Here are the answers to the questions You have asked!
Someone who wanted to remain anonymous asks: My dog is aggressive and I feel so isolated. I haven't been able to find anyone who can actually help! What can I do?
Answer: I am glad you are here. Yes, it can feel very isolating when you have a dog with behavior issues, but it doesn't have to. Please know you are not alone, it can be very difficult to find the right help. There are more people than you may realize with exactly the same problem. You are in the right place! I will be hosting a Fearful and Aggressive Dog Support Group on Wednesday, November 6th from 5:30 PM - 7PM at the Vigo County Public Library downstairs in meeting room B. I will be answering questions from the group and you will be able to get support from myself and others who are going through exactly what you are going through. I hope you will join us and tell anyone you know who is also in a similar situation. Pre-registration is required to attend. Please email me at BuddysDream1@gmail.com to let me know you will attend so I can be sure to have enough seating for everyone.
If you can't wait that long, you can access all the guidance information I have on my website here: https://www.buddysdream.org/guidance, you can read Buddy's Blog which had a wealth of free information, and/or you can set up a guidance session with me by following the instructions in this link: https://www.buddysdream.org/guidance-session
Gina asks: "I saw on FB that Buddy will be in a 2025 calendar, how can I get one?"
Answer: Yes, Buddy is going to be in a 2025 calendar that is being made by a local photographer to benefit the Humane Society. I have not yet been given the information on how and where to buy the calendar or when it will be available for purchase. As soon as I know I will post the information on the Buddy's Dream FB page, so be sure to follow that page.
Julia asks: "How do you groom Buddy?" I also have grooming challenges with my dog.
Answer: This is a great question Julia, and it is not easy! Since Buddy is a severe aggression case with a serious bite history triggered by many things including anything that causes the slightest bit of pain, I have to be very careful. I have done extensive desensitization work with the grooming tools, but because of Buddy’s history with being groomed prior to my involvement (see “Buddy Finds a Home” for some of the details), progress has been very slow. I also recommend you read "The Experience Bank" to get an understanding of WHY progress is so slow.
I won’t go into all the details because I could write a novel on just this topic alone, but if you want to discuss this further I recommend you come to the Fearful and Aggressive Support Group meeting I discussed in the first question and we can talk about the details of how to get your dog more comfortable with being groomed. I trust your dog is not as severe a case as Buddy, meaning he has not bitten anyone, but even if he has, there are still things you can do.
In Buddy’s case, after extensive work desensitizing Buddy, I have made enough progress where I can keep the vital areas of his fur trimmed enough to prevent problems, such as on his hind quarters, around his neck and his chest, however, this is something that I have to do in very short sessions so I can only accomplish so much. We have gotten to the point that he lets me use the grooming rake in short sessions so I have been able to keep most of the mats at bay. For his nails, I have had to resort to teaching him to use a scratch board and that helps with some of the nails on his front feet. For baths, there is a whole story there and I have had to get creative! His baths currently consist of me taking him out in a rain storm and letting him get soaked and then wiping him off with a few fluffy towels.
Buddy gets a full groom once or twice a year at the vet under full sedation (or anesthesia when we are doing veterinary procedures) where the groomers give him a short haircut, cut his nails, and give him a quick bath. This is typically done in conjunction with his veterinary procedures such as his dental, bloodwork, vaccines, etc.
The moral of this story is to get the dogs comfortable with all aspects of grooming when they are puppies so you can avoid what Buddy and I have to go through!
Keep those questions coming! Just email them to BuddysDream1@gmail.com
Always remember, in behavior rehab,
Slow and Steady wins the race!
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