Dog training suggestions sought

[The Snark]

I've heard about the leadership roles and how most of the pack prefers to follow and go with the flow.

My wife has just pointed out there is one treat the dog is delighted to take any time: the cat. Gain the dogs trust and love and get reported for animal abuse at the same time! -> "Just nibble! Save some for the next training session!"
Maybe coat it in chicken gravy and try to get him to just lick?

 

[Julia]

I could use some additional suggestions. He roams and is a bit of an a-hole with his carousing. We cannot get him to enter a vehicle. If we put him in a vehicle he freaks and wants out. We desperately want to do our part of responsible animal ownership and have him neutered but cannot fathom how we will get him to a vet without a major retrogression in our rapport with him. Suggestions????

Regardless of what happens to your rapport with him, he should go to a vet anyway. Maybe there's something physically wrong with him that's helping to cause the behavior. I mean, dogs in pain want to be left alone. Who knows? With that said, I suggest you drug him. 1 mg of Benedryl per pound of dog, wait a few hours, and you'll end up with a very sleepy anxiety-free pooch. Do a test-run on the Benedryl first to make sure you have a good dosage. Start with less than a 1mg:1lb ratio to see if that works. But since your dog has pretty high anxiety, you'll probably need the full amount or a little more. We hae to give more than 1mg:1lb for our smaller dog because she cries like a human baby and hyperventilates when we try to clip her nails. (No idea why she does this, as it happened very suddenly a while ago. One time was fine, next time was not fine.) She's about 50 lbs and gets 2.5 pills (25mg each).

 

[The Snark]

Had a small victory last night. Put food in his dish and managed to cajole him into eating with me right next to him. Took about 5 minutes of caution and anxiety on his part. Gave him rice and chicken soup which he can't carry off and lots of pets and congratulations as he ate.

I'm very leery of administering any drug that isn't absolutely necessary. Antihistamines also are unpredictable and can have profound side effects. But that is academic here as Benadryl, pseudoephedrine HCl cannot be obtained in this country as it is a precursor for making methamphetamine, a major problem here.

 

[Julia]

Benedryl is diphenhydramine, not pseudoephedrine. In no way is it safe to give pseudoephedrine to animals, as it's a stimulant! (I'm sure you know this and you just got your drugs mixed up since you have a medical background.) Benedryl, on the other hand, is recommended (and given) by vets for a variety of things including allergies, insomnia, and anxiety. Typical dosage for a dog is actually 1mg per 1 lb of dog 3x per day. I didn't realize the 3x per day part since we only use it for situational anxiety and to relieve itching due to bug bites in the summer.

One of the many, many links out there to support this:
http://bunkblog.net/dog-health/benadryl-dosage-for-dogs#.VHS9MMl0p8E

 

[The Snark]

Benedryl is diphenhydramine, not pseudoephedrine. In no way is it safe to give pseudoephedrine to animals, as it's a stimulant! (I'm sure you know this and you just got your drugs mixed up since you have a medical background.) Benedryl, on the other hand, is recommended (and given) by vets for a variety of things including allergies, insomnia, and anxiety. Typical dosage for a dog is actually 1mg per 1 lb of dog 3x per day. I didn't realize the 3x per day part since we only use it for situational anxiety and to relieve itching due to bug bites in the summer.

One of the many, many links out there to support this:
http://bunkblog.net/dog-health/benadryl-dosage-for-dogs#.VHS9MMl0p8E

I stand corrected. Brain fart. That definitely seems to be the only choice, method, of connecting him with a vet.

Along these same lines, the government imposing restriction without any input from the scientific community, is a warning for all. The #1 sinus decongestant being banned, which is understandable, but let the politicians run rampant and impose their personal opinions, things quickly head into the realm is utterly ridiculous.
-I can't get nitroglycerin tablets here because kids may use them 'to get high'. Vasodialation is getting high... okay. So much for our first line treatment of angina and myocardial infarctions.
-Douche and enema equipment is banned as they may be used for sexual deviancy. Helping treat several cases of chronic yeast infections douches must be ordered from Bangkok under the name of birth canal irrigation device. Enema kits are ordered under the name of colonic lavage.
And the list goes on and gets longer every year. FACEPALM

 

[Bigboy]

Congratulations on having him eat next to you. Sounds like that was a big step. Sorry or such a delay in response I've been away for a training seminar in Shutzhund down in Sydney. Keep up the good work!

