DogTown

by Stefan Bechtel

  Just because Best Friends is willing to work with aggressive dogs, it doesn’t mean that they are naive about the potential risk involved. Ann Allums has worked hard to develop a bond with Meryl, who still has trouble trusting new people and unfamiliar situations. She has devoted countless hours of careful work with her, both for the dog’s sake and for her own safety. Ann knows where Meryl has come from and can only guess what she has been through, but the trainer’s insight and patience have yielded a strong bond.

  The close relationship between the pair is evident whenever Ann approaches Meryl’s enclosure. As Ann gets closer, Meryl stops barking, drops down onto all fours, and begins wagging her tail, nosing up to the fence. Her brown eyes look up at Ann beseechingly, as though begging for a treat or perhaps a romp at Tara’s Run.

  “Hello, Meryl,” Ann whispers soothingly. “What’s up with you today, big girl?” Ann slips her a chicken treat through the enclosure fence, and Meryl sloppily tries to lick her hand.

  Ann lets herself into the run, and Meryl, desperate for her attention, playfully bows down toward her front paws, rump up, tail wagging, and then dances forward in anticipation of another treat or maybe a back scratch.

  Sometimes she jumps up and spins around like a puppy on a spring day. She runs off to fetch a favorite stuffed toy, brings it back, and drops it at Ann’s feet. Unlike some pit bulls whose ears have been cropped (some dogs’ ears are cut for fighting purposes, while others, like Great Danes’, may be cut for cosmetic reasons), Meryl’s ears are uncut and floppy, which softens her face, giving it a cuddlier, more endearing quality. Her fur is mostly chestnut brown, with a white blaze on her chest. She is quite young (Ann guesses she is about four years old), and surprisingly, her muzzle and body are almost completely free of scars, unlike some of the other Vick dogs, which indicates she was probably not a fighting dog (Meryl has also shown great affection for other dogs, another sign that she was most likely not used as a fighter).

  The Humane Society of the United States reports that in the United States every year ten people die from dog bites. It also reports that spayed or neutered dogs may be less likely to bite.

  A FRIGHTENING FIRST ENCOUNTER

  Dogtown staff first came to know Meryl when they traveled to Virginia in 2007 to assess the dogs rescued from the Michael Vick dogfighting operation, dubbed Bad Newz Kennels (it was named after the neighborhood in Newport News, known as Bad Newz, where Vick grew up). Best Friends sent vet tech Jeff Popowich and dog trainer John Garcia to Virginia to where the dogs were being housed temporarily. They wanted to get to know the animals, assess their needs, and make the transition to the sanctuary in Utah a bit smoother.

  Both guys had a special affection for pit bulls, or pitties, as they call them. John has one at home called Spikey Doo. He describes her as “a couch potato” whose “official position in life is making me happy, pretty much.” Before he began working with animals, John had no idea what kind of reputation pit bulls had in the wider world, because his experience with the breed had been very positive; the dogs he knew were so eager to please, exuberant, loyal, and sweet. “I just love pitties. I mean, what can you not love about them?”

  Ann Allums and Meryl’s bond is instrumental to helping Meryl become more comfortable with new people and new situations.

  Even so, Meryl would reveal to John and Jeff a frightening side of her personality. As part of their on-site evaluations, John was walking Meryl on a leash to see how she reacted to several different situations. During the assessment, the pair came upon Jeff, who reached down to pet Meryl on her head. Suddenly, she lunged at him and snapped; Jeff quickly pulled his hand away in time to avoid a bite.

  In other circumstances, after an incident like this Meryl might have been branded a dangerous dog and euthanized. But the Dogtown team made a great attempt to understand the incident from Meryl’s point of view. Luckily for them, a videographer from Best Friends was on-site and caught the encounter on tape, giving animal behaviorists a way to study what might have triggered Meryl’s attack.

  The footage showed how Meryl and John were walking together and then approached Jeff, who reached down to greet her. Moments earlier, Meryl had been wagging her tail and checking people out, but when Jeff lowered his hand near her head, her entire body froze. Then Meryl lunged and snapped as Jeff pulled his hand back. It was clear from the tape that Meryl felt threatened by Jeff’s seemingly harmless gesture. Though people often reach over and pet a dog on top of the head, many dogs, especially fearful, traumatized ones like Meryl, may be threatened by that movement. In the past, it might have meant that someone was coming to grab their collar.

