Alas, We failed the CGC...

[Geoffrey]

for the FOURTH time. (yet, it is pretty funny)

 

He failed petting, grooming, and separation. For petting he was sitting but shied away and scooted back on his butt and wouldn't let them touch him, they didn't even bother trying to brush him because they couldn't touch him, and he whined the entire time during the separation (probably because he was afraid of the person holding him).

 

The evaluator said she really liked him though and could tell that he'd had a LOT of work put in him, even though he failed. Although, she did mistake him for a puppy of between 8-18mos (as did everyone else).....he's 5. She also mentioned I should look into the research that's being done on dog ADHD....she's not the first to recommend that (I agree actually....even the dogs with barely any training were less frazzled than him).

 

A woman with a nice standard schnauzer also thought it might be good to look into the herbal calming things for dogs (rescue remedy? I forget).

 

Oh, and just to prove that he CAN pass a test (even though he fails every time we try) he let a lady with a Kelpie hug on him and pet him, same with the girl who had a corgi, and the schnauzer lady, AND the aussie lady. Just not the tester.

 

 

One day.............

 

-Geoffrey

 

EDIT: Just to explain further, this dog has *never* liked people much. The fact that he let ANYONE pet him (even if it wasn't the tester) is a HUGE improvement....as is passing the "friendly dog" part of the test. He used to go ballistic around strange dogs and stand 15ft back from strangers with his hackles up and growling or else try and run away. I was hoping for a pass though, since he passes it every time we practice. Apparently the real thing is just more nerve wracking.

[Maralynn]

Oh well, you tried, again.... Actually, I'm impressed that you keep on trying. It does sound like Zeeke has come along way since you've had him. I'm sure that when you do get it, it will be a very satisfying!

 

I had to laugh as I read your story. He sounds a bit like Kipp (including the ADHD part!). For SAR training there is a list of basic manners,obedience and agility that the dogs are supposed to pass. Ten things in all and many things are similar to the CGC. Kipp did great with the first 5 or 6. Then when I tried to finish off the list a couple weeks ago, we stunk! He wouldn't go through the tunnel for anything, even though he shoots right through at home. We did pass heeling, but it was quiet sloppy, with nowhere near the focus that he has demonstrated (at home!). I left that night planning to do ALOT more homework with him...

[PSmitty]

Oh, that's a bummer. Really, though, I think you should be proud of how far he's come. Great job!

 

Oh, and if you try again, definitely look into some herbal calming supplements. Couldn't hurt!

[Guest pax]

I'm going to date myself here but do you remember The Waltons? Remember the old Godsey sisters? Remember their beloved Papa's tincture for nerves?

 

Rescue Remedy is the doggy version of the Godsey sisters' tincture. It's mostly alcohol. I think it's the alcohol that makes you feel better.

 

Anyway, it's meant to be a one shot deal, pun intended. Not something he can take all the time. Unless you want him to sit around wearing lampshades on his head and hiccuping.

 

 

 

Maybe some other herbal thing.

[Guest WoobiesMom]

I'm sorry! Your dog sounds like my Woobie. I fear we will NEVER graduate from Level 2 at our obedience class! He just can't deal with the distractions, he's too skittish! I had dreams of doing competitive obedience with him, but after reading the explanation of "stand for examination" I fell off my chair laughing. I just don't see a future where my dog will stand by himself, without me around, and let a complete stranger put their hands all over him. I'll be happy at this point if we can have small children walk past us in PetSmart w/o Woobie trying to wedge himself under the shelves. I think this might be a great agility and flyball dog. Those are things that he and I will do together, the flyball will have lots of other dogs around, which he loves and won't involve strangers touching him!

 

Good for you for continuing to try! I guess I'll do the same. Woobie is only just a year, maybe with time, he'll get there. I just don't know at this point. I also wonder why the dog has to endure stranger handling without you there. I can see not wanting them to be aggressive to strangers, and my dog has been handled by the vet tech in my absence without problem, but I think it's kind of natural for a dog to be a bit leery of a stranger handling it w/o the owner there to reassure them. Lots of people handle my dog at the dog park w/o a problem, but I'm there and I think that helps his confidence.

[Olivia]

Woobiesmom,

 

I agree that the stand for exam can be difficult to teach so maybe obedience isn't for Woobie but have you looked into Rally? Much more fun than formal obedience and uses the same skills without anyone having to touch your dog.

 

In the CGC test you do have to leave your dog with a stranger but the person doesn't have to 'handle' your dog. All he has to do is hold the leash and your dog maintain good manners such as not jumping up and staying quiet.

 

Olivia

[Bo Peep]

One of the first things I had to teach Usher was the stand for exam. Him, training to be a service dog this was an important duty he will be performing. ( Of course with leverage on a counter top or floor ) It actually was one of the easiest for me to teach I don't know why- except for one thing- my trainer was the judge once. And of course, once Lacey was on a stand-stay and saw Ellie, it was "happy play time" With a stranger, she passed right away the next time. Keep on plugging. Try it at home with friends and sometimes at the park with strangers, just ask them if they will walk up to your dog and pat them on the head, shoulders and butt and walk back. It works pretty good and it's surprising how much strangers don't mind.

