The Timmy Look

“Timmy’s not a morning dog.”

When I first heard this from Timmy’s owner, I thought the “morning dog” comment was figurative. I was wrong. When awake, Timmy was bouncy, expressive, and quick to learn. I have yet to meet a dog that could give a stink-eye like this 6 year old Chihuahua could. To commemorate it, I coined it “The Timmy Look.” Lessons starting earlier than 11:30am would garner many of these looks, followed by a lot of backside. It’s not that he didn’t have any incentives. It was that the thing he valued most was sleep.

Dozing. Slumbering. Dreaming.

How to compete against all that? We tried high end dog food from Germany. Salmon fins from New Zealand. Bully sticks. Cat toys. Dog toys. Play. This and more was made available, but none were a match for the lure of the Sand Man.

This wonderfully unique story began when Timmy’s owner, Lisa, reached out to Skilled Mutts Company for a consultation. Lisa wanted to work on his separation anxiety and to improve on his surly reaction to people. Before he met Lisa, Timmy was a shelter dog who had a severe case of periodontal disease. His prospects were gloomy, but along came Lisa and he developed great trust with her. Unable to resist his expressive personality and Chihuahua charm, she adopted him, got him through multiple dental surgeries, and gently eased him into her life and routines.

Not all dogs like to be pet, just as not all children like their hair tousled. It doesn’t mean that the dog is being dominant or that one should take it personally. Personal space is not unique to the human species. It would seem like common sense not to force-pet a dog that is “saying” he doesn’t like it. Unfortunately, dog body language often goes unnoticed and Timmy’s diminutive size doesn’t help.

He weighs the same as a small bag of flour and is as tall as a pair of scissors is long.

It’s easy to imagine the unwelcomed attention that Timmy’s 4.5 pounds gets him. He had learned over time to be suspicious of human hands. We taught Timmy the classic trick to paw an open hand. It was amusing to watch the wheels turning in his head when he learned this new behavior for the first time.

He had the look of someone trying to remember where he put his car keys.

Lisa also had homework to do when it came to dealing with people when out on walks. Clearly saying what you mean while being respectful and keeping the environment safe for your dog can be like rubbing your head and patting your tummy at the same time. However, it is all achievable.

I engaged her in some role play, practicing how to say “No” if someone asked to pet Timmy, how to invite a person to greet him in a controlled way, and how to use simple body language that both adults and children would readily understand (minus the use of colorful gestures, of course.)

On a busy weekend, I accompanied Lisa and Timmy as they strutted their new selves into downtown Willow Glen. We invited people to practice greetings with Timmy. Seeing that Lisa had things under control, Timmy relaxed so much that he not only took treats from strangers, but also did the Paw trick with them. People were unmistakably delighted when Timmy gave them “five” with his pee-wee sized paw.

We also worked on his separation anxiety by first encouraging him to be more independent while Lisa was still at home. Timmy needed to learn that it was unnecessary to attach himself to Lisa’s heels everywhere she went, and Lisa needed to learn to trust that Timmy would remain safe and sound after several moments of being in another room. We also incorporated an exercise pen, music for dogs, and a pet bed warmer into the training plan. Timmy’s second favorite pastime was parking himself in front of the air vent when the furnace was on. One cold, autumn morning I had the occasion to see him in his self-induced coma, flopped down in front of the vent as if he had no bones in his body.

Lisa: “He loves that spot. We often joke, ‘There’s a dead dog by the vent again!’”

It is important to keep experimenting, and to incorporate things your dog finds relaxing. Progress requires long term persistence and is often measured in inches. Be sure your measuring stick has the right increments. Expecting yards of progress can discourage even the most devoted. Lisa has since reported that Timmy’s shadowing in the home had lessened significantly and in several instances, he opted to stay in a room by himself – A distinct break from old habits. He and Lisa continue to practice departure protocols in addition to reinforcing space from one another when in the home.

As for interacting with people when out and about?

Lisa now complains if no one intrudes to ask, “Can I pet your dog?”