A sad day

    So i find my self unable to help the dogs at the PSPCA.This is not for a lack of love or trying.I have found that many of the people at the PSPCA  have no understanding of how to help these dogs stop the bad behavior.I keep hearing that just give positive favor to the dogs.With a great deal many dogs this works well.But what about those dogs that are closer to being (RED ZONE) praise is not going to help these dogs get better. It has become painfully obvious they will just add those dogs to the list of dog to be Killed.There are so many great dogs at the PSPCA.Many of these dogs that have been labeled as hard to handle.I have found my self taking these dogs and giving them some special attention.
     The first dog i will talk about is a young male named Pretzel.He is a beautiful alert boy with a mocha colored coat. He is kept in a jumper cage as so he cant jump out and you cant reach in.When i first asked if i could take Pretzel out Being a yellow lanyard.I was told that they new i could handle him and i was allowed to handle him.There was the question to me if i new what i was getting into.I answered why yes i do and would love to help him get better.Let me bring Pretzels life into perspective.My name is Pretzel i'm 2 years old with a high energy level.My level of energy and excitement has reached new heights.This partly because like most other dogs at the PSPCA kept in the green house i do not get out much once a day if i'm lucky.Now this has sometimes lead me to act out in a not so positive manner.I find myself so excited to get out of my cage that i tend to show this by jumping and grabbing at the leash this has me now classified as hard to handle dog .I find it sad that even the dog behaviorist wont take me off the my leash so i can run and burn off this energy i have.In stead i get 15 minutes out side on a lead with someone that has no real time or love for me.I am just a bad Pit bull .
     I have taken time with Pretzel the last couple of weeks.I take him out and play tug a rope fetch and work with him leash manners.I found that with in ten minutes Mr.Pretzel had very little respect for anyone handling him.His goal was to get as much attention as possible.This was done through many bad dog actions.Sometimes he would even grab at your hands or pants leg and even making him self seam so uncontrollable.This has become my task of love to help him get better.My hope is that i would be able to help him.My first time out with him i took him to the big yard.I gave him 15 minutes of time to run and start to burn off his energy.To my surprise
even after 1/2 hr he was still full tilt energy.At this time i started to put a lead on him only to find he was not having it .This is when he started to bite the leash and jump on me biting at my hands.He was out of control as he was unwilling to respond to any verbal commands and treats were of no interest to him.It was not long after this i made the descion that i was not going to let this continue.At the first chance i had i used the tug rope and my lead up my arm to get him to take the toy while i got my lead around his head high on the neck.I did have control but not his respect.As he was still trying to grab my hand.At first chance i placed him in domanace down after only about 2 minutes he willingly submitted.I know that this was only the first on our encounter.But now with him more willing to listen i now started to create a bond with him.As with many dogs that are this wound up they get labeled bad dogs.When i look at MR. Pretzel i see a dog that needs a friend and a pack leader.This is what i offer him with every minute i spend with him.
    One of Mr. Pretzels biggest issues is trying to get him back in his jumper stall.This is where he tends to put up a fight jumping and biting at the handler.I know this so just before placing him back in his stall i watched his level of excitement elevate to where he was starting to jump on me.Before this got out of hand i took this time to place him a submissive position.Once he was calm and willing to respond to my voice commands I asked him to sit once in his cage.It was much smoother than any other time i saw he being placed back in his stall.
This was my pattern with him every time for a week.I got him to a point that prior to taking him from his cage i now ask him to sit and he does.Exiting his cage has now become much easier as has his being placed back in the stall.
   My time at the PSPCA has been filled with the joy of helping the dogs find some kinda of pack leader.I know that every time i enter the green house i see the light in there eyes as they know i'm not just there to walk them but i give them a sense that i'm in control and the other dogs all seem to know this.I am able to say this as they are not as ready to strike at the other dogs as they are walked buy their cages.On top of this with little more than a kind word and hand command most dogs i deal with on a regular basis will stop barking and sit waiting there turn.