When I had my first dog, my father taught me so much about training. That was 63 years ago! We had a Brittany Spaniel named Susie. He would have me hold her upstairs, and then he would hide a piece of cheese or lunch meat in the living room. He would say, “Go Hunt” and I would let her go. Off she would run downstairs to find the cheese. He would hide it under a rug, a chair, on the bookcase, any place he could think of.
During this pandemic, the market for puppies and rescues has been astounding. With so many people at home and trying to survive an incredibly difficult time, many of us have reached out to bring a dog or puppy into our lives. I brought a small litter into the world in mid September and found myself completely immersed into raising them, nurturing them, and with very serious intent, putting them into homes where I knew they would thrive. This week, they all went to their new homes.
Pain? What does that have to do with dog training? Plenty. First, dogs are by nature very stoic. They will not tell you when they are in pain so many of us miss this critical element in dog behavior. Why? Because when a dog shows pain it makes them vulnerable to other dogs and it risks potential attack by another dog seeking higher status.
“He’s Friendly!” or, “He’s only a puppy!” is the common chant among those who do not seem to recognize that their dog is about to offend another dog. When a dog or puppy runs up to another dog quickly, then jumping on the other dog, he is an obnoxious greeter without greeting manners. Those chants are excuses for lack of training. Even a young puppy can learn to greet other dogs nicely.
Mother Nature has provided all animals with the necessary tools to learn how to survive, and thrive. She uses her environment and gives elders the ability to give baby wildlife important information for their growth and ultimately survival of the species. At first, the mother and or father provide food for their young, from birds to bears, squirrels to skunks.
When I was a kid, it was extremely rare to see homes with more than one dog. In fact, we were the only people in the neighborhood to have a dog! Now, it is common place to have at least two dogs if not more. I have been living with multiple dogs for 25 years. We learn a lot about dog behavior if we keep our eyes open and look through a dog’s eyes instead of our human eyes.
Recently, I was working with a young puppy in town. We were practicing friendly greetings with people with no jumping. Along came two HUGE male dogs at least twice the size of the puppy. They were off leash but with electronic collars so I assume the owner of the two huge dogs felt he had control of them. The two huge dogs surrounded the puppy, sniffing and putting their heads over the pup’s shoulder.
I have a very strong opinion about dogs that mouth people, even if it is in play or because of youth. Imagine yourself visiting my house. You come in and my 95-pound BIG German Shepherd, Brinx decides to put his mouth on your arm! Most people would absolutely be terrified!
It is almost uncommon to find dog households with only one dog. When I grew up, no one had more than one dog. The love, indeed, has become a delight for so many of us! I know for me that when I lose one, I am so grateful to have another one at home to soothe my broken heart.
Many people still question whether dogs learn from each other or not. Over and Over, I have seen dogs learn both good and bad from other dogs. About 7 years ago, I had puppy here for training as a service dog. His name was Rainier. Rainier came here from Washington with his breeder, Sharon.
AFTER AN EXTENDED MEDICAL LEAVE, I WILL BE RETURNING TO WORK MARCH 1st!
