Frustration or fun time?
I often tell people in class that this is my goal – I just want someone, sometime, to tell me to go to the corner, lay down and stay there and yet. No one ever does! Its always ‘do this, fetch that, go to work, come home, work some more!’
Now, our dogs seem……..not so interested in the idea. Sometimes our puppies do not wish to lay down at all it seems. Our big assertive dogs think its way too much a sign of submission to lay down in front of all the other puppies.
I assure their owners ‘that’s okay – sometimes, they don’t have to want to. They just have to.’ which, as an aside, seems to be a totally new concept especially to some who are new parents to four or two legged little ones.
Our teeny tinies sometimes have an issue with down – “I’m so far down here already!”
And sometimes there is so much going on in the class for them to focus. Sometimes it takes a little extra time, and putting on your patience panties!
My last little Havanese in class was told repeatedly by his mommy “you won’t learn down!”
It always makes me laugh at how excited puppy parents get when proven wrong. Just takes more tries than twice sometimes. Often. But that’s okay – what else are you doing??
There are several methods to do down – one is the lure. Sit first, treat to nose, bring it straight down, and then hopefully puppy will follow it straight down. I think this one is about the easiest. For most dogs most of the time.
However!
I laugh at the books who say Easy Peasy! For some dogs – its Not the way that will work.
Then there is the make puppy crawl under (Knee, stool) method, and they down to crawl to the treat – there you go.
There is the ‘make them think’ click method. “HOW do I get that treat/click?? This, this? AHH! Down!”
Sometimes! The key to down for a dog that simply refuses, is to out stubborn them – and by that I mean – refuse to get upset about it. Stop before you get frustrated. Take a deep breath and try again Later. Patience IS a virtue!
I tell people in class that ‘down’ is a skill they will learn. If they learn it in thirty seconds, or in small sessions that end up taking a couple hours, they will still have the skill for the rest of their lives.
And That is the goal.
Quick quick
It is almost 5 am and I’ve been up cooking for about 2 hours now. Today is my Thanksgiving – and I’ve much to be thankful for!
But right now I’ve got to get back to cooking – so here is your Customer of the Week story:
I am paged by a manager and one of the support staff in the store ‘This lady needs help!’ Understatement – but I digress…
The lady was leaning on her cart and repeating over and over “Big bites! Big Bites!” In an increasingly higher volume and upset tone.
I say “you want something called big bites for your dog?” You always have to ask – people come over to my training center while I’m teaching class to tell me their fish died….
So she nods “Big bites!”
I ask Is it a treat?
She nods yes – and adds (yay she can speak) “It comes in a bag.”
Okay – a biscuit? I ask.
She nods and repeats Big Bites! as I lead her to the treats….start pointing out bags and Good Bites and….”NO NO NO – BIG BITES!!! For MY DOG!”
She measures with her fingers and adds, naturally, “My Dog really likes It!”
Fast forward through Several q & a sessions and FINALLY I say “Follow Me!” and we go to the food aisle and I point out a bag –
YES!!!!!!!!
Purina Little Bites Dog Food.
Naturally.
Sometimes I amaze myself…..
Too Old??
One of the most questions I get asked the most is ‘is my dog too old to learn???’. Generally I find out the dog they are asking about is between two and six years old.
Most of the dogs in my beginner class are in that age bracket, for a couple of reasons. One, by then, the owners have figured out ‘he’s NOT going to outgrow that on his own and I have NO clue what to do about it.’
The other thing, that is the age many dogs are turned over to a shelter or re homed. They didn’t outgrow whatever behavior drove old family insane and instead of dealing with it, they decided dog was fungible.
When people get a shelter dog, that hasn’t been to a foster home, I always tell them, ‘if they told you he was housebroken, they are lying. He probably doesn’t walk nicely on the leash, and doesn’t come when he’s called either.’ Those three are the top reasons dogs are turned into shelters, not because people ‘move’ and leave their dogs, not because of aggression. But because they pee in the house, drag their owners, charge out the door, jump on people. Behaviors that can be fixed with some focus and attention.
I signed up a blind in one eye, can barely see out of the other, ten year old miniature poodle for a beginner class. Mommy wants dog to have fun, learn new tricks, have a great rest of its life. I will do all I can to help with that. I’ve had a thirteen year old beagle, an eleven year old Brussels Griffon, a nine year old Golden go through my classes. Just like people, older dogs can learn.
Even things like Not peeing in your house.
Just give them a chance to prove it.
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