Mill to Medical Alert Dog

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Eternally Happy Oliver

Looking back on the hiccups in the road, it's completely amazing to me that we are where we are. Oliver has recently come 'out of the closet' as a Medical Alert Dog. Mind you, this was never a goal I had for him. I had planned on doing therapy work with him, but somehow our blogging days took over and no time presented itself. Or maybe just no motivation. 

I suppose it's time to share his story now--the whole thing. Back in 2010 I offered the then current version to my friend Kyla at Up With Pups. You'll want to read the post at that link to understand the beginning of Oliver's life. It did not start well.

Fast forward to 2013 and Oliver is a happy, well-adjusted little guy. Having become quite connected to my hip, as is often said of companion dogs, Oliver began to develop some surprising behaviors when I became ill with complications of my Multiple Sclerosis during a bout with the flu over New Years.

Strangely, Oliver's odd antics included jumping onto my lap and placing his paws on my chest as he peered into my eyes. His eye contact unbroken, he would stare me down until I found myself asking out loud, "What the heck is wrong with you, little guy?" The only thing that seemed to appease him was action on my part. Generally I ended up taking a brief cat nap and Oliver finally seemed to chill out when he could snuggle up to my shoulder while we blew off an hour of blogging time to snooze. My symptoms were so bad during that influenza that I had no idea he may actually have been sharing news. Still, though, I found myself asking what was going on, while his odd behaviors continued well beyond the flu season.

Springtime came and I saw a few friends and acquaintances over a period of months,

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Oliver's Serious Pose

sharing with each my quandary over Oliver's strange behaviors.  A few knowing individuals were helpful in beginning to shed some light on this pattern of strange activities. It was starting to look like Oliver had learned to notice and notify me of changes in my scent. I still wasn't convinced.

During my drive home from Washington, D.C. in May, Oliver alerted. By this I mean he insisted I take him seriously by noticing his efforts to get my attention. I pulled over at a rest stop to allow him to answer nature's call, assuming this was what the bark was for. No, he doesn't usually bark for a bathroom break--but rather whines--when it's time to visit the grass. But what else could it be? He was riding in a cozy bed, with a bowl of ice cubes for hydration and a snuggle toy. Generally this is all he needs as long as I am nearby. Yet he continued in his efforts to get my attention.

My mind drifted back to the conversations about the possibility of him alerting me to an oncoming issue with my chronic disease so I decided to trust his instincts and get a hotel for the night. The next exit had a pet-friendly La Quinta. We checked in and I began to get out my laptop to check in on blog doings. But no! Oliver was having none of it. He was on the bed insisting I join him. 

"Okay, little guy. I'm tired from driving. I'll take a nap with you," I appeased him. Within seconds after my head hit the pillow I became horribly dizzy and a migraine was descending upon me. Vision blurry, I took a Triptan for the migraine and we both crashed for a couple of hours as I endured the dizzy spell, a common problem with my MS. Catching it early saved our timely arrival home the next day. For me, driving with a migraine is not an option; dizziness is not a safe condition in which to command a vehicle. It's not only unsafe; it's potentially deadly. I finally accepted that Oliver may have realized that the change in my scent meant problems ahead. I knew that dogs can sense seizures and diabetic blood sugar shifts coming on, but these super duper nose talents still baffled me.

One day shortly thereafter, when I refused to acknowledge Oliver's invitation to a stare down, he finally barked again. A single, very dominant bark as if to indicate that he was insisting I listen to him. This is not a typical reaction in Oliver's repertoire. Maybe I should take him seriously; but what exactly is he asking me to do? I wondered. My mentors shared that he apparently realizes I need to get to safety. For him this appeared to mean down, which in the case of a severe dizzy spell--compliments of my MS--is most certainly the best place for me to be.

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Enough Photos Already!

Another question I had to answer was would he be reliable. Within a few days I found my symptoms worsening and Oliver offering a number of helpful insights. He was clearly more aware of my issues than I was. With the help of a few friends and my neurologist, I finally took the next step. Having noted that Oliver's alerts were dead on, I had begun to trust his advice and take action early. Rarely did I know what was about to happen, but each time he alerted me, there was definitely a consequence ahead. A trust was forged and we began the process of looking into certifying Oliver to allow him to be with me wherever I go.

