You Can Learn A Lot From A Dog

In July of this year, my wife and I adopted puppy from one of the local pet adoption agencies. At the time, it had been something that we had planned on doing since we got married, but for a variety of reasons never pulled the trigger on. Sammie was four months old when we adopted him, and I can truly say that he has changed our lives for the better. We found ourselves getting into a more consistent routine because of him. And I for one need routine!

We have both had a lot of experience with dogs in our lives. My family had a dog from the time I was in elementary school and my wife's family had a dog ever since she could remember. BUT, there were some things in each case which we would change were we given the chance. Like chewing on furniture, scratching at doors when the need arises to go out, eating clothing, etc. As I joked with my brother, "One well-trained, well-behaved dog is all I'm looking for!"

As with most things that my wife and I have learned to do in the last few years, we researched a lot of dog training "stuff." The adoption agency got us started by providing us with some materials regarding housebreaking, feeding, crate-training, etc. And, strange as it may seem, we started watching "The Dog Whisperer" whenever we could catch it. (By the way, if you want to learn about dog behavior, START HERE!) We bought books on training your dog to do tricks and a big and very thorough book from the ASPCA on the basics of dog ownership. And the learning continues. . .

It seems to me that much of dog training can be boiled down into a few "guidelines." This is by no means an exhaustive list, but more of a list of a few pointers that have certainly set us on the right road.

Consistency

This seems to have been, by far, the most important component in training Sammie. We try to follow a fairly rigorous daily routine of get up, go potty, eat, rest, play/exercise, rest, repeat(!) And, with the exception of resting during the day, each of those individual items involve consistency as well. When he goes out to use the bathroom, it is for that reason only. We really try to limit the wandering around. When eating, he sits before he is fed and doesn't jