Back up and go at your dog's pace

Mission Accomplished: I've been working on a new trick with Cricket for a few days now and she's got it down. We're still proofing it, but really... she's doing fantastic. Here's a video of her newest trick: (please pay no attention to my super annoying voice. I cringe every time I hear it in this video)

I know it may not seem like an insanely cool trick, but I feel like it's definitely an accomplishment for us. She's really starting to get a little better about staying focused when we're working on new things and for that I'm happy and a bit relieved.

We still do have our off days though on occasion. Today happened to be such a day. Cricket and I were working on a new trick, "cross your paws". She started to get confused so I backed up a couple steps figuring I was just pushing her too fast. She still looked really confused and instead jumped up and began pawing at her nose and rolling over, offering me all of her most recent tricks in the hopes that I'd click for those behaviors instead. I ended up asking for a few of her older tricks (take a bow, high five) and gave her a lot of verbal praise when she did them right. Then I went back to the very first step of our "cross your paws" trick. She did it right on the very first try. I clicked and rewarded her followed by a tugging game to end our training session. A tip: Always be sure to try and end your training sessions on a positive note. You and your dog will both thank me for this, trust me.

Sometimes I can get a little too hasty in training and push my dog too fast. I get so caught up and anxious in seeing the end result that I forget that my dog may need a little time and practice to figure out what it is that I want. I know when I'm getting too pushy when my dogs start to get confused and frustrated. At that point I usually take a step back, ask for something I know they're already confident doing, reward them and then I turn it into a fun game to end the training session whether it's playing tug or throwing a ball around for a bit. I really need to work on being patient when I train. Rome wasn't built in a day. I need to stop expecting too much too soon from my dogs. When I do take the time to build up on a trick at my dog's pace, the end result in return is nothing short of fabulous.

Bamm and I are still working on his "pick it up" trick that will eventually be shaped into another trick where he stacks objects such as food bowls and orange cones. He definitely has the pick it up part down. We just need to work on building up duration so that he eventually will just hold the toy until I tell him to let go. I was trying to work on clicking for longer holds, but he kept picking up the dumbbell and dropping right away anticipating a click and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get him to hold the dumbbell for even a second longer before he'd drop it. I got a little advice that I'm going to try out and hopefully it'll work out. Once we get him holding an object and releasing it into my hand when I ask for it, then we can work on picking up other types of objects and ultimately work on stacking objects. This trick may take us a little bit of a while to master, but Bamm is really sensitive and gets frustrated really easily so I'm taking it super super slow with him. 

This trick is still completely at the beginning stages. Here's a video to show where we are at now. Like I said, we're still just at the "pick it up" phase. He does hold the dumbbell for just a split second longer on the last try.

I'll be honest, I really am excited to see how this trick ultimately will end up. I do have a lot of future trick ideas that I'm tossing around in my head. I don't want to get started on any of the other big ones until we've accomplished the stacking trick, but two my ideas are training him to retrieve a beer/cola from the fridge and also a walking handstand. I'd really like to teach Cricket the walking handstand, but she's still way too young. That trick really involves complete strength building and training the muscles a certain way and it's just not a good idea to teach it to Cricket until she has finished growing completely and is at least well over a year old.

PAY ATTENTION: Tomorrow I will announce my new trick train off. I'm a part of a dog forum and we're going to be doing a trick train off. The poll closes tonight so by tomorrow I should know what the trick is and depending on the trick I'll decide which of my dogs I'm going to work on it with. We had fairly easy tricks to vote on this time around. 

Capture, Click/Treat... Good JOB!

I swear there is nothing more enjoyable to me than training my dogs and watching the wheels turn in their head when they finally grasp what it is that I want them to do. It's so much fun. I especially LOVE clicker training. For those of you who do not know what clicker training is this website explains it all http://www.clickertraining.com/

I've been working on a couple new tricks with both Cricket and Bamm recently. Bamm is learning to pick up objects which I will eventually combine into an awesome stacking trick where he will be able to stack bowls or orange cones. He spent half of our first training session wanting to target (bump the object with nose) and touch (touch the object with paw) when the purpose of that session was to teach him to lightly mouth an object in my hand. He's now gotten to the point where he will pick the object up in his mouth from the ground, but I'd like to eventually get him to the point where he will hold the object instead of picking it up and then dropping it. The object we're currently using for this trick is a squeaky dumbbell though we will eventually incorporate different objects so that he learns to pick up different types of things. Eventually we will work on stacking objects, but for now we're just working on picking things up with his mouth first. I may post more about this trick in a later blog entry.

