Brook's History

This is as complete as I can get it. I referenced pictures taken and bills from the vet.

Feb 20, 2018- brought her home
Feb 24 - first hour long car ride and stay in Ionia. Met family & Kujo.
March 9- uti
March 5- first trip to the dog park
Mar 11-13- my first trip away
March 21- uti
March 22- puppy play at Harbor Humane
March 26- uti
March 24- April 1- my second trip away
April 6- Aman park
April 7- uti
April 8- dog park
April 19- puppy class
April 24- uti
April 26- puppy training class
April 28- Aman
May 3- puppy training class
May 10- puppy training class
May 11- uti ? I think this was the final visit and the uti was cleared!
May 12- puppy play at Harbor Humane
May 17- puppy training class
May 19- downtown Baldwin
May 24- spay at Harbor Humane
Jun 15- dog park
June 17- first Kayak trip
June 19- eye infection
July 1- trip to Ludington to see family
July 2- dog park
July 6- dog park
July 30- vomiting barium Some time after this is when the Canine Flu freak out was happening. Because she had been vomiting, we decided to wait on the vaccine.
Sept 3- first camping trip & 2nd kayak.
Sept 25- first canine flu vaccine.
Sept 27- dog park
Sept 30- beginner training
Oct 7- beginner training
Oct 14- beginner training
Oct 21- beginner training & graduation
Oct 22 - explosive diarrhea. Between March and October, $1701.38 spent on acute care for vet visits, procedures, and medicine. This was around the time she was due for her canine flu booster, but we decided against it because of her health and the schedule for getting her booster in was maxed out. We had also already gotten the recommendation to not visit the dog park, so what was the point anymore? The vet did not have great availability for getting in to have the 2nd vaccine. Possibly an excuse, but it was a challenging time all around.
Nov 4- intermediate training
Nov 11- intermediate training
Nov 18- intermediate training
Nov 25- intermediate training
Dec 2- intermediate training
Dec 9- intermediate training & graduation
Dec 16- advanced training
Dec 23- advanced training
Dec 30- advanced training
Jan 4th- walk at Grand Ravine's
Jan 6- advanced training
Jan 10- visit to Lowe's & PetSmart
Jan 13- advanced training, bought Thundershirt and visit to Lowe's
Jan 17- 1 on 1 training session

dog beach? I don't remember the date but we had gone to the Kirk Dog beach with Brook.

Training Update

Um so here we are. We have literally 1 session left in the 18 week series that I purchased. I feel like Brook has made very little progress. If anything, she has regressed. Or maybe I am not giving her enough credit.

I purchased two 1 on 1 sessions that were on sale. We will have our first session this week prior to the normal class.

In reflecting on the training, I feel like the class size was slightly too big for Brook. I have learned that she is more nervous/anxious than I wanted to admit. Even looking back on all the times we had gone to the dog park, she was more excited to greet people than dogs. And she interacted hesitantly with the dogs and occasionally find a dog to play with. She was great with recall and would check in with me frequently. I was happy with this behavior but I didn't recognize a very important part- her hesitancy- as possible anxiousness.  So the big break we had in visiting the dog park and then the large class sizes have compounded into a more serious anxious problem around other dogs.

I was frustrated during many sessions. I didn't understand why Brook would not interact with me or follow direction. At times, she would take direction from the trainer and that would only frustrate me more because it made me feel like there was something wrong with me for her to not want to listen to me.

I have bought a Thunder Shirt that was on sale at the local pet store. I saved $10 which I am happy about.

I want to continue training but I want to find a class that is smaller.