Long story short, Oliver is now a Medical Alert Dog. His CGC (Canine Good Citizen certification) title was a nice start, having given him the training and good behavior to be an acceptable public companion. Now I'm safe in Oliver's able paws, on the road and at home. I couldn't be more pleased that the mystery of Oliver's interesting behaviors has been solved, and I think for once I can read his mind clearly. He's bored with this photo shoot, but definitely happy to be of service. Could I be any more lucky?

Canine Good Citizen Testing: A Few Final Resources

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© copyright AKC.org

This week we're wrapping up our series on preparation for the Canine Good Citizen examination. Below I'm sharing a video they produced as an example of an ideal test. Just between us I'd like you to know that the environment in your test may not be as controlled as what you see in the video. Neither will the examiner be as accommodating. That said, things happen! Keep the AKC's words in mind:

"If you and your dog do not pass it is not a failure

 but an indication of where you and your dog need more work"

~AKC

Further Resources from the AKC:

• About the Exam  
• Resources for Owners  
• After the Exam: What's Next? 
• Official AKC Assistance 
• CGC Products 
• Support for Evaluators  

Wondering what's coming up with Weekly Wag?  Moving with fido, Fulfilling your dog's Bucket List, and Selecting the right companion for your lonely fido. If you're looking to catch up on any of the CGC posts you missed, check the list here.

Join us each week for the Weekly Wag bonding series, held during the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The hop is hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping! 

CGC Preparation: Choosing an Examiner and Location

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

courtesy Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources via Flickr.com
In Your Dreams, Tanner!

Just as each evaluator will have a different approach to handling the test, each environment will vary. Knowing where the test will occur and possibly even the time of day, may affect your pup's ability to get through this lengthy exam. You know your dog's weaknesses better than anyone, so keep them in mind when arranging your test plan.

To locate local CGC evaluators, visit AKC.org and search by State. You can also check local AKC shows for CGC exams that may be held concurrently. The environment may be a bit chaotic at these tests, with lots of competitions going on and owners/dogs everywhere. Keep this in mind if you opt for this sort of test. 

Of course, the word of mouth method also works. Ask any trainer you meet and you'll get at least one name. Stop by a dog training facility and you'll likely get more help.

A brief chat with each may make a world of difference in getting your pup through this tough examination. Feel free to ask questions about things that may concern you. Now is your chance to get a feel for the evaluator and venue that may work best for you and your dog.

Why will the location matter? Sometimes a story answers a question best: Tanner once took the test with a delightful, patient, calm evaluator. I felt good about this experience going into it. Oliver and Xena proved their ability to strut their stuff, but the environment challenged Tanner. Here's how it all unfolded....

Having agreed to perform the exam at a nearby park where a lovely dog-friendly walk circles a lake, we arrived for the exam just as a rainstorm struck. As the down pour continued, my worries were more for Oliver and Xena and their anxiety over thunder. I didn't give Tanner a thought, as he is oblivious to storms.

Fortunately the rain passed after a 30 minute wait in the car. The evaluator, his helpers, and my threesome all met under the trees at the lakeside just as a flock of water-loving ducks descended on the area for bathtime, along with a little frisky action to spice up the evening.

You may know that Tanner is a Golden Retriever, a breed intended to collect downed ducks for hunters. Tanner's DNA kicked into high gear and his attention was clearly not on the exam. Although he was able to pass some parts of the test, in general it was an epic failure as he struggled to move closer and closer to his quarry, craning his neck around every bush we tried to work behind.

Looking back on this experience I now realize that I could have prevented it by recognizing that I chose a time of day and location that were prone to storms. Add the presence of a lake and I really shot the bulls eye. A venue indoors is often tough to locate, as strangers or helpers are needed to complete portions of the exam. If your evaluator is able to provide these, you could potentially test your dog in a home or business location.

Obviously, if you select a trainer/evaluator with an indoor training facility, all they require are a couple of volunteers to help with the exam. Keep this in mind as you seek out the perfect person to test your dog.

Finally, you may wish to tune into the preferences of your examiner in terms of dogs. No examiner will give this up in so many words, so you may need to ask around. Some fancy show dogs, while others prefer big dogs. Still others like to see bully breeds or tiny pocket pups earn their stripes. Without knowing it, most examiners have preferences that they probably do not even realize. We discovered this with Oliver's first examination when a class full of toy-sized dogs all failed merely because of an overly-rough examination of their paw pads.
I'll be back next week with a video example of a simplified exam. Join me for this helpful visual and a wrap up. Any questions? I'll be happy to address them as best as I can.

