Update On Rory

[Dlilly]

I've been away, but I'm back now! Here's a brief update of what has happened to Rory this summer.

Nosework:
Nosework started in the spring and ended in May. There weren't any classes during the summer. I missed the deadline to sign up for the fall Intro to odor class so for now we will do Nosework at home.

(Rory and my brother's friend)

Sheep Herding: More like sheep chasing. Rory enjoys separating the sheep and chasing them around the pen. (He doesn't bite them, just chases) At his last lesson he finally understood what to do! He circled the 5 sheep once, then laid down. It was a big improvement! He is so bad about chasing the sheep and not wanting to change directions that my instructor has been out working with him, I just watch. He has lessons every Thursday, so this week I may end up being out with him and the sheep. It's really caotic, that's why I never video taped it. (And because I can't focus with a camera) It's honestly not worth watching. So much for having the perfect little Lassie dog… X)

Prozac: Rory is the perfect dog on Prozac! All of his behavioral problems have gone away since he's been on Prozac. I probably would have had no choice but to get rid of him if I was never suggested to give him Prozac. He was really that bad....

(Rory reading Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out. It's a training book for dogs like him.)

Rory & Other Dogs: Rory is still separated from Shiloh and Delilah. BUT, he has improved dramatically! Today I had him on a leash next to Shiloh, and he behaved like a dog who desperately wanted to play, not a dog who wanted to kill. (He never wanted to kill, he just looked vicious) When next to Shiloh, he starts out by trying to get to her, but then gets frustrated because she doesn't want to play then he starts getting nippy and bites at the air. He wants to play so badly but gets upset because she doesn't want to be near him. I'm just having them meet everyday like this now. He can wear a regular collar near her, he isn't frothing at the mouth like a rabid dog, he isn't barking like crazy, and he is 90% calmer than he would have been a few months ago. I'm just stuck now on what to do. Shiloh can handle rough play, but he brings playing rough to a whole new level….

If he just got along with other dogs, he would be the perfect Kelpie.

Trick Training: Rory is a challenge, even with trick training. Sometimes he will over-think while trying to learn a new trick, and sometimes he won't think at all. He has learned a few new tricks though, like the reverse spin, to take my socks off, beg, and bow. He hasn't grasped the concept of fetch yet, so all retrieving tricks are a work in progress. He has learned a few agility obstacles, but he prefers to make up his own parkour obstacle course. I'm not joking! He jumped into the back on my dad's truck with the back lid\trunk thing closed\up!! It was unbelievable! When he runs in the yard, some times he will decide to take a path where there is a log for him to leap over, or he will jump over the porch steps. If only he was safe off leash, then I would take him places and make parkour videos!

I don't plan on disappearing from this site again, but if you would like to keep track of Rory's progress, here's his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Rorythekelpie

 

[MaryK]

Welcome back So glad to hear that Rory is making progress! Every little step is one step forward.

LOL oh dear, seems he forgot to read the manual on sheep herding!

He'll get his tricks, in his own time, at least he's thinking about them - well sometimes anyway!

 

[southerngirl]

Welcome back. I'm glad that Rory is doing better now that he is on Prozac.
He'll figure out the sheep herding eventually.
That's cool that he's doing "Parkour" stuff. I'm in the same boat as you, if I could trust Missy it would be a lot easier to do Parkour.

 

[648117]

It sounds like Rory is making great progress.

Lewis can't fetch either. He wont even mouth a ball, just play bows at them and he has zero talent for tricks (except "spin"), I think some dogs just arn't so good at that kind of training, just like some dogs arn't so good at obedience or agility (Lewis isn't good at any of them actually - his main talent is cuddling).

What if you take Rory for a big walk and do training, really make him tired, and then let him play with Shiloh? Being tired should take the edge off his rough play. Then you might be able to gradually reduce how much exercise he needs before playtime while maintaining acceptable behaviour.

Eg, I normally take Holly to the park at the end of our walk (so she has already been out for 45-60 minutes of brisk walking) to play with her friends, if I take her at the start there is a noticable difference in her behaviour. Her friends owner commented that she seemed rather "wired" once so I had to explain to him that we walked straight to the park rather than going for a walk then park, so it isn't just noticable to me. He was actually surprised that she has normally already had such a big walk when he sees her because she races around so much with his dog (his dog ends up puffing like a train).

 

[jackienmutts]

It sounds like Rory is really make terrific progress! You should be so pleased with him - and yourself!! Kudos to both of you!! Think back ... you were desperate, wondering what you had done!! And now look at where you are, and he's still young, and maturing. So ... think about where he could be a year from now (I know - that's a long way off).

Too bad you missed the Intro to Odor class, BUT - do keep doing the searches at home and enroll as soon as you can. That focus is really good for him, and the ability he gains in that class to focus on what he's doing and ignore all other distractions seeps out into all other areas of his life - and it sounds like he needs it. Plus, you develop an incredible bond and teamwork in that class because you and your dog learn to read each other so well (out of necessity) - and that seeps into other areas too.

Do you have room in your yard where you could build your own little agility or parkour course? In both cases, the dogs need to be focused, have good body awareness, be high-energy, the list goes on - and would be great for Rory, even if it's on a small scale. You could do a mini-run of either one, just give him some weave poles, some "things" to jump over, tire stacks or something, an A-frame, just "stuff" to do - it would mentally and physically wear him out (at least a little) - even if you ran him on a leash, and ran him the way you wanted him to run, vs the way he wanted to run -- meaning, not chaotic and helter skelter, but in a particular order. You could do some jumps, then ask for a couple behaviors, then do some weaves, then ask for something else - really make him think!!!! See smoke coming out of that brain!!!

