The aftermath of loss: Archer goes to a new home

To say Archer was devastated after my husband Paul’s death is an understatement. The first few days weren’t too bad. He looked for Paul, but Paul often went on business trips, so being gone for a few days wasn’t unusual. But after three or four days, Archer began having frantic moments, very much like panic attacks. He would come to me, put his paws in my lap, stare deep into my eyes, cry, paw, scratch, jump on me, and otherwise try to communicate with me, all in a panic.

As the days went on, these attacks didn’t ease at all. I tried homeopathics, medications, and combinations thereof. I tried talking to him, communicating in other ways, massage, and everything else I could think of. Keeping Archer well-exercised mentally and physically helped in other ways, but didn’t stop the panic.

As the weeks progressed, I noticed that Archer was distancing himself from me and focusing on every man he knew. When Jeff, one of Kindred Spirits’ trainers, would come on to the training yard, Archer would attach himself to Jeff without a backwards look at me. One of our trainers, Lisa, brought her husband Bill to the yard and he worked Archer one night. Archer was perfect for him and again, never once looked at me.

So after talking it out with several people, I came to the realization that although I love Archer, I am not what he needs. So yesterday Archer went to his new home.

My cousin Jenny and her husband, Dean, came to Paul’s memorial, and had met Archer then. They are long-time Aussie owners and, in fact, have Sisko’s litter brother Harley. They love their dogs as I do and understood my concerns for Archer.

Dean came out from Arizona this past weekend, and when he walked in the front door, Archer attached himself to him and never left him. When Archer had a panic attack that evening, Dean calmed him down and the panic attack was short-lived.

Then Saturday Dean came to the Kindred Spirits’ training yard for a full day of training. He worked Archer in two basic obedience classes, a canine good citizen class, and watched the therapy dog class.  He and Archer played, and when Dean was sitting and relaxing, Archer curled up between Dean’s feet. If a bond between a man and a dog can occur instantly, it certainly did this time.

When Dean and Archer arrived home in Arizona yesterday afternoon, Dean called to say everything was great. Archer traveled well. Archer and Harley (Sisko’s brother) were playing well together and having fun. Archer was behaving himself and getting along fine.

Dean knows that Archer may yet have some bad days even in a new home. But we’re all hoping that the change in location — where nothing reminds Archer of Paul — will help. And, since Archer was so much Paul’s dog and was searching for men, having a male owner again will make him happy. Jenny and Dean will also keep me posted about Archer and hey, since they’re family, I can always invite myself to Arizona for a visit. I’ll wait a few months, though, to give Archer time to settle in.

Photos: Top: Archer as a puppy. Photo by Kathy Usher. Bottom: Archer playing the tennis ball/muffin tin game. Photo by Liz Palika.

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Archer wins the muffin tin game!

Archer triumphed this morning! He won the muffin tin game; beating Bashir, the reigning champion, by ten seconds.

Now granted the competition was small, just the four dogs in my household, and Archer is definitely the most food motivated, but this is the first time he beat Bashir so I have to give him some accolades. Yeah, Archer!

I had a hundred (or more) chores that needed to get done this morning but part way through decided the dogs and I needed to play a game. Chores are boring and I enjoy having fun with the dogs. I think the muffin tin game was an interruption between rotating the laundry and vacuuming.

I didn’t invent the muffin tin game so can’t take any credit for it. I’d like to thank who ever did because my dogs all have great fun with it. I use a 12 hole muffin tin because a 6 hole one is too easy. Place a treat in each hole and then cover the treat with a tennis ball. Place the tin on the floor and let your dog figure it out.

With multiple dogs, I play the game in in the garage with one dog while the other dogs remain in the house. Although all four can hold down stays while one of them plays, the dog who’s playing gets a little nervous with the other three whining, staring, and leaning his direction.

Each of my four have slightly different techniques. Bashir uses his paws a lot; he scrapes the ball out of the hole with his claws. He also thinks alot; if he knocks a ball out of the hole and it slips into an empty hole where he’s already gotten the treat, he won’t go back there. As the character in Jurassic Park said, “He remembers.”

Riker, the 11 years old, is the slowest of my four but is very deliberate. He sniffs each ball and muffin tin hole and noses the ball out of the way.

Sisko, the puppy, is also a thinker, uses his nose very well, and like Bashir, isn’t fooled when a ball rolls to cover an empty hole. Sisko also gets the most distance on the balls when he paws or noses them out of the way. I was picking them up all over the garage as he was searching for treats.

Archer is the most frantic about the game, pawing, nosing, and grabbing at the balls. Unfortunately, sometimes he’s so intent on getting the treats he doesn’t stop to think or smell and keeps going back to empty holes.

I started timing the dogs because as they got the hang of the game, it took them less time them to empty the tin. I was curious exactly how fast they were. When I first started timing them, it took most of the dogs more than a minute to get all twelve treats and often Riker still takes that long. In today’s contest, Archer got all of the treats in 25 seconds. Bashir was second with 35 seconds. Sisko was third at 40 seconds and Riker took 75 seconds. Yeah, Archer!

Of course I didn’t include the score of about five seconds when Bashir picked up the tin and flipped it over. That’s cheating.

Photos: (top) Archer; (middle) Riker; (bottom) Bashir. All photos by Liz Palika

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