"Pick it up" in Public

Took Kodi for a walk Saturday morning. He was such a good boy. We had a great opportunity to see if he could perform a simple task with his Halti and gear on.

You might remember that we had a problem in the past with him performing a simple 'pick it up' task when he was wearing his walking gear. We had worked and worked on it, following the directions of a Service Dog training organization, but it didn't go well at all.

Saturday, while walking we passed by an empty coffee cup, laying the middle of the road. It had a plastic lid on it and was a pretty large cup.

I decided to stop and ask him if he could pick it up. I asked him twice, as he nosed it, rolled it around a bit, seeming to assess how heavy it was. He tried to put his mouth around it, but it was pretty wide and smooth, so he had some trouble picking it up that way, so after mouthing it and figuring out the best way to pick it up, he gently took the edge of the cup lid in his mouth and picked up the cup.

He offered it to me, high enough so I could reach it. I took it from him and praised him over and over. What a good boy he was, picking up something that wasn't mine, that I hadn't dropped, something awkward, and with full gear on, handing it to me, rather than picking it up and dropping it again, which is something he sometimes does.

We have progressed in steps, as he's refused to pick something up at all for me, picked things up and dropped them again refusing to pick them up a second time and now he's picked up an item and handed it to me, while out in a public setting. I'm so proud of him!!!

We had walked to an outdoor flea market near home and mingled with people between the tables and displays. He had done okay, but was pretty skittish, not sure about all the people moving so close to me and the chair. Overall he had done well in an exercise meant to socialize him a bit.

As long as we are able to make a little progress, I'm happy. We do have some setbacks from time to time when I'm not so sure we'll ever be able to 'proof' in a public setting, but then he'll make a bit of progress and my confidence is renewed.

Unexpected Breakthrough

As I shared in previous blogs, Kodiak has been a quick learner when it comes to performing assistance tasks for me inside the home. He picks up dropped items, things I can't reach, brings me my shoes, takes off my shoes and socks, takes the hair tie-back out of my hair, retrieves the phone, remote control, etc. His skills have helped me complete my weekly household chores and vastly reduced the stress I was experiencing doing things that had become challenging.

Kodiak has accompanied me into the local bank and pharmacy. Though he'd had a bit of trouble in the bank, a tight space with many people, he's done remarkably well, considering how much time we've actually been able to dedicate to attending in public.

Kodiak has had trouble translating what we learned indoors to the outdoors. I realized we trained inside, often without his vest, lead, etc. (as we began training before we had those items). He has been easily distracted when outside. He would often respond to 'pick it up' as if he'd never heard the command before, seeming confused.

I've been unable to take my power chair outside since early December, when the first snow and ice collected on the sidewalks and at the curb cuts. There have been few opportunities to practice.

Yesterday, when we went down the ramp to go out and potty, someone's Styrofoam plate had blown from their garbage can and was in our driveway. Kodiak took notice of it and sniffed it. I thought I would give it a shot, so I gave him the command, "pick it up" in a light, encouraging voice.

He tried to pick it up, but it scooted away from him, so he put his foot on it and pinched it, folding it in half, lifting it up and handing it to me. He had his leash on and there were distractions around us, but he did it!! As he handed it to me, I leaned down to praise him and he offered a kiss.

I put him on his airline cable and he ran out into the yard, enjoying the sunshine.

I had taken the advice of a service dog training organization previously, trying to force him to follow the command outside and it was horrible, for both of us. He just seemed so confused. It wasn't until I realized they didn't understand how we had trained prior to that, so though their advice was well-meaning, it was a bit misdirected.

I decided I would continue working with Kodiak by being loving and patient, rather than trying to force something, knowing that he's incredibly intelligent and intuitive, willing to please and was not just being difficult.

Being patient and allowing him to initiate the act, then praising him for doing the task, certainly had a bigger impact than forcing him to submit to me when he clearly didn't understand and was confused.

We've also had another breakthrough recently.

I've tried in the past to take Kodiak out in the yard off leash, as I was able to do with Echo, but he's bolted three times and run into a neighbor's yard. I know that huskies are, by nature, roamers and it is highly recommended that you don't take them out off leash because they can get hurt, particularly if their prey drive is strong and they encounter a cat, small dog, squirrel, etc.

I've taken him out to potty several times recently and allowed him to be off leash. He obeyed me and stayed in his yard, even going to visit Molly at the neighbor's fence and retrieving a thrown toy. When I told him "come" he's come running to and past me, right up the ramp to the deck.

