hashtag-xolo

[hashtag-xolo]

Funny story:

When Nico and I went hiking with friends, we were talking about how I want to get an Airedale terrier puppy within the next year or two.

My friend (also a coworker) was light-heartedly complaining about the airedales we get at work and said "hopefully yours like me because airedales seem to hate me"

I was laughing about how in comparison our regular airedales since day one have taken to me immediately and been obsessed with me. "Obviously I'm Airedale-coded"

Not even two minutes later we turn a curve and see a couple walking an Airedale on the path. I complimented their beautiful Airedale and they were shocked because no one ever recognizes their dog's breed so they were very happy.

My friend: I swear the universe just gave you the clearest sign you should get an Airedale - it's sending them to you everywhere you go 🤣

[hashtag-xolo]

Gotta catch those rays ☀️

#dogblr #xoloitzcuintli #xolodog #xoloitzcuintle #mexican hairless dog #nico the xolo

[hashtag-xolo]

Nico and I got to hike with some friends today! While we waited for them, we practiced his "down" cue as well as relaxing around children. He's still a bit wary of humans in general but children are especially concerning with their shill voices, fast movements, and terrifyingly tiny stature. So he got a heavy rate of reinforcement for hanging out near some playing children and rocked it. I'm very proud of my little dog.

#dogblr #xoloitzcuintli #xolodog #xoloitzcuintle #mexican hairless dog #nico the xolo

[hashtag-xolo]

It's weird working at a large corporation dog daycare/boarding job while also being hyper aware of the inherent behavioral issues that can develop when people rely heavily on these options for their dog care. Watching the behavioral changes that happen in dogs can be scary and I'm working hard to mitigate this in the dogs in my care.

At the same time though, it's really special being able to work magic in the opposite direction and create really positive behavior changes for the reactive dogs we get in. My workplace will take dogs with some pretty significant behavioral issues including severe dog aggression and even human aggression as long as the dog can be safely handled by most staff. One such dog came in a few weeks ago and was already well-known by long-time staff for severe "room and neck aggression". (Will snarl, lunge, and attempt to bite anyone who walks by or enters his room and good luck getting your hand close enough to get the leash off of him.) He is manager handle only due to his reactivity but as long as you use the proper barriers and safeguards he really isn't difficult. Once he's out of his room he's fine, although nervous. He is a one-on-one play dog due to his anxiety.

I have become the manager who takes point on handling dogs like him. I was the one to do his handling when he first came in that stay and who did his playtime. Day one he wanted to get in my lap and eventually did. On day four of his stay he stopped reacting loudly to me passing by his room because I kept working with him. On day six he wagged his tail when i walked by. That day he let me go in to clean up a mess he made as long as I kept away from his bed. The next day he gave me a lick when I dropped his dinner.

He left and then came back a week later. I was in the lobby waiting for him because I hoped he would remember me and it would be an easy time to put him in his room. He ran up to me and pressed in for snuggles. His mom said she'd noticed he'd come back happier on his last stay than he ever had before and she could see why with the way he just crushed into me. When I put him in his room he didn't object at all to me removing the leash from him. The next day when I went in to clean a mess he asked me for pets inside his room. I hung out in his room while he laid on his bed and got love. If I'm nearby he doesn't react to people passing by his room. A couple days ago he let someone else come in his room with me already inside and he asked them for love too. After they left he gave me many kisses and demanded many scritches. He has become much more relaxed and outgoing on his one-on-one playtime regardless of who does it. He went home yesterday and was clearly not stressed even to his mom. She noticed he's completely changed his demeanor here.

Sometimes the best and coolest training is done by just showing a dog how to feel safe. And you get to watch the rest of their behaviors change as a result and the whole dog shines through. That's a pretty special thing. And I'm glad I get to do this for now.

#dogblr

[hashtag-xolo]

He's helping with taxes

#dogblr #xoloitzcuintli #xolodog #xoloitzcuintle #mexican hairless dog #nico the xolo

[hashtag-xolo]

Not my personal dogs but some fun cues I use with my dogs in playgroups at work that are phrases unlikely to mess with any existing training they have. Also they sound funny and kind if I'm ever overheard through the glass by passing customers.

