Rescue Journal

the zoo

Carol  ·  Jan. 29, 2014

I don't want anyone to think that on thurs/fri when I jump down some of these dogs throats for starting or participating in fence wars that I am being mean or abusive. because I am not. there are certain dog behaviors, esp. pack behaviors that I have zero tolerance for. my tolerance level is zero because they are extremely dangerous behaviors to tolerate around here...if they escalate and remain unchecked they can lead to serious harm. on the really big and bad stuff..i communicate with the dogs like dogs communicate with dogs...brutally honest and clear. there is no second guessing, no trying to figure out what I am saying and how much I mean it...it is pretty damn clear. and I can do it without ever laying a hand on them by just putting the absolute terror of carol into their heads.

I do not play favorites because someone is just on the road to emotional stability, nor do I overly worry about sensitive souls, and I never have to worry that they will stop liking or trusting me because they won't. dogs innately understand leadership roles. what they will (or will not) learn depending on how crystal clear I am is not to lose their minds at the farm fences because it puts them in deep scary shit and dogs are not stupid, they are afraid of deep scary shit.

there are very few people who come here and miss how happy not only do the dogs seem but also how much the dogs truly do like and trust me. I think it is because the dogs really do understand me...I am pretty easy going on almost everything and like a pissed off tiger on a very few really important things and I am 100% consistent in this. and this is why all of us can live here in relative peace. occasionally I have to go further and separate and segregate if certain behaviors are just too deeply ingrained but I really try not to go there if we do not have to because that is much more difficult for the dogs in the long run and for me too.

I really love these dogs, more than I can ever say. and that means that I have to step up to the bad guy bat and hit the wow'ing, mind blowing home run occasionally to keep them safe. it is my job.

the nice thing is they will never hold it against me...2 minutes in unhappy scary time is nothing compared to sometimes a lifetime of being protected and loved.

there is a rule in rescue...never let the inmates take too much over at the the zoo or they will be totally screwed. I care far too deeply about them to dick around trying to play nice and risk letting certain natural dog behaviors escalate into really big problems here...it is not fair to them. its unquestionable clarity about the consequences of participating in dangerous shit that ultimately keeps all of them safe from harm.

Comments

carol

well...dumbo me can't do it this week anyway...luna goes in for her spay tomorrow and will be out of shit stirring commission for a while..no point in doing it if the ringleader is home, getting tons of loving sympathy while she recovers from her terrifying surgery.
I will have to wait to scare the shit out of her when she feels better.

Ali

I may have to try this one day soon. I'm always afraid to discipline one of my dogs in fear she will revert back to the terrified dog she was when she came to live with us. She has come very far but thousands of dollars in "positive training" did nothing for her behavior. We have instead adjusted ourselves. Not fair to anyone really....