C H A P T E R 2 WE''RE ONLY HUMAN "Dogs are, after all, man''s best friend. The least we can do is try to understand them a little better." --Nicholas Dodman Were dogs fluent in English, the first thing they would do is assure us that they''re positive what they''re doing is okay. In fact, they could cite chapter and verse on how their behaviors are approved by their owners. Every dog inherits a set of personality traits from its parents. Genetics determine things like herding instincts, energy levels, drive, and function. A lapdog''s function is to sit idly in its owner''s lap and look pretty. Naturally, its energy and aggression levels are pretty low, and it will never attempt to rustle up cattle or herd sheep.
Retrievers used for waterfowl hunting must exhibit a Zenlike calmness because the hunting is done in small boats in winter conditions. Many hunting breeds, such as retrievers, poodles, and cocker spaniels have what''s known as a "soft mouth," referring to their ability to pick up, hold, and gently carry quarry. It is almost impossible to teach this behavior to a dog without the inborn ability, and although I''m not a proponent of hunting, it is an impressive skill set. Terriers, on the other hand, are expected to shake rodents and snakes in order to kill them quickly and efficiently, so a soft mouth in this breed would be a very rare exception and a problematic one. Breeding has gone a long way to make certain characteristics predictable. Once we set aside these characteristics, each dog still has a unique personality paw print. Distinct from the business of nature and nurture, dogs have leanings, preferences, and moods that are expressed in an entirely individual manner. It is imperative that we know some of our dog''s special ways and put them to good use.
Were dogs fluent in English, the first thing they would do is assure us that they''re positive what they''re doing is okay. In fact, they could cite chapter and verse on how their behaviors are approved by their owners. We domesticated dogs, and nowadays, their value lies primarily in companionship. They are no longer on the periphery of our villages, waiting to feast upon scraps. We''ve pulled them closer and closer and expect them to socialize and integrate flawlessly in our changing world. They''ve done a pretty remarkable job, and yet we stretch them to the point where anthropomorphizing is actually trendy. They wear raincoats as if nature forgot to consider rainfall in their evolution; they sit in handbags wearing sweaters at cafés; they accompany us to work on occasion and are expected to be polite to our guests at home. The reality is that dogs are not plug-and-play little people with four legs.
They''re dogs, which means they have minds that don''t work like ours. BY ANY OTHER NAME, IT''S A DOG Training allows us to connect to our dogs and give them a sense of purpose. Along the way, we can get these loyalists to do just about anything we want, as quickly as they can hijack an owner''s life with their hijinks. Babies cry and dogs bark. And chew. And eat things that make us yak. They chase, sniff, bite, dig, pull, lunge, bury bones, hide food, and pee on things the way graffiti artists "tag" walls with spray paint. The good news is that dogs are far more reasonable, team-spirited, and adaptable than humans.
Dogs come equipped with a set of sensory skills that would make the X-Men jealous, a neural net formidable enough to know my landlord is coming to collect the rent long before he knocks on my door and an incomparable facility to take cues from us with their eyes. A study published in the February 2004 Journal of Comparative Psychology found that dogs are much better than apes at understanding humans'' cues to find hidden food. They are remarkable animals, but they''re not perfect. Breeding and experience can render some dogs more aggressive, irritable, fearful, and antisocial than intended. Still, if a dog is reasonably well trained and properly socialized, it is always capable of fitting in. Training allows us to connect to our dogs and give them a sense of purpose. Along the way, we can get these loyalists to do just about anything we want, as quickly as they can hijack an owner''s life with their hijinks. SPEAKING DOG We''ve all seen someone who is "good with dogs.
" Everything looks easy and goes smoothly. So what''s that all about? It''s the power of observation. Dealing with dogs may seem intuitive for some people simply because but they''ve learned to keep a keen eye on the animal. Most people are too inundated with their own concerns to do this, and we''ve got the troubled kids of the two- and four-legged variety to prove it. A woman whose dog I trained was overfeeding and under exercising her schnauzer. She told me she did so because she wanted the dog to like her. She had concluded that her dog was ornery and malcontent because it didn''t want to go outside and needed to be fed more. Oy vey.
