Day 8

We went for our regular morning and evening walks in the park

I'm VERY HAPPY to report that this little chap has pretty much gone off his little grouch with bicycles (I hope :))

We pass an average of about ten bicycles in the park everyday, some at high speed, some not. The killers that used to get Tristan into a complete state of frenzy were those who sneaked up from behind us AT HIGH SPEED (To be fair, sometimes I think I would bark too if I could!).

For the last at least 10 -15 days, this little chap has outperformed every bit of my expectations (Yes, call me one of little faith!). He has not lunged for any bicycle in the park at all. None! Not even those obnoxious ones! Now, that's my boy! :)

Sometimes, it's amazing to think that we've only started the Flowers remedy 8 days ago. I wouldn't say it has solved all our problems but I really think the calming effects it has brought for this little guy has definitely helped his quality of life. Because he doesn't get so worked up by the smallest of noise anymore, because he could calm down when a fast moving object passes him by, this little steps has given me so much more room to reach out to him in his times of high stress and do some behavior modification work with him, something which I previously couldn't do.

Now, I can surely see that little wisp of light at the end of the tunnel. And I am happy. :)

All that said, I'm pretty sure the constant cooing and shoving of cookies into his face when bicycles sped past us at the park previously had helped tremendously to get us here too.

It's strange how life is always a vicious cycle, isn't it? When your dog is calm(er) and better behaved, you are in turn more relaxed and therefore able to enjoy him more and praise him more, which then results in a calmer and better behaved dog which then of course results in more praise and more treats etc etc...

Maybe that's what that has been giving me the strength and patience to keep on searching for ways and means to manage those unsocial quirks of his. The prospect of a better bond with him. And that is only possible if he is calm enough to make the right choices so I don't have to yell at him at every walk. :)

A thinking dog is a good dog. But you gotta be calm before you can think!

The 7th Day Review

After using the Bach Flowers Remedy for 7 days, these are the notable improvements I've observed.

1) More Patience - I have not encountered a tight leash for the last many days! Yay!

2) More Tolerance with dogs - Marked improvement. He CAN walk away from dogs! *gasp!*

3) More Tolerance with motorbikes - Still much room for improvement but he doesn't lunge at every motorcycle. That qualifies as a marked improvement too!

All in all, I'm rather pleased with the results after using it for just 7 days. I don't know if it's all the Flowers' credit, but what I'm sure is because the Flowers did calm him down, we could be more successful with the behavior modification exercises we had been trying to do with him all this time.

Afterall, it takes a calm mind to think and make good choices.

For that he gets an extra this for dinner.

Day 7

We went for our morning walk at Kent Ridge park. It was rather uneventful. He did his usual chase games with Braun and then walked the rest of the park off lead. We met some park goers and some joggers. He was really calm about that. One more brownie point for the black dog! :)

In the afternoon, I brought him to the gas station. We could have left at no better timing than the same time the postman arrives. He absolutely HATEs the postman's scooter. Oh, that's an understatement.

He was in his crate by the time the postman restarted his scooter but the racket he made in the crate, you would have thought he was fighting a tiger in there!

Anyhow he was already so worked up by the scooter that by the time we reached the gas station ;which was just a minute away; he started barking at the poor gas station attendant. That's Tristan for you. Once he gets stressed, he becomes indiscriminate. Sigh.

Flowers 0 : Scooter 1

Oh, did I mention this poor boy got electrocuted at Botanical Gardens during our evening walk? Ewwww!!!

Day 6

Apologize for the lack of updates. We have had a long weekend, and you know how that is, too many things to do, too little time! :(

Something interesting happened today though. Perhaps because it was a holiday, or perhaps because we finally have a long stretch of good weather, we went for our usual evening walk at West Coast Park and there were tons of dogs around!

Ok, I exaggerate. Not really tons but you know, compared to the number of dogs we see on a normal day in West Coast Park; especially to a dog like Tristan; it probably looked a TON!

Tristan behaved really well. He didn't pull or lunge towards them and once I whip out a cookie, the dogs might as well not exist. This would totally not be possible a week ago! (This I am NOT exaggerating) We always thought that food could never distract Tristan away from something he's locked his eyes on ;dogs or otherwise; because he's not a very food driven dog but I've come to realize that that might not be completely true. It could be that during those times his stress levels were so way up the roof that the food might as well not be there. He just couldn't see it.

