SociaBulls: A Shy Dog Making Sense of a "People World"

We are always interested in hearing what all the different dogs get from the walks, and we were especially interested in hearing more about shy SociaBulls member Nabi. You may have glimpsed Nabi as part of this vaudeville post or remembered this great post about learning to walk two dogs at the same time. Nabi and her brother Willie are very active members of SociaBulls; their mom is even New Member co-coordinator.
What we never realized was how severely shy Nabi is. Here Nabi's mom explains how walking with the other dogs is a comfort to Nabi as she tries to make more sense of the "people world". She is beginning to slowly build up positive associations with scary things in a safe environment. Here is Nabi's story along with photos of our latest SociaBulls walk (including many smiling pooches!).

 One of the great things for us about participating in Chicago SociaBulls is how our Korean jindo, Nabi, seems so different from many of our members, but can also benefit from the same walks.  If you research the typical traits of jindos, you'll see descriptions such as:  aloof and typically not interested in affection from strangers, takes time to bond with a new owner, and tends to be independent minded rather than driven by a desire to please.  The jindo characteristics seem to me to be the opposite of the people-oriented and eager-to-please nature I have come to associate with many of our members.  

 Nabi has many of the jindo characteristics in spades, and this is compounded by the fact that she is very shy.  We believe she was kept outside with other dogs and had little human contact for the first two years of her life.  When we adopted her, she was scared of everything associated with normal pet life, including being touched, a brush, the car, a water bowl, and even a dog bed.  She has always been much more confident when outside.  She absolutely loves walks, could easily walk for hours every day, and she's never been afraid of outdoor noises like thunderstorms.    

With Nabi, it's always been like "dog world" makes sense to her, but "people world" sometimes doesn't.  While many of our members are working on containing over-excitement when their dog sees other dogs (including us, with our dog Willie), the presence of other dogs tends to reassure Nabi.  She came to us with great dog social skills and will become more confident and curious when she sees other dogs, and she walks calmly next to pretty much any dog.  In contrast, she is unsure of herself with people.  It took over a year for her to really start trusting us, and we're definitely the only ones who ever get to see her playful and goofy side.  With everyone else, her behavior ranges from cautious interest to nervous avoidance. 

When we're walking with the pack, Nabi gets into the rhythm of the walk and often doesn't seem to even notice that she's in a crowd of people.  However, we know that the Chicago SociaBulls walks aren't a magic wand that will cure Nabi's shyness, and I believe the reality is that she will always be shy.  Progress with Nabi is incremental and needs to be measured in terms of months or years, rather than weeks.  The walks help us to very slowly build up positive associations with the scary things in a safe environment.  We hope that over time, this, along with continued work at home and elsewhere, will help her stay more relaxed around other people.  

Nabi is the only jindo in SociaBulls (so far!), but she doesn't know that she's different or that she's walking with a group of many pit bull type dogs that some people find "scary".  What Nabi finds scary is the inexplicable things people sometimes do.  With the pack, she's in an environment that makes sense to her, where they're all just dogs, walking without judgment, looking ahead.

 You can also read about more SociaBulls Members: Sprocket (Teaching a Dog When it's not Time to Play), Lola (Living in the City with a Dog who Fears Strangers),  Zoe (The Dog who "Loves Too Hard"),  Izzy (Being a good pitbull ambassador while working with an energetic dog) and Maize (Being social with an unsocial pup).
Plus, join our Chicago SociaBulls  Facebook page for more photos and information about group walks. We've been hearing about so many people starting great groups in their areas. Check the 'likes' on the Chicago SociaBulls page to see if a group has started by you. If you have a group and you don't see it on our Facebook page, please let us know so we can add you!

Mr. B's Security Stuffy

Mr. B is much like Linus from the Peanuts gang. On most days he will try to sneak by and bring one of his many stuffies on our daily walk.

Though they usually stay at home, every so often we will let him bring along one of his best friends.

 

Sometimes, he will even find a new best friend while on our walk, but A will never let him bring it into the house. 