Cricket is currently working on two new tricks. One of those tricks is rollover. I actually was not trying to teach her roll over, but she happened to roll over during a training session and I captured it with my clicker. What does it mean to capture a trick? The best way I've found to capture something is to carry a clicker with you at all times and have a few treats handy in your pocket. Let's say you want to teach your dog to sit, but you've tried and your dog doesn't seem to be getting it. You're on the computer reading this blog when you look out of the corner of your eye and see your dog sit. You click your clicker instantly and reward your dog with one of the treats from your pocket. You do this whenever you see your dog sit naturally and eventually your dog will start to offer this behavior more and more. You can eventually add a verbal cue/hand signal to the trick and there you have it. If you want to capture a sneeze trick, click whenever your dog sneezes and reward. If your dog yawns and you think it's cute and want to turn it into a trick, click/treat whenever your dog yawns. It's pretty self explanatory really. If you don't happen to have a clicker handy you can try a verbal cue. In the case of capturing a yawn behavior; every time you see your dog yawn you say "yawn" or "sleepy". You can follow that verbal cue with a tasty tidbit or a YES!!!! or "GOOD GIRL/BOY!!!" if you'd like. Capture it every time you see it and eventually your dog will catch on to what it is you want him/her to do.

So, back to rollover. We've established that this trick came almost by accident. I wasn't intending to train her rollover, at least not right now. However, since she rolled over, I took that moment as a perfect time to click/treat in hopes that she might repeat that behavior since it's not one she does often. Wouldn't you know it, she rolled over again. Click/Treat. We did this for a few repetitions. The next step is to add my verbal cue "rollover" and a hand signal. Capturing is one of my favorite types of clicker training. I tend to get frustrated easily and if I'm teaching a new trick and my dog isn't picking up on what I want to teach then I've been known to stress out which results in an unhappy dog. That's not a good idea EVER in ANY training session. I repeat, NOT a good idea. I'm working on myself so that I can always stay patient and positive when I train.You always want to make training fun for both you and your dog. A dog that's having fun tends to be more willing to learn new things. An unhappy dog is going to shut down, ignore you and isn't going to want to play your training game. Capturing is a less stressful way for me to train. Once I've captured the basic idea of a trick I can then shape it to whatever I want my dogs to do. This is not to say that all my tricks are trained with a capture method, though the majority of our tricks are behaviors my dogs have offered on their own. I merely encouraged it and gave it a name.

The other trick I'm working on with Cricket is one I decided ahead of time I wanted to teach her. The final trick will hopefully play out as follows: I say, "Where's your nose?" and use my pointer finger to wipe the side of my nose. Cricket's response to that would be to wipe the side of her nose with a swipe of her paw. 

We've been working on this trick for two training session now and she's catching on to it fast. Here's how I've taught the trick so far. I first started by lightly blowing on her. Her reaction was to pull her paw up towards her face. Right away I clicked my clicker and gave her a little tasty tidbit. I did not blow on her hard because you don't want to annoy the dog. You just want enough of a little breeze for her paw to react by moving her paw towards her face. You can also teach this trick with the capture method if your dog offers it on his/her own. Once Cricket was starting to offer this behavior of moving her paw towards her face on her own I stopped with the blowing method. She'd again offer the pawing at her face without any blowing. Click/Treat.

Once she got the hang of moving her paw towards her face I started to only click/treat for movements where her paw actually touched her nose. Now we're at the point where we have introduced the hand signal of me wiping my finger across the side of my nose. I'm hoping by next training session I can bring in the verbal cue and from there it will be just working to continue to shape and master the trick. This is just a fun trick to teach your dog.