Do you have a bike? Have you ever tried running him (well, trotting) next to a bike? Maybe a good trot next to a bike for 20-30 min would be a good exercise for him. I used to take one of my dogs, it was his favorite thing!! I swear, he used to get "runner's high" - and my other two couldn't have cared less.

Keep working him with other dogs. He sounds like he needs maturity more than anything else. Part of his excitement may be his just wanting to be with another dog so badly and just launching over the top because of it. I think you're doing a fabulous job with him. Keep up the good work!!!!!

 

[southerngirl]

I agree that you could try exercising him than take him to play with Shiloh. Also maybe it would help to give them a toy to play with to direct them to play tug together instead of him jumping all over her. Also when training is part of the issue that he's just so excited that he's not really thinking clearly or is he just a slow learner?

 

[MaryK]

I agree with the above posts. Leaf's a Kelpie X and very high energy! I'm in the process of building her a little mini Agility course, when it stops raining because LOL she appears 'allergic' to rain!

She needs a heap of exercise and play and Rory sounds like he's really into OTT play. Tugs are great, we play three way tug. Which is me holding the middle of the longest tug you can buy (I like my fingers exactly as they are thank you) Leaf on one end and my Golden Oldie Zeus (who doesn't want to play puppy wrestle games) on the other end.

Maybe you could try that with Rory and Shiloh? Tug is not so 'in your face' as typical over excited puppy/teenager play.

 

[Dogster]

Great advice above! I don't have much to add...

I think it's awesome progress!! You're doing a great job with him! I think Rory is the kind of dog that you could do all kinds of sports with. Have you considered Frisbee or flyball? I'm sure he would be excellent at those.

 

[southerngirl]

She needs a heap of exercise and play and Rory sounds like he's really into OTT play. Tugs are great, we play three way tug. Which is me holding the middle of the longest tug you can buy (I like my fingers exactly as they are thank you) Leaf on one end and my Golden Oldie Zeus (who doesn't want to play puppy wrestle games) on the other end.

I do three way tug too, with Missy and the pup. That's cool that Zeus still plays I can't remember the last time Chase played.

 

[southerngirl]

Great advice above! I don't have much to add...

I think it's awesome progress!! You're doing a great job with him! I think Rory is the kind of dog that you could do all kinds of sports with. Have you considered Frisbee or flyball? I'm sure he would be excellent at those.

I agree I think Rory would be Great at Both of those sports. They are a great way to put all that energy to use.

 

[Dlilly]

That's great advice, but Rory is the sort of dog you can take on a 3 mile walk and once he sees a dog (or sheep) all of his energy is magically back. He gets psychically tired, but not mentally tired from walks. He needs to be mentally tired when he sees her. What I should have done today was let him meet her right after his herding lesson. He's mentally exhausted after herding lessons. I guess I'll try it next Thursday. It's a great idea, thanks!

Jackienmutts: I was so disappointed in myself when I realized I missed the deadline to sign up for nosework class. It really did help with his focus, and it also was helping him with his dog issues. He was able to see a dog, then once the dog left he would calm down and search. Before nosework, he would stay crazed even after the dog left. I had a crazy idea of teaching him to pull a cart, and I might actually do it. I think it's worth a try…. Anything where he has to focus would be good for him. (I'd do a ton of foundation work, don't worry, I'm not going to just stick a cart to him. )

I have a huge yard, 6 acres actually. I do agility with Shiloh so I do have a course set up in the yard. He doesn't like agility though. He runs off when I ask him to do any obstacle. I've learned how to get him to do small sequences, and how to make it more fun for him, but I can tell he just doesn't like it. Now, if I had an A-frame, that would be a whole different story! For now, I'm just doing tricks with him since he LOVES doing tricks. I'm starting treiball training with Shiloh, once I teach her successfully I'll move onto Rory. Shiloh's my little guinea pig.

I am proud of his progress. It's just sometimes I get overwhelmed with him. Like, after he is able to be with the other dogs, he still can't be in the living room because of the cats. The cats are another problem I just don't even want to think about right now. There's just always something to do with this crazy little munchkin dog.

MaryK: A tug toy is a great idea! I doubt he will use it, but then at least he has something to put in him mouth if he really needs something.

Dogster: I think Rory is too young, mentally, for Flyball. I will experiment with it though, who knows, he may enjoy it. I tried so hard to get him interested in the frisbee, and he just ignored the disc. I stopped trying because I figured if he doesn't want to I'd just be forcing him.

 

[southerngirl]

Maybe just to play around with the idea of fly ball set up several short jumps and place a tennis ball at the end. See if it is something he enjoys once he's got the idea to go over the jumps get the ball than come back.

Tell use how Thursday goes.

 

[Linda A]

Great advise given above. Sounds like you are making wonderful progress.

 

[Dlilly]

Having him play with a toy didn't work, he was too focused on Shiloh, but he did such a good job with her without the toy!

Shiloh was off leash, he was on leash. He was actually the closest to calm he's every been around a dog, and he would come when I would call him, and I was able to walk away and come back! (He doesn't wear a head collar anymore, just a regular collar) Shiloh almost played with him, but then he started nipping at the air by her body. It's like he doesn't know what to do and doesn't want to nip her, but he can't help himself. If he wasn't doing that I would have let him go off leash. He is so0o cl0se to being able to be with her off leash!!!

Then I have to work with him and the cats… It just never ends with him…

But other than that, he's a good puppy, and will be 2 years old in November! :0 He's growing up so fast!

 

[southerngirl]

That's great that he is getting better with Shiloh. Oh and with the him not knowing how to play with other dogs he'll learn. Missy didn't know how to play with the my puppy but slowly she figured it out.