I immediately knew who really didn''t like going outside. After some reflection, she came to the realization that the dog''s despondence, short temper, and bratty behavior began around the same time she started curtailing his time outside. After she admitted she had been spending too much time at work, we agreed to find her a dog walker. With some gentle nudging, she also became more proactive in taking her dog out. A month later she conceded that not only was her schnauzer in better spirits, her mood and general outlook improved. What did it? The simple act of taking her dog out for walks. Too many dog owners are missing out on a great thing. UNDER THE HOOD Some people insist their dog never listens; I can assure you that dogs pick up on everything.
Even dogs that appear to have ADD can readily respond to commands. Similarly, the best-behaved dog can look right through you and not budge when implored to come. Dogs recognize the half-heartedness of a limp "Rover, stay" and will respond in kind by not listening. While they know exactly when we mean business and when we''re preoccupied, it''s a rare owner who can read his dog the same way. Dogs have adapted so well to domestication that I can''t blame people for humanizing them. That said, a walk around the block for a dog is anything but a Sunday stroll. A dog can detect contraband in a backpack a block away, know what your buddy ate for lunch, pinpoint a rat''s location in a nearby sewer using ultrasonic hearing, spot a mosquito''s movement as it beelines into a pile of leaves across the street, and then tell you what time those leaves fell. For an encore, it can do this in near darkness while making you feel like you''re the only thing on the earth that matters.
It''s got more sensory input being thrown at it than we can imagine and a processor that puts the latest Intel chips to shame. A dog''s senses hit the ground running at full speed even when pulled out of a dead sleep. Dogs are master observers and will pick up on nearly imperceptible shifts in our mood before they even happen. They know far more than we realize. THE DOG PROBLEM Despite the robustness of a dog's wiring, owners and trainers tend to profile a dog''s problem as a hiccup caused by inherent limitations. They do not consider the dog itself--how it picked up the problem, where it may have gotten the wrong message, etc. When a problematic habit or behavior is spotted, the fix is too often a mechanical off-the-shelf solution. Considerations for a dog''s personality and motivations are discarded.
Indeed, when an off-the-shelf solution is effective, it is usually nothing more than an effort to either bribe or intimidate the dog out of doing something it thought was okay. In both of these scenarios, the dog''s personality is being shaped in a less than desirable direction, because the symptom is not the problem. In due course, your best friend will find an equivalent behavior that will ultimately lead you to a new trainer, book, or technique. POWER OF THE PERSONALITY Boredom is an enemy for both dogs and kids. Ask a bored kid what the problem is, and you will get the following answer: "I don''t know what to do" or "I don''t have anything to do." Dogs tell us the same thing with their actions. What exactly do I mean when I say "profiling the problem but not the dog"? I once worked with a dog named Maya--she was a feisty Lab with a mischievous soul and a strong body and spirit. I was the third trainer to come along.
Maya obviously had been to school; she understood her commands, and yet no one was able to get her to follow instructions with any real consistency. By the time I got there, Maya was still stuck on "stay." Her owner, Rachel, had been on the wrong side of dog ownership for months. Maya was entering adolescence as part Velcro Dog (sticking to Rachel, mainly) and part China Shop Bull. The moment Rachel stopped moving, Maya would be right on her. To make sure I understood, Rachel put Maya on her dog bed, told her to stay, walked away, and sat on the floor. Before Rachel had the chance to settle in, Maya was all over her. Maya appeared to be trying to meld eyeballs with her in an effort to conjoin their heads permanently.
It was funny, but not for Rachel. Two other trainers had taken two entirely different approaches. The first went straight into performing drills and proofing what he taught her. Proofing is a method of testing and improving a dog''s handle on a command by changing variables--distance, environment, instructor, anything that makes a prompt or command different and usually more challenging. Maya''s ability to learn once you had her coop.