Thursday, March 31, 2016

Tips for Helping Rescued Cairns Adjust

Contributed by a CP Volunteer

Calm structure, understanding, love, and patience is key to success with all Rescued Cairns, no matter what their background might have been.

Every Rescued Cairn is not a Puppy Mill dog, but whatever the back story, every Rescued Cairn has been stressed by changing humans and environments, thus their sense of security has been rocked to one degree or another.  The following advice and protocols for working with Puppy Mill dogs has great relevance to the state of mind of all Rescued Cairns and is well worth reviewing, even if there is only one thing you can take away that will help you with your Rescued Cairn.

Even young Cairns rescued from puppy mills need extra understanding

Rehabilitation of a Puppy Mill Dog

Every mill survivor is different.  What works on one or many, will completely fail on another.  The only thing that is consistent is that they will need lots of patience, understanding and love.  And probably, most importantly, acceptance:   Unconditional acceptance of what they are capable of giving - and taking. 

At first glance, a mill survivor may look like many of your friends' dogs.  Maybe not a perfect example of the breed, but close.  What you won't see is the condition that they came into rescue in.  Hair so matted that it all had to be shaved off.  Even the short haired breeds suffer from thin dull coats when they come to us.  Many times removing the filth and matting have only revealed open sores, usually from flea allergies or sarcoptic mange.  Ears are full of filth and usually mites.  Some survivors suffer from permanent hearing loss because of untreated ear infections.  Most survivors require the removal of rotten teeth, even young dogs.  The gums are usually very infected and the teeth have excessive buildup on them.  Many vets who are not familiar with puppy mill rescued dogs will misdiagnose age if going by the teeth.  Many survivors also suffer from swollen, splayed and sore feet from so much time walking on wire.  So, while finally getting some good nutrition and extensive medical care can go a long way on the outside, the real damage has been done to the inside. 

I'd love to say that every puppy mill survivor only needs love to turn it into a wonderful family pet, but that would be a lie.  Love is definitely needed, in large amounts, but so is patience.  The damage done during the years in the mill usually can be overcome, but it takes time and dedication.  It takes a very special adopter for one of these dogs.  Not being "up to it" is no crime, but you need to be honest with yourself, and us, about your expectations.  These dogs have been through more than they ever should have already.  If the entire family is not willing to make the commitment, the dog is better off staying in our care until the perfect home for them is found. 

This puppy was in terrible condition...
...but see what Love, patience, and training have done!

Handling:

Many mill survivors have spent their entire life in the mill.  No romping around a living room playing with friends of the family for them - Only a cold wire cage and one person "tending" to them.  Puppies who grow up in a mill miss out on many crucial socialization periods with humans.  They don't learn to trust, to love, to play.  They have had very minimum physical contact with people.  No cuddling and kissing for them. 

The physical contact that they have received probably has not been pleasant.  For one thing, because they are not handled enough, they are scared.  Many mills handle their "stock" by the scruff of the neck.  They have work to do, and don't really want to stand around holding some stinky little dog any longer than necessary.  So it is not uncommon for these survivors to be sensitive to the backs of their necks, after all, it brings the unexpected.  Many mill dogs will try to always face you, not trusting you enough to give you easy access to them from behind.  NEVER startle a mill survivor from behind, you will lose any trust that you may have gained.  Always make sure that they are anticipating you picking them up and consistently verbally tell them what you are going to do with the same word, like "up". It is not uncommon for a mill dog to drop their bellies to the floor when they know you are going to pick them up.  Some will even roll onto their backs in submission.

Always be gentle and try to avoid picking them up until you see that they are receptive to it.  It's almost a “hostage” type situation to these dogs.   Imagine how you would feel if taken hostage at gunpoint.  The gunman may never harm you in any way, but you are aware of the danger the entire time and you don't have the ability to leave when you want.  No matter how nice the gunman is to you, you will never enjoy the experience and will always watch for an escape route.  However, you can turn the tables around and see a ray of hope.  Imagine the gunman has been captured and you decide to visit him in jail.  Now you are in control.  You call all the shots, you have the ability to leave at any time.  The bottom line is that these dogs have to progress at their own pace.  Anything you force them to do will not be pleasant to them. 

Learning about the House:

Many times when you bring a mill survivor into your home, it is their instinct to hide in a quiet corner.  Any new dog that you bring into your home should be kept separated from other family pets for 7 days.  During this time it is fine to crate or confine them to a quiet area.  After that though, they need to have exposure to the household.  If crating, the crate should be in a central location.  The ideal spot is one where there is frequent walking and activity.  This allows the dog to feel safe in the crate, yet observe everyday activity and become used to it.  They need to hear the table being set, the dishwasher running, phones ringing, and people talking. 