An off lead Schnauzer came by to sniff his hinders. He turned his head and tried VERY hard to walk away. The persistant guy followed. Tristan was visibly upset but he didn't do anything. He just kept looking at ME (cue the party poppers!!!) while I, his ineffectual owner kept trying to alert the offender's owners that my dog ain't exactly appreciating their pooch's over-friendliness. Finally Tristan turned back and delivered a warning growl to the dog, at which point, the owners finally came to their senses.

Thank God no further harm was done. I know it might not look huge for some readers out there but credit is where credit's due. We are talking about Tristan here, a dog who used to run away to beat up dogs unprovoked. He isn't the most patient or good tempered dog out there, and what he could do in this case with the Schnauzer did not come naturally to him I'm sure. It does takes ALOT of him.

For that I'm really really proud of him.

Good boy!

Day 5 - 7:00AM

Today we went to Kent Ridge park for our morning walk instead of our usual, West Coast park, for a change. Less park goers but many more joggers at close proximity because there are limited pathways.

After his usual chase games with Braun, he got to walk off leash for the rest of the park. We had a few joggers come from behind rather fast and he was perfectly fine. YAY!

We met 2 dogs on the top of the hill. A male Golden and a female Malinois. The owner said the male Golden is friendly but not the female Malinois. I led him towards the Golden but he didn't want to go near him and kept turning his back to the guy and staring at me. I think he wasn't comfortable with the male but yet he didn't want to confront him.

Good boy, Tristan!

Day 4 - 7:00PM

We didn't go for our 6:00pm walk today because I was completely stressed out trying to find a temporary foster for a lost/abandoned Golden Retriever before 9:00pm! :(

A friend found the poor chap wandering aimlessly in the park without a collar. She asked around the entire estate where she found him if anyone knows the dog or lost a dog, but yielded no success. At which point, she was totally desperate and called me for help.

So, there goes our 6:00pm walk. But hey! It's not everyday you have 3 hours timeline to find a roof for a Retreiver. Even if it's just temporal.

Anyhow, the happy ending is, another friend of mine was good to house Goldie for a while till we can (hopefully) find his owners.

So by the time we went for our 7:00pm walk, I was completely exhausted. I have forgotten how it feels to be working against a ticking clock and honestly, after yesterday, I'm glad those are distant memories.

The 7:00pm walk was fairly uneventful. (Is that good news? :)) We went to the big green field and realized it had been taken over by night frisbee players, so we did our usual rounds round the park. By the time we were done with our rounds, the night frisbee players have left and so I off leashed him for his nightly run. All went well.

When we were leaving the park, we met the Labrador (the one he didn't spot the day before) rather oddly. We had stopped by the side of the walkway because a lady approached us to pet the dogs. So whilst in conversation, the Lab and his owner sneaked by us. And I mean sneak! The walkway was left with barely walking distance for a human, much less a BIG dog and a human. I am trying very hard not be mean here, but you know, there were aplenty of walking area infront and behind us and the walkway we stopped at was not really a critical junction to get to any specific place, so why did she have to do that?

OF COURSE her dog tried to lunge at my dog. OF COURSE her dog was choked back on his choke chain and had his poor breath taken away. Sometimes it just maddens me why dogs have to suffer for the stupidity of their owners. Oh well.... As for Tristan, he was not as calm as I would like him to be. He wasn't really lunging towards the Labrador, but he did got excited and started pulling towards him. I have no idea if he just wanted to make friends or what and I guess with an owner like Lab's, we might never find out.

I've come to notice that these days Tristan displays pretty much 2 different reactions when he meets his fellow canine species.

1) He pulls towards the location the dog has been after the dog has left and sniff! - Anybody has any idea what does that mean?

OR

2) He pulls towards the location while the dog is still there. But once he gets within 30 centimetres or so of the dog, he will come right back to me and completely ignore the dog thereafter. Even if the dog was still standing right infront of him - Personally, I think that is his self control working here to avoid confrontation with the other dog. Cause when he gets back, he will not even look at the dog and only stares intently at me.

Anyhow, (1) was exactly what happened with Labby and 2 other Shih Tzus we met later on during the walk.

I can't really tell if the Flowers make him calmer or not today. I was exhausted and also worried for this guy.

Keep him in your prayers today, yah?

Day 4 - 7.00AM

We did our usual morning walk at the park @6.30AM (that is just 6hours after his last walk!)

Good weather and he just had his morning dose of Flowers. Maybe that explains his good mood. :)

He got to do his usual play-chase thingy with Braun for about 10-15mins in the big green field.

