jen said...
Sorry. I'm a little slow with the homework. I will admit that I wasn't quite sure how to do it, so Melissa showed me the other night. I tried it on Kali, my BC. At first she would turn and try to bring her head to me. About the third time I have did it she stood for a bit and then just wanted to sit down. Tonight she's pretty tired out from agility class, so she just stood there, turned to look at me and then laid down.
Jen, Thanks for commenting. I can appreciate that you weren't sure how to do it. I usually teach face to face with my students. That's why I need feedback, so I can be sure you're understanding what I mean.
Kali bringing her head to you makes perfect sense, it's the end you usually touch.
Some dogs will sit with their backs towards me. The traction loosens and relaxes the lower back.
I always love it that first time when they turn to look at me. Some have a surprised look, others look happy or even grateful. Some dogs will give me a good lick.
Wrap your hand around the base of the tail, tell Kali how good she is. The tail is an extension of the spine, so you want to pull it straight not up or down or off to the side. Slide your hand the entire length of the tail. As you do this, take a nice deep breath and slowly exhale.
When we do something new with our dog, some happy talk is most reassuring to them.
So she stood there and let you do the tail pull?? Were you comfortable with it? Are you going to try it again? What do you think?
Showing posts with label tail pulls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tail pulls. Show all posts
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tail Pulls
Melissa said...
Ok, so I did some "simple" tail pulls last night. Interesting results. Nilla immediatly leaned and stretched. When I stopped she turned around like "hey!". She came back and turned around in front of me and waited. Stoney had just about the same response, not a pushy about the repeat. Chilly, really got into it but didn't offer her back end for the repeat. Hemi, wasn't so sure if she liked it or not. While I was holding a Hemi tail the other three were waiting in line for their next turn. I did my homework! Where is everyone else? Jen?
Thank you for the feedback, Mel. When I started doing tail pulls, it was to help puppies feel a connectedness with their tail. The goal was to decrease tail chasing.
For years I have done the theraputic tail work, which is different.
During the years I did the day care here at Carrvilla, at the end of the day when the dogs were tired out I'd do a little soft tissue for them. I can't stand to see an uncomfortable dog, so sometimes I still make them feel better. The dogs that know me line up.
After my last surgery, when my doctor told me not to handle dogs, I started doing tail pulls to loosen backs. It was a little thing I could still do that the dogs love. It's quick; it's easy. My experience is that dogs love it.
I've pulled a lot of tails. The Puerto Rican island dogs let me pull their tails. I've gotten strange looks. Some dogs have gently put their teeth on my hand indicating that they are not sure about what I'm doing. Eventually even those are back for more.
Since I am a trained soft tissue therapist, I believed that my educated hands had the right touch. It was something special.
That delusion went out the window the day I was teaching Paula, our day care director about touch stoning her dogs. I showed her how to do the tail pull as a part of that process. Within minutes the dogs were lining up for her the way they do for me.
It's not rocket science, but you do have to do it right or they will not like it.
Melissa, I was working on a different topic when your comment came. If no one is interested in tail pulls, I'll email you privately and we'll move along.
If you are interested, please, tell me what you first tail pull was like!
Ok, so I did some "simple" tail pulls last night. Interesting results. Nilla immediatly leaned and stretched. When I stopped she turned around like "hey!". She came back and turned around in front of me and waited. Stoney had just about the same response, not a pushy about the repeat. Chilly, really got into it but didn't offer her back end for the repeat. Hemi, wasn't so sure if she liked it or not. While I was holding a Hemi tail the other three were waiting in line for their next turn. I did my homework! Where is everyone else? Jen?
Thank you for the feedback, Mel. When I started doing tail pulls, it was to help puppies feel a connectedness with their tail. The goal was to decrease tail chasing.
For years I have done the theraputic tail work, which is different.
During the years I did the day care here at Carrvilla, at the end of the day when the dogs were tired out I'd do a little soft tissue for them. I can't stand to see an uncomfortable dog, so sometimes I still make them feel better. The dogs that know me line up.