[Geoffrey]

I will definitely be practicing more before I attempt again....I'd rather not become "the guy who can't get his dog through the CGC"

 

I was realllyyy hoping that this would be the time I passed though, we'd been having everyone at agility class pretend to be the CGC evaluator for him, I took him to petsmart and had him greet the cashiers, etc.

 

Just needs more practice and proofing I guess....

[Root Beer]

If you get any info on ADHD in dogs, I'd be very interested in reading it myself.

[Guest WoobiesMom]

Woobiesmom,

 

I agree that the stand for exam can be difficult to teach so maybe obedience isn't for Woobie but have you looked into Rally? Much more fun than formal obedience and uses the same skills without anyone having to touch your dog.

 

In the CGC test you do have to leave your dog with a stranger but the person doesn't have to 'handle' your dog. All he has to do is hold the leash and your dog maintain good manners such as not jumping up and staying quiet.

 

Olivia

 

Oh, I'm confused then. Why did the OPs dog fail then? Rally sounds fun, might have to look into that!

[Geoffrey]

Zeke failed the separation part because he whined the whole time....he was nervous because he was alone in a room with someone he hadn't met before and didn't quite trust.

 

 

Root Beer: apparently information on ADHD dogs is difficult to find, as I haven't had any luck. Most things seem to be about debunking the myth that food is a cause of ADHD in dogs, but not actually saying if there even is such a thing.

[Guest WoobiesMom]

Zeke failed the separation part because he whined the whole time....he was nervous because he was alone in a room with someone he hadn't met before and didn't quite trust.

Root Beer: apparently information on ADHD dogs is difficult to find, as I haven't had any luck. Most things seem to be about debunking the myth that food is a cause of ADHD in dogs, but not actually saying if there even is such a thing.

 

Aha, gotcha! Thanks for the clarification! I think Woobie would just try to run away if left in a room w/a stranger, that would probably fail him too, huh?

[hoku's mum]

opps, double post

[hoku's mum]

Here is a link to a flower essence that our agility instructor recomended for Hoku. He gets into a big spin and gets over stimutated in class and can not focus on anything execpt the other dogs. I think it helps... he is doing much, much better.

YES essence

Seems to help me, too!

[SoloRiver]

Measuring attention deficit and activity in dogs: A new application and validation of a human ADHD questionnaire

 

Judit Vas, Jozsef Topa, Eva Pech, Adam Miklos

 

Department of Ethology, Eotvos University, Pazmany P.1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary

Comparative Ethology Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary

Accepted 28 March 2006

Available online 30 May 2006

 

Abstract

 

Recently more evidence has been found that the dog could serve as a viable model for studying the

evolutionary emergence and regulating mechanisms of human behaviour. This approach is of especial

importance when someone wants to study the underlying mechanisms of such human behaviour disorders

like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Using questionnaires is a widely accepted methodol-

ogy in this field of human behaviour research and recently many reported parallel observations also on dogs

(e.g. questionnaire analysis of temperament traits). However, the handicap of this line of studies is, that the

psychometric properties (validity) of the animal questionnaires were rarely examined, therefore, the

reliability of this methodology remains uncertain.

 

In the present paper a 13-item questionnaire assessing attention skills, impulsivity and motor activity in

pet dogs was developed on the basis of a validated one used for evaluating ADHD related problems in

children. The primary purpose of this study was to measure reliability and validity of the questionnaire in

order to introduce a new method for studying behaviour problems related to attention skills and the levels of

activity/impusivity in pet dogs.

 

The owners of a pet dog population (N = 220) of many different breeds (69) were involved in the study

and the sample was balanced for the dogs’ age, gender and training/qualification. Internal and external

validity of the questionnaire were analysed and results supported the relevance of the two subscales

predetermined from the items of the questionnaire (inattention and activity–impulsivity). Comparisons of

the inattention and activity–impulsivity scores of the different age-, gender- and training-groups showed

significant effects of age and training on the attention skills in the dogs. Findings suggest that the application

of human ADHD questionnaire (dog-ADHD rating scale) is a reliable and valid method of assessing

attention skills and activity in dogs.

 

# 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Geoffrey]

Findings suggest that the application

of human ADHD questionnaire (dog-ADHD rating scale) is a reliable and valid method of assessing

attention skills and activity in dogs.

 

Now...if I could just find someone to rate Zeke's behavior, haha. (he's either got ZERO attention or he bores holes into me with his eyes) and he's the most impulsive dog I have ever seen.

[Root Beer]

I would seriously love to have Speedy tested for neurological disorders. He might be ADHD, he also might be autistic. Or it could be something else, but there is definitely something miswired in his brain.

 

I was watching a TV show one time where they showed a human brain scan on a man who had a neurolgical disorder that caused him to have serious delusions and made him really out of touch with reality. There was a whole section of his brain that was "turned off", so to speak. The theory was the trauma, probably physical, had caused it.

 

If I had money to burn, I'd find someone to do a brain scan on Speedy. I'd be willing to wager that something unusual would show up on it!

 

But since I don't, I just love him the way he is and keep "rewiring" the best I can!

 

He did finally pass the CGC, Geoffrey. It took a long, long, long time and a lot of work to get him to allow someone to touch his head and his paws, but he got there!