It's all coming back to haunt me. All the flip advice I've had for new parents over the years. I'm fond of saying "remember, sleep deprivation is rarely fatal." I remember now why I only had one child. Pearl got up at 4:00 AM this morning. That meant that I was up too; unless I wanted the entire neighborhood up at 4:00 AM as well. Dobies cry louder than human babies. She really could wake the neighbors.
Since it is critical that she bond with me, I handle her solely. I feed her, play with her, take her out and get her in and out of her crate. She naps but if she wakes up and can't find me, she cries. I don't want someone else to comfort her at this point until we are firmly bonded.
But it's not bad really. Infancy is infancy in puppies just like humans. Pearl has accepted me as her "mom." She follows me everywhere and looks to me for approval, permission and protection. When she is unsure of a new experience, she runs and hides under my chair just like she would hide under her mama if she could. This morning she met our housemate for the first time; he's been on vacation. When she saw him, she tried to be menacing; big bark and growl all the while she was scurrying under my chair. Very sweet. Within a half hour she was sitting on his lap.
We’re working out our pack order and she sees me as “alpha.” When we went out at 4:00 AM this morning – in the dark, she tried to run out in front of me. I accidentally pinched her paw with my wheel and she yelped. It wasn’t a big ouch because after the yelp she didn’t limp around. I felt really bad but as I thought about it, momma would have snapped at her haunches and put her back in her place too. So, albeit unintentional, I asserted my place in our little pack and she’s been respectful of it ever since. I go first. It’s a little thing now but it will be hugely important when she’s a 90 pound powerhouse.
I can see that chewing is going to be an issue for a while. Thank goodness for the bitter apple spray that Suzan thoughtfully sent in her care package. I wonder if that stuff comes in 5 gallon pails?
For all my vetching about sleep, she's remarkably well-behaved. Very laid back and accepts correction (primarily "no chew") very well. "Good potty" seems to be the most used phrase in my vocabulary at this time. Speaking of which, she now goes to the door when she feels the need. Housebreaking IS happening!
Suzan has a good eye for picking service dogs. So what makes a good service dog? Temperament. From what I can tell so far, you need a dog that is devoted, confident, fearless, smart and quiet. Suzan was proud to tell me at lunch on Sunday that Pearl was the pick of the litter. She quoted a scripture that said (I'm paraphrasing) "God said, give me the best of you and I will give you the best in return." Suzan certainly obeyed God's word with Pearl.
Size and breed are determined by your needs. One of my biggest challenges is opening doors and managing them so that I can enter and exit. Why do they have to be so darned heavy? Pearl will be able to open them and block them open so that I can pass through. Next big issue is protecting my shoulders from over-use. Shoulders aren't built to replace legs but that's what you ask them to do when you use a wheelchair. Pearl, when she is mature, will be able to pull me. I won't ask her to do it all the time, just when I'm tired, my hands are full or the terrain is especially challenging.
Hence, size and strength are important for me. I could have chosen another large breed but I was set on a Doberman for many reasons. First, I've had Dobermans before and I love them. Once they bond to you they are giant lap dogs. Dobies are bred to loyally serve one "master." They are by nature smart, quiet with a strong work ethic and, when needed, fiercely protective. Since I've been paralyzed, I've felt vulnerable and that's kept me home a lot. I feel safer with Pearl. Added bonus - short hair. It's a lot harder for me to chase down hair balls that other breeds produce.
Don't let a false stereotype sway you from a Doberman if you need a medium to large service dog. These are smart, faithful, loving animals that live to work and please you. I know I've made a great choice with Pearl.
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6 comments:
Hello Jennifer,
First, I'd like to thank you for stopping by my site and leaving a kind comment. It is a nice way to get to know another and to read their site and interests. Thank you! Secondly, I'd like to know how you came to stumble upon my site...The Beauty Of Life..? Thank you:)...Opal
Oh boy, I can tell I'm going to be obsessively hooked on this blog of yours. Our Dog is a service dog too, as you know, and we are always raising and training him ourselves (with some help from a trainer as I'm a first time dog owner).
You are SO right about temperament, our breeder picked out Dog based on his temperament, size and nature too and he is so great.
Our problem is that he bonded to me because Wheeler was down in bed with various health issues for many weeks after we got Dog. Any advice on how to bond him to Wheeler more?
Hi Blogauthor. I promised to keep a journal of Pearl's training and I'm trying to be faithful to my promise. As to bonding Dog and Wheeler... Can Wheeler feed Dog? Can you put treats in his hand so that he can give them to Dog? If yes, have him do that over and over and be the only one to treat/feed dog. If not, have him call Dog while you stand right beside or behind Wheeler's chair. When Dog responds,drop the treats in Wheeler's lap so that to Dog it appears they come from Wheeler.
You can also put down Dog's food and have Wheeler verbally hold Dog for a while and then give the command to release Dog to eat. The leader controls access to food, doorways, movement, etc.
Talk to your trainer about it, they may have better ideas.
Jennifer,
Thanks for your comments on my blog. I appreciate your words. The last couple days have been especially tough. I'm still finding Jack's hair in odd places at home and it makes me think about him whenever I do. I've had him since he was 8 weeks old and this is the first time in my life he isn't around.
Pearl sounds precious. I hope you enjoy her company and enjoy all the puppy in her. She'll be a big girl in no time!
Good ideas, I'll try those. He gives Dog treats from his mouth (he has no hand movement or control, nothing below the shoulders at all), and he makes him sick before he lets Dog take it. But he seems to just not slavishly love Wheeler like he loves me. It makes him sad, and makes me feel guilty! But I hope over time that will change.
I need more Pearl stories .... !!
Pearl is beautiful!
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