After my last surgery, when my doctor told me not to handle dogs, I started doing tail pulls to loosen backs. It was a little thing I could still do that the dogs love. It's quick; it's easy. My experience is that dogs love it.
I've pulled a lot of tails. The Puerto Rican island dogs let me pull their tails. I've gotten strange looks. Some dogs have gently put their teeth on my hand indicating that they are not sure about what I'm doing. Eventually even those are back for more.
Since I am a trained soft tissue therapist, I believed that my educated hands had the right touch. It was something special.
That delusion went out the window the day I was teaching Paula, our day care director about touch stoning her dogs. I showed her how to do the tail pull as a part of that process. Within minutes the dogs were lining up for her the way they do for me.
It's not rocket science, but you do have to do it right or they will not like it.
Melissa, I was working on a different topic when your comment came. If no one is interested in tail pulls, I'll email you privately and we'll move along.
If you are interested, please, tell me what you first tail pull was like!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tail Obsession
So how did you do with those gentle tail pulls? Did you get the look?
For years I taught the gentle tail pull described in the last post in puppy class. About that time I had a number of clients with chronic tail chasers.
There are three basic reasons for dogs to become interested in in chasing their tails.
1) anal gland problems 2) internal parasites 3) They don't feel connected to it.
Have you ever seen a dog laying in a circle on the floor look at their tail like what's that, then bite it? The funniest part is when they jump up and turn around with the silly look on their face like who bit me. It's not a dog's finest moment. Some seem to become obsessed.
Early in my career I had a client who actually put a dog to sleep because it was a chronic tail chaser. After I began studying the work of the great and wonderful Linda Tellington Jones I became proactive in preventing dogs from becoming tail obsessed.
These tail slide or pulls have been a part of the puppy gentling exercises we do to get puppies accustomed to our handling. Back in the day when handling exercises were new, vets would thank me for including them in my classes because it makes their exams easier when a dog has had their legs and feet touched with intention.
The tail work Melissa mentioned in her comment is a more advanced theraputic manipulation. Good job, Mel, now go back and do a simple tail pull.
Let's learn as much as we can from the sweet, simple stuff before going on to more complex work.
The tail pull has gone from a basic puppy class exercise to so much more. Dogs love to have their tails pulled. Our day care dogs line up when they see me coming for tail pulls. Even our cranky thirteen year old cat, Smokey loves to have his tail pulled.
Remember you start at the base of the tail. You don't just grab the tail and pull. It has to be done right; otherwise, you're just annoying.
For years I taught the gentle tail pull described in the last post in puppy class. About that time I had a number of clients with chronic tail chasers.
There are three basic reasons for dogs to become interested in in chasing their tails.
1) anal gland problems 2) internal parasites 3) They don't feel connected to it.
Have you ever seen a dog laying in a circle on the floor look at their tail like what's that, then bite it? The funniest part is when they jump up and turn around with the silly look on their face like who bit me. It's not a dog's finest moment. Some seem to become obsessed.
Early in my career I had a client who actually put a dog to sleep because it was a chronic tail chaser. After I began studying the work of the great and wonderful Linda Tellington Jones I became proactive in preventing dogs from becoming tail obsessed.
These tail slide or pulls have been a part of the puppy gentling exercises we do to get puppies accustomed to our handling. Back in the day when handling exercises were new, vets would thank me for including them in my classes because it makes their exams easier when a dog has had their legs and feet touched with intention.
The tail work Melissa mentioned in her comment is a more advanced theraputic manipulation. Good job, Mel, now go back and do a simple tail pull.
Let's learn as much as we can from the sweet, simple stuff before going on to more complex work.
The tail pull has gone from a basic puppy class exercise to so much more. Dogs love to have their tails pulled. Our day care dogs line up when they see me coming for tail pulls. Even our cranky thirteen year old cat, Smokey loves to have his tail pulled.
Remember you start at the base of the tail. You don't just grab the tail and pull. It has to be done right; otherwise, you're just annoying.
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