Josie and Ozzy. Where to begin…. Here is some back history on Josie and Ozzy! Josie is a black and tan hound and so, so, so sweet. Always ready for her walk, always ready to go. Always behaves, always, always, always….
Ozzy on the other hand is a wild man! He is a miniature dachshund (black and gray). The first time I went to take care of him I spent over an hour as he pitched a fit at me. And I mean pitched a fit. Snarling, growling, and snapping at me. I could not even get him out of his crate, let alone even attempt to get a harness on him for a walk.
Josie was sitting next to me, just looking at me with pity in her eyes! I took her for a walk and came back to more barking, snarling and growling. Whew!
Then the next time I came for a visit It was much of the same…. I took Josie for her sweet walk, came back and offered Ozzy a treat.
I had tried this on the previous visit with no luck. He was a little calmer on this visit and took the treat but then retreated to the back of his crate and started growling and snapping again.
I am a dog lover, but I am not crazy, so I did not attempt to try to get him out! I let the owner know I did not think this was going to work! On the third visit the owner was present (much like the Lily situation I mentioned last time) and he was a different dog!! Just as happy and friendly as could be. So, I said, OK, I can do this!
On the fourth visit, the owners are out of town for the day, and Ozzy is playing is NON-FRIENDLY game again, so I shut the crate, grabbed Josie’s leash and in front of Ozzy say, “Josie, let’s go, Ozzy is not playing nice, so we will go without him.” He immediately stopped barking and just looked at me. I looked at him. I grabbed Josie’s leash and left the house. We were outside for about 5 minutes. Then I came back inside. I had Ozzy’s harness and leash behind my back with a treat in my hand. I left Josie’s leash on.
I opened Ozzy’s crate door, and said, “Do you want to come out and play nice?” Ozzy came out, took a treat from my hand, and then flipped over on his back and proceeded to ask for a belly-rub!! I couldn’t believe it!
And I didn’t really believe it either, so I put treats all around Ozzy so he was a little distracted on which treat to grab as I put the harness on him. Then we went on our walk. Whew…. What an experience that was. Now we are best friends… I went today, he barked twice at me, I opened the crate door, offered him a treat and reminded him I don’t play his games!
~TIDY TIP~ I have also noticed I need to lower the timber of my voice when talking to him by almost an octave! Once he came out, he took his treat, I leashed Josie up, then I rubbed Ozzy’s belly (tentatively to be sure!) and then put his harness on and we were off for our walk. Dog psychology 101! Ozzy Osbourne to Ozzie Harriet! Split Personalities!