Very few mill dogs know what a leash is.  During this time, when the dog is out of the crate and supervised, it is not a bad idea to let them drag a leash around with them.  Let them get used to the feel.  It is easy to fall into the mindset that they must be pampered and carried everywhere, but leash training is important.  It will make your life easier to have a leash trained dog, but also will offer your dog confidence in the future.

Gaining Trust:

A mill dog has no reason to trust you.  Your trust needs to be earned, little by little.  Patience is a very important part.  I have seen a lot of mill dogs not want to eat whenever people are around.  It is important that your mill dog be fed on a schedule, with you near by.  You don't have to stand and watch over them, but should be in the same room with them.  They need to know that their yummy meal is coming from you.  For the majority of mill dogs, accepting a treat right out of your hand is a huge show of trust.  Offer treats on a regular basis especially as a reward. 

While you shouldn't overly force yourself upon your dog, it does need to get used to you.  Sit and talk quietly while gently petting or massaging your dog.  It is best to do this an area where they, not necessarily you, are the most comfortable.   They probably won't like it at first, but will get used to it.  Some dogs sadly, never do though, and I'll talk more about them later. 

Never allow friends to force attention on a mill survivor.  Ask them not to look your dog directly in the eyes.  It is not uncommon for mill dogs to simply never accept outsiders.  Let your dog set the pace.  If the dog approaches, ask them to talk quietly and hold out a hand.  No quick movements.  Ask that any barking be ignored.  Remember that dogs bark to warn and scare off intruders.  If you acknowledge the barking you may be reinforcing it with attention.  If you bring your guest outside you have just reinforced to your dog that barking will make the intruder go away. 

Housebreaking:

A child spends the first 12-18 months of their life soiling their diaper and having you remove the dirty diaper and replace it with a clean one.  A puppy mill dog spends its entire life soiling its living area.  Potty training a child and housebreaking a puppy mill dog are the exact same procedures: you are UN-teaching them something that they have already learned to be acceptable.  A regular schedule, constant reinforcement, praise, and commitment on your part are a must!  Would you ever scream at your child, march them to the bathroom and make them sit on the toilet AFTER you discovered they soiled their diaper?  A dog is no different in this sense.  Scolding them after the deed is done is of no benefit to anyone.

The two most important things you can do are to get your new dog on a regular feeding pattern (which will put them on a regular potty pattern) and observe them closely after feeding time. 

Getting them on a premium, low residue food is very important.  This will produce a stool which normally is firm (very easy to clean up) and only one or two bowel movements a day are normal.  Low cost or over the counter foods have a lot of fillers and it is very hard to get a dog on a regular cycle using these foods. 

Before you even begin to housebreak them, you must learn their schedule.  Most dogs will need to “go” right after eating.  As soon as they are finished eating, command "Outside".  Always use the exact same word in the exact same tone.  Watch them closely outside and observe their pattern as they prepare to defecate.  Some will turn circles, some will scratch at the ground, some may find a corner, some may sniff every inch of the ground, some will get a strange look on their face - every dog is different and you have to learn to recognize how the dog will behave right before he goes.  This way you will recognize it when he gets ready to go in the house. 

We could give you a million tips that our adopters have found to work best for them, but as I said, every dog is different.  As long as you always keep in mind that housebreaking and potty training are one in the same.  Never do to a dog what you would not do to a child.  It may take a week, it may take a month, it may take a year - and sadly, some dogs will never learn.  Never give up and never accept “accidents” as a way of life.  In most cases, the success of housebreaking depends on your commitment.

More Great Training Tips for your Rescued Cairns:
http://cairnrescue.blogspot.com/2014/07/simple-training-tips-for-your-rescued.html




Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Miracle Worker

Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft in The Miracle Worker

Editor's Note: This post ran originally on 12/22/15 and is re-posted in tribute to Patty Duke and the important messages found in her Oscar winning performance. 
 
The other day, I happened to catch a showing of The Miracle Worker, the wonderful 1962 film starring Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke.  The movie portrays the narrow span of time in which Anne Sullivan, a novice teacher newly fetched from Boston’s Perkins School for the Blind, tackles the formidable task of convincing the wildly out of control seven year old Helen Keller to “tolerate” her and learn how to function in a soundless, sightless world.