After which, I let him walk off leash for about 100metres or so.

We walked past about 5 - 6 different sets of joggers. No problem. I saw a bicycle coming fast at us and I didn't want to risk it so I leashed him up. Help him succeed. Help him succeed. That's our recent training philosophy. Although I know this mantra is being frowned on by traditional trainers, but the more I think about it, the more it makes complete sense to me.

Punishment suppresses behavior. Reinforcement builds behavior.

So I leashed him and we continued walking. The bicycle came really close AND fast towards us. Why speed in a park where there are joggers and people and...... dogs? I always wonder. Anyhow I digress. I held my breath.
 
He glanced at it and then get this. He turned his little head towards me and gave me the sweetest (in my opinion) "What should I do now?" look.

AWWWWWWWW!!!! I was so proud of him I almost threw a party for him there and then! At that moment in time, honestly I don't care if it's the Flowers working or if it's the placebo effect of me having more confidence in him since the Flowers therapy OR if it's the long term result of constant shoving of cookies into his face whenever a bicycle goes past us at the park, but what I do know is, at that moment, we tasted victory.

Small but nevertheless honey maple-syrupy sweet victory.

If you are reading this and have a dog who is naturally calm and collected and he or she has absolutely no interest in fast moving objects, maybe you wonder if I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. That's ok. I understand that you don't understand but that does not negate a single bit the great leap this little furball beside me has just made with the an emotion which has eluded us forever. Self Control.

WOWWEE.

I'm still in awe.

Now, if he can do the same with motorcycles, I really will throw a party for him. I promise.

Day 3 - 7.00PM

Today Tristan got 2 walks in the evening. Once when I get home at 6:00pm and another at 7.00pm when the car comes home.

This shall be the modus operandi for now, at least for the near future.

The rationale behind that is 2 fold.

1) Outside condo walk at 6PM - After consciously keeping him away from motorcycles for months (to the best of our abilities), it's time to slowly introduce him to his "sheep". There's no better way than the road right infront of the condo at 6PM. This arrangement will allow me a chance to assess whether the Flowers are doing anything for his motorcycle obsession and (hopefully) an opportunity to re-train an alternative behavior for meeting his nemesis.

2) Walk in the park at 7PM - which is his usual - will stay because it's a relatively longer walk without motorcycles within 30CM, which equates to, a relaxing walk. This walk will also give him the opportunity to meet dogs, joggers and bicycles, objects which have at various junctures irritate him to bits. Best of all, if he stays really really calm during the walk, he gets the jackpot reward of playing chase with Braun in the big field.

I'm happy to report that during the 6PM walk this evening, he did really well. Oh well, at least better than I could have expected a week ago. He was still aroused at the sound of motorcycles but when I called him, he COULD turn away and divert his attention to me. Sweet.

For the 7PM walk, again, like this morning, there was a dog. Again he ignored it. Though (AGAIN!!!) I'm not completely sure if he spotted him. This is a labrador we meet on a rather frequent basis in this park and he does try to pull towards him every time. I was sure he could see him from his peripheral vision but he didn't react at all and kept his gaze intently on me (or the cookies - but honestly who cares).

Hope springs alive. Yay!

Keep your fingers crossed for this little guy. Won't you?

Day 3 - 7:00AM

We went for our daily morning walk @West Coast Park. For the first time in as many weeks, the floor is DRY! Thank God! We met a husky. Not sure if it's a male or female. He didn't really bother about the dog (To be fair, he might not have seen him, since the cookie on my hand was probably more tempting). That said, Tristan used to be SO STRESSED at walks especially if there was a motorcycle or a dog in sight that you could literally throw a slab of ribs in his face and he wouldn't have noticed.

After his neuter surgery awhile back though, I did notice he could at least look momentarily away from dogs if the cookie on my hand was tempting enough. That said, he still struggled.

Today he didn't look at the dog AT ALL!

Flowers 1. Dogs 0.

The question remains. Is it the mysterious powers of the flowers working (already)?

Or did the flowers manage to calm him down enough so that his little head could at least process the information that the cookie was a better choice than ripping off his windpipe by his own collar?

Time will tell...

For his good effort, he gets to free run. :)

Day 2

We went for our evening walk outside the condo instead of the park because the car was not at home.

We had TWENTY (Read TWO ZEROS!!!) motorcycles ZOOM past us at close proximity.

It's a walk to hell and back, that 20 metres.

Tristan did rather well today considering that it wasn't completely event free. But this IS Tristan WITH motorcycles we are talking about. You need to see it to believe it.

