Cyndi Cross
Forum Replies Created
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I agree with Jared in that there’s a lot to unpack here … I also agree with most of what Davida said, and 100% with Allie.
For me, knowing that this rescued dog had healed cigarette burns, is a bit telling as far as his relationship with his (then) human, Tya. He had suffered some pretty severe abuse at human hands, and while dogs can be very forgiving, he’s gonna remember that abuse. My guess is that, Tya, probably felt terrible for Hercules’ previous abuse, and allowed her human emotions to vacate some common sense & dictate how she treated him … which was probably with “kid gloves.” She probably didn’t know quite as much about “dog” as she may have errantly believed (as many “dog lovers” believe they do, when adopting a mature and/or previously abused dog).
I’ve said this to people a thousand times (usually, after hearing, “I know Cyndi, I’ve had dogs” … my first thought – while biting my tongue – is “well, bless your heart.”) … Yes. Dogs are sweet, goofy, loving, talented, intelligent, amazing creatures – but dogs are also animals. At the start and end of every single day, a dog is an animal. Respect their animalness. They don’t possess human emotion or human cognitive reasoning skills. They have dog emotions (some emotions, of which, they share with humans) & dog rationale, so please stop anthropomorphizing them.
That said, this owner, clearly, *did. not.* set up clear boundaries or strong leadership with Hercules, and allowed him to rule the roost – – – so he did … with a massive iron paw. In lieu of strong leadership, a dog will always fill in the gap & establish their own rules … including the leadership of their humans.
Dog attacks do NOT come out of nowhere; there are always signs … Always. Tya said that Hercules had begun/been displaying some resource guarding-type issues and we don’t know how (or if) she had been dealing with it. She obviously had allowed the Hercules on the furniture & to sleep in bed with her – so Hercules pretty much had every right to expect that *he* owned everything in the house & was the leader in the home, not Tya. Then, the addition of a new puppy probably added a whole other layer to the dominance aggression that Hercules had been displaying. Being disciplined by another human in a home (perhaps and “uninvited” friend, in Hercules mind?) that Hercules “owned” – and, set up, as Mike said, a perfect storm of events.
I think there may be even more to the story, which we don’t know, from this small article, and it’s hard to definitively diagnose a case of fatal/near fatal dog aggression without knowing the full circumstances.
We all know that bad news stories sell – but, bad news stories about dogs like Rottweilers, Dobermans & (mostly) Pit Bulls sell even more; and that is really sad, because both are great dogs. Sadly (in my experience), it’s mostly the uninformed, unprepared & untrained people who tend to adopt these breeds of dogs. The end result is overly sensationalized news stories that promote fear, and the ultimate banning of these breeds in apartment complexes, neighborhoods, counties, cities, states & other countries.
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What a great video! I have often wondered about teaching a dog how to walk backwards and liked your demonstration. I tried working with Lacey on walking backwards based on this video, but, thankfully, I only have Lace to consider. I did think to myself while initially watching it, that it seemed like a recipe for disaster (with the two doggos in such a small space [the hallway]) … but I loved how (and how quickly) you diffused this situation. My first impression was also dominance aggression as I watched one dog get her face a little too close to the treat you were giving the other dog.
Thanks again, this was awesome!
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Glad you found something, Allie. Mine came from Amazon, but were specifically for crafting purposes, not for dog nails …
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Hi Marina. I struggle with the same need (“obligation”) to explain myself to others about my actions or the personal decisions I make for my own edification.
You’ve made a personal and (in IMHO) wise decision to join K9-1, for your benefit as a trainer, and for the health & well-being of your dog’s & client dogs; and we welcome you here. You, and any dog you train, will only benefit from the education you receive from Mike, and the wisdom & experience of the other trainers here.
I left a DT community from England and have had to unlearn some pretty harmful/dangerous training techniques. And while it was mostly money wasted – it turned into a valuable life lesson to not, out of desperation, get swept away by a slick presentation in a webinar.
In addition to the great educatiin I’m receiving at K9-1 – I am also learning that not every decision made for my, or my dogs’ benefit, requires an explanation (thank you, Allie). Sometimes all that’s needed is a determined spirit & a graceful retreat. Walk away, shake the dust off & don’t look back.
The APDT won’t bend to your explanation of what they’ve misinterpreted (re: LIMA); and they won’t end their quest to ban the use of certain tools, either. So … just my opinion … focus your attention toward furthering your education; immerse yourself in this community & rest in the knowledge that you’ve found an amazing dog training “home.” I think you’ll find yourself time & wisdom ahead in the end.
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Lacey still remembers all of the hand signals I taught her when she was little – even after having not used them for about a year ….
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Great Job Stormy!