 

[The Snark]

Okay, I'm at it again. More help sought. Basic tips and tricks for a basic untrained unmolested puppy type critter.
Our old dog, the one this thread was about, was poisoned a few days ago. A minor altercation involving the cops, some neighbors and a rifle toting semi sane American type came down. Suffice, I made enough of an impression that I felt reasonably safe in getting another dog. But this time, one that can be trained.

A spayed former female 4 month old puppy was up for adoption and I had enjoyed having a giant woofer hanging around to deter stray human types so we brought her home. Smart little bundle of teeth.
As wifey was getting ready to head to work she mentioned to me she knew of some people nearby that do dog training. I shot that in the ass, proclaiming we can train the darned thing. She corrected me: "You can" and started her putt and went off to work. Oh fudge did I ever put my foot in it. Just what in hell was I thinking? I've never successfully trained a dog in my life!

Well I went back in the house and did some thinking. I've gentle trained quite a few horses. How bad can it be to train a dog? Come on brain! Engage!!
With a wild horse you go into a corral, while away a few hours until it let's you get a nose rope on then lead each other around. Well, you lead the horse, the horse drags you. Once that is working you take it out of the corral and do the same. Wear your gloves, nobody's hands are proof against those rope burns. And expect your fingers to be a half inch longer, your hands too weak to hold a cup of coffee and your arms past the shoulders to be limper than overcooked pasta. You go out and lead and get dragged and keep going and keep going and keep going. You teach it that when the rope is on you two are a team and everything you do is mutual cooperation. Repeat as you yard on the rope, 'On The Job' over and over and over and over and over. With a feisty mare that can mean a 3 or 4 days and fifty miles of walking. With the average stallion consider yourself lucky if you keep your treks total down under the 500 mile mark. (I invented or reinvented the interesting sport of going sledding on your belly through several miles of sage brush during these little ventures. You end up reeking of sage for several weeks and your clothes will never be free of the perfume.)

So why not do the dog the same way? I had an even better plan. I put a harness on the dog, attached the end of the leash to the post of the bike seat then I walked the bike. Let the bike take most of the tugs and jerks. It also has brakes! Wish I had those when working horses!!
I put my plan into action this morning. Getting jerked and dragged around a bit but nothing compared to a horse. Off we went. About 12 miles running a gauntlet. We have about 2,000 dogs in our area, about 12 of which are contained in yards. The dog stick on my bike came in handy about 11 of those miles. And we had chickens, cattle and water buffaloes added to the distractions.

I went into the zone, a strange form of meditation where you pit hatha yoga against getting your arms violently jerked out of their sockets. It wasn't all that bad. After a couple of miles the dog got the general idea and the tugs became fewer. By the time we got back home she was pretty cooperative. I brought along treats as rewards when she did the right thing but she was way too hyped up to take them the entire walk. I'm going to repeat the walk until she no longer tugs then maybe even consider getting on the bike now and then.

So, would you doggy people please chime in with some tips and tricks as to what else I can do to get a rapport worked out with her and get some obedience (without anthropomorphizing her)?
I don't want an obedient slave. Just want her to stay in the yard, stop whatever she is doing at the moment with a voice command, and maybe come over to me when I call her.

 

[Shannen]

Are you able to enlist the help of a Behaviorist? It sounds like one would be extremely beneficial to you in this case. Akitas can be a challenge for inexperienced dog owners even when they haven't been abused, so I can only imagine what you've gone through with this poor little soul.

The bonus of working with a Behaviorist is, they spend more time training you than they do training the dog. They can help you understand your animal better and set up a specialized training program to help gain the dog's trust while also teaching him better manners. Getting advice here is a good start, but one-on-one time with a professional can make a world of difference. Believe me, you won't be disappointed. All the behaviorists I've met have cared very deeply for the animals they work with, and it shows in their methods.

You have gotten some great advise. I have a 3.5 year old Akita I got at 9 weeks. I felt like things were going great, he listened respected both me and my husband. Then around a year old he began growling at husband & not allowing him around me. BIG problem!!! $3,500 for a training facility that trained us both. They do excellent work-guess what? Akitas are independent thinkers so didn’t work well for him. Next was $709 for a behavioralist I learned a lot there. To be 100% honest only think that worked to keep him and other safe was a shock collar (everyone might not agree but this was life and death for my beloved Akita) he’s now a fantastic dog. He will kill anything that comes into his yard, he’s not fond of new ppl but he thrives in our house. Akitas aren’t like regular dogs they are very special, but very strong dominant and independent thinkers. Research research research best wishes