To add coal to the fire, these days I have consciously kept him away from motorcycles because I didn't want the whole "sight-a-motorcycle-lunges-for-your-life" routine to become an entrenched habit whilst I'm in the midst of searching for ways to manage that unhealthy obsession of his. Trust me, those twenty motorcycles zooming past right in front of his eyes unleashed a monster who has returned for blood.

Fortunately none was shed though I did come off the walk with a few scratch marks when an absolute idiotic bike decides to REV his engine 30cm away from us, beside a really busy bus stop. It was scaring bus commuters OR the leg. I guess the leg goes this time round.

That said, I'm rather pleased that of the other 19motorbikes, he was able to NOT lunge for them when I yell "COOKIE". That would have been totally impossible a week ago. So, maybe slowly ;painstakingly slowly; the flowers are working.

I really hope so. Cause I'm sure somewhere between the 1st metre and the 19th bike, I looked like her.

Day 1

Today is a Sunny Sunday! Pun intended because that's very very rare these days!

We went for our normal walks. Not much of an episode.

Tristan did not explode towards any jogger, bicycle or any moving object. Even though we had some bicycles coming exceptionally close to us.

Good sign! Is it the mysterious flowers working its magic yet? Hmmm... I think it's too early to tell.

This afternoon, as a reward, we brought him to expand some energy in his favourite activity. Swimming.

He loves it. :)

Finally!!!

Today I receive the Bach Flowers "concoction" from Linda.

Finally after much consultation with Zoe, Here's what our sweet little guy will be having.

Individual bottle : Beech, Chicory, Vervain, Rescue Remedy
Mixing bottle: Mimulus, Red Chestnut and Vine

4 drops of the individual flowers. 6-7 drops of the mixing bottle. 3 times a day. 7 days a week.

Talk about intense!

Look at this face. Can you tell he's got so many demons in his little head? I can't...

Tristan and his flowers - how it all started

This is a story about a dog - my dog to be specific - named Tristan. Just 18months ago, he was a teeny weeny pup with the most glorious face and a wonderful temperament.

As the saying goes, growing pains are well, painful.

So 18months on, our little guy has shown obvious signs of rebellion against this urban jungle. He likes his quiet and his big land, and as much as we try, there's only that much of the urban sights and sounds you can avoid in this tiny city island we live in. He still has to share the roads with other cars and *gasp!* motorcycles. He still has to share his park with other people (however late or early it is!). He still has to share his humans with other dogs and people. And believe me you, this little guy isn't good at sharing. At all.

Right at the top of his list.

He hates - and that's an understatement - this.

I have no idea when it started to hit him, but much to our woes, he has come to call them "his sheep". And true to his herding instincts, he can't stop herding them! I've never seen such intensity in him before. He doesn't even care about running children or balls or chickens, but the sound OR sight of a motorbike can set him up to such a frenzy a ruptured windpipe is on the cards if we don't get this sorted out anytime soon. And so a 20metres stroll outside the condo to relieve himself can literally turn into a dance with the devil. The only question is who gets killed in the process.

Next on our list is this guy.

Or any guy dog for that matter. This is likely a grown up boy problem. He's gotten much better after his diamonds were removed awhile back, but I waited too long. And old habits die hard. Sadly.

After much research ;while trying to avoid as much of the traditional drug therapy as possible; I've decided to give this alternative solution a shot. I don't know how it will pen out, but at this stage, as long as it's nothing too intrusive, I'm ready to give it a try.

Seeing your dog become a stressed ball once out of the door is, believe me you, not a very happy feeling. Assuming you do care about your dog and know innately that he did not choose to be stressed out (if he can help it) and in turn stress you out.

Such's life. You win some you lose some. This little boy in his young life has taught me so much and has forced me to learn and re-learn the word "Patience". Who would have guess a little cute flurry ball has all that powers?

The decision to try the Bach flowers remedy on him is the reason for the birth of this blog. It is intended as a journal of our daily victories and failures as we go through this a step at a time.

Joural-ing will help us track his progress (or lack of) in its most honest manner and who knows, in due course, it might just help someone out there who are experiencing similar challenges with their canine buddies.

So it does not matter who you are or how you've come to know us, if you are here on an accidental or intentional "linked" visit,  enjoy yourself reading about our daily trials and tribulations with "tristan's flowers".

Today, I'll leave you with a picture of the fluffy furball who has brought this blog to pass..

Till later, xoxo.