PARKY’S STORY

By Sue Skiff

The message was on my home voice mail.  It was from a woman who was fostering a Pomeranian mix that was showing signs of aggression.  I returned the call.  That’s how I came to meet Parky. 

 

Parky had spent the first two years of his life alone in a backyard and garage.  At the time of his surrender to a rescue group, he seemed rather indifferent to people, although not unfriendly. 

 

Parky started showing aggression towards strange dogs and people while living with his first foster family.  He was then transferred to the woman who had called me.  At the time of our meeting, he had bitten one man on the finger.

 

When I first met Parky, I allowed him to check me out on his terms.  On our on-leash walk around his yard together, he showed that he was willing to learn, and that he could pick up new things quickly.  He showed no aggression towards me.  I told his foster that I thought there was hope for Parky. 

 

On my second visit, I observed that Parky was least likely to be aggressive if he was given time to get used to the presence of the stranger before having to meet her/him.  Starting that day, and utilizing Parky’s front yard, I had him meet a variety of people and dogs in positive, non-threatening situations, taking my time with each new meeting.  Since he reacted most when someone tried to offer her/his hand for him to sniff, I instructed people to let him initiate meetings while they kept their hands at their sides.  Then, when he was more used to them, I’d let them offer a hand.

 

Parky’s guardian lived on a rural street, and was unable to walk him where he was likely to encounter other dogs and people.  So, I took Parky out on the paved trail that goes by my house, and taught him to look to me for a treat whenever anybody passed.  Once, we went hiking, and he learned to deal with off-leash dogs running up to him.

 

Parky’s greatest achievement happened when he happily cuddled with a strange male house guest.  This was particularly significant since Parky was more likely to react to men than women.

 

I am happy to report that Parky was adopted by a couple in Fresno who know all about his history.  Parky has a real home at last.

 

 

     EMMA’S CORNER

By Emma

Let me introduce myself.  I’m Emma.  I am Silver Lining Pet Services’ first official employee.  I came to Silver Lining from the Contra Costa Animal Shelter.  For the first couple of years of my life, I didn’t have many boundaries.  I did a lot of wrestling with people and dogs.  I really loved jumping on everyone, and using my mouth when I played.  I guess the people that I lived with got tired of the jumping and mouthing, because I suddenly found myself living at the pound.  A lot of people met me there, but they didn’t seem to like my jumping much, either.

 

I was really happy when Sue took me home from the pound a couple of months ago.  It has been hard learning boundaries from her.  She insists that I have to sit when I meet others, instead of jumping on them. 

 

The best thing about learning boundaries has been the treats.  Sometimes, it’s so easy to get them!  I especially like it when I get treats while playing fetch.  At first, I didn’t want to give the ball to Sue.  I would try to play with her the way I used to play with other people; a combination of keep-away and tug-of-war.  When I did that, Sue would take the ball away, and tell me that we were finished playing.  It’s so much more fun now that I understand that I’ll get a treat, and the game will continue, if I give her the ball.

 

Anyway, Sue has told me that I can have this part of the newsletter every issue, so look for me to be giving you more ideas on the joys of being a dog.  I’m looking forward to it!

DAY TRAINING

By Sue Skiff

It’s part of life in the 21^st century.  You get the kids off to school, work all day, pick the kids up at daycare, make dinner, and collapse.  But, what about the dog?  How do you find the time to train it to be a good citizen?  Maybe, you managed to get your dog into a puppy kindergarten class, and then a basic obedience class.  But, you really didn’t have time to practice the way the instructor wanted you to, and now, well now, it’s all kind of fallen by the wayside.

 

You know that your dog can do better.  Perhaps, your dog has some behavior issues.  Whether or not they’re serious issues, they make your life harder, don’t they?

 

So, what do you do when you’re already stretched, and you know your dog needs more?  The answer is “day training.”  Day training starts when you meet with a dog trainer/behaviorist to describe your dog training needs, and your dog’s behavior issues.  The trainer/behaviorist then comes to your house for an hour or so on agreed upon days to train your dog.  You get to get on with your life, while your dog gets training and attention from a professional.  And, that training and attention is customized to your and your dog’s exact needs. 

 

Maintaining what your dog learned is also built into the day training program.  At the end of each week of training, the person working with your dog meets with you to go over what your dog learned, as well as what you need to do to maintain the learning.  After the agreed upon number of weeks has elapsed, the trainer returns for a follow-up or two, to make sure that you and your dog are on the same page, and everyone’s happy.  For more information on day training, visit www.silverliningdogtrain.com