One advice I would like to give to anyone who decides to train their dog whether it be just the basics or whether it be fun and more complicated tricks is this: I've noticed I prefer to train in the kitchen. One thing I have learned the hard way though is that you should train the same trick in multiple locations so that your dog doesn't learn to only do the trick in one spot like in front of the refrigerator for instance. You may laugh, but I've actually had a dog do a trick amazingly in the kitchen, but as soon as we tried to do the same trick somewhere else in the house, it was like we were back to square one. I may start the trick in the kitchen since I just happen to like training in the kitchen, but later on I'll work on that trick in the living room or even outside where there might be a completely different environment and possibly a few distractions. This doesn't mean that you're going to have to absolutely retrain the same trick everywhere you go. It does help though to try the  trick out in a few different locations so your dog really gets the idea. Maybe other trainers have not had this issue with their dogs. I'm just going based off of my own experience with my dogs so you can take it or leave it if you'd like. 

Ummm... there's something in the water!!!!

This past Saturday I took Cricket to her first lake. I really didn't know how she would react to the water. To be honest, I half expected her to dip her toes a little bit and cautiously dance around in the shallow end. What I didn't expect was for my puppy to run and jump right into the deep end like some champion dock diving dog. I guess it's safe to say that she likes water then huh? If we get the chance I believe we will be making another lake adventure this upcoming weekend.

I still don't trust Cricket off leash right now especially since she's in her teenage phase where she suddenly forgets things she's been taught. Did you know that teenage dogs suddenly suffer from temporary hearing loss? It's a known fact that they tend to lose their hearing right around the time you need them to listen to you the most, a little convenient on their part wouldn't you think? For that reason, Cricket spent the day wallowing in the lake on a 30 foot lead.

I wasn't sure what would be a good toy option. There was the idea of a tennis ball though I'm not sure if they have a tendency to get waterlogged and I didn't want to risk losing whatever toy we brought. Maybe that makes me appear cheap, but oh well. Upon browsing around the local tractor supply store I had a brilliant idea. I bought a hard plastic remington dummy (also known as a bumper), one of those orange ones you see used to train gun dogs to retrieve ducks out of the water. There's a hole at the end of the dummy where you can tie something to it. I bought 50 feet of poly braid rope and tied one end to the dummy. The other end of the rope I attached a swivel clip like the clip you'd find on the end of a dog leash. I was able to clip the dummy to a nearby post with plenty of line to throw the toy pretty far into the water. I'm happy to say that we did not lose our water toy and I think this toy will have it's use in future aquatic adventures.

1 orange remington dummy = $10
50 feet poly braid rope = $4.99
1 Swivel clip = $1.50
Fun day out on the lake = Completely Priceless

So now that I know my little Mexican street dog is actually a fish, maybe one of these days soon I'll get to take her out in a kayak or canoe and see if she enjoys that at all. I really like that she loves being outdoors.

 

It's Just a dog! You have one already, why would you want another dog? Why waste your money? It's JUST a dog!

Please bear with me as this is long and sort of unorganized.

My husband has been gone for a few weeks working a new job in Virginia. I'm stuck in Georgia until we find a place to live out there. It's not easy being away from him for so long (we're nearing a month now), but it definitely helps that I have the dogs here with me to keep me company. They are my best friends. Yes yes... I hear it from people all the time. But Amber, they're just dogs. Trust me, I've heard it thousands of times. My response? They are not just a dog. They are my dogs. They are there for me in times when no human being is. When I'm feeling down and depressed, it's the snuggle or simple touch of a wet nose from just a dog that makes me feel so much better. They are the ones I share my secrets with, my hopes, my dreams. I'd rather be hanging out with "just" a dog than the majority of the people in this world.

The dogs and I have been playing outside as often as we can manage in this summer's humid heat. Poor Bamm tends to overheat rather quickly with his longer dark seal coat so after a few minutes of outdoor activities he's generally ready to throw in the towel. I managed to get a few good photos of both dogs the other day while I was working on my action photography. I must admit, I'm not amazing at taking action photos, but at least the majority of them were in focus. 

I know it must seem crazy to some that I have 2 dogs already and yet I'm pining for a third. Hell, when I brought Cricket home I got plenty of the, "You already have a dog, why do you need another one?" or "Oh you got a puppy? What happened to Bamm?" What do you mean what happened to Bamm? He's still here lying at my feet with plenty of life left in him. Did they think I rehomed him to bring a younger dog into the household? Did they think he passed on or something? Is it so hard to understand that maybe someone might just want more than one dog in their household? Besides, what business is it of anyone else's whether I have one dog, two dogs or even 5? It shouldn't matter to them. It's not like my dogs are living in their house.