Here's the whole series so far:

• Introductory Tips to Getting the Canine Citizen Certification
• CGC Test 1: Accepting a Friendly Stranger
• CGC Test 2: Sit Politely for Petting
• CGC Test 3: Appearance and Grooming
• CGC Test 4: Walking on a Loose Leash
• CGC Test 5: Walking Your Dog Through a Crowd
• CGC Test 6: Sit/Stay or Down/Stay
• CGC Test 7: Come When Called
• CGC Test 8: Reaction to Another DogTest
• CGC Test 9: Your Dog's Reaction to Distraction
• CGC Test 10: Supervised Separation

 

Join us each week for the Weekly Wag bonding series, held during the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The hop is hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping!

CGC Test 10: A Supervised Separation

by Carrie Boyko, CEB



© AllThingsDogBlog.com
The Handler's Confidence is Important Also

How's Fido's confidence when left alone or handed off to another human for a walk or other activity? This is the question Test 10 will answer. Today we're nearing completion of our Weekly Wag series of tips on how to pass each of the tests in the Canine Good Citizen exam, an AKC test for well-behaved dogs in public.

Test number 10 is where the men and the boys are separated. Separation anxiety, a common problem among dogs, will never make it through. Developing a confidence in your dog that will allow him to happily hang with a stranger for a few minutes when you suddenly hand him off is a skill many owners find challenging. Here's what to expect during this test:

You'll be asked to walk up to a specific stranger, chosen by the evaluator, hand off the leash and walk away from your dog without a lot of 'explanation' or a long goodbye. You'll be required to remain out of sight and silent for 3 long minutes, while your dog's reaction to this separation is monitored. Your dog may not exhibit stress, whine, bark, pull away or otherwise appear anxious about your departure.

Three minutes sounds like a short time, but when it is spent with a stranger who is not to interact or soothe the dog's apparent nervousness, it sometimes turns into a very long wait. Once again, we're back to the only real fix--practice!

A friend of mine who recently switched vets received an interesting invitation from her new veterinarian to practice separation by dropping her dog off for a brief bonding visit once or twice a week. My friend brings her dog by and the receptionist takes her dog to the vet to spend a few minutes by his side just hanging out. In this way, the vet hopes to help the dog past her nerves about a new person and a new place. What a great thing this doctor is doing for his patient!

Opportunities such as this help to build your dog's confidence in situations that do not include you. This is imperative as anytime you leave your dog in another's care, you're out of the picture: grooming, doggie daycare, boarding, pet sitter care, and the vet to name just a few. It's healthy for your pup to see these experiences as pleasant, so choose your providers carefully to build a good response to spending time with other humans.

Another angle of this interesting test is that you won't know whether the human will be a man or a woman, so gambling on this if your dog has issues with one or the other, is basically sabotaging your test result. If you know your dog is nervous around people that display any particular characteristics: hats, beards, boots, etc., these and the common issues of men vs. women must all be explored and worked through. Your dog will need to accept anyone he is passed off to in the test, so start working now to help your Fido associate all of these people with positive feedback--treats, praise, and belly rubs work wonders.

Next week I'll return with a few overall tips for preparing for test day, followed by a video of the actual exam the following week. That will wrap up this series and we'll move back to less taxing bonding activities. I'd like to talk about food and toy aggression. Are you interested in some strategies for working on this? See you soon!

Here's the whole series so far:

Introductory Tips to Getting the Canine Citizen Certification
CGC Test 1: Accepting a Friendly Stranger
CGC Test 2: Sit Politely for Petting
CGC Test 3: Appearance and Grooming
CGC Test 4: Walking on a Loose Leash
CGC Test 5: Walking Your Dog Through a Crowd
CGC Test 6: Sit/Stay or Down/Stay
CGC Test 7: Come When Called
CGC Test 8: Reaction to Another DogCGC Test 9: Your Dog's Reaction to Distraction

Your Dog's Reaction to Distraction: CGC Test 9 Tips & Troubles

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Imagine a Man-Made Noise Like This

Bang! Bonk! Wham! Clunk! This is one of the most chalenging tests for many dogs whose owners seek to pass the Canine Good Citizen test. Why? Unexpected noises that are loud and sudden often startle or frighten our dogs. The goal of this test is to determine if your dog is able to settle after an initial startle, without bolting, barking, cowering, whimpering, or otherwise showing fear beyond noticing the sudden noise.

