Hiro was the only one that was real sick. Kazue is pretty much over it. Ritsu is sounding better. Hiro is on antibiotics. He has improved and was eating today. He was not eating yesterday. Tora, Kuma and the puppy avoided it.
Everyone except Kazue and the puppy are over their kennel cough/colds. Ritsu still prefers to have another dog with him when we go for walks that leave the yard. I took Tora with us today as she was really wanting to get out for awhile. Both were very happy to get to go for a long walk. Their happiness continued as they played in the house when we got home. Even though the puppy is not feeling good, she joined in as well.
Oh, wow, he looks so happy! ) That's awesome. He is so bouncy. LOL
BTW - For a split second I thought that dark stuffed squirrel was a Kai pup getting trampled. lol I was like "why is she letting that happen?" .... I'm a dork.
One issue we are having is he seems terrified of the car. He freaks and completely shuts down if we get near the car. Even one of the other dogs jumping in does not ease his fear. I am wondering if he associates the car with leaving and going to a new home?
Love the video! My husband and I both watched it, and were struck by how similar the play style is....the racing through the house, jumping up on the sofa and launching off it! Happy Kai Ken! We're very familiar with that kind of playing now!
@sjp051993 Sachi once led to the car, because treating wasnt working, hopped in. Settled fine for 10 minutes, panted heavily for 30 then hopped in the back seat and just chilled. How has he reacted to just being put in the car?
@sjp051993 He looks so wonderful!! It is so good to see him like that! That was one of the biggest reason I adored him was how wonderfully he plays with other dogs! You've done so well with him!! )
He was terrified of getting in and out of our car the two weeks we had him. When we picked him up, he jumped in at Brad's request, but was a bit leery of our vehicle even then. I worked with him individually to no avail in the short time we had him, and also with Kitora and Mirra both (Mirra eased him a bit getting in the car - but they got along exceptionally) but even at the end of the two weeks that we had him the least stressful way for him was for me to pick him up and put him in. After I put him in, he was fine for the ride....would sit nicely, look around, give me a kiss or two and a wag but then getting out was an issue. As soon as we started walking at the park with either Kitora or Mirra he'd step right into pace, tail up etc... It was difficult to know what to do to help him... (
about the car issue....flooding or forcing to stay in the car when highly stressed is unwise as it sets up repeated expectation and neurologically keeps the dog in a high state of arousal. For example if one is phobic and afraid of haunted houses locking them in one is not going to reduce the anxiety but keep the stress symptoms up higher or longer as the body adjusts to staying that way. Hyper vigilance that is rehearsed will become a constant in behavior. Similar to PTSD in some respect.
I would slowly acclimate by pairing with an activity using his nose, but this has to start out gradually with distance on other objects before applying it to the car.
Opening the car and letting the dog explore and allowing a quick retreat can work, pairing with meal time .....if you have issue getting near the car at all of course that has to be worked on first.
Was thinking about this more last night - We opted not to use the side doors to the car, he did stress more with those. I don't know if you have this option or not... but even though I had to lift him in he didn't freak out as much using the large back door to the car... When he was here it seemed it was a space issue as he reacted the same to the doorways in our home. Oh! Also, from Brad and Jen's and then back again he did vomit - I wondered if maybe he gets car sick (???), but wasn't sure as it might have just been stress. He never puked on our way to the park, which is about a 15 min drive for us but a pretty straight shot up our highway into town, not many curves or turns... If it's car sickness maybe that's what's getting him?
You really are doing so well for him. I'm sure with time (and maybe like Snf suggested) he will be just as happy in your car! He's done so well with you!
That's awesome to see them all playing together so well, especially with the puppy! Glad to see Tora running around too after being a blimp for so long lol.
The crate made things worse. He is getting better about getting in. I have been taking Tora along for car rides. I still have to grab him and load him, but he settles down quicker once he is in. All the dogs load through that back hatch, I have never asked them to load through the side doors. He freaks if leave te car and do not take him with me. I really think he is associating the car with going to a new home. I will continue to take him places and gradually increase the length of time he is left. I will continue to take Tora along as well. She loves to ride in the car. I am finding with ritsu it is best to not make a big deal of things and just do whatever needs done. By not making a big deal of things, he settles quicker and gets over the issue much quicker.
