Weekly Training Update (Sept 19)
Despite a seriously lagging motivation after 2+ weeks recuperation time, following
Lilly’s rattlesnake bite, we soldiered on with our behavior modification work. Here’s how it went. …
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Weekly Training Update (Sept 5)
This week was all about Lilly getting her strength back, following the rattlesnake
bite Saturday. I asked nothing of her. The good news is that she doesn’t seem to have carried any hospitalization anxiety home. She has not seemed fearful or upset all week. Granted, she
clearly doesn’t feel well, but she doesn’t seem freaked out or anything. Then, again, I did not challenge her with any noises or actions a la our behavior modification plan. I do wonder, however,
if me breaking some of the rules might mess things up. … -
Weekly Training Update (Aug 29)
Based on Lilly’s regression (door refusals, hiding, fleeing, panic) and negative response to the sink window counter-conditioning I mentioned in the Aug 15 training update, Jennie (our behaviorist) and I decided to make some changes — both in training challenges and in medications. …
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Weekly Training Update (Aug 22)
While this is technically week 5 of the new plan, it is the first week with Lilly on the full therapeutic dose of clomipramine. So, she’s up to 60 mg twice a day, plus the .5 mg of alprazolam twice a day (that dose has been the same since we added it). So, we’re up to ramming speed in terms of brain chemistry. Like me, you might be wondering: Now what?
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Why the Focus on Sit-Stay
Loyal reader and occasional classmate Claire asked in her comment Friday: “Just curious — what’s the idea underlying all of the sit-stay work?” I bet a lot of you are wondering that. …
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Weekly Training Update (Aug 15)
Oh, how I want to shout from the rooftops about a big breakthrough in dog training. But, this week we had a couple rough days with fading fears at home flaring up. Alas, the progress Lilly is making measures in infinitesimal degrees. It’s no longer merely snark/no snark, work/no work … It’s pupil size. It’s breathing pattens. It’s even the shape of her black-and-white, border collie head. …
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At the Sound of the Tone, the Time Will Be
Part of fixing Lilly’s nighttime anxiety behaviors at home required restructuring our evenings to prevent any conflict over coming inside and to encourage her to remain in the social areas of the house instead of hiding. Rather than confronting the issues head-on, we’re basically creating new routines aimed at helping her relax (with the help of the meds, of course). In the month or so since the consult, we can practically tell time based on Lilly’s location and body posture. …
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Man on the Street
Since our regular exercise walks are about the only outings we have, Lilly and I really look forward to them. Each day I adjust my schedule to avoid as much other traffic (people, dogs, horses, cars) as I can. Still, some days we cannot help but cross paths with someone or something. Most times, I just work her classical conditioning and feed our way past whatever it is, but last week, an older man who walks for his heart stopped to chat with us. …
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Weekly Training Update (Aug 8)
Last weekend, we bumped Lilly’s clomipramine up to 40 mg twice a day. Her alprazolam stayed the same at .5 twice a day. While I wait for the OK to move onto the next stage of the behavior plan, which includes noises, I’m doing what I can to spice up the routine and challenge Lilly in mild ways. I’m starting with visual things since they generally cause less fear than noises. …
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Split, Don’t Lump
As the parsing of stimuli continues, I find myself also splitting out individual behaviors from their many partners for sanity’s sake. Take the hubbub at the door before going outside.
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