I'm working on showing him that I trust him outdoors, so that he will trust me outdoors, not to ask anything of him that would hurt him or be unsafe. I don't want him to hesitate when we're outside.

We are a work in progress. As long as we are making progress, I'm happy.

I've had people ask me how long he's been training and express that they think we should be further along than we are, but I believe every dog is different and every team is different. I'm satisfied with the progress we're making and as long as Kodiak is comfortable with the methods we're using, that's what matters to me.

Leave My Dog Alone!

I've been working with Kodi when we're outside, allowing him to be off leash in the yard for brief periods, proofing him on "come". He's been doing fabulously!

Today, I took him out on his 30' leash and my neighbor was out in his yard, with both his dogs (Maggie and Molly) and his oldest daughter.

When Kodi saw Molly in the yard and she was bouncing back and forth along the fence, he wanted to go visit her.

I called out to the neighbor, saying "She's really getting big! She's almost as tall as Kodi!" He called back, "She's 14 weeks old and weighs 34 lbs."

Kodi was really intent on Molly and clearly wanted to go visit her, so I asked him, do you want to go say hi? as I was contemplating whether or not I wanted to take the leash off or drop it behind him. Suddenly, my neighbor called out, "Kodi! Come here Kodi!" and he's off like a shot! I had to drop the leash as there was no opportunity to take it off him.

He bounced up and down the fence with Molly, then my neighbor called him to him and reached over the fence, as Kodi stood up momentarily. He grabbed his leash and as I'm standing there, in shock, he's pulling the leash up in the air, trying to get Kodi to stand up against the fence. I can see his chain collar (which is the one he wears inside - as opposed to his nylon collar with tags when he's outside) pulling up above his head, more and more of it showing!

This guy is pulling Kodi up against the fence by pulling his collar tight!!!!

I called Kodi back, he dropped the leash as Kodi looked back at me and ran toward the corner of the fence, as Molly and Maggie were excited and the little girl was calling to him. I called again, repeatedly. He stopped and looked at me, but was so excited and distracted he didn't respond.

I started up the ramp calling him, but my neighbor was still talking to him. Finally, as I came back down the ramp calling out, "Kodi, you've been doing so good, don't spoil it now, Kodi come!" he finally took hold of Molly and his daughter, moving away from the fence.

Kodi saw me again and as I called, "Kodi come!" and started up the ramp he came running across the yard and up the ramp.

This man has no idea how to show the least little bit of respect to me, Kodi or my relationship with him.

Once again, I can't imagine taking a hold of another person's dog (pet) and interfering when they are giving commands. This man does this every single time he's able to have contact with Kodi. He takes him by his collar, pushes him down to the ground, gives him commands, etc., regardless of what I'm saying to Kodi, regardless that I'm there.

I always find that I'm so taken aback, that I draw a blank as to what to say. I know that my husband and he are friendly, so I try not to do anything that will have an impact on their relationship and peace in the neighborhood. I almost feel held hostage.

I was so upset, that I felt tears welling up, seeing someone manhandle Kodi like that, knowing that his collar was tightening around his neck and throat as this man tried to force interaction with him. He was so far away from me that I couldn't have walked that far quickly enough and without endangering myself, to help Kodi.

I've asked my husband to speak to him about handling Kodi. I could just scream!!

Training Snag ~ Temporary Set Back

Kodi and I have run into a bit of a Service Dog training snag.

Kodi has experienced a number of stressful occurrences since we've started walking in the community. He's been charged at or attacked by other dogs four times, he's had children grab his tail when we're out walking and had groups of people surround him trying to pet and reach at him, people barking at him, etc.

Kodi has also been very sensitive to loud noises. He's not too bad with thunder, but fireworks going off right over the house terrify him. He's sensitive to backfires as well.

His training has been great inside the house. He's able to do most tasks without being given a command and we're always working on new commands, such as "hold", "release", "drop it" and "tug door".

He's getting much better about not vocalizing at the bank, sitting or laying down next to my chair when I stop to chat with someone and not jumping up on people who come into the house. He's very affectionate and wants to give kisses, so we are always working on deterring him from 'molesting' visitors and he's improving.

I recently consulted a service dog training organization for some helpful hints and tips as to how I can overcome some of Kodi's fears. They were very helpful in giving me some training ideas.

Because Kodi is stressed in certain public situations, I have a lot of trouble getting him to even 'pick up' dropped items when we are away from the house. They suggested working on it outside when I knew I would have the time to 'out wait' Kodi. I was to give him the command and if he refused, simply give the command again, remain calm and assertive, and just keep giving the command until he did as he was asked.