  But something else became obvious when the videotape was shown: Meryl was surrounded by a group of men, all towering above her—not unlike the situation in a typical dogfighting ring. It scared her, and she lashed out. The assessment revealed that one of her triggers was fear of strangers. Despite this incident, Dogtown remained committed to Meryl and her rehabilitation. She made the trip from Virginia to Utah without incident.

  PASSING THE BATON

  When Meryl first arrived at Dogtown, it became clear that strangers scared her; she showed a lot of fear-based behavior when a new person approached her dog run. Behind the fence of her enclosure, she paced and then threatened with loud, aggressive barks and snarls. The sight of Meryl close to her fence, barking and growling, was, to say the least, unsettling. Meryl’s scary behavior, called barrier aggression, may be triggered by two things. First, it may be based on her frustration at being trapped behind a barrier and unable to get out. Second, in addition to being the source of her frustration, the fence may have given her some added bravado, since she knew she could snarl, bark, or lunge against it without actually having to deliver on any of her implied threats. This sort of classic barrier aggression, which is at least partly a function of the fence, often results in dogs’ being put down in shelters. Potential adopters are intimidated by the barking and overlook the dog.

  Another troubling aspect of Meryl’s behavior was that she continued to be distrustful of most people even after her arrival at Dogtown. She would warily eye anyone who approached her, and in a few instances, she even snapped at caregivers. Because of Meryl’s fear of new people, Dogtown staff went to great lengths to make sure that strangers did not deal with the dog. She wore a red collar, signifying that only staff (and not volunteers) could handle her. Seeing that Meryl had a lot of fear to work through, the Dogtown team decided to take it slow with her, to help build up trust and confidence.

  One bright spot was that Meryl had learned to trust one person, John Garcia, during the three weeks he had spent working with her before the move to Utah. Frightened of most people, she became attached to this one particular person because he took the time to build a relationship with her. But John was not going to be Meryl’s main trainer at Dogtown; because of her positive attitude, fun methods, and gentle manner, Ann Allums had received the assignment. So from the first day he arrived back in Dogtown, John began working to transfer the trust he had developed with Meryl to Ann, in a process like a relay racer handing off a baton.

  Pit Bulls: Saving America’s Dog is Best Friends’ national campaign to help pit bulls, who are battling everything from a media-driven bad reputation to breed-banning legislation. Learn more about pit bulls, and discover ways to help at: http://www. savingamericasdog.com.

  Ann welcomed the chance to work with Meryl, as she, too, had a special fondness for pit bulls. “I’m just all the time blown away by how sweet pitties are with people,” she says. “And friendly. They just want to please you, they want your attention, they want your petting. They want to just get in your space and sit in your lap and kiss your face, for the most part.” But Ann knew that it would take time to bring out the loving side of Meryl, who would have to become familiar and comfortable with her new trainer before she would blossom.

  At first, Ann just watched Meryl from a distance, and she noticed two big things. First, she could see ho
w frightened Meryl was of this new place and of all these new people; Meryl still seemed uneasy and uncomfortable, always on guard when strangers were around. The second thing Ann observed was that John was the only one Meryl seemed to welcome or feel comfortable with. Ann noticed Meryl watching John wherever he went. If John started walking away from the dog, she would panic as if she were thinking, Where are you going? You’re my person! When John approached her run, Meryl would get so excited, Ann remembered. “But John, of course, couldn’t be looking after Meryl 24/7. He needed to start passing that trust along to me, right away.”

  For Ann and Meryl’s “first date,” John took Meryl out for a walk and invited Ann along. Ann just quietly walked along beside John and Meryl. She took things slowly, not trying to interact with the dog by petting her. She didn’t even look at her, because that could have been threatening to Meryl. The strategy was to slowly get Meryl accustomed to Ann’s presence, so that she didn’t see Ann as a stranger.