Poor Mr. B, the lengths he go to to just bring a companion on the walk. As seen in the video, nearly every time we're set to go, he can't decide between his two favorite activities: going on a walk, or hanging with his stuffy:

DoggyStyle: Dog Organization

With all of the pooches' collars, hoodies, and costumes I'm always afraid their stuff will become so overwhelming that I'll feel like I'm living in an aisle of Petsmart. Lately we were talking to someone who didn't think they had the physical room to have a dog, and especially the dog's stuff, while living in a condo. Here are some easy things we've learned to keep the pooches' stuff accessible, without taking over our space.

Stackable Bins: 

We keep these open bins near the pooches' beds for easy access to their stuff. We just stash their costumes, sweaters, and   backpacks I picked these up at Target a few years ago, but we also use these inexpensive stacking boxes from Ikea, in white for our own stuff. They are easy to stack in a closet, bookshelf, or even as underbed storage.

Pooch Specific Bags:

 We keep all of their supplies together in a ready-packed bag so we're always ready to go. We have a summer walk bag filled with supplies  for Farmer's market jaunts and impromptu picnics, we have a separate bag for SociaBulls walks, and another bag for Overnight trips. We found it was easier to just keep that stuff all together, than store it and have to repack all the time.

Hooks for Coats, Collars, and Leashes:

 We have hooks at our front and back entrances where we keep the pooches leashes, and hang up their coats. We like the flip hook racks from Umbra so the hooks don't always need to be out if there is nothing on it. We also picked up this hook set for ourback entrance for extra leashes.

Toy Bins:

 (Because you're supposed to notice the toy bin in the photo above).
We've learned young dogs shouldn't have a 'choice' of toys and you should really only have a couple of toys out at a time for them to play with. But since our guys are kind of older and don't play with toys as much, we just toss all of their stuff in the bin next to their crate. Added value: since it's accessible to Miss M, we have trained her to put her pick up the toys strewn about and put them away on command. If you've never seen her do this, you can watch the video by clicking here. 
 We have a whole separate system, with a separate post, for their food. What other tips do you have for keeping the dog stuff organized?

Daily Walk 3.14.12

The weather was perfect for both our SociaBulls and our afternoon walk on Sunday. Mr. B was so excited to get out and take some pictures of our neighborhood alive with people, 

but Miss M was none too pleased leaving the comfort of her bed to go on another walk. 

She soon got over it when she met some new people eager to give her some loving. 

 

Mr. B was just so happy to be out and about, but then again, he never complains and he enjoys everything we do together. 

He cannot wait until we can do these longer walks every weekend. 

PSA: When Dog Equipment Fails

 We know how tempting all the other dogs, people, squirrels and rats(!) we encounter on our daily walks can be to our city dogs in training, and we've always worked to use a variety of training tools to keep our dogs focused and safe-should temptation strike.
In the past few weeks, we've actually been hearing from a couple of people who have had their equipment fail. A dog that slipped out of his collar and got away. A prong that broke mid-walk. A pooch that wrangled out of his easy-walk harness. And our own hard-to-believe situation where the latch on our leash came unclipped allowing Mr. B to run down the street to meet a Giant Poodle (I guess a dog that looked like a big stuffy was too tempting for Mr. B).
Not to mention a recent scary incident where off-leash dogs severely attacked a dog in a neighborhood where many of us live and walk.
Here are some things we've heard, and learned, that are good reminders to keep all of us safe.

Double Collars and Leash Latch Security:

 When I was adopting Miss M, her rescue group had a policy that the dogs had to be double-collared. If we were using a prong we would double-clip it with a martingale, and harnesses would also be double-clipped..The martingales are designed to be anti-slip, and these are what our dogs wear (they also come in thinner sizes and with the chain closure) and can be coupled with most any training device as a double measure.
E also designed a system using a key chain coupler (coupling key fob) to make sure our leash latches are extra secure, and Mr. B will no longer be chasing big poodles down the street. He created a diagram and wrote about it here. 