This is the level of control I’m hoping to eventually attain with Lacey. She thinks that all wildlife are “open season” for chase. Where we lived in Missouri, we were living the Park Life” with all manner of critter (deer, raccoon, feral cats, birds, ground hogs, rabbits, squirrels, fox, bats, etc.). Where we live now, we have ground squirrels, birds, skinks & fence lizards. She’s very curious about them, and if I let her outside – she will give chase. And, it’s always “fun” on the on-lead dog beaches – because, if I am not careful about keeping her in heel or at least really close to me while we walk, she could easily dislocate my shoulder. -
I, literally, just read this last night. Good stuff. I’ve often wondered about this very thing. My hubby likes to mess with Lace a little. I have hoped that she knows how much he actually really loves her. This article gave me a little hope that she does.
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This article resonates so deeply with me …
We lost Zoey on Feb 20, 2021 from canine hemangiosarcoma. And, although it has lessoned over time, the pain has never gone away – and it never will. I still deeply miss my Zoey girl. But, I can finally focus on some of the most incredible things about Zo, and have tucked those things into my heart. Her submissive smile; her helicopter tail wag; what a great traveler she was; what an amazing companion she made; her grunt/groan when she was made to wait for something; the way she opened Christmas gifts, like a “people”; the way she carefully carried her woobies around; the way she joyously lept onto the very first bed I ever made her; her glow the very first time she saw the ocean & played dog beach … those memories both lift me up, and bring tears to my eyes. I also have a small shrine to Zo in “dog training central” (where I keep all my “dog” books, toys & training supplies). It helps me to remember her and how I started this journey with K9-1.
Sadly, I decided that the faster I adopted another dog, the faster I would heal. Man, I was wrong. We adopted a family dog, about 2 weeks after Zoey passed. Big mistake. When we decided to rehome her, we contacted a family member who, unbeknownst to us, had always wanted Ginny. But, I wasn’t ready – I couldn’t connect with her. I couldn’t be for her what she needed. I was still reeling from Zo’s death and felt like such a huge failure … My feeling of loss was too great a hurdle to get over. It wasn’t fair to her, to keep her, knowing that I could never love her the way she deserved to be loved. The night before we delivered her to her new daddy, I laid down beside her, petted her & cried, and told her that this was *my* failure, not hers – she just deserved better than me.
Gin is now living her best dog life ever, on a farm in Idaho, doing what she was bred to be – a bird dog. While giving up Ginny still stings sometimes – I know that I made the best thing for her, that I could have; and the blessing she has been to her new family has been remarkable.
When we met Lacey, I knew in my heart that she was the absolute right pup for us. Lacey, btw, was born 3 days before Zoey died; so I’ve always believed, that she was being prepared for us before Zoey left us. There are still days when I feel that tremendous loss and I cry – sometimes uncontrollably; and on those days, Lacey comes and licks my tears away … She could not be anymore perfect for our family and we love her so deeply for the amazing pup that she has grown into.
I hope you’ll find peace and healing in the days & weeks to come.
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I’m a little late to this discussion …
No words except … I’m so sorry that this happened to you & Navy. You didn’t do anything wrong … sometimes we’re just so shocked by what we see that we can’t mentally process what’s happening quickly enough to react as we would have wished – or otherwise might have. It happens to all of us at one time or another. But, you are in the right place here, Maria; and I’m confident that Sybl can help you get Navy to a more confident & happy place again. -
I completely understand! We stacked baby gates in an attempt to corral a critter, too! That also did not go well! In my case, the “critter” was my youngest son when he was a toddler. He’s Autistic and was extremely hyperactive. We needed to construct a “safe room” for him (per his psychiatrist); and since we had no other rooms that we could convert … we created one in our hallway.
My dad constructed a door from plywood with a steel mesh insert, which was tall & smooth enough that Evan couldn’t climb up, over, or UNDER, it. It was as non-isolating as we could safely make it. Evan could look out and see us, and we could look in and observe him. The space was also manageable for Evan, and he could play without sensory overload. Evan’s case manager & psychiatrist thought the door was brilliant.
Necessity is usually the mother of invention … Maybe my situation can help you find a workable solution for your dilemma (?) – something that would simultaneously give you peace, give your Mal more freedom & provide much needed respite for the cats. 🤷♀️
Just a thought.
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I love Stanley Coren. I’ve read at least 2 of his books and have watched this lecture (twice?) … I’m watching it again. Thanks!
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Just curious, but … do you have a gate (or gates) in your home to give your Mal some boundaries and allow your cats the freedom of escaping the dog when they need to? We have a gate up in our bathroom, with a small pet door at the bottom, so that when Frankie wants/needs peace from Lacey, he can get it on his own. That way, we don’t have to take turns kenneling Lacey to give Frankie freedom, or closing up Frankie in a room to give Lacey some freedom. Both still have access to the entire house (I’m home all day), and Lacey isn’t destructive; so it’s been a win/win for us. However, some dogs see a gate as a personal “challenge” to be accepted …