Acceptable startle behavior includes turning, backing up a step or two (no more), sitting, moving slightly away without pulling you, or looking to you for feedback. Anything beyond these types of reactions may be considered too much fear. Each evaluator will have a different take on the guidelines here, and may not agree with you on how to score your dog's reaction. While you can discuss the decision with the evaluator, his decision will ultimately be final.

I've seen some quite varying examples of this test and will warn you that you need to prepare your pup for most every kind of noise. What's worse is many of the examiners will have the noise occur behind or out of sight of you and your dog, meaning that neither of you are expecting it. So much for mental preparation. If you respond with fear, your dog will too. So preparation includes quelling your own response to sudden noise.

Here are some of the noises CGC evaluators have used at tests I have been present for:

• Drop a metal folding chair on a cement floor from about 4 feet high--very startling!
• Ask the handler and the dog to walk on a sidewalk along a busy roadway, without significant issue over semi-trucks and fire engine noise.
• Release the lifting mechanism of a pallet jack and allow it to drop to a cement floor--this one made me jump!
• While facing away from a doorway, a door was slammed hard by a third party assistant.
• A large bell with a deep and continuous bong was rung.
• A 2 x 4 board was broken over a firm, narrow surface. Funny, I can't remember what they broke the board on???
• Two heavy pots banged together at their bottoms.
• Pushing a grocery cart, walker or wheelchair directly past the test takers is a very popular approach to one of the attempts to frighten your dog.

You get the idea, right? The CGC examiner will be out to trip you and your dog up big time. It's their job to make sure your dog can take a brief startle and then settle himself without any further ado. Most test evaluators will attempt to frighten your dog twice during this part of the test, so be prepared for the second try. It will likely be a different method :)

Here are my suggestions for preparing:

1. Walk along busy roadways frequently and get your pup used to traffic, firetrucks and semi-trailers. They are unpredicable, bouncy, and noisy.
2. When your dog is playing in the yard, practice hitting your car horn often to get him used to hearing the noise.
3. Obviously, you can make some noise in the kitchen. Those cooking pots are great for startling Fido. Start small and gradually build up the intensity of the "bang". Your goal is to get him to the point where he tells himself, "Oh well, it's just mom or dad being noisy again".
4. Slamming doors (unbreakable ones, hopefully) is another excellent test that will likely be used.
5. If your dog has shown uncertainty around any particular object, that's your cue to train with that item. You could get unlucky and have that very object used in the test, so be prepared. Start practicing by having your dog sit at the end of a room, while the object lies on the floor. Tap it gently and watch Fido's reaction. Gradually increase the movement and noise. Roll it, set it down, drop it, bang it. He needs to be ready for them all.
6. Make use of your driveway or other cement surface by testing your dog's ability to tolerate heavy metal objects dropped on them. Start with your dog well away when it occurs. Allow him to watch so he understands that the noise is harmless. Remember that your reaction needs to be negligible also. He will begin to follow your lead. Eventually you'll want to be able to drop a really loud item right behind him and get nothing more than a head turn. Then he's ready for the test.
7. Find a grocery cart in a parking lot and walk your dog around with it. If you do this often enough he will become comfortable with the presense of this big object. You can also practice that at pet superstores where carts are available.

All this practice will take time. Although your prep class may only last a few weeks, these sessions of readiness should begin by 6 months and continue until you take the exam. If you discover a new noise, go toward it and see how Fido responds. Watch for everything that could trip him up and help him learn to accept it as safe, based on your calm reaction and lack of response. Remember, do not soothe or coo over your dog if he shows fear. You'll only be encouraging it. Ignore him and walk to the object showing no fear. Show him by example that this object is harmless. Time will embed this lessen and he'll get the idea. You've got his back!

Catch up on the earlier parts of this series here:

Introductory Tips to Getting the Canine Citizen Certification

CGC Test 1: Accepting a Friendly Stranger
CGC Test 2: Sit Politely for Petting
CGC Test 3: Appearance and Grooming
CGC Test 4: Walking on a Loose Leash
CGC Test 5: Walking Your Dog Through a Crowd
CGC Test 6: Sit/Stay or Down/Stay
CGC Test 7: Come When Called
CGC Test 8: Reaction to Another Dog

Join us each week for the Weekly Wag bonding series, held during the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The hop is hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping!