Moku Shares the Love @ CSUB With the Miracle Mutts

Daily CHALLENGE & ACTiViTY Summary

Dog’s name: Moku

Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Physical Fitness

We were pretty relaxed in this area today, as our one, three-hour activity was both energy-producing and energy-draining at the same time! We parked a good distance from where we needed to be on the CSUB campus, where we went to help relieve college students’ stress as they face finals week. Otherwise, though, we didn’t put much effort into the physical plane today. I will say that, even though Moku was laying down or sitting a good part of the time we were on campus, he never stopped MOVING. He never quite relaxed – and understandably so, as there were tons of people petting and loving on him. My arms and back are very tired from wielding his leash, so I know both of us got a physical workout, even if not in the traditional sense.

Cognitive Fitness

Moku had to contend with the huge challenge of being in a very over-stimulating environment for a sustained period of time (3 whole hours). The way we really worked commands into his training today was using them as a “reset button”, during times that Moku’s overstimulation caused him to get mouthy and bitey, either on people’s hands, their clothing, his leash, or a nearby blanket or backpack. When I sensed (and saw) that he was climbing toward that “level 10” state, I would guide him away from the group of people for thirty seconds or a minute or two, and have him sit, lay down, shake, and “check-in” with eye contact. Then we’d return to the group, where he’d have the opportunity to go back into the same situation and “ do things differently”. He did pretty well with this for the most part, though it truly was a lot for him to handle. And by the end of the three hours, I had to give him a rope toy we had donated (score!), so that he would have something (appropriate) to keep his mouth occupied.

Social Fitness

In the meantime, while Moku dealt with challenges today, he was also his sweet, happy, loving, social self. And he made tons and tons of people VERY HAPPY! If I had a dollar for every person who said, “He’s only 1?!?!” after I told them his age, I could retire. We initially stayed at a good distance away from the other five dogs that were there with our group, so that we could work our way toward them without too much exuberance. By the time we got close enough for him to sniff and say hi, he was definitely on the more “overbearing” end of his behavioral repertoire. Again, this isn’t surprising, as this was a lot to handle. But when he went to sniff the other dogs, he did so in that “face first” way he does, which I liken to running up to someone at a party at top speed and talking very close to their face. This is something Moku still needs work on. And, I maintain, as he grows up and matures, he will learn to control himself better during meetings with other dogs. The key, I think, is not letting him reach other dogs while in that state…making sure to walk the opposite way from the direction he’s pulling, so that he knows pulling toward something = movement away from it. And that gentle walking toward it, while checking in here and there, equals getting to say hi to his friend.

Emotional Fitness

I think the above pretty well expresses the emotional practice of the day as much as the cognitive and social. As was to be expected, Moku’s “emotional workout” today was the result of being in close proximity to his doggie buddies, but not being able to lunge to get to them; also learning to lay near them, without needing to be right in their space. By the last of the three hours, he was doing much better with this than he had at first. Again, this makes perfect sense, as he was a little bit worn out, a little desensitized to a situation that became more familiar as time passed.

Just as important to note – actually, more so – is that Moku’s loving nature just oozed out everywhere today. The smiles on these students’ faces when they saw him, and when he plopped down to solicit belly rubs, was priceless.

Primal Fitness

Being around so many other dogs, so many smells, so many interrelated pack dynamics, between humans and dogs, friends and strangers, gave Moku a good “primal workout” today.