Finding work for Ace
It's been a while since my last update but Ace has really come into his own as a well-mannered gentlecorgi. His recall from other dogs in the middle of play has received a LOT of work and repetition. I'd dare to say it's solid. We stayed at my brother-in-law's flat over the weekend, where there lives a sprightly Beagle girl just a month older than Ace. The two got along famously, but more importantly (to me), Ace got in a LOT of training. Raw food guarding, recalls in all sorts of environments and levels of distraction, calm behaviour in the presence of other dog(s) and while travelling... EVERYTHING. He was conked out at the end of every day because of how much work I put him through. And it paid off.
His raw food guarding was eliminated around humans and cats, but it had never been tested around other dogs, simply because I had no access to one for repetitions. Ace growled, and on some occasions shoved the Beagle away with a flash of his teeth. I was very disappointed in him, but realised that it's silly to ask him to generalize his behaviour to a situation he's never been in, before. So we worked on it. And then some more, and then some more. Now Ace relinquishes his food to the other dog - which is a little more than I had hoped for, but I'd rather have that than guarding. He will do well even when we have a giddy eight week old puppy around; I'm sure of it.
Anyway. Now it's getting to the point where I can rely on Ace to set an example for other dogs in any environment. He has great recall, very good social behaviours, and practices calm and quiet when in a situation with lots of people and smells around. I'd like to transform this into something "more". While I do look forward to the day I can put him on sheep, and compete in dog sports, what I'd like to do most is see if there's anything for him in the service dog domain.
I'm actually not familiar with what service dogs can do, bar guiding the blind. They are a rarity in France, and are almost entirely Labradors serving the blind and/or otherwise disabled. Ace is of a smaller stature and will never really get over his shyness when confronted head-on by strangers. He can be calm around them when he's left to his own devices, but because of his odd looks he sadly is often on the receiving end of strangers looming over him and thrusting their hands into his face.
Would it still be possible for him to find a job within society? He has so much more to him now than just being a shy, independent dog. He's quiet, loyal, smart and a good example. He'll stay on task when he knows he must. He'll try his hardest. There must be something a dog like him could do for the rest of us!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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Do you have any nursing homes or assisted living homes that would let him come and visit just a few people at a time. I just took Livvy instead of Sage(my TDI dog) the other week and the people played catch with her so she was there but not being petted as much and I'm afraid they had soooooo much fun that they will be bored with Sage who is the snuggler and wanting the gentle attention. Maybe if not inside than people could sit outside on a bench near him?
They might allow this if you show proof of his shots. That's what the nursing home here said they'd be worried about if they didn't know me.
Just a thought...you'll find something i'm sure. Good luck!
Also I was taught in our TDI group that if a dog appears to feel uncomfortable with someone....move on don't push it...Sage had a woman that came with a towel on her lap ready to cuddle but it was just too much so we moved on...using we only had a short time to visit with everyone.
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Permalink Reply by Kristine & Einstein on
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Have you ever though of sheep, duck or cattle herding? Or maybe any other type of farm work? In my area we have agility classes (where the dogs can go on the obstacle course) or flyball (where the dog jumps over several hurdles to get to the ball at the end, then bring it back.
Or you could do obedience training? I know it might not be the jobs you were looking for, but in my area, there are all sorts of trials and contests. Just trying to open the box. You never know, he might fall in love with one of these activities.
I hope this helps! Don't worry, you will find a job for Ace soon! Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Ludi on
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Absolutely, herding is probably the number 1 item on my list of Jobs for Ace to Do. He can be quite mouthy when herding the cats so he'll need instruction, but I think it is right up his alley. As for dog sports, I am waiting that Ace reaches 18 months of age or older to begin agility. Flyball would be really amazing as well, but it is far less popular in France than it is in the US. :(
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Permalink Reply by Geri & Sidney on
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Sidney is a therapy dog, and we've found our niche with college students (stress therapy during finals weeks) and Paws to Read at our local library. It did take some time and positive reinforcement until Sidney was entirely comfortable with it, but in the end it paid off. Sid is 5 years old now, so maybe Ace just needs a little time.
Sid seems to always want to learn and perform, so we've started training in Rally. Eventually we'll be able to compete! That will be fun :)
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That is awesome. :) The Paws to Read program sounds really great, and I wish there were an equivalent out here in France. There's a lot of troubled youths who could use the quiet and non-judgmental presence of a dog during their school hours. If Ace weren't so skittish around strangers, he would be entirely suited to stress therapy. Petting his belly got me through some pretty rough days in the past. He's such a strong, stoic little dude.
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