Two weeks.  After an initial battle over proper table manners, Helen’s angry father gave Anne two weeks to prove she could make a difference.  Removing Helen from the sphere of her overcompensating, guilt-ridden family, Anne first teaches Helen to rely on her and trust her for all her needs, and this opens the door to greater learning.   When Helen’s parents insist she be returned to the main house after two weeks, in spite of the obvious progress, Helen immediately tests her new bounds, reverting to poor table manners.  When Anne intercedes to prevent this regression, Helen’s father objects that the teacher is treating her like a sighted child – and Anne emphatically agreed.  In order for Helen to learn and ultimately succeed, she must think like a sighted child, and her own expectations had to be high, not self indulgent.

It struck me then how well this story correlates to so many of our Rescued Cairns, and I immediately thought of CP Foster Dad Ron K. and the wonderful video of his Foster Jacket, romping playfully in the snow.  Jacket had come to him as a terrified five-year-old breeder dog, afraid of all people, treats, and the television.  Ron taught her to trust him, with abundant love, patience, and leadership, communicating exactly what he wanted her to do, giving her the strength to embrace life with confidence and joy.  It took more than two weeks, but Ron prepared Jacket well to move on to her Forever Home, where she continued to blossom into a happy, healthy Cairn girl who wiggles with joy when her humans come home.

In memory of Foster Dad Ron K., and in tribute to the many Cairns who have benefited from his strong  yet tender leadership, please enjoy Jacket, romping in the snow…




Wacky Wednesday!



Wednesday is the day to be WACKY!  Each week we will showcase a terrierific Cairn picture with an appropriate caption.  If you would like us to consider YOUR picture and caption for an upcoming "Wacky Wednesday" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com!  All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.

A big shout out to Yvonne for being our Wacky Wednesday model this week!




Sunday, March 27, 2016

Sunday Sweets!

Sunday is full of SWEETS!  Each week we will showcase the sweeter side of Cairns.  If you have a sweet filled Cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture for an upcoming "Sunday Sweets!" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.).

Happy Easter!
Buddy

Madam Addie fka CP Adelaide

Callie

Callie too!

Wally fka CP Jennings

Foster Lady Sarah

Valentine Angel

CP Bow Tie

Foster Thomas Edward

Skye La

Foster Sasha Too

Bristol

Foster Lt. Graham

Foster Sandy T

Glenfrey

Meatloaf and Homer

Just to be sure...
















Friday, March 25, 2016

The Genetic Makeup of the Dog - Bound Angels University Lecture #1

A dog in a shelter is almost never the dog it would be in a home, and this is certainly true of Cairns.  Kennel Syndrome is a real and difficult barrier for shelter dogs to overcome.  When a Cairn is rescued by Col. Potter, the two week minimum period of evaluation is essential to give the dog time to feel safe in the home environment so they can show their true personalities.

The Genetic Makeup of the Dog
Bound Angels University Lecture #1

This video addresses the genetic makeup of the pet dog: where he came from, his traits, similarities and differences from other dogs, drives and issues.  This is part of the Bound Angels University Program that helps shelters save more lives by better understanding dogs.




The Genetic Makeup of the Dog - Bound Angels University Lecture #1


Bound Angels University is a wonderful new training program aimed at saving more dogs’ lives, especially focused on dogs that do not do well in a typical shelter environment.   Training is offered Free of Charge to shelter employees from any shelter, so please feel free to pass this information on to shelters you know of in your area.  For now, all sessions will be in Los Angeles, CA, so participants only need to be able to get there and have accommodations for the three days.

Bound Angels University

The classes will be held at the West LA LAAS Shelter located at 11361 West Pico Blvd in West LA, CA.  There will be a full three days of training including behavior theory, shelter dog handling, understanding drives, and working with shelter dogs in a variety of situations including playgroups.  All participants will be employees of animal control agencies, humane societies and SPCA's.
 
Day 1: Canine Behavior Theory: During the theory portion of the training students / participants are taught (in classroom format) the various breeds, drives, temperaments, situations, benefits, and pitfalls of working with shelter dogs.  Understanding the basics of the canine personality / drive and how to work with it in the often-times stressful shelter environment.
 
Day 2: Understanding and Working with Canine Behavior: During the behavior training we focus on understanding a dog’s behavior in the shelter environment and how it may be different from the dog’s true personality.  This is a hands-on training day handling dogs, working dogs and learning to assess the behavior of the dogs students work with.  How can we use the behaviors we see, how can we modify the behaviors through engagement and training to help save more lives?  Reading the behavior of dogs with people, other dogs, around toys and distractions is covered as well as understanding what potential homes and people might be best suited for each individual dog.  On day 2 we also cover the application of the theory lessons learned on Day One.