He really is such a sweet goofball. He has fit in so well with the rest of the pack. Plus he is good with the pups. I cannot thank Brad and Jen enough for letting him come live here.
Leo doesn't like the car either, but he's getting better, because we almost always are going somewhere fun, so he's adjusting. But he wants to be in physical contact with me on the drive, which is somewhat problematic. My Akita hated the car for quite awhile (we wonder if a three day drive from Oregon to NM when he was a pup was too much for him), but he's outgrown it. He still doesn't like to get in, for some reason, but once he's in he clearly enjoys it.
It was a really big deal to me knowing Ritsu has had some problems with other males before. It helps that Kuma is not your typical male shiba. These 2 boys have gotten along fine since Ritsu arrived, but they would never relax enough to play together. I was almost in tears this morning when they started playing. Of course as soon as they realized I was watching, they stopped playing.
Koda hates the car. Simply hates it. He doesn't shake or drool and has learned to tolerate it but he would never go in on his own. I have to pick him up and put him in. :-/
That shutting down thing....Mika does it too when she's scared. She freezes completely. It's so sad.
The video is kinda dark, but it shows what a typical night is like after everyone has been out to potty and I finally sit down on the couch. Everyone has cabin fever right now because it has been raining for over a week and everything is mud outside. Everyone is getting along beautifully (except Hiro still). At one point Ritsu actually jumps on Kuma and there is no adverse reaction. So proud of the boys for getting along so well.
Comments
BTW - For a split second I thought that dark stuffed squirrel was a Kai pup getting trampled. lol I was like "why is she letting that happen?" .... I'm a dork.
He was terrified of getting in and out of our car the two weeks we had him. When we picked him up, he jumped in at Brad's request, but was a bit leery of our vehicle even then. I worked with him individually to no avail in the short time we had him, and also with Kitora and Mirra both (Mirra eased him a bit getting in the car - but they got along exceptionally) but even at the end of the two weeks that we had him the least stressful way for him was for me to pick him up and put him in. After I put him in, he was fine for the ride....would sit nicely, look around, give me a kiss or two and a wag but then getting out was an issue. As soon as we started walking at the park with either Kitora or Mirra he'd step right into pace, tail up etc... It was difficult to know what to do to help him...
about the car issue....flooding or forcing to stay in the car when highly stressed is unwise as it sets up repeated expectation and neurologically keeps the dog in a high state of arousal. For example if one is phobic and afraid of haunted houses locking them in one is not going to reduce the anxiety but keep the stress symptoms up higher or longer as the body adjusts to staying that way. Hyper vigilance that is rehearsed will become a constant in behavior. Similar to PTSD in some respect.
I would slowly acclimate by pairing with an activity using his nose, but this has to start out gradually with distance on other objects before applying it to the car.
Opening the car and letting the dog explore and allowing a quick retreat can work, pairing with meal time .....if you have issue getting near the car at all of course that has to be worked on first.
Just my 2 cents
Snf
I don't know if you have this option or not... but even though I had to lift him in he didn't freak out as much using the large back door to the car... When he was here it seemed it was a space issue as he reacted the same to the doorways in our home. Oh! Also, from Brad and Jen's and then back again he did vomit - I wondered if maybe he gets car sick (???), but wasn't sure as it might have just been stress. He never puked on our way to the park, which is about a 15 min drive for us but a pretty straight shot up our highway into town, not many curves or turns... If it's car sickness maybe that's what's getting him?
You really are doing so well for him. I'm sure with time (and maybe like Snf suggested) he will be just as happy in your car! He's done so well with you!
Koda hates the car. Simply hates it. He doesn't shake or drool and has learned to tolerate it but he would never go in on his own. I have to pick him up and put him in. :-/
That shutting down thing....Mika does it too when she's scared. She freezes completely. It's so sad.