I don't know how this notion got started, that dogs should adjust their innate behavior just because they want to put a smile on an owner's face. I mean, dogs already fulfill one of the noted shortcomings of the human race by providing a large measure of comforting touch. . . do they also have to feed our egos by being subservient beings intent only on performing to our desires?
No matter what you think, dogs are creatures with their own sets of wants and needs, and sometimes these conflict with what humans want, and sometimes the dog's point of view wins out. This doesn't mean that our dogs don't love us, or are plotting against us to gain ascendancy (the laughable gist of the whole dominance theory). It simply means that sometimes, in your dog's eyes, it's simply more fulfilling to chase that fleeing squirrel or sniff that enticing bitch than it is to respond to your "come" call.
You probably love your parents and want to please them. Did that stop you from breaking curfew or hiding in the bathroom to sneak a smoke or throwing a party when your parents were away or any of the other typical transgressions of youth? Did it mean you loved your parents any less because you did these things? No. It just meant that your own desires trumped your tendency to want to please your parents by conforming to their desires. And so it is with our dogs.
This whole "he should do it because he loves me" idea has kept numerous people from using food as a motivator. Some simply fail in their training, and others resort to punitive methods. Because punishment fits in with the whole Puritan ethic we still seem to cling to, and can let us keep our fanciful thoughts about why dogs do the things they do intact, just labeling this one individual dog as a bit wilfull and in need of some correction. Just as you were probably punished when you did transgress against your parents' rules.
A lot of people are dismayed that their dog will perform better if food is offered as a reward. The really smart ones are delighted that they have such a powerful tool at their command.
I could say a lot more, but I have deadlines to meet. I just hope maybe this will spark some consideration in those who subscribe to this myth. And maybe it will give those of you trying to counteract this line of thought something else to say.
Jun 11, 2009
Even Dog Trainers Pay Their Dues
A lot of people seem to think that dog trainers always have perfect dogs. It's my experience that dog trainers often have flawed dogs, for the simple reason that they're willing to take them on, knowing what they're getting into. Such is the case with my herder/sighthound mix, Nestle.
He was in terrible shape when I adopted him from a shelter - shutdown, morose, and not enjoying the world one bit. We soon sorted that out, within a few months we were bonded, and training was well underway.
Nestle has titles in agility and freestyle, and looks good to the world outside. So much so that people have commented on how overprotective I am about him. But I know the truth - it only takes a tiny hiccup to shatter him into pieces. And a much bigger hiccup occurred late last year when I had major medical problems and, not once but three times, drove to a hospital emergency room, was admitted, and vanished form home for days.
This has resulted in Nestle being severely upset when left in the car. He has eaten bits and pieces of the interior of my Prius, as well as the wrapping of Christmas presents, a selection of water bottles, etc. So we have had to make a change in lifestyle. Sometimes the dogs have to be left home when previously they would have come with us. When they do accompany us, it's now at least partly a training outing. We leave the car, but one person stays behind to watch from some sort of cover (usually behind a parked van some spaces away - we're waiting to be arrested on suspicious of car prowling) and keep an eye on Nestle. At first we left for mere seconds. Now we're up to seven minutes, and we've been moving really slowly so as to avoid any setbacks. Each time we leave, Nestle is given a little blanket he doesn't see at other times, a Greenie chew, and a cue phrase to tell him we will be coming back soon. Each time we come back, he is greeted mildly (no big fuss).
And he is making progress. Yesterday as I was watching him, he managed to lie down for a few seconds a couple of times. He popped back up pretty quickly, but that was the first time he even tried to settle. He still is not eating the Greenie while we're gone, so that will be another big sign of progress.
We are taking a brief vacation, and it has been carefully planned to include the dogs on all possible excursions. We will have to take turns visiting the two indoor attractions - an aquarium and carousel museum - but that's a small price to pay to enjoy a trip together and continue rehabilitating my dog.
He was in terrible shape when I adopted him from a shelter - shutdown, morose, and not enjoying the world one bit. We soon sorted that out, within a few months we were bonded, and training was well underway.
Nestle has titles in agility and freestyle, and looks good to the world outside. So much so that people have commented on how overprotective I am about him. But I know the truth - it only takes a tiny hiccup to shatter him into pieces. And a much bigger hiccup occurred late last year when I had major medical problems and, not once but three times, drove to a hospital emergency room, was admitted, and vanished form home for days.
This has resulted in Nestle being severely upset when left in the car. He has eaten bits and pieces of the interior of my Prius, as well as the wrapping of Christmas presents, a selection of water bottles, etc. So we have had to make a change in lifestyle. Sometimes the dogs have to be left home when previously they would have come with us. When they do accompany us, it's now at least partly a training outing. We leave the car, but one person stays behind to watch from some sort of cover (usually behind a parked van some spaces away - we're waiting to be arrested on suspicious of car prowling) and keep an eye on Nestle. At first we left for mere seconds. Now we're up to seven minutes, and we've been moving really slowly so as to avoid any setbacks. Each time we leave, Nestle is given a little blanket he doesn't see at other times, a Greenie chew, and a cue phrase to tell him we will be coming back soon. Each time we come back, he is greeted mildly (no big fuss).
And he is making progress. Yesterday as I was watching him, he managed to lie down for a few seconds a couple of times. He popped back up pretty quickly, but that was the first time he even tried to settle. He still is not eating the Greenie while we're gone, so that will be another big sign of progress.
We are taking a brief vacation, and it has been carefully planned to include the dogs on all possible excursions. We will have to take turns visiting the two indoor attractions - an aquarium and carousel museum - but that's a small price to pay to enjoy a trip together and continue rehabilitating my dog.
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