Problem Definition: A Choice

Dogs are such great instructors.

Last night I trained Claire for a bit, and that involved a bit of happy obedience exercises interspersed with retrieves and tug games and so on.

By the end, Claire was hot — and I was inattentive.

As we walked back to the house, she made a beeline for a dirty, stagnant pool of water. I saw this coming but it was too late — water is a siren song to Claire and she was in it before I could finish “%$# Claire#$%$ here!!!”

Sigh.

There is nothing like a huge, stinky, muddy, wet dog right before bedtime.

This happens often enough that Claire knew just what to do next — she hopped right in the booster bath.

I am reminded that the definition of a problem is a choice. Further, how we define — or think about — a problem directs our feelings and the solutions we view as reasonable.

I had an initial burst of anger as Claire raced off to wallow, which I promptly recognized as a reaction to a dog not meeting MY expectations. Since I think it is not productive or reasonable to be mad at humans or animals for failing to meet our needs/expectations, I had moved beyond anger by the time Claire had finished her mud bath — and into chagrin.

WHEN will I learn to put Claire on leash between the training yard and the house?!

This is where problem definition points to solutions.

If I believe the problem is that Claire is naughty, I blame her — she is responsible for this unfortunate habit of pretending to be a giant, furry pig in the most disgusting of mud holes. That, my friends, is a cop out. Blame hands over control on a silver platter — it is a pattern of thinking that promotes negative feelings and helplessness.

My dog is NOT naughty — she is just muddy. Well, not any more since I gave her a bath.

Anyway, I view the problem as this — Claire’s ability to think/respond explodes in the presence of water, no matter how shallow or disgusting. Given that, I have come to two conclusions.

First, she must be on leash if there is water in the vicinity and I prefer she not have a Pool Party. In other words, my solution is to prevent the unfortunate behavior.

Second, water will be an excellent thing to “proof” her training. In other words, I can use water to train Claire to ignore distractions when working!! If she can ignore water, she can ignore anything.

I have already started this — at the moment, Claire is heeling well while ignoring the Pacific Ocean! Yay Claire. Yes, the Pacific Ocean is about 500 miles away but at this point in her training, that is about the distance required to keep Claire out of water.

History and Humility

This is the very first BMDCA award I ever received.

Top Novice A Obedience Dog in 1996 with Emma — my first BMDCA Award.

I have trained — and attempted to train — animals for as long as I can remember. Parakeets, dogs, goats, horses — and no, we did not live on a farm.

But I was active in 4-H and had friends who did have little farms and so aside from a baby goat who lived in my bedroom closet for a month or two, the farm-loving animals lived with friends and/or were boarded.

Alameda County Fair. The reason I so love the Pleasanton Dog Shows — it is at the same place I romped as a kid — with my kids (as in goats).

I was so excited to finally be getting a dog as an adult — one I could train and show in obedience. As I waited for Emma to be old enough to bring home, I interviewed the local dog trainers, mooned over puppy toys at the pet supply stores, studied dog food — you get the idea.

I was smitten by everything DOG.

My dream was coming true.

And then Emma arrived — and it was even more wonderful than I imagined. I got a dog — and an entire Berner community.

One thing I did when Emma was still young was drive to a dog show to watch obedience. I had never actually seen an obedience show and it seemed like a good thing to do before Emma and I started showing.

It was transformative and impacts my training even today.

I watched a Berner shown in Novice. That dog heeled slowly and sadly, as if it expected to be beaten at any moment. There was no joy, no fun, no engagement. It was painful to even watch.

I made a commitment to never show a dog that looked like that — ever.

I did that whole attitude thing right with Emma and continue to do it right with the dogs who have followed.

Attitude is everything.

When you begin training animals — or attempting to train — at a very young age, you make a lot of mistakes — I have absolutely made my share. I try not to beat myself up for the mistakes of the ill-equipped Young Me.

But a “young” trainer is not always a child — sometimes an adult is a “young” trainer in terms of experience, number of dogs trained, etc. That young trainer will also make mistakes.

There is no shame in being a “young” trainer or making mistakes — not at all. The shame is Hubris — in failing to acknowledge our relative training “youth” and the need to mature, develop, and grow in knowledge and skills.

At least children tend to know that they have more to learn before they are “expert” — well, until they are teenagers.

I wish more adults who fancy themselves as trainers of dogs and humans had the humility and openness of a child. But to do that — to have the openness of a child — takes a certain strength of character because humility can be so threatening to our sense of self.

But isn’t the reality for all of us that we are human, make mistakes, and need to learn stuff? Always and about everything?

I think so.

I am a better dog trainer than I was at ten or in 1996 when Emma got that first BMDCA award. And by staying open, humble and flexible I hope to be even better when I am 92 and receive my last BMDCA award.

First in a Regular Series: Sixty Days to a Draft Title (maybe)

Daisy and I are embarked on a journey.

Sixty Days to a Draft Title.

Ambitious and especially for a dog as novice in working events as Daisy is — but what is the worst that can happen at a draft test (barring being struck by lightening, of course)? We don’t pass — but nobody takes away our birthdays and so Big Deal.

Our (okay — my) sights are set on the Inland Northwest Bernese Mountain Dog Club’s two-day draft test in Helena on September 20 & 21. It is a fabulous test at a lovely site with wonderful, cheerful and laid back volunteers and awesome judges — and scones. Click HERE for more info on the test.

But Daisy and I have a lot of work to do to be ready.

Draft tests begin with what is basically a heeling pattern, although it is less “heeling” and more loose leash walking in the handler’s general vicinity. A recall follows before the dog is harnessed/hitched.

Can I just say that I wish they would get rid of those two things — the fake heeling and recall?! For so many reasons. But I digress.

Daisy does not know how to heel. Minor issue — that can be trained and especially because it is not exactly “heel” so it can be less than perfect. We have 54 or so more days, after all!

Recall — agility training has helped with “wait” but this exercise will also need work. However, not as one complete exercise! We will work “wait” by itself and “come” by itself 100% of the time for the next month.

How do you work them separately, you ask? Easy Peasy.

Put dog on a wait, reward for the behavior — and release. Add distance to the wait as the dog can tolerate but always return to the dog and reward — and then release. If the dog breaks the wait, you just got info that you moved too quickly for their current skill/understanding. Slow that training down, sister!

To work on “come” — toss a cookie and let the dog chase/get it, and then say “come.” Give an even better cookie when the dog comes. You can call the dog in the house, in the yard, etc. — this is an easy exercise to practice.

Training a new dog for draft is always a bit of an anxious mystery — did she get the full set of carting genes? A partial set? Or like Harper B for Be Missing Those Completely — None.

Here is Daisy pulling the training cart — her second time hitched up.

It would appear that Miss Daisy has the complete set — whew. That helps so much.

At this point Daisy’s biggest challenge is letting herself be harnessed without playing tug with the harness and/or rolling over with joy that she is being touched. Daisy feels her Feels in big and happy ways — “sedate” is not in the Dog Dictionary next to her name.

Can we do this? Is the Sixty-Days-to-a-Draft-Title doable for Daisy?

I guess we will all see. It sure will be fun to try!