So, my dog has an addiction. German Shepherd Dogs are prone to neurosis; they can easily create habits that waltz deeply into the obsessive. As we raised Woden from a puppy, we read up on the issue, and tried to avoid obvious stresses.
At around six months, Woden accidentally discovered my red laser pointer as I played with our cats. He loved it, and so he began getting his own time with the laser pointer - at this point he was too clumsy to play along with the cats. After a few weeks, we misplaced the laser pointer, and it just kept hiding from us. So, I went online, and tried to find a cheap replacement. As I looked, I found a place in China selling GREEN lasers for the same price as I had paid for the red - including getting shipped from China! So of course, I ordered it. As soon as I had powered it up, the dog was in love. Something about the greel laser was different than the red - maybe Woden could see green better or something. But he loved it.
He really loved it. He began getting really obsessed by it. After five months, we had a real problem; any laser-pointer games with the green pointer ended with the dog sitting with poorly maintained composure, as he whined and swung his gaze from Beth & I to wherever we had stashed the green laser pointer. He would sit, clearly in torment, staring at the out-of-reach toy - for up to forty-five minutes!
When he began staring for long periods at his toy, we decided that we couldnt keep letting him play with it. We had tried moderation, using it as a reward, to no effect. So, we retired the green laser pointer, tucking it away in a drawer out of doggy reach.
Last week, I stumbled across it. Woden turned 2 on Dec. 8, so I decided that maybe we would try the laser pointer again, to see if he was different with it as an adult dog. So far, it seems to be working out alright. He cannot play with it very long, but it seems to be an effective reward, and we are tryng to use it to teach him to move as instructed - i.e. "Woden. turn left. Go forward - keep going - stop!"
I hope that he can keep getting to play with it this time - he really seems to like it. But I dont want him to get all strung out like before. Anyways, thats the laser pointer story.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Years Eve at Filmzilla
So, the computers were #@%!!$'d up at Filmzilla on new years eve day; Beth, Woden and I come in to find a huge backlog of crap to do, while taking care of a pretty large stream of customers. Woden was not having the best time, as he was not getting any attention from us. He usually can get a few games slipped in hre and there, but this new years eve, he was striking out.
So, when he started whining at after an hour at work, I took a few minutes to figure out that he needed top go outside, not that he was asking for attention. He is taking a steroid prescription, so he has to go to the bathroom 2 to 3 times as much, in much greater quantities. so, I take him outside, and he has some pretty specific ideas about where he wants to go. We take a route we seldom take, backwards. At the farthest point on this route from our store, Woden tries with vigor to lead me off into new, unexplored areas. We are about as far as I want to take him, so I do not let him go that way; so he lies down on the sidewalk, and looks at me as though daring me to do something about it.
Beth has told me that he will do this to her, and that she has a hard time getting him to get up and follow her. I have had just a little trouble with it. He will lie down on me, especially after he has lightly but deliberately "pulled" in a direction other than where we are going. But so long as I keep a higher pitched voice, and kind of encourage him to come along, he always gets up and comes with me. I usually give his spoke-collar a light pull, but not any kind of hard pressure.
I have tried to encourage Woden to communicate his preferences about where he goes on his walks (as opposed to where we go when he accompanies me somewhere - then, he has to pretty much follow along). I wonder sometimes if I am making him harder for Beth to control because of this - like he expects to get his way too much. But so much of the time, the only reason we are out walking, is the dog. So, I figure, if the walk is for him, he should go where he wants, if he has a preference and its not dangerous.
He is getting really good at listening and giving his attention out in the world. I can "sit" and "stay" him out in the world off his leash, and he will stay put till I tell him to go. He will stop and stay when he is far away, but he does not really like to sit on command when he and i are far from each other, and he does not like to lay down when told out in the world; and he pretty much refuses to roll over outside, unless he knows I have a treat for him.
As we walked back from where he had tried to "balk", he took a colossal dump. I had him "stay" at the corner of the last block on our walk, and went 3/4 of the block away and called him; he scared he heck out of a guy leaving his house as he ran by him full tilt, with his lead dragging behind him. The rain had started during the last block, and Woden was damp as we came back inside the store. He smelled like earth, rain, cold and dog; I like to give him hugs and smell him sometimes. He is a month past two years, and he still has a bit of puppy-smell to him.
So, when he started whining at after an hour at work, I took a few minutes to figure out that he needed top go outside, not that he was asking for attention. He is taking a steroid prescription, so he has to go to the bathroom 2 to 3 times as much, in much greater quantities. so, I take him outside, and he has some pretty specific ideas about where he wants to go. We take a route we seldom take, backwards. At the farthest point on this route from our store, Woden tries with vigor to lead me off into new, unexplored areas. We are about as far as I want to take him, so I do not let him go that way; so he lies down on the sidewalk, and looks at me as though daring me to do something about it.
Beth has told me that he will do this to her, and that she has a hard time getting him to get up and follow her. I have had just a little trouble with it. He will lie down on me, especially after he has lightly but deliberately "pulled" in a direction other than where we are going. But so long as I keep a higher pitched voice, and kind of encourage him to come along, he always gets up and comes with me. I usually give his spoke-collar a light pull, but not any kind of hard pressure.
I have tried to encourage Woden to communicate his preferences about where he goes on his walks (as opposed to where we go when he accompanies me somewhere - then, he has to pretty much follow along). I wonder sometimes if I am making him harder for Beth to control because of this - like he expects to get his way too much. But so much of the time, the only reason we are out walking, is the dog. So, I figure, if the walk is for him, he should go where he wants, if he has a preference and its not dangerous.
He is getting really good at listening and giving his attention out in the world. I can "sit" and "stay" him out in the world off his leash, and he will stay put till I tell him to go. He will stop and stay when he is far away, but he does not really like to sit on command when he and i are far from each other, and he does not like to lay down when told out in the world; and he pretty much refuses to roll over outside, unless he knows I have a treat for him.
As we walked back from where he had tried to "balk", he took a colossal dump. I had him "stay" at the corner of the last block on our walk, and went 3/4 of the block away and called him; he scared he heck out of a guy leaving his house as he ran by him full tilt, with his lead dragging behind him. The rain had started during the last block, and Woden was damp as we came back inside the store. He smelled like earth, rain, cold and dog; I like to give him hugs and smell him sometimes. He is a month past two years, and he still has a bit of puppy-smell to him.
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