  “I am patient,” Ann said. “I didn’t want to rush the situation.” (Ann is perhaps a bit too modest. Dogtown vet Dr. Patti Iampietro once said of Ann’s ability to train dogs: “If they had opposable thumbs, she could teach them to do the dishes.”)

  Gradually, Ann’s strategy began to pay off as Meryl got used to her being around. After a few days, Ann took the leash from John and walked along with Meryl. She still kept her hands off the dog because she didn’t want to scare Meryl and knew that such an action could overwhelm her. A few times, Meryl turned around and gave Ann a look that seemed to say, Who are you? I don’t know you. Ann just dropped her eyes and remained calm.

  Ann knew well enough that the best way to show a dog like Meryl that she was a nice person was by just leaving her alone and respecting her space. Eventually, in good time, and when Meryl was ready, she became curious about her new friend. She started by cautiously sniffing Ann. A day later, when she sniffed Ann again, her tail started wagging. Ann had shown, through patience and reserve, by waiting until Meryl came to her, that she was a friend, not a foe.

  As Meryl’s confidence has grown, she has become friends with more and more people.

  Ann’s next step was to start giving Meryl treats through the fence, in the hopes that Meryl would associate good things, like food, with her new trainer. It seemed to work. Before too long Meryl started wagging her tail when she saw Ann coming at a distance. The walks and treats continued until Ann felt that Meryl was ready for the next step: having her enter the dog run.

  The first time Ann stepped into the enclosure with Meryl, she was “cautiously realistic,” she said. “I took it really slowly.” The dog was, after all, a fighting dog who had been neglected and abused, and had a history of lunging at people and being fearful of new situations. Ann was not a new person, but her presence in Meryl’s run was new. It was best to proceed with caution for everyone’s sake.

  At first Meryl just stood still, looking at Ann head-on. It was a tense moment, but Ann stayed relaxed and loose. Meryl stood her ground while Ann talked and murmured at her, not moving either, patiently waiting for Meryl to approach her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a treat but did not move any closer. Then it was Meryl’s turn, melting out of her rigid stance, dropping her head and moving close enough to take the treat out of Ann’s hand. “Good girl, Meryl,” praised Ann, rewarding Meryl with a treat and a compliment. Meryl relaxed and before long was following Ann around with eager eyes. Built on a safe history together, they’d begun the next stage of their partnership and were ready to move forward together.

  The handoff of trust was complete.

  OVERCOMING MERYL’S FEARS

  Ann understood that fear was Meryl’s biggest obstacle and the cause of some of her scariest behavior. Even though she had formed a strong relationship with Ann, Meryl was still afraid of new people, and she was afraid of her new surroundings. Even when Ann picked up a new object—a silly Sponge-Bob SquarePants stuffed toy or a grooming brush—Meryl would shy away from the object at first, and only after some coaxing would she lay her ears back and lean in very slowly to investigate. Meryl’s body would stay tense, as though ready to bolt at the slightest threat. It was more than a little comical: the pitiless “superpredator” getting ready to flee from a plush, squeaky toy.

  “I definitely see Meryl as a dog that we can help,” Ann said. “Because everyone she comes in contact with here is good for her. We’re gentle with her. We’re not threatening to her. And she’s a real staff favorite. We’re teaching her things that are going to make her a great pet for someone someday, a great companion.” Teaching Meryl to overcome fear would be Ann’s primary task as a trainer, and Meryl’s primary task as a potential companion animal living in the world of humans.

  The first step, now that Meryl trusted Ann, would be to develop something called a Life Care Plan for her. The basic idea of a Life Care Plan is simple: to do everything possible to enrich a dog’s life for however long he or she stays at Dogtown.

  The Life Care Plan documents the activities in the dog’s life: how often they get out with volunteers and staff, how often they are walked and taken on outings and car rides, and all the training aspects of their life as well. It documents the dog’s progress in learning basic skills, what kinds of rewards they like (treats, toys, etc.), and the speed at which they make progress. If the dog’s caregiver moves to some other part of Dogtown, the Life Care Plan, in the form of a fat file, stays with the dog. When a new caregiver takes over training of the dog, he or she can read the chart and pick up where the previous trainer left off. It’s an attempt to collect and share information with the large number of people that may be working with any dog, and to chart all the dog’s training progress, activities, goals, and plans.