Sure having a second dog has had it's minor challenges at times, but more than that it's been a true blessing. Bamm is happier than I've ever seen him. In fact, he adores his little sister and puts up with her annoying teenage habits like the champion he is. Cricket has been a great addition to this family and I don't for one second regret the decision I made to bring her home. I got her from Mexico. She's a mexican street dog (genuine certified mutt) and I traveled from Albuquerque, NM to Arizona not too far from the Mexican border to pick her up from my friend who was fostering her. So many people said, why would you travel so far for just a dog? Why can't you adopt one from here? It's just a dog! It's just a dog! IT'S JUST A DOG!!! She's not just a dog. She's my dog.

Now that I'm mentioning the possibility of a third dog which might not actually happen until the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013 anyways, I'm already getting the rolled eyes from some of my non-doggy loving friends. Guess I should have expected that. I'm learning that no matter what you do you're never going to be able to please everyone, so it's best to do what makes you happy and what you know you can handle and forget about the people who don't understand or agree with the decision you're making. I got hype when I got Bamm too and look at him today. He's still in my life. He's really happy and I'd like to think that I'm giving him the best opportunity I can to really truly enjoy the rest of his days with us. He's never without food. He's never without shelter. He's healthy as a horse despite an IBS issue, however; that has been something we've managed well over the years and he rarely has problems with it anymore. He's got a family that absolutely loves and adores him. What more could a dog ask for?

So what about this third dog I'm pondering? I've been in love with Ibizan Hounds for at least 5 years now. At first I was merely just in awe of their beauty, but wasn't sure if I could see myself owning one. At that time I didn't really know much about the breed. Lately, they are all I can think about. Everything about the breed is exactly what I want in a dog. I love that they can be total clowns, but at the same time they can be a bit more independent than some of the breeds I've owned in the past. I love that they can generally be a little watchful of strangers at first, but still polite. I love their energy level. This is the breed that I told myself I'd love to be able to show one day. I really want to make that dream a reality. 

So, the search for the right breeder began. A friend of mine recommended me to someone she knows who shows Ibizans and just recently had her first litter. I contacted her and I've really enjoyed talking to her since. I've browsed quite a few breeder's websites and talked to a few, but I always keep coming back to this one particular breeder that my friend referred me to. Maybe it's her genuine personality that shines through in the way she talks about her dogs or about showing in general. I'm not sure exactly, but I really feel strongly that she's the person I'm supposed to get my first Ibizan from. It also really helps me feel better about being a first time sighthound owner knowing that she wont be too far away and that she'd be willing to mentor me and be there to help me if I have any questions. I really like and respect breeders that involve themselves in the lives of the puppies they produce. 

She's planning an upcoming breeding, possibly in later 2012, though they're still sorting out the details. I wont mention the breeder's name right now as she has not publicly announced this breeding yet aside from the possibility of a late 2012 breeding being in the works. She mentioned that she'd really like to place one of the show potential puppies from this future litter in my home and I'm beyond ecstatic. In fact, I'm on cloud 9 as of this moment. I'm also really looking forward to doing lure coursing with this pup. For those that don't know about coursing, it's an event for sighthounds that uses an artificial lure (often a plastic bag) attached to a motored pulley system to stimulate prey such as a rabbit moving swiftly through a field. The dogs chase after this lure as it whips around turns usually approximately between 600-1000 yards. The dogs are coursed in groups of 2 or 3 depending on how many dogs are competing that day and are judged by their overall ability, follow, speed, agility and endurance. They earn points towards various coursing titles. Coursing is a great way to keep your dog physically and mentally fit. It's also meant as a way to preserve and develop what sighthounds have been bred for thousands of years to do.

