Update on Calm-O-Meter

Aidan's picture

If you haven't read my original blog entry about the Calm-O-Meter, click here. (Will open in a new window).

I've been using the Calm-O-Meter for a few weeks now so it's time for an update. When we started, Sabella was a consistent Grade 6 or 7 before we did anything exciting like go for a walk. She can still peak out in certain situations, but has learned to quickly regulate herself.

So I'm working towards a consistent Grade 4 now, she is demonstrating Grade 5 consistently right now (in the trained situations, new situations will always require a looser criteria/higher grade).

I would definitely say that she is learning to self-regulate. Sometimes she gets really excited, but when she remembers to pull her head in she quickly drops to a Grade 2 or 3. I think that's a great result, but I'm not getting ahead of myself. I just work towards one Grade at a time.

With a combination of Brain work, exercise and the Calm-O-Meter we have been able to enjoy some very pleasant outings.

Right now she is in season, but that doesn't change anything as far as I'm concerned. We never go anywhere there are likely to be lots of uncontrolled dogs off-leash because that is not pleasant for Sabella (Django loves it, though!)

Yesterday we walked with friends and their dogs. She started off a bit anxious, but calmed down very quickly. I made the mistake of letting her out of the car a bit wound up, because her leash was stuck and by the time I freed her she had seen the other dogs leaping around excited about their walk.

We walked for 2 hours and she interacted with all the other dogs very well, sharing lots of sniffing with them. On one occasion a dog barked at us from behind a fence. Sabella wouldn't normally react towards that (now), but one of the other dogs in our group (an otherwise very friendly and calm dog) did react, and that set Sabella off at the dog in our group.

She calmed down in seconds, and they were good buddies again very quickly. Dogs are funny like that! Had she not been on-lead, we would have had a messy fight on our hands, but 5 seconds later she was able to share a quiet sniff at a tuft of grass with him.

All in all I'm very pleased with the results. We haven't had a lot of time for exercise (or even attention) as my wife has been recovering from an operation and isn't able to care for our baby on her own. In the past this lack of exercise and attention would have been a problem, but I've been really proud of Sabella this week.