  Of course, at Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels, Meryl and the other fighting dogs also had a “life care plan” of sorts. It’s just that the life care plan was one of sadistic aggression training, fear, deprivation, and punishment. Animals were kept chained in kennels, isolated from contact with dogs and humans alike—not really a life at all. They were taken out of their kennels only to breed, to train, or to fight. This plan taught the dogs to be fearful and aggressive and to expect nothing from life. The most remarkable thing about it was that so many of these dogs emerged with their spirits and the ability to trust humans intact.

  But when Meryl came to Dogtown, still fearful, jumpy, and mistrustful, her trainers began designing a Life Care Plan for her that would help her to become all she could be. “If a dog is going to be here for their whole life, or just a few weeks, or even a few days, we’re going to do what we can to enrich their life,” Ann said. “This isn’t just a place to warehouse dogs. We’re going to make sure that we meet their needs, that we’ve worked with them, that we give them a quality life. And so the enrichment involves everything from quality food to medical care, physical exercise, mental exercise, rest, socialization, and going to new places. We try to provide that for every dog here.”

  The Life Care Plan was something Ann was instrumental in organizing at Dogtown. She helped develop a system to organize information about each individual dog, and then this system progressed into a way of providing each dog at the sanctuary with an individualized, customized life plan. “Every afternoon, the caregivers sit down and talk about each dog and chart in their plan how they’re progressing. We share with each other, ‘Oh, I saw this today in Willie, I saw this in Meryl.’ And all of us are interested to hear what’s going on with the other dogs, with different people and different situations. It’s just a great learning experience, a great sharing experience. We make sure we’re on the right track for enriching their lives, and for sharing the good news about a dog’s great success on that particular day.”

  According to the American Temperament Society website, pit bulls consistently score above average on the American Temperament Test for all dog breeds tested.

  THE MERYL WORKOUT

  When Meryl first came to Dogtown, her muscled body was looki
ng a little flabby. Ann suspected she had been “hanging around the food bowl a little too much.” Part of Meryl’s Life Care Plan would be to monitor her diet and to start her on a regular exercise program to get her in shape.

  Agility training at Tara’s Run is one big aspect of the plan. Learning how to navigate the obstacles plus the aerobic activity would do wonders for Meryl’s mind and body. Meryl wasn’t a natural her first time on the playground. She was too afraid of the obstacles when she encountered them initially. But Ann knew agility training would be instrumental in helping Meryl overcome her fears—a way to bring out her inner athlete—so she patiently introduced Meryl to each piece of equipment and coached her through each one. Ann knew that as Meryl improved at the exercises, her sense of confidence would grow.

  The partnership between dog and trainer would also improve. “Agility training is also great for Meryl because it’s a tag-team sport. She’s watching me as we go along because I’m directing her to the obstacles that I want her to go to,” Ann said. “It’s also using her amazing athleticism so we’re running over obstacles, jumping through tires, we’re going through tunnels and she’s running really fast.” An athletic dog like Meryl needs an athletic outlet, or else she may grow frustrated and anxious. Ann knew that Meryl would respond well to getting some good exercise because “it gives her something to do.”

  There is a mental aspect to this physical training as well. The agility exercises teach Meryl obedience to commands, a critical part of her growth. Learning new tricks engages Meryl’s mind, giving her new stimulation and interesting things to explore.

  But Tara’s Run proved to be the first part of the “Meryl Workout.” Ann saw that as Meryl’s fitness improved, she wanted more exercise. Meryl had so much energy, Ann realized that it would take hours at Tara’s Run or a six-mile run to expend all that power. So the next activity to channel Meryl’s phenomenal energy and strength was the “mountain scooter.” Ann took a simple two-wheeled scooter, the kind kids stand on with one foot and push off with the other, and strapped it on to Meryl’s body with a harness. Ann stepped on to the scooter, and then Meryl joyfully galloped along, pulling the scooter and Ann along behind her. After a good long walk, Meryl finally became what Ann called “happy-tired.”