I'm really hoping I can for sure get a pup from this upcoming litter. I'm slowly trying to work my husband over on the idea. He has it in his head that it's going to be a long long while yet before we bring another dog home. He knows how much I love dogs and he knows I could easily handle having another dog, but his concerns are more dependent on where we are living at the time and how much money another dog and showing will cost. I'm working on an angle to make it more affordable and to make it so that no showing expenses come out of his paychecks. I think that if he doesn't have to worry about forking over the money himself and if we could afford it then he'd be more willing to let me live this dream and finish an Ibizan Hound with a CH and also course. As it stands, we should be able to continue paying our bills on his paychecks alone with ample money leftover for food give or take and a little to put into savings. That's without me having a job. If I get a job then my income can go towards paying off my own debt that was accrued prior to us getting married and also fund our hobbies such as my dog related stuff and his hunting stuff or any of his tools/electrical/carpentry stuff. On top of me getting a day job I'm also planning on selling my paintings and I do occasionally make money doing photography photoshoots as well. So you see, there are ways to make this work without Josh feeling like he's being drowned in dog related expenses. As long as we are able to still pay all of our bills, food expenses and still have a little money to save in addition to paying to show a dog then I don't see why we shouldn't be able to make it happen.

Hopefully in due time Josh will come around to the idea. I'd like for him to meet this breeder and her dogs since he's never met an Ibizan Hound and also to give him the opportunity to ask her any questions he may have as well. Having the chance to meet the breeder, dogs and ask his own questions might help him to get a better idea of what would be involved if I was to take on one of these dogs.

For those reading this and thinking to themselves... a show dog? Why would you pay so much to show a dog? I know it's expensive. I know that the likelihood of me ever getting any of that money back is slim to none. I'm not looking to make any money doing this. It's merely for fun and also for opportunity to be a part of something bigger. I have the opportunity to help my breeder show and compare the dogs she produces with the dogs of other breeders. It's a great way to help her see her own accomplishments and to let her know whether she is on the right track with her breeding program  and also to help her make her decisions for her next breeding. The point of her or any other respectable breeder breeding these dogs is not to make a quick buck, but to improve that breed as a whole. In fact, I don't know many respectable breeders who really make any money off their pups in the long run. Generally they are lucky to break even when you compare the amount of money that goes into showing their own dogs and the amount of money involved with whelping a litter. That however is an argument for another blog post.

But Amber, again... why would you spend so much money on just a dog? Ah, again with the "just a dog" argument. You clearly do not understand. Why would anyone spend money on anything? Why would someone spend money on photography equipment? Because they enjoy it and they want to expand their opportunities and improve their work. Why would someone spend money to beef up their car? Because that's what they enjoy and they want to show it off. Why would someone spend money on various different rifles and hunting gear? Because again, they enjoy the sport of hunting whether it's to hunt for the sake of feeding their families or not. Why would an artist spend money on paints and canvas? Why would a carpenter spend money on a hammer, nails and wood? Yes sometimes it's to help them make money, but more than that it's simply because they enjoy it. The fact of the matter is that we all put our money where our heart and passions lie. My heart lies with my dogs... those dogs that you say are just dogs. Whether that money goes towards agility, obedience, coursing, showing, vet bills, food, toys, whatever. That money is funding my passion to enjoy my dogs and for them also to enjoy a fulfilled life and do more than just lie at my feet or stay chained up outside all day and night without human interaction like some unfortunate dogs you hear about. I'm not saying there aren't dogs that are content to lie at your feet all the rest of their days, but my dogs personally enjoy getting out and having fun. Their excitement makes it worth all the money I might spend to give them that opportunity.

So the next time you get on me about sharing my life with multiple dogs or spending any amount of money on "just a dog" consider this: How many people's lives have been saved by "just a dog"? How many people with disabilities have been given the opportunity to live more normal lives because of "just a dog"? How many children have have shared their joys and laughter with "just a dog"? How many people have been greeted at the door by a wagging tail after a hard day's work by "just a dog"? How many people's hearts have been changed by "just a dog"? You can't give me a definite number of people can you? That's because "just a dog" has touched the lives of more people you can possibly ever imagine. "Just a dog" has given me a reason to live and no matter what there will always be dogs in my life. I'm always going to want to include them in everything I can. When I vacation they will be there by my side. When I run they will run alongside me. When I cry myself to sleep at night they will be there to nudge me with that ever familiar cold nose to reassure me that everything is going to be ok. Because that's what "just a dog" does.

