ELLIE BIT ME--TWICE!! (Long rant)

Lahree · Jun 15, 2010

Thank you everyone for your kind comments and support.

After our long walk this morning, I loved on her and then we played "baby" for about 10 mniutes. She was as good as gold after that. She didn't even get near my legs. I was wary, so I kept an eye on her as I was walknig but she wanted to be up along side of me and not behind me. She was watching my face as I walked around getting ready for work. I really do think that is the solution to my problem, an outlet for that pent up frustration from the structured walk. She was tired but happy when I left for work. I think we figured it out! THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!

Emmasmom · Jun 15, 2010

Do you usually take her for a walk and then leave her on her own? She may have been reacting to knowing she would be left on her own. Loving her up sounds like it worked today. Hopes it continues to do so.

Lahree · Jun 15, 2010

Emmasmom said:
Do you usually take her for a walk and then leave her on her own? She may have been reacting to knowing she would be left on her own. Loving her up sounds like it worked today. Hopes it continues to do so.

I always love her up--she got love and play time and I think that was the answer. :wink2:

Daddy's at home when I leave and all day, so she's not on her own. But I do think she wants me to stay. I feed her! LOL! :yes:

Emmasmom · Jun 15, 2010

Emma here

We all know that mommies always take real good care of us. Daddies don't always understand what we want. We miss our mommies when they are gone. They always know how to cuddle just right and always gives such nice hugs and kisses. Ellie - make sure you're nice to your mommy so she will give you lots and lots of hugs and kisses and of course food.

Lahree · Jun 15, 2010

Emmasmom said:
Emma here

We all know that mommies always take real good care of us. Daddies don't always understand what we want. We miss our mommies when they are gone. They always know how to cuddle just right and always gives such nice hugs and kisses. Ellie - make sure you're nice to your mommy so she will give you lots and lots of hugs and kisses and of course food.

Dear Emma,

Ellie here. You are talking in a language I can understand and appreciate! Nice=food and the smaller priorities, hugs and kisses. Got it! :wink2:

Lovely · Jun 15, 2010

Goooood! I'm so happy that seemed to clear it up.

Duncan bit me for the first time tonight. He had his barking fit at agility class (not sure what set him off, but I was starting to ask two or more things before treating and he was not having it). He spun and lunged at my hand (presumably to get the treats). I ignored him and it seemed to work. He also bit my calf while I was getting him positioned. I think he is telling me that I"m not the best handler in the world.

He has mouthed me before, but the feel of this was different. To quote my Control Unleashed book (which is great for recognizing problems as they arrive or working with ingrained ones), he was past his threshold and reacting the only way he knows how - on an instinctual level. Since he's a herding dog, I think he was herding and going for the treats. I wonder what he would do in a pen full of sheep...

Anyway, congrats on small victories. They are really what keep up going. Then, we look back and there is HUGE change. Think of Ellie 4 months ago!

corbinam · Jun 15, 2010

I am very happy to hear that Ellie was a good girl today. Sounds like everyone was right and she just needed an outlet for some pent up frustration.

Lovely said:
Duncan bit me for the first time tonight. He had his barking fit at agility class (not sure what set him off, but I was starting to ask two or more things before treating and he was not having it). He spun and lunged at my hand (presumably to get the treats). I ignored him and it seemed to work. He also bit my calf while I was getting him positioned. I think he is telling me that I"m not the best handler in the world.

Chelle, Bentley does this too. If I'm not giving him directions fast enough, he'll bark and start to herd me. I thought it was bad behavior on his part, but he did it in front of Stuart Mah (big time agility guru) and Stuart goes, "You tell her!" It's always my fault

Lovely · Jun 16, 2010

corbinam said:
Chelle, Bentley does this too. If I'm not giving him directions fast enough, he'll bark and start to herd me. I thought it was bad behavior on his part, but he did it in front of Stuart Mah (big time agility guru) and Stuart goes, "You tell her!" It's always my fault

Thanks. I have no question that it is my fault. I think only practice will get us speaking the same language. Everyone there was convinced Duncan was being feisty and/or just giving into Sheltie urges. I just felt bad because someone else has a very sound sensitive Sheltie who regressed a bit last night.

Eep, I've got to stop before I thread-jack this thing!

Toffee's Mom · Jun 16, 2010

corbinam said:
I am very happy to hear that Ellie was a good girl today. Sounds like everyone was right and she just needed an outlet for some pent up frustration.

Chelle, Bentley does this too. If I'm not giving him directions fast enough, he'll bark and start to herd me. I thought it was bad behavior on his part, but he did it in front of Stuart Mah (big time agility guru) and Stuart goes, "You tell her!" It's always my fault

LOL
I have seen Toffee starting to get frustrated with me when I don't give clear instructions (right now with the entry to the weave, :dead:

) so I am going to study this to figure out what I AM DOING wrong, lol.. Or else he'll also start the biting... I see the writing on the wall, I think!!! :lol:

Lahree · Jun 16, 2010

Ellis was good as gold again this morning. Ellie needed to come with an instruction manual! As soon as we figure out why she is doing something, we can attempt to find a solution that works. I am glad the collective consensus helped us figure why she was biting my heels and helped us figure out the solution. I LOVE THIS FORUM! I really, honestly don't know what I woudl do without all of you. You are the world's best bunch of helpful people!

She still is acting VERY scared if anyone is behind us on the walking path. This is a recent thing for her. At this point I just make her sit and let whomever it is go past us. I don't want Ellie to be scared and I don't want her to trip me trying to get away and hide from people or people with dogs behind us. When the offending party goes by us, Ellie is calm and steady (not shaking or hiding) but looks cautious. I think she is going through a latent fear period. I hope my solution is a viable one. I don't know what else to do. She is genuinely scared. She is not being disobedient or willfull, I know her.

I am so dang proud of her though! I want to shout it to the world. Ellie has progressed soooooo much. The only issue she has left to deal with is the stupid neighbor dog. That is a work-in-progress for sure. We have gotten to the point that we put a leash on her when she goes outside to go potty. That way if the stupid neighbor dog (the SND, lol) comes out and starts barking at Ellie, we can grab the leash and correct Ellie when she retaliates. The funny thing is, if we yell at the SND, the SND stops barking or if we throw the can full of rocks at the fence to deter Ellie, the SND stops barking. SND is afraid of yelling and the noise from the can! Maybe we can train the SND!