The Vacation From "HELL" - Trainer's Input

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Well today was training day, and my primary objective was to gain our trainer's perspective on all the problems we had with Murphy on vacation.  Well we got an "earful".  I can't even believe how poorly we handled this whole situation, although our trainer actually took most of the blame himself because he felt he should have better prepared us.  Here are the highlights of our discussion...

• We completely "blew" Murphy's introduction to the beach house.  While DH and I were frantically trying to unpack two very full cars, we allowed Murph full access to the entire house...and he ran crazy smelling and going room to room.  He was at that point "claiming" this territory.  We should have left everything in the car...taken him for a little walk, brought him back to the house, let him enter one room on a leash (when he was calm).  He then should have been gated in that one room or crated while we unpacked.  Then as he was calm (and when our unpacking was finished) we should have leash walked him room by room through the house.  Then back in the crate or gated again in the original room for a while.  During this acclimation period nobody else should have been interacting with him.
• My trainer agrees that he was feeling nervous and insecure about this change in his environment, and he was looking for us to manage the experience for him.  In the absence of that leadership, his nervousness increased and he fell into a dominant mindset (which comes easy to Murph).  So, then my brother arrives and just walks into the house (which Murph is now viewing as HIS territory) with his submissive Lab.  Murph took this opportunity to show this dog that he was the "alpha" and that is what brought on the horrible demonstration of dominance.  We should have met my brother outside, walked the dogs together, brought them back to the door, made them wait until they were calm, walked into the house together, and then unleashed them.  Murph should have had a training collar on (no leash) so that at the first signs of dominance he could be corrected.  We ended on a terrible note.  Remember my brother was afraid for his dog, so we grabbed Murph and he left with his very frightened Lab.  To Murph this signified "winning"....he dominated and the dog left....just what he wanted. 
• There was way to much affection being doled out to Murphy because I was worried that he was feeling insecure.  By doing this I was actually feeding that insecurity.  Attention given while the dog is in that much of an unbalanced state sends a message that we think it's just fine that he's feeling that way.  We should have kept him in down/stays A LOT, and only provided affection when he was laying calmly...when he was laying on his side in a totally submissive and relaxed state that's when he should have been rewarded and treated.
• If I can't provide the time that Murphy needs to train through these types of episodes, he should not be there.  This experience has set him back....that's been clear this week.  We'll get through this, but we're back to basics....lots of structure and minimal affection...work, work, work.
• The incident with Murph snapping at our grandson is more complicated.  We now have a plan to help Murph with this.  He is okay with the older kids because they are predictable.  The toddlers are not...their movements are erratic and he can't count on what they'll do or how they'll touch him.  Ben is convinced he would not have bitten.  He was sending a clear warning that the baby was a distraction he couldn't handle.  Our next step is to work with this and there's a whole process that we'll be using.  He may never love interacting with kids the way Guinness does, but Ben feels confident that he can be trained to be safe and reliable around them.
• Murph is very much a situational learner with a strong need for a life that is predictable.  There was nothing predictable during this vacation....he had no idea what our expectations were in this new environment, and we didn't do a very good job of showing him.  So, he just took things into his own hands and made his own rules. 
• My own stress level didn't help at all.  He tuned right into that....he needed me to be calm and in control.  I clearly wasn't.  Plus there were 10 new family members (pack) introduced all at once...he had no idea what to make of that or what anybody's position was.  Who's the boss????

This all makes perfect sense to me.  I sat there and listened to our trainer very calmly talk about how he perceived Murph's behaviors and why they were occurring, and I was in awe.  Why couldn't I have figured this out?  At least now I know, and we'll move on, and there will never be another episode like this.

[Carol Brand]

Excellent feed back.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

its much easier to look back on a situation and see what you should have done, than to know in the first place. Dont be too hard on yourself

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

What a fantastic trainer.  Of course all that makes perfect sense reading it. I have certainly learned something through your experience so thank you so much for sharing so thoroghly.   Here's to Murph, training success and a great vacation next year!

[DeeDee and Sheila]

I am so glad you posted this Jane.  This could happen to any of us.  In fact, we will probably take Sheila with us when we go visit daughters and now that she isn't a puppy, we will need to prepare.  It sounds like you have a GREAT trainer.  Also, you had Guinness first and he was just so trainable and adaptable.

I have no doubt that you will get this situation in hand.  I could NEVER have figured this out, let alone you had the rest of your family with you.  I'm going to print off this page it is so valuable.  

Thank you for sharing.

[shelly]

Awe, Jane!  I

m so sorry things didn't go smoothly for you.  But next time they will.  YOU are so very patient and so willing to dedicate the time Murphy needs to overcome this too.  He will - I know you will do whatever it takes and succeed!  God luck!  Thanks so much for sharing.  It has helped us ALL!