Day 3: Playgroups: Playgroup training brings all the pieces together. Once students learn the basics of canine behavior theory and application, we now teach students the importance of the canine pack drive.  Playgroups for dogs have proven to increase adoptions, increase the overall health and well-being of dogs, and increase the public’s opinion of shelters. 

Criteria:
In order to participate in the Bound Angels University training program applicants must work in the animal care capacity of a municipal shelter, humane society or SPCA.  These positions include ACT (animal care technician), Staff Behaviorist, Senior Dog Trainer, and/or Volunteer Supervisor.  A member of the shelters management is also encouraged to attend the training with the animal care employee.  Participating shelters will become shelter partners with Bound Angels, which entitles participants continued support including Adoption Handouts, Support through the network, access to online training resources, and more. 

For the application, please click here:
  

In this thought provoking video, Robert Cabral speaks at a Symposium at UCLA, giving a clear and insightful explanation of Kennel Syndrome, Barrier Aggression, and the simple but important positive training he is implementing via Bound Angels to help shelters help the dogs in their care, enabling them to find homes when they might otherwise fail in the shelter system.  Great lessons for all who are dedicated to Rescue.


Robert Cabral, Founder and Executive Director of Bound Angels, is an authority on canine behavior and shelter dogs.  His first hand knowledge of shelter behavior, aggression, and dog training is a lifesaver to dogs that have no one to speak for them - Robert speaks for them, sometimes eloquently, oftentimes candidly - but always honestly and always with the intent to make the world a better place for them.  Bound Angels helps animal shelters save more lives through information and knowledge.

More About Bound Angels:
https://boundangels.org/

More About Robert Cabral:

Friday's Funnies!

Off the Leash

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Overview: Balanced Training and Corrections

Understanding the key elements of Balanced Training for your Cairn will help to deepen your relationship and keep your dog safe and in your home.


In the following brief training video, Robert Cabral, founder of Bound Angels, discusses the importance of understanding the need for balanced training and corrections.  Proper corrections are not only beneficial for training, but also give a dog a clear picture of what life is about, and this will help the dog live a happy, healthy life and not end up in the shelter because of bad behavior.

Robert’s position is clear:  Please don't make the mistake of never giving a dog a proper correction, as this failure is one of the most detrimental things you can do to a dog.  Structure that is fair and balanced and guided by love is what all dogs crave.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVTV0FegQYE






Robert Cabral Teaching the Power of Playing Tug
https://youtu.be/bF4n9LxaiLE


In this thought provoking video, Robert Cabral speaks at a Symposium at UCLA, giving a clear and insightful explanation of Kennel Syndrome, Barrier Aggression, and the simple but important positive training he is implementing via Bound Angels to help shelters help the dogs in their care, enabling them to find homes when they might otherwise fail in the shelter system.  Great lessons for all who are dedicated to Rescue.


Robert Cabral, Founder and Executive Director of Bound Angels, is an authority on canine behavior and shelter dogs.  His first hand knowledge of shelter behavior, aggression, and dog training is a lifesaver to dogs that have no one to speak for them - Robert speaks for them, sometimes eloquently, oftentimes candidly - but always honestly and always with the intent to make the world a better place for them.  Bound Angels helps animal shelters save more lives through information and knowledge.

More About Bound Angels:
https://boundangels.org/

More About Robert Cabral:

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Wacky Wednesday!



Wednesday is the day to be WACKY!  Each week we will showcase a terrierific Cairn picture with an appropriate caption.  If you would like us to consider YOUR picture and caption for an upcoming "Wacky Wednesday" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com!  All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.

A big shout out to Ella Bleu, Willow, and Millie for being our Wacky Wednesday models this week!




Sunday, March 20, 2016

Sunday Sweets!

Sunday is full of SWEETS!  Each week we will showcase the sweeter side of Cairns.  If you have a sweet filled Cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture for an upcoming "Sunday Sweets!" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.).

Sir. Buster

Jake fka CP Goldenheart

Caruso and Miss Macie - Happy 1st Gotcha Day, Macie!

BoBo aka Bo fka CP Bogedin

Cheri fka CP Shimmer

Valentine Angel

WiiGii aka Luigi Earl

Foster Tribble

Tootsie

Binky

Donnie

Blossom

Pearl and GiGi

Mika

Gabby and Tess

Bristol

Wrigley

Rocky… Just BeCuz!