Lou's safe skybox

[rudy]

I am an introvert and my family jokes about me needing a skybox at parties so I can observe and watch without getting overwhelmed. Well, that is true of Lou too.

This weekend I had two different families with young kids at my house. Usually I put Lou in a safe zone (attached to something) and ask people to ignore him and don't walk within his range! (He would bark, lunge and hopefully only grab pant legs - but he does bite). He barks big big barks at first but as long as people do ignore him he settles down and is relatively relaxed for an hour or so and then I take him outside for a while and then to his crate.

But this weekend I put Lou in my bike's dog cart, his skybox - I've got a Croozer. It's dark in there but the front and back are mesh doors and the sides have windows. I let him stay right in the middle of the action - pulled the cart up to the table as we ate and in the middle of the living room as the kids played. People would walk really close to the cart and even brush up against it (though I asked that people not stare at him or talk right to him). And Lou was FINE. He watched and listened but was calm - no barking. He even fell asleep.

I am wondering why this is the case. Is it like a muzzle - he feels no sense of control so he doesn't fight it? Or is it that he feels "invisible" and safe so he can chill?

Since he is comfortable in there, I'm thinking about using that cart to expose him to other things that normally energize him: neighbor kids on bikes, gatherings of people, etc. Then after I can do some pushing with him to release tension.

Any thoughts?

[Sang]

My first question would be, what are Lou's experiences like when you take him in the dog cart on the bike?

I definitely agree with your take on the fact that he probably feels safer in the skybox. But I'm going to make a leap of faith and assume that he typically gets to ride in the skybox with you when you go on bike rides? If so, then I'd add that by taking him on bike rides, he would be getting to experience the motion, similar to riding in the car, which is allowing him to get into a state of flow and harmony with his environment, allowing him a way to channel his energy.

So, if the skybox is something where he normally gets to experience that, then just the mere act of being back in the box, even out of context, would trigger his physical, emotional memories, and he would start to feel that sense of flow and harmony again, even though he and the box aren't actually physically moving. Which would then allow him to more easily get into a state of harmony with being around people in the house, because his channels are open and flowing, whereas when he's just left out in the open, he's responding and reacting to his environment based on his fear, rather than responding and interacting based on his drive and desire. Drive and desire create cooperation and alignment, which is what he would be feeling in the skybox if his experiences are normally that of moving in alignment and in harmony with you when you're out riding the bike together.

Anyway, that's my take on it.

[Lee Charles Kelley]

Hi, Rudy,

Excellent idea. What made you think of it? I'd be interested in the exact thought process. Did you think it would just be like a crate, only more mobile? Or was there something else going on in your mind?

And I think Sang's take on this is right on the money.

LCK

[rudy]

Thanks for your input guys

I think Sang is right. Lou LOVES to go for car rides and I let him hang his head out the window (safety concern I know...) and he doesn't bark at people or dogs out the window. Parking lots are a different story...

So, of course he loved to go for rides with my other dog in the Croozer: the safety of a crate with the calming experience of the car. Last week I rode them past the Great Dane who charges the fence and a group of golfers. I stopped and talked to the golfers. Both the dog and the group usually set him off, but he was quiet. That's where I got the idea.

Lou LIKES people he just can't handle their attention. His stress builds and then any movement at all sets off his prey drive. So, the mobile crate is a good way of looking at it too. It keeps every one safe and calm but let's Lou stay involved.

A friend is coming into town on business and is going to stay with me, so the skybox is going to get a workout this weekend. I'm planning on giving Lou a positive charge in the Croozer with a long bike ride this afternoon.

I will probably also let Lou have a little freedom around my friend (going up to sniff) after a day or so while wearing his basket muzzle - as long as I or the "stranger" squirt spray cheese into it Lou is happy.

And, I think I'm beginning to see the pushing start to work. I'm not sure just yet if it is the pushing or the food, but I've been able to call him off triggers, at least momentarily, for a push 3 times in the last 2 days: my neighbor, a dog and human on the golf course, AND, best of all, a golf cart going back and forth in front of us while Lou was in a sit stay! He looked at the cart and looked back at me and didn't move! I called him to push and he came right at me

Also, the intensity of his bark, which is soooo deep and strong that it sometimes causes him to regurgitate food and always propels his body forward, has lessened from what sounds like "I'm going to rip you to shreds" down to "Beware!"

All good news.

[Alec]

[QUOTE=rudy;737]And, I think I'm beginning to see the pushing start to work. I'm not sure just yet if it is the pushing or the food, but I've been able to call him off triggers, at least momentarily, for a push 3 times in the last 2 days: my neighbor, a dog and human on the golf course, AND, best of all, a golf cart going back and forth in front of us while Lou was in a sit stay! He looked at the cart and looked back at me and didn't move! I called him to push and he came right at me QUOTE]

You definitely are beginning to see it work. This is exactly how it progressed for me. He will start looking to you more and more when he gets energized. If the energy is too much in a situation I have to use a toy, play a little tug and let the dog have it. Also, I doubt that he is doing it just for the food. Good work.

[BrownieNJoyce]

Originally Posted by rudy

I've been able to call him off triggers, at least momentarily, for a push 3 times in the last 2 days: my neighbor, a dog and human on the golf course, AND, best of all, a golf cart going back and forth in front of us while Lou was in a sit stay! He looked at the cart and looked back at me and didn't move! I called him to push and he came right at me

Sounds like Lou is in good hands. Congrats on the progress!

I remember the first time Brownie responded to a redirect for pushing. The connection felt so awesome. I am having continued success for small triggers and am ever hopeful that eventually the bigger triggers will be manageable too. Keep posting. I'm grateful for the inspiration.

[rudy]

A friend spent the weekend at my house - and the skybox worked again!

Lou spent a little time outside the skybox attached to something - like me, or the door. He was quiet even when my friend walked around, not right by us but in lou's eyesite and any movement usually triggers barking. Progress. I let Lou sniff my friend just before he left and Lou was fine. I left Lou in the skybox alone with my friend when I ran to the store - my friend said Lou was fine. He barked 2x in response to a noise on the tv. We all walked out on the golf course, Lou on a long lead, and Lou sniffed my friend as we walked by and left him alone.

Last night Lou woke up all itchy - we're battling yeasty ears. I cleaned them out and then made up a headband that would hold his ears up and back to get some air flow in there. I had messed with his ears for probably 15 min and I could tell he'd had enough. He walked to the skybox and jumped in. Smart dog. He chose to go to his safe-zone and so I left him alone. I like that he is using his brain like that.

[Sang]

Thanks for the update. That is awesome!