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Current blog look inspired by and dedicated to Chance, Blaze, Fiona and Zappa who all kicked ass against cancer and liver disease.

Brut Quote

Brut Quote

Monday, March 4, 2013

Self teaching dogs?

Now just do as I tell you Zappa!

So do you have dogs that do this?  Fiona and Zappa are the only two that have figured out how to practice their own training AND get extra treats.  

So lets say Fiona goes over to the door to bark at Blaze from behind the door, I catch her and tell her "leave it," she turns, gives me eye contact and walks away from door towards me.  Click and a treat.  Then she turns around and goes back to the door, so that I have to tell her "leave it" again.  And we run through the same scenario   This also happens when there is food I want her to leave alone. 

 Shhh...just play innocent!

And I don't know if Zappa figured it out before Fiona or learned from watching Fiona, but he will do the exact same thing.  And they are the only two that do that.  When I have treats out, the rest of the dogs won't walk away to get another one, they sit right there without moving.  Now who's the smarter ones out the two groups?  :)     

It's comical and frustrating at the same time.  Because here I am after one "leave it" and having success, I look up and Fiona or Zappa is going back for more.  Guess I'd better work on my focus and getting their attention for a little longer.  BOL!  Yes, they are always teaching me and keeping me on my toes.  And I love them for that!


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On another note:

I'm starting to get bummed.  This was our third weekend of no dog sledding.  Just when we were starting to get in the groove!  The roads are too icy and I know March weather makes it ify to sled with all the freezing and thawing, I was just hoping with the snow and the cold it would hold off just a little longer.

So we took extra walks this weekend to make up for it.  I can tell Silver's back legs are starting to get a little stiff from not being able to sled.  But all hope is not lost, we live in Michigan and as we say "Don't like the weather?  Wait 5 minutes and it will change."

I hope we can get out just one more time...

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And on the cat blog we're asking...

How does your cat handle going to the vet?
go HERE to read and comment

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Pity no sledding for now. Paws crossed it is less icy soon. Yep they keep you on yours toes. Have a marvelous Monday.
Best wishes Molly

Anonymous said...

We have a few of those behavior chains, too. Silas is learning the same thing about barking out the window. He'll also go outside and get a rock, so that I give him a treat for giving me back the rock.

In both cases I'm considering that a few extra treats are worth the fact that the original behavior really is on the decline. The "treat barks" at the window are actually helping him have a better response when he's barking for real.

Pamela said...

Yep, Honey has tried some of that herself. She seems to know when i'm in a hurry and she'll stop walking so I give her a treat with my "let's go." An then she'll stop again.

Luckily we don't have other dogs in the house to learn that bad habit from her the way your dogs can learn from each other.

Golden Woofs! SUGAR said...

Woof! Woof! It is comical for us. I guess one disadvantage of having multiple dogs. Lots of Golden Woofs Sugar

White Dog Blog said...

We taught Siku to "trade" for treats when she was a pup. Bring a toy, get a treat. Bring a stick get a treat. No treats for dust bunnies, though. Very quickly she discovered if she dragged a large branch onto the deck but only broke off pieces at a time that she had many many more trades than if she simply went out and brought in a single stick AND she had a convenient supply right outside the dog door!

Emily said...

That cracks me up that two have figured out a loophole in the system. =)