Hold your Leash Securely:

 We've had too many incidents where people unintentionally dropped their leashes, and we've had their dogs come running up to us (even across busy streets!). I always walk with the round loop around the crook of my elbow, and holding the leash with my other hand, just to make sure a quick lunge from the pooches won't cause me to drop the leash.

Top-Secret Safety Recall Word (Getting your Dog to Come Back):

 Just in case your equipment does fail, it's always good to have a good recall to get your dog back. In one of our training classes we learned how to condition our dogs where they hear a top-secret recall word, used only in dire circumstances, which would have your pooch turning back--robot-like--and returning to you. We wrote more about it here. (Our word is Yikes!)

When an Off-Leash Dog Approaches You Unexpectedly:

 My biggest fear each time I step out for a walk is that another dog will have his equipment fail, a gate will be left open, or an irresponsible dog owner will have an off-leash dog. We'd heard about an incident recently in Logan Square, an area where many of us live and walk, where two off-leash dogs viciously attacked another large dog, on a daily walk, leaving her in critical condition and nearly $10,000 in medical costs.
I've been carrying a can of Direct Stop citronella spray,which is a deterrent which is harmless to dogs, but they really don't like it. It's enough to deter a dog that is coming at you, but I've also heard it might not be enough for an aggressive dog that intends to attack. We also have a horn deterrent and  mace/ bear spray that we bring on our SociaBulls walks in case aggressive off-leash dogs approach our group. We've never had to use them, and we probably won't have to use them, but we like to have them in the small chance we do encounter an aggressive dog.
Update: Thanks Laura for this link demonstrating how to secure a harness with a martingale: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/latrenda/2011/10/collar-and-harness-safety/

We know the likelihood of many of these things is small, but we just wanted to share so everyone is aware. Anyone else have any tips to share?

SociaBulls: Walking in a Dog-Walking Group Without a Dog

As we've been having different dogs and owners showcase what they've been getting out of SociaBulls, I thought I would write a bit about what I've been getting out of the group. Since we started the group, I've never even walked a dog. I've been going as the 'dogless walker'.

Since we walk in so many densely populated urban areas, it's important to have people without dogs to watch out for other off-leash dogs who might approach the group, and to be able to stop and talk to people who might have questions about what we're doing.

While this may sound like too much responsibility, it has actually been a lot of fun. Since I don't have to focus on controlling a dog, I'm free to just walk around and have a chance to talk to everyone.

Our group has so many different types of people: chefs, PhD's, artisans, business professionals, people in the music industry, to name a few, but we're all brought together by our love of dogs and desire for responsible ownership. Since I don't have to focus on walking a dog, I have gotten a chance to talk to a lot more people.

And I get to practice taking pictures of all the gorgeous dogs. I try to get everyone, but sometimes I miss a few.

One of our dogless walkers made the realization that even though she'd been on so many walks, this was the very first time she was able to 'meet' certain dogs and owners because she had only seen them from afar.

Plus, Billy's mom wrote this great post about her experience as a dogless walker.

This was actually our first week adding an additional walk. We've grown so much, we now have 2 walks a weekend in 2 separate locations. So we will need more dogless people, but we get to continue adding new members!

Check in to our Chicago SociaBulls facebook page for even more photos and updates on our walks.

Foster Dogs: Sweet Bessie-Belle Goes Home

Out of all of the dogs we've fostered, Sweet Bessie-Belle was the one we could have seen adopting ourselves. She fit in so well with our dogs and lifestyle, and her sweet nature made our own pooches look like the two wild characters from a Disney Movie.
But, we've realized we just don't have the resources to support a third dog, so we were fine enjoying Bessie-Belle as our foster pooch until the right family came along. We knew it would be hard to give her up. And we knew we would be really sad.
But then a funny thing happened.
Per happenstance, and charm, Bessie met the family she was meant to be with.
And we weren't sad.
We weren't sad because we realized that's where she fit in and it was where she was supposed to be.
She is no longer 3rd dog under bossy Miss M's reign. Now Elderbull Bessie is a confident little sister helping out her shy older sister Roxy....and 3 cats!
Bessie-Belle knew she was home the first time she was there, and on her second visit, as she walked down the block she knew exactly which house to walk into.
Here is the story of how Bessie was reunited with her family:

As a single person with a lot of pets, I had contemplated adopting another dog to keep my 10-year old heeler mix, Roxy, company.  Contemplated is about as far as I got: Am I slowly on my way to hoarding? What will people think? I was more concerned about finding the right dog for Roxy, who is shy and quirky and has been that way since I got her from a shelter about 5 years ago. 