Thundershirt Review- Day 16

I haven't been keeping up to date on my thundershirt review on this blog as much as I said I was going to, but then again, who wants to hear the same thing every single day? I figured I'd span my review out and write about it whenever I feel compelled.

As of right now the thundershirt seems to be helping Bamm with his anxiety somewhat. It's definitely not something to be used as a replacement for regular exercise (both physically and mentally) and crate games. However, it is proving to serve as a great tool in addition to everything else.

One thing I've recently discovered is that one of the big issues Bamm was having was the particular room he was being crated in. I'm not sure if it's because it's above the kitchen where most of our family activities tend to occur or what? I've been letting him crate in Cricket's crate in my room whenever Cricket isn't crated and that seems to be helping a ton as well. He seems more comfortable in her crate, probably because it's in my room. At night he's just been sleeping on the bed with me so that he doesn't have to be crated.

When you use the thundershirt to help with separation anxiety during crate time, it's completely important to make sure that when you put the thundershirt on your dog it's not ALWAYS when you're going to crate them. It's best not to have your dog begin to associate the thundershirt with being crated every time because the thundershirt could work against your favor, so in order to dispel that; Bamm wears his thundershirt when we're doing fun activities out in the yard as well. I want to make the thundershirt a positive thing in his life and I don't want him to have any reason whatsoever to fear it.

There's been a huge improvement in Bamm lately though. He isn't crying as much when he is crated, as long as he crated in my room. As long as he gets to run pretty good in the yard and play some games before being crated, he's starting to calm down again during crate time. I'm hoping that in time he will no longer have any fear about being crated alone.

Thundershirt Review- Day 2

Well, we're on to day 2 of wearing the thundershirt. Bamm wore his shirt off and on today so that he's not just wearing it in his crate. I don't want him to think that the T-shirt always equals the crate because then the shirt will begin to lose the value and purpose for which it's intended. He wore the shirt outside playing ball and inside relaxing at my feet. He wore it a few times for periods of about 20 minutes each.

We also spent a little time today doing some crate clicker exercises while he wore his thundershirt. First you click just for him going into the crate with the crate door remaining open. The next step is to close the crate door, take one step away, click the clicker and return. You keep doing the same thing moving another step away with each time until you're out the door and out of the room. You eventually build up how long Bamm can remain calm in the crate. It takes a while and it takes patience. Since his anxiety seems to charge up when I leave the room, I'm not rewarding him with treats in this exercise, which is different for me since I use treats in the majority of my training sessions when we're learning something new. His reinforcer is my returning to him after I've clicked for him remaining calm. If he starts to whine at a particular step then I start over from step one.

Overall he did exceptionally well with the crate exercises and I'm hoping tomorrow we'll have even more success. I'm trying to stay at a pace he is comfortable with though so if we don't progress forward much tomorrow that's ok. It's going to probably just take some time.

I did have to crate him while I took my shower today and during the time my mom's dog was out of her own crate. I gave him a little rescue remedy, put on the thundershirt and set him up in Cricket's crate with his new bone. Cricket's crate is a tad bit too small for him, but he seems to be a little more comfortable in there so while we work on building him up to staying in his crate in the office, I'm just going to crate him in Cricket's crate when I absolutely have to have him crated for longer periods of time. He ended up falling asleep and kept pretty quiet the whole time. The only time he started barking and crying was when the neighbor kid rang our doorbell, thanks kid.

So, as of now day 2 with the thundershirt has been pretty successful. I think the fact that I paired the crate exercises with the thundershirt helped out a ton. We're still not out of high water yet though. This anxiety behavior is going to take more than a day or two to curb. It could take months or even longer and I need to be prepared for that possibility. I'm trying to be super patient and try different things to help build up Bamm's comfort, confidence and reward him for being calm.

Tomorrow if the weather is nice we're going to do some fun games outside to stimulate him some more mentally before his crate time. My husband bought him a soccer ball and 4 orange cones so I can start teaching him soccer. We had a great first training session with the soccer ball on Monday and he's already catching onto it pretty quickly. It helps that he already knows a target command (touching with nose) so teaching him to bump the ball with his nose instead of biting it is turning out to be a breeze. Eventually I'm planning to have him do more than just knock the soccer through a goal with his nose. Would be pretty cool to teach him to weave in and out of the cones pushing the ball with his nose if I set them up in a row almost like weave poles. I'm sure I'll come up with some fun creative ideas.

