Sammy Story 22: OCD, the new way to train
November 9, 2020 | News | No Comments
How was I going to train this scared little rescue dog? If I would be too firm with him, he would interpret it as bullying him. He would be scared and retreat and I might lose his trust that I was a safe place for him.
On the other hand, M had told us he was not food-motivated. That meant, even when Sammy wanted the treat, or was even hungry for his food, he would fight back by not eating!
I believe it was the only weapon this abused, scared little dog had to use against anyone trying to dominate him.
“No matter what you do to me, you can’t make me eat,” he might have been saying.
It was sad, but in some way, it gave me hope because it meant his will was not broken, and somewhere inside that poor beaten down little being, there was a self that would not be overcome.
But it was murder on training.
I would offer him a treat and he would sit looking at me, licking his lips, clearly wanting it, but not taking it.
His OCD turned out to be the key.
OCD—Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
We discovered that Sammy felt safest when things were repetitive, when things were done just so, all the time. And the golden moment came when we realized that we could even change things from what he’d always been doing to a new pattern if we just made him repeat the behaviour two or three times!
Bedtime is a certain time. Dinner is a certain time. Going to the bathroom happens first thing in the morning, in the afternoon, and as many times as I can get away with at night. Then, there is “theatre-night.” That comes after the humans eat supper and go downstairs to watch TV in the TV room. Dad goes down first, then Mom. I run ahead and hop into her chair. She has to tell me to get out so she can sit down. I have to wait till she reclines, arranges her throw-blanket, then invites me up. Up I jump and settle in on her left side so she can pet me. Sigh.
It’s bliss, except when Mom doesn’t come down right away, or The Ogre talks too much to me and worse, pats his lap at me. As if I would ever jump up on him!
After a few hours of this, it’s time to go upstairs and eat my supper. No one is around to see me. I will also have to go out after that. And run around in the dark. That comes later on when I really feel safe.