So I decided to bide my time and see if the right dog would find us. And along came Bessie Belle.

Roxy and I were shopping for her food at Ruff Haus when New Leash on Life was holding an adoption day.  Bessie was one of the dogs featured and she greeted everyone in the store, showering each person with kisses and a smile. She wasn't really my "type" of dog.  She was a pretty big girl, a mix of bulldog and boxer and not the coloring I usually go for. But  I was smitten. I thought about her for the rest of the weekend, how her gentle nature might be good for Roxy. I read more about her on the Pities in the City blog and could not think of a reason not to jump at the opportunity.

I have not regretted a moment since that decision.  Bessie's integration has been almost seamless:  she is curious about everything, but not overbearing. She was not fazed by my cats' initial hissing.  We've been jogging (sorta) in the park and I swear she is smiling.  Roxy has gained some courage, following her younger sister into the crowd of dogs gathered for play every morning.

And she's not just good for Roxy; she is good for me.  At 80-plus pounds, she is one powerful cuddler.   

For many years now I have made an effort to adopt older animals. I have always felt fortunate to know them, love them and I marvel at how they still have the capacity to form attachments after a rough start in life.  And I've learned an important lesson from Bessie:  the best companions can come in unexpected packages. 

We've been so happy to hear how well Bessie has been doing. Her mom has even started her on aqua therapy to help some of the stress on her joints. (I think we all have the same imaginary image of her in goggles, a flowered bathing cap and full-piece swimsuit as Bessie goes to 'swimming lessons').
And we are so thankful to New Leash on Life, the same group who took a chance on mangy Miss M, for recognizing the value of the older, seemingly broken, underdogs for helping Bessie to her happy ending.

DoggyStyle: His & Her Spring Collars

 Living in Chicago, we've learned the winters can last well into summer. We have been lucky this year, and the warmer weather already has us anticipating Spring. Since we do have to go on many daily walks, we tend to treat ourselves, and the pooches, with some fun gear, like these winter ensembles.
So much like we switch our curtains between seasons, we've decided to brighten up and switch the pooches over to His & Her matching Spring collar sets from Sirius Republic. Plus, they make our photos more fun.
Mr. B loves how the bow tie, collar and leash really brings out the color of his new favorite stuffy

While Miss M now feels like she is back to being the belle of the ball a la Mean Girls with her pretty purple flower that perfectly matches her collar and leash ensemble.

We are so excited that the weather will soon be warm again for us to take longer daily walks in their new perfect spring/summer collar and leash set. We would like to thank Sirius Republic for the beautiful his and hers collar and leash sets.

Pooches: On Pitbulls and Families

 I'm always writing about how I never wanted a pitbull, but after meeting Miss M I was completely won over and I never looked back.
But that isn't where the story ends.
When we were just talking to our friends over at Two Kitties, One Pittie, we realized that in many cases while we love having pitbull-type dogs, our extended families might not understand our choices.
 Little known fact: I actually started this whole blog to prove to my parents we made the right choice adopting pitbull-type dogs.
My parents live in a city where there are always negative reports of pitbulls in the media, and they couldn't believe I actually made a conscious choice to own pitbulls. They weren't able to meet our dogs for 2 years. My mom was quickly won over, and calls Mr B the gentle giant. Though my Dad admits he is still wary of them.

At the same time, E's family never realized our dogs were pitbulls and at family events Mr B is always hanging out with E's little Korean grandfather.
 Just curious, what was everyone else's experiences when the family weighed in on your choice of dog? Were they automatically accepting? Did it take time to win them over? Were they never won over?