Miss Daisy, Roving Reporter

I Know Dogs

Hi
Hope all is well with you and your dog.

I came across this article in: USA Today: You Can Teach An Old Dog New Tricks and found that humans and dogs can learn new behaviors. Since all dogs are above average, it should be no biggie. Even humans can learn new tricks like Robert.

They wrote: “FIGURE OUT WHAT MOTIVATES YOUR DOG. Some dogs like balls. Others are very focused on food. Most love attention.”

(Robert, my editor, loves food and attention…balls too, yes, meatballs.)

“Don’t assume that whatever works for your neighbor’s pooch will work for yours, says Victoria Wells, manager of shelter behavior and training at the ASPCA in New York City, who appears on Animal Planet’s “Animal Precinct.” You may have to try more than one approach before finding the best motivator. Once you know what will work, you can teach just about any canine or human a new behavior.”

(Robert is different because he doesn’t do what normal neighbors do. He is so vain that he over responds to compliments, attention, and food at the same time. His best motivator is all three together. Then he pets me on the head and throws me a treat.)

“BECOME THE CEO. Manage the relationship between you and your dog. The animal may need to see you as the “dog god,” particularly if you have an animal with behavior issues. King likens it to the difference between being the CEO, who is often reserved with employees, and the secretary, who is more accessible.”

(I can teach Robert to feed me just by whimpering. I raise my paw and he shakes hands with me. That’s CEO TRAINING.)

“USE “BEHAVIOR SHAPING. Break the desired outcome down into smaller steps, Wells says. If you want your dog to learn to roll over, first reinforce having the dog lie down. Next, have her lie down and roll onto her side. Finally, encourage her to roll completely over. “It can take a little longer, but this process will stick with the dog better,” Wells says.”

(I have real trouble teaching Robert in ‘Behavior Shape’ and roll over because he is too big and he just doesn’t catch on when I demonstrate. He is not a MENSA person.

Furthermore, he is so penurious with the dog food…the cheapest brand that I refuse to eat it and make him give me a balanced diet. He does. See the article on nutrition. It’s all in ‘Behavior Shaping’. Most humans, like all dogs can learn new behaviors.)

“MANAGE THE ENVIRONMENT. If squirrels running up the tree in the yard distract your dog, then don’t try training him outside, King says. Instead, find a place with few or no distractions.”

(Robert is easily distracted, not by squirrels, but by the TV, the telephone, and the doorbell. I have trained him to bypass all this by pretending to go pee and interrupting his focus. Works every time if we Manage the Environment.)

Dogs rule. Try these trick tips with your dog.

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