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Roadside training!
Found this stray earlier today- no collar and no leash.
I observed and learned quickly that their basic obedience skills need some work. They did not respond to my recall, and they were not a willing participant in any heeling or walking work. They do have a good “station/place” however, it was not a good spot.
They have body handling concerns. As I approached, I could see the defensive-aggression type body language. They even tried to bite me as I carefully picked them up. Luckily, my defensive handling skills worked.
First, we made sure they were safe and felt safe. We then worked briefly on a new “station/place”!
I am hoping with a little more training and a little behavior modification, this prehistoric punk will be a cuddler one day.
I am leaving it up to them to practice what we discussed. I look forward to receiving updates from them.
Happy trails to the pond little one!
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7 Replies
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lol oh my gosh you got me there for a second! ???? Cutest little stray I ever did see!! ????????????
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Hi!
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????Fun post, @jenz ! Is that a snapper?
I recently saw a video where a person explained how one can safely handle a big snapper without getting bitten, grasping on both sides of the end 1/3 of the shell (above the back leg sockets) and then lifting. Their head/neck can’t crane back far enough to make contact with the hands.
I used to live on a lake and every year a huge mama snapping turtle laid eggs in my mom’s inviting garden beds. When they hatched, our GSD alerted us and we’d help carry a bunch of the babies to the water’s edge to release them.-
It is a young snapper.
They do this ” launch” type defensive behavior. It looks like a squat in the rear and then a quick launch forward. Its quick too, in my opinion for a turtle! This one was sassy!
I am familiar the handling you mention as being a way however, I was taught to support them from underneath due to the design of the shell. Carrying by their shell only can be painful to them. It is a living part of their body not a covering over their body, if that makes sense.
1 hand in the area you mention and one underneath as if you were carrying a tray, they can’t reach underneath.
The other trick is to use your car floor mat. Encourage them on it and then drag it in the direction they were going. No real handling required!
Aww, how cool to have your GSD alert- gotta love the working dogs!
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Good to know about them needing support from underneath. In one video I watched, the woman lifted as I mentioned, but only the back end, thus inspiring a wheelbarrow movement on the turtle’s part to move forward.
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Ahh, I can see how that might help. Thanks for clarifying.
The ones I have always encountered have always tried to “launch” and stay put in defense. I had to move one with a large plastic scoop type shovel once! He/she was huge and in the middle of my dirt/gravel driveway where I lived at the time (near a pond). It had to weigh all of 35 LBs and was determined to stay put. I gently slid the scoop under them and as if walking while pushing snow, moved them down to the pond area. Phew!
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35 lbs. — wow!!!
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