Yesterday, when our walk started it was cool, overcast and breezy. So, when we came home I decided to try this suggestion. I went to the door and got my keys out of my bag. I dropped the keys and asked him to pick them up. I used the verbal command and hand signal we've been incorporating, over and over, giving him time in between commands to respond.

Kodi sat there, looking at the birds flying over, the people walking by, me, the porch, the keys, the door, etc. He whimpered and shifted around, trying to lay down, sitting up, going closer to the door, but he would not pick up the keys.

We sat there for between an hour and a half and two hours. I offered him a cold drink twice, which he accepted. Finally he was crying, fidgeting and I was hot and sweaty, so we came inside.

Once inside, I dropped the keys to see if he would pick them up. He refused. I took off his vest and leash, put his things away and when I came back into the living room, he picked up the keys and put them on my lap, he picked up the throw pillow that had fallen and handed it to me.

I realized that I trained him inside, with nothing but his collar on. I don't think he's ever completed a task with his vest on and certainly only once maybe, with his leash on.

I felt horrible for putting him and myself through that on the porch.

I decided we will start with his vest on, and relearn these skills, then add his leash when we see how well he does with the vest on. Once we have done so, THEN we will move our training outside.

Kodi is extremely intelligent and intuitive, but in this case, he seems to have learned the skills in one environment, with certain circumstances in place and associates the skills with those circumstances.

He's 21 months old this month. We, as a team, are a work in progress... so we keep working. There is always improvement in some area with Kodi, so there is no reason for feeling badly or as if we've failed. I'm incredibly proud of what we've accomplished as a team.

New Lead ~ Said Goodbye to the "Halti"

Being a husky and true to his 'husky' nature, Kodi found it difficult to walk using a 'harness' or to even walk with his leash attached to his collar. As soon as he felt the least resistance against his chest or neck he would lean into it, digging in and pulling against the restraint, making it terribly difficult for us to walk him, especially me, sitting in a chair with a low center of gravity and not much leverage.

More than once, I was tugged so hard my shoulder popped. So we had to research, talk to our Veterinarian and we settled on a training device known as a "Halti" head harness, shown on Kodi in the picture.

It was not a muzzle, it slid around his nose and attached behind his head with a small lead under his chin that attached for security to his regular collar. The leash attached to the same ring under his chin that the tiny lead attached to, so when walking him, we were 'leading' him by his nose, rather than restraining him at his neck.

He could still drink, eat, play ball, pant, bark and yes, bite, if necessary, but if he pulled against the Halti it would tighten around his mouth, making it difficult for him to defend himself should he be attacked by another dog (which has happened 4 times when we were out).

To control the Halti I wrapped the leash around my wrist, which meant both hands were occupied when we were out, one hand holding his leash, the other controlling the chair's joystick. This was problematic if I had to get Kodi a drink, use the pooper scooper, or go into the bank and try to handle a check or cash, if Kodi was moving around beside me, pulling my hand away.

I went on a service dog supply site and found a leather leash with brass hardware, used in police, Schutzhund and Service Dog work.

It's 6 ft. long and has a series of rings over its length with a hook on each end. It can be adjusted to 4 different lengths, attached to a wheel chair, used as a temporary tie out. It's very sturdy, being two layers of leather with both stitching and rivets.

I bought one and attached it to the frame of my power chair. Hooking it to Kodi's Halti was problematic, as it was heavy and pulled his head down, putting unnecessary pressure on his nasal passages along the top of his nose. So, I took a chance that he had learned the lesson meant to be taught with the Halti and I hooked the leash to his collar.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Kodi stayed right next to my chair, he didn't pull hard and actually allowed slack in the leash between us. He had an easier time drinking out of his travel water dish and was more eager to put his gear on to go for walks. He certainly experienced a sense of 'freedom' he hadn't been feeling.

My husband can put the leash around his waist and hook it to itself, keeping his hands free and using his body weight to prevent Kodi from pulling him as aggressively as he did when he held the leash in his hand. (He has always seeminly had an understanding that we are a team and he must cooperate with me, therefore responding differently than he does with someone walking upright.)

We have used the new lead when going into the bank. Kodi follows behind me and I'm able to use my hand to control the doors, rather than being tethered to Kodi by my wrist. It actually keeps him closer to me. It provides me with a sense of security as well as freedom.

I'm also secure in the knowledge that with this lead, I could affix it to the seat's support frame, if the chair should ever quit running, and Kodi could pull me home. I would not have to be concerned with being stranded.

We are always learning and progressing as a team.