CHOICE--BIG WORD OF THE DAY.... anxious to please you without the subservient factor
WE start with very new puppies the try and handle them as little as possible maybe giving them a shove from the rear to get their nose on a ****** on the first day but after that we have a rule around here you don't pick up a puppy---- if they want to climb in your lap that's fine but you must not pick them up and put them there except under extreme situations---- which I can't think of any at the moment ---well one when we finally picked them up and put them individually at a dish of food when they first are learning to drink out of a bowl ---yes that's picking them up--- but you don't pick him up just because you want to pick up a puppy
********* because if you have to use your muscles to control the dog then technically the dog wants to do something besides what you want it to do*******
this may be very complicated but what you really want to do in the Super dog training world is to convince the dog that they really want to do whatever it was you wanted to do in the first place ..
let's have a go at the typical obedience trained dog--- heel sit stay down come--- certainly knowing those commands makes for a much better dog then one that doesn't know any of them -----but as I've said many times if I tell a service dog to lie down and he stands and looks at me he's basically saying "do you really want me to lay down which I will do but I would prefer to stand up I won't go anywhere I'll stay in right here but the floor is cold or wet or smelly and I would prefer to stand "-----all that conversation goes on with the dog ---but WITH the obedience trained dog it's a question of “shut up and lie down” .I think you'd call it dominance ..how many people when they hear that we have a service dog and the service dogs are well trained stick their finger in front of the dog and say sit . an obedience trained dog would sit----- my dogs look at the person like they're out of their mind "why would I want to sit there there doesn't seem to be a particular reason to" and Furthermore if they sit at all the person holding on to their harness may fall down.... so generic sitting is not encouraged ---- when they don't sit the person with the finger sticking out will often say "I thought you said he was trained". which I find extremely insulting . however. I have a fairly sane and sober friend who after 50 years of dog ownership was thrilled to show me she could stand with a cookie and say "sit" and the dog would. .. Having them come with their called is certainly a critical thing but there are times when you will still get the same comment from the dog “do you want me to come now “ IN WHICH case you say "yes get over HERE..”
it is very impressive to see a German Shepherd dogs snap to attention and trot very obediently along at your side but you can't live with that kind of stuff for 24 hours a day so that to be a service dog and be on duty when you need to be you have to be able to relax and be anxious to please you without the subservient factor . I have seen so many obedience trainers -----I use that word loosely----too closely resemble a drill Sergeant .. as opposed to a dog who's basically on duty 24 hours a day then responding just a little bit slower more comfortably so they last a little longer
then there's the topic of calling people a trainer ...you can buy a sign--- put it up that says trainer but the only way I would judge a trainer is if they have a well behaved dog and a happy dog .---- .in this town I see an awful lot of unhappy dogs getting dragged around on a 6 foot leash--- I don't think Ipswich has a dog park ---they have great forests which is wonderful if you can turn your dog loose and they're well behaved enough to come back and not chase the deer ---but there is no fenced in dog park that I know of .. I know the town of Beverly has one that everybody loves it's set up for small dogs and big dogs to relax and run the fact that they put it in a very obscur place sort of behind some used car broken down car parts lot right by the airport is upsetting because dog owners pay taxes too ---- and now that the country is finally deciding the dogs do an awful lot for an awful lot of people, it seems to me any town that has a leash law ought to have a fenced in dog park with nice chairs little bit of Flowers or something dress it up so thatt you're not throwing these dogs in the back of some junkyard ---- these are part of the families and they deserve much more respect and they deserve to be able to make a few choices of their own and not being totally dependent on the collar around his neck
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So what I'm now trying to do at 10:00 o'clock this morning every day since it got warm enough is to be in the yard at 10:00 o'clock anybody wants to come and learn about service dog trading or my other capability in life which is making monkey fists I'm happy to sit out there at 10:00 o'clock drink coffee and talk about either one but I do think there's an awful lot of people in Ipswich which first of all don't know what a train dog is or how to get him there and I'm happy to share whatever I know or don't know and Lord knows that a lot of THE DON’T KNOW PART.
that picture of bentley trotting down the road..... illustrates an educated dog-- i am totally comfortable with his being on the road-- no leash or collar ---- it was taken without my being there.. by 2 people i gave him to for the week of breeding reese.... who volunteer here regularly but i never took them aside and taught them bentley's commands.... he doesn't have any.. but i knew if they just talked to him, he woudl figure out what they wanted.... and... by the picture.. he was doin' fine.
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got to give a plud to DOYLE PLUMBING. SUPER NICE --BEAUTIFUL JOB- complicated job ---well done.. no confusion..
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