Bad Behaviour At My Brother's Place

[persephone]

if you're out all day - just make sure she doesn't get fed before you go ...give her a long walk/run ..and leave her with treat balls/large iceblock with treats frozen in ... and enjoy yourself .

*thinks that she could never go anywhere and put dog in crate during the visit*

[Simply Grand]

I love your post Terri - makes the whole process so clear...

So running the flow chart for last night (and christmas day)

First step is, is it necessary? Does the dog have to come with me to this thing/am I not able to leave her at home?

-> No

will she enjoy herself?

-> Not most of the time

Is she likely to be stressed/scared by something?

-> yes

Will she be really bored or expected to behave at a level unreasonably expected of her?

-> yes

Will she get too hot/be completely exhausted but still need to keep going?

-> no

Will she be in unreasonable danger?

-> no not if I'm allowed to use the crate.

Will I enjoy myself if she's with me? break down:

-----------------------------------------------------

Will I spend the whole time wishing she weren't there

-> yes some of the time - when I'm expected to be talking to people or she's being harrassed by dogs or children.

Will I be really limited in where she can come/what she can do?

-> yes - we'll both be limited

Will I be overly distracted or constantly needing to avoid things?

-> YES

Will I be getting into arguments with other people about her being with me?

-> YES (but this happens whether I take her or not.)

Will she be unlikely to behave and therefore make me frustrated at her?

-> yes but I guess I kind of expect it in the circumstances so don't get mad at her. There's usually some preventable reason for her misbehaviour (eg the person feeling sorry for the dog and feeding it in the crate without asking).

Sometimes I guess wrong about whether she will be happy at someone else's place, but mostly - if there are going to be other herding dogs or dogs that aren't in your face all the time - she does ok. And if the people I'm visiting don't give me a hard time for putting her in the crate when I can't be supervising the dog - like you supervise a toddler... then I don't get stressed.

I do get a bit stressed because when I'm out for a long time (eg christmas lunch / dinner) I worry about her being locked in the house. I suppose the worst that has happened is she's had an accident in the house. Which I clean up. No big deal I suppose.

According to Terri's flow chart model, which I think is great, you could stop at the first 'No' - you don't need to take her.

I think most dogs would be much happier at home in their own space than crated at someone else's house or in public with people or dogs approaching them. The idea of a crate is that the dog is in it's own quiet space, not having people rest their feet on the crate or other dogs pee on it while they are in there and can't get away.

A reactive dog expecially would be much better safely at home where unpredictable things can't happen.

Edited December 13, 2014 by Simply Grand

[dididog]

Yeah, there's a fair few no's on your list MRB! I think Frosty would probably enjoy xmas more at your house, maybe get up early for a big walk on the beach and leave her with a special deconstructed christmas lunch left around the house to keep her occupied. You could always leave early/arrive later so she's not alone for too long if you're worried about that :)

I mean the checklist is a probably a bit overboard and more for making sure I don't put us in a position to fail and reverse our training after I took Didi with us to get ice cream once not long into our reactivity progress and we had one of our worst encounters. Right then I realised that her being with me was NOT worth our training being ruined so now any outing or a change up in walking routes requires me to think it over and work out if it's a good idea. We're both so much happier for it because we get to enjoy our time together and it's taken a lot of the stress I was having about Didi and her issues away.

[persephone]

Yeah, there's a fair few no's on your list MRB! I think Frosty would probably enjoy xmas more at your house, maybe get up early for a big walk on the beach and leave her with a special deconstructed christmas lunch left around the house to keep her occupied. You could always leave early/arrive later so she's not alone for too long if you're worried about that :)

I mean the checklist is a probably a bit overboard and more for making sure I don't put us in a position to fail and reverse our training after I took Didi with us to get ice cream once not long into our reactivity progress and we had one of our worst encounters. Right then I realised that her being with me was NOT worth our training being ruined so now any outing or a change up in walking routes requires me to think it over and work out if it's a good idea. We're both so much happier for it because we get to enjoy our time together and it's taken a lot of the stress I was having about Didi and her issues away.

Terri - well done!

I LOVE the "De-constructed Christmas Lunch idea " :)

[persephone]

The main time it's useful has been at hockey games on grass fields.

Mrs RB . may I ask why you take your dog to hockey - crate her and , I presume, play ?

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

maybe get up early for a big walk on the beach and leave her with a special deconstructed christmas lunch left around the house to keep her occupied

Yup that works. I did that last year. I got a bit stressy after about 8 hours tho... wanted to go back home. Cos I don't go straight to my brother's place and then come home - I usually go to my mum's place first... make salads, pick up food and passengers...

Persephone

I don't always take the dog to hockey and I've been trying to retire from hockey (and failing - but it's gotten much more dangerous in the last few years - rule changes allowing high shots on goal without taking into account danger).

So the hockey is often held on a nice big grassy field next to an even bigger grassy oval - and I can walk the dog around before and after the game. Some of the other players bring their dogs and tie them up, and sometimes the dogs get hit or escape their tether not good. But after the game - it's good to let dog out and help with warm down and all that.

One game I went to umpire - straight from the beach - didn't have time to take her home so she spent that game in the dug out for the umpires... that was artificial turf but I'd checked with the staff and they ok'd it... I felt a bit naughty about that one cos dogs are banned from there but they were desperate for an umpire and that was my condition for doing it. Frosty is very well behaved in the crate - she just goes to sleep. which is what she does on the couch at home if I left her there.

[persephone]

..eek - be careful at the hockey then! least she has the protection of a crate ;)

[The Spotted Devil]

Having built in crates in the X-trail makes traveling with the dogs SO much easier. I can lock the crate door but prefer to use a snazzy little device to lock the boot of the car open - enough to let fresh air in but keep curious hands out. Brilliant.

[Kavik]

OT but where can I find out about the hockey rule changes?

OH played hockey for a long time (he was a goalie), I played for a little while after I met OH, but haven't played in ages, interested in developments in the sport.

Edited December 14, 2014 by Kavik

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Lemme see

They got rid of offside - that's the best one.

They have self pass (tap the ball and go) free hits... so you don't have to pass to someone else

but what made it dangerous - and they keep changing their minds about this - is that you're allowed to send the ball at any height towards the goals as long as it's going towards the goals. And they made it so all the defenders can stop the ball with their stick above their shoulder for shots on goal.

power's about to go out here. I'll post and go look for the links.

http://www.fih.ch/en/sport/rules

There's a page somewhere that has video of play and then discussion of what rule applied where.

http://www.dartfish.tv/ChannelHome.aspx?CR=p38316

Goalies - have been largely confined to the circle when they have all their gear on. Takes the fun out of it.

When did you or OH last play and I can update you from then till now...

Edited December 14, 2014 by Mrs Rusty Bucket

[Kavik]

Wow some interesting rule changes! I think they got rid of offside while I was playing. The high ball and high stick rules are new for me though - that sounds potentially quite dangerous, especially at the lower levels where they make up for lack of skill with brute strength! Pity about restricting goalies to the circle - OH liked the odd bit of aggressive goalie play lol