I do not have a video to show of Bamm in his crate today. I completely blanked and didn't even set up the camera. I will do so tomorrow though.

Thundershirt Review- Day 1

A sudden change in Bamm's routine sent his separation anxiety to a whole new level. I'm exhausted trying to find new ways to calm him down. I've tried dramamine, rescue remedy, lavender collars, plenty of exercise and mentally stimulating games. I play music in the room with him usually and I'm trying to learn how to do TTouch to see if that will help. So far everything that I've actually tried has not worked.

We just recently moved to GA to live with my parents while my husband and I save some money before our final move back to Virginia. Bamm is dog reactive as is my mom's dog, Layla. Two dog reactive dogs in the presence of each other can equal disaster especially being that my border collie mix far exceeds my mom's little shih tzu in both weight and stamina. I worry that a fight may break out so as a precaution, the dogs are under a crate and rotate schedule, much to Bamm's dismay. We have been working on the dogs being around each other on leash whenever we can. We take them for walks together and they seem to do ok with that as long as they don't have to be right next to each other. Bamm is used to having his crate in the common room where he can go in and out as he pleases. Now his crate has to be in a closed room where my mom's dog can't get anywhere near him. Combine being in a new house with spending approximately 5 hours out of the day confined in a room alone and you've got a super stressful and anxious dog set in overdrive.

Bamm has always been a fearful and anxious dog for as long as I've had him. We've worked on confidence building and we've done training and games to help ease his anxiety. We had come a long way and he was doing so well. This temporary move to my mom's and sudden complete change in his normal routine has him feeling forced out of his comfort zone and it's caused him to relapse a bit in the area of separation anxiety.

I love this dog and it's always been my goal to continually set him up for success. This major set back has me feeling like I'm failing him big time and I'm frustrated that his crate is turning into a scary place for him now despite my efforts with crate games to make it fun and comforting. Now when I tell him to crate he pins his ears back and down towards the side of his head, tail between the legs and he'll turn his head away from me. When he is crated he cries, spins circles in his crate, jumps in his crate, pants really hard, flicks his tongue and paws at the crate door in effort to get out.

A few people I know who have had success with the thundershirt recommended that I give it a shot. You can check out their website at http://www.thundershirt.com/ . I'll be honest, I'm a bit skeptical of the thundershirt. Nothing I've tried so far is working so I need to go ahead and give it a shot. I've heard amazing reviews about it and they have a 100% money back guarantee within 45 days of purchase. What do I have to lose by giving it a try?

The thundershirt came in today and I introduced it to Bamm along with a handful of yummy dog biscuits. It fits him perfectly and he wore it around the house for a little bit modeling his new fashionable merchandise. Cricket followed him around thinking his new addition was a tug toy, oh dear.

Finally the moment came. It was time to crate Bamm. I told him to go to his crate and he tried to go into the puppy's crate instead. Seriously Bamm? Her crate is way too small for him, but he seems to always want to go in her crate. Once he was safely crated in his own crate and I had set up a video camera (I'm going to video tape him while I review the thundershirt), I shut the door and crossed my fingers. All I heard on the other side of the door was complete silence. Maybe just maybe this piece of fabric really is everything people make it out to be.

No sooner had I reached the bottom of the stairs I heard a whine. My heart sank. I know I can't expect a quick fix and that helping Bamm work through this is going to take time and a lot of patience on my part, but a small part of me might have been hoping for a thundershirt miracle. After reviewing my tape I do see a change in how much anxiety he shows. After day 1 with the thundershirt he still proved to be super anxious in his crate. He whined, panted, flicked his tongue a few times, moved around a bit and pawed at the crate door. He wasn't jumping and spinning non stop in his crate as he usually does so there seems to be some improvement even if mild.

Click play to watch Bamm in his crate with the Thundershirt on. I'll be taping as often as I can while I review the thundershirt and as I try other methods to help him feel more comfortable when he is crated alone.