Hello from Michigan

[bransel]

Hello from Michigan,
I'm a new Boxer dad of a little 2 year old 48 pound rescue Boxer named Winnie, (see her cute picture in October gallery). I've had her for about a month and she is the best! The only problem is she has some separation anxiety when I leave for work in the morning, (not destructive--just cries and howls). I've scheduled her for some doggy therapy sessions to combat this and enrolled in obedience class to help build her confidence. Other than that she's a big happy cuddler, loves to go running in the park, sprawls out on the couch, and does a strange Joe Cocker dance for me everytime I come home, (I've since learned this is called Kidney Beaning). Her butt almost touches her ear sometimes!

Regards,

Brian

 

[Boomer'sPapa]

Brian,
Kudos to you for rescuing Winnie! I have been owned by Boomer for three months now, and can't remember how I spent my free time beforehand! Boomer also has separation anx (cries and howls just like Winnie), but he seems to he improving daily. He's getting used to his filled Kong every morning before I leave, and is even more cooperative going in his crate for the day. lovicon And let me tell you, he is the happiest boy when I come home from work!

Hmm...Joe Cocker dance....never heard kidney beaning referred to as such, but I can understand the reference!

Again, kudos for rescuing Winnie. Hope to hear more from you. Please join us in chat sometime soon!

Cheers,

 

[Tucker's_mom]

Welcome from a fellow Michigander or Michigoosie I guess:D . Whereabout in MI are you? We're in Waterford about an hour north of Detroit. Have you been able to check out the Orion Oaks Bark Park (not sure where you live...)? It's a fun time. We're thinking about going again on Saturday...

What a hero you are for rescueing! I'm sure Winnie's the best...next to Tucker that is...

 

[Nedra's_momma]

Bransel,
Have you thought about crate training her? Crate training is a wonderful thing, but she may not take to it very easily, you just have to start slow. My girl loves her crate, it is her bed. At nights we have started letting her out of it, and she refuses to come out of it! All I have to do is say "Lets go to bed." and she walks upstairs and into her crate and lays down and goes to sleep with the door wide open!

Welcome to Boxer World! Can't wait to see more photos and hear all about Winnie, she is just adorable!

Jessica

 

[bransel]

Hello Tucker's Mom,
Winnie & I live in Royal Oak. We have been going to a fenced in dog park off of Kensington Rd. in Ferndale (runs parallel to 696 service drive). I also take her to a dog park by Dondero High School in Royal Oak, (not fenced).
Where exactly is Orion Bark Park? I'm always looking for a new place to take her to keep things interesting for her.
thanks!

Brian

see her pic!

 

[Tucker's_mom]

The Orion Oaks Bark Park is just off Joslyn Road, north of Great Lakes Crossing. It's about 20 minutes from my house in Waterford (M-59 and Elizabeth Lake Rd.). There's a website somewhere. I'll post a link when I find it. It's a great park. Totally fenced in and double gated so there's no escapee's . There's also a pond for the swimmers. Tucker's not too crazy about the water, so we mainly stay in the other section. We met some fellow Michiganders that we met here in BW there last weekend. It seems all the dogs that I've met there are very friendly and well behaved. Nothings ever gotten too out of hand when I've been there and Tucker just loves it. We're trying to squeeze in as many visits as we can before it gets too cold.

 

[Tucker's_mom]

Here's the link:

http://www.co.us/c_serv/parks/orionoks.html

It says you need a pass, but I've never seen anyone there to check (but you didn't hear that from me:D ). You can also buy daily passes for $5...

I'm not sure how great the map is, but the Bark Park is actually off of Joslyn before you get to Clarkston Road on the left side.

 

[bransel]

Jessica, thanks for the crate training advice. I have tried to get Winnie comfortable with a crate, but she is simply terrified of it. I've lured her in a few times with toys and sat with her for some minutes, then left the room. She goes absolutely crazy. In fact I set up a video camera to document her in the crate when I left one day. She cried and howled for two hours straight. Also, she banged around and chewed on the metal crate quite a bit. I have been told that she may have possibly been crate abused in the past. It might have been used as punishment or she had been left in them for long periods of time. Not wanting her to hurt herself, I've stopped trying to use the crate. She has the run of the house and does well( never destructive and rarely has an accident). I just feel bad, because I can see her paws and face pressed up against the window watching me leave in the morning, howling and crying away.
Luckily, I have a roomate who is generaly home during the days, and can comfort her when I leave in the morning. But he tells me she's very anxious and shaky and will usually go back and look out the window for a while to see if I'll return.
I wish I could just take her to work with me!

 

[Nedra's_momma]

Hey there!
Please know that any dog will have that reaction though if it has never been crated before. Puppies do it, adults do it, heck I'd do it too just because it is something different. You can't be sure that she can never be crated just based on that first experience. If you feel like you want to try it again start slow. Try to lure her in it with anything that looks appealing to her, but *don't* close the door. Let her know that she can come out if she wants to and that it is not just a place to go when she is "bad". Start feeding her in front of the crate with the door open. Try that for about a week, and if she seems comfortable with that, move the bowl closer to the crate. Again, when she is comfortable with that, move the bowl just into the crate, when she seems comfortable with that, move the bowl farther and farther back in the crate. All the while keeping the door OPEN and PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE!!

If she makes it through all this and is still okay with it, try closing the door and the open it back up quick, give her a treat and tell her good girl. Gradually increase the time that the door is closed while making sure that she is still comfortable and keep treating her. When you feel that you can have the door closed for a comfortable amount of time, take two steps back. If she is comfortable and quiet, treat her. Next time take four steps back then treat. And on and on. Pretty soon you should be able to walk around the room freely without her making a sound. Do NOT treat her if she starts barking, wait until she quiets (between barks) and treat her (I tell mine, "Good quiet!"

Remember, crate training is still "training". You can't put a dog or pup that has never been in a crate before in one and expect them to do it right the first time. In the end, if you can get her used to it, she will love it. Dogs are den animals and I think it helps them to have a "den" to escape to.

I hope this helps! Unfortunately, with her being a rescue you will probably have to treat her like a puppy sometimes, but in the end it is well worth it!!

Good luck, and hugs to your Winnie girl!!