That Darn Dog

OK, no one believes how smart my dog Jesse is, well today it was raining (Jesse is not a big fan of rain)... Anyway he went to the door as usual for his morning walk, I said, "It's raining". He tilted his head to one side and perked up his ears as if he needed to hear it one more time. I pointed to the window and said, "Go look, it's raining"...and just as pretty-as-you-please he walked straight over to the window ( a 15 ft walk mind you), stuck his nose to the curtains and wiggled his head between them. He turned to me and I swear if that dog could talk he would've said; "Damm it's raining cats and uh...yeah it's raining cats out there!"

Jesse James

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Petey Versus the Vacuum Cleaner

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The vacuum sweeper can be an enemy to some dogs. In the beginning this may seem cute or funny to the dog’s owner, but not long after, becomes an annoying habit. Recently my boyfriend adopted a rescue dog from the local Animal Welfare League. Petey is about nine months old and he is a wonderful dog. He has no idea that he is a Stafford-Shire Bull Terrier, aka, Pitt Bull. He loves his new family and his new best friend, Jesse, a nine year old lab mix. Jesse is my dog that I raised from a pup, whereas Petey more or less belongs to my boyfriend Dave, with whom I share a home. Dave adopted Petey while we were temporarily separated, but we got back together about two weeks after the adoption.  Shortly thereafter, we began to see all the typical puppy behaviors; chewing up shoes and furniture. He has destroyed countless shoes (only mine), two throw rugs, a leather recliner and the list goes on. 

The first time I ran the vacuum after my return, I was informed by Dave that Petey has to be put outside otherwise he will attack the sweeper. “Well, we have to teach him not to do that”, I said. Dave actually laughed at that notion and said, “Trust me, it’s easier to just put him outside”. 

Being the somewhat unorthodox dog owner that I am, one who treats their dog as a human thought that was unacceptable thinking. From my experience with dog rearing, I realize that dogs are smarter than people give them credit for. They actually have an amazing capability to learn when given the exposure. Why merely teach your dog one word commands, when they can learn to understand entire sentences? Why constantly untangle his leach from the tree, when he can learn the concept for himself? (Before we installed the fence around our yard, Jesse was skilled at that task). The possibilities are endless when you have faith in your dog. Patience and being consistent are vitally important and the results are well worth it. If you behave negatively by being frustrated or annoyed your dog will sense it and in turn, react nervously. Just like a child without their teacher’s patience and faith, they won’t learn anything.

So today I ran the sweeper with Petey in the house. He rushed the vacuum with the intent to destroy it. Before he had a chance to pounce, I put up my hand and said, “No” and I kept my hand up, making sure Petey was aware of it. If Petey lunged, I repeated the word no. I pushed and pulled the machine slowly across the floor while distracting his attention from the vacuum by telling him he is a good boy for keeping his distance. He responded to the praise and I continued cleaning the floor. After just a few moments of this, Petey jumped up on the couch and lied down. He kept his eye on that vacuum, but was aware that I was there to defend the machine instead of needing to be rescued from it. I then turned off the sweeper and approached Petey with petting and words of praise. I believe that a one or two more lessons and Petey will make his peace with the vacuum cleaner. 

 

I have read countless online articles regarding pet training and dog behaviors. Some content makes perfect sense while others do not apply to my dogs. It is obvious to me that dogs are individuals. Like people they are products of their environment with issues all their own. My advice is to take a real interest in them and learn what makes them who they are. Connecting with your dog and gaining his trust will take the owner/ pet relationship to a whole new level. Just know that there is more to them than fetching sticks, begging for treats and obeying commands. I believe that dogs, like humans have evolved and are soulful creatures, just like the rest of us.