"Not in public!" - don't mount that dog/ stop mounting that dog right now before I have to intervene

"Read the room" - that dog you're approaching is clearly telling you to go away and that they're not interested in being friends - please walk away now or I will leash you

"who wants a break?" - I open a time out kennel and any dog who wants a short break from the mayhem of group can willingly go in and take a breather

"(name) that's gross" - don't eat that poop or throw up please and thank you

You know what cues have made playing with Matilda SO much nicer that I learned in the past five to ten years or so? One of them was Tay's innovation and one of them was mine. And then last summer we added a third, very specific to Matilda, cue. I wouldn't call these commands except maybe the third, but here:

"Hurry!" Whatever I am asking you to do, I have asked you once or twice already, and I'm getting impatient. I might stop playing or make you go inside if you don't listen.

"Ready?" You know [from experience] what I need you to do before I do my part [of the activity we're doing, which you enjoy]. Are you in position for that? You should get into position, or it's not going to happen.

"Closer." You need to bring that toy closer to me before I will agree to throw it. I'm pretty sure that I could leverage that into a general "do that over again, but do it right" cue if necessary.

What kinds of useful cues do you use with dogs day to day that aren't the bog standard traditional suites of behavior?

[hashtag-xolo]

I am running a free community event on dog behaviour and communication for my rural town - just a small session showing various ways dogs express themselves, help identify actual aggression, discomfort, etc.

I would like to run a slideshow showing some of the expressions - for example, grimaces, whale eye, tense mouths and eyes, relaxed facial expressions and anything of that nature.

If you have any photos or could take some of your dogs expressing themselves, I would be super grateful if you'd send them through - this event will not be recorded or published, the images will be used in a powerpoint presentation and not provided to any members of the public.

I intend on staking out the local vet to get some shots, and of course I have tons of my own - but as we all know, various breeds display things in ways that look very different! a hard stare on my toy poodle is going to be a bit scarier and obvious on a doberman or staffy, and a loose happy face will be easier to spot on a bordercollie versus a bulldog!

i'd like a decent variety so i can show how obvious signs of frustration and aggression can be ignored in some breeds - and why a perfectly happy relaxed dog is assumed to be aggressive based on common misconceptions.

the email for photos is [email protected] - background info on the photo, what the dog was doing, experience, whatever, because context matters!

short videos would also be super welcome!

#reblogging so i remember to send things

[hashtag-xolo]

Made a tiny doggy omelette for Nico

#nico the xolo

[hashtag-xolo]

inspired by boop day, reblog this post if its ok for people to send you random asks and interact on your posts with no judgement. i want to talk to people.

[hashtag-xolo]

It's very important to give your xolo plenty of sunshine. Without a yard it's a bit trickier but I've settled in a common area with a camping chair and collapsible cot. I think he's happy with this arrangement

#dogblr #xoloitzcuintli #xolodog #xoloitzcuintle #mexican hairless dog #nico the xolo

[hashtag-xolo]

Such a little guy on such a big rock

#dogblr #xoloitzcuintli #xolodog #xoloitzcuintle #mexican hairless dog #nico the xolo

[hashtag-xolo]

hey hey hey

Assigning you a song that makes white people go nuts (from experience)

#everybody talks by neon trees #you know i go wild for this song so like fuck yeah

[hashtag-xolo]

Peacock mantis shrimp in the wild

#aobbing seeing this get notes again #this was posted exactly a month before his last day #my best boy

[hashtag-xolo]

Normalize going into people’s ask boxes and ask them random ass questions.

Tumblr used to be so much fun with all the asks (anonymous or otherwise), and we need to bring those back, especially now that we finally have a half-decent blocking feature in place.

Ask people things! Message them! Don’t let tumblr inbox die! It’s one of the features that made tumblr tumblr.

[hashtag-xolo]

Crying because Nico patiently let me put Tzapo's Rex Specs on him. They're obviously way too big for him but he was very tolerant of me putting them on him and I'm feeling Emotions over this

#dogblr #xoloitzcuintli #xolodog #xoloitzcuintle #mexican hairless dog #nico the xolo #grief is still so big i miss my boy so so so much

[hashtag-xolo]

Spent some time today learning how to walk politely on a leash and also to be less worried over humans without dogs. For some reason if they have a dog with them they're alright but suspicious without one. So we worked on both today and made some good progress 🩵

#dogblr #xoloitzcuintli #xolodog #xoloitzcuintle #mexican hairless dog #nico the xolo

[hashtag-xolo]

He's a happy little creacher

#dogblr #xoloitzcuintli #xolodog #xoloitzcuintle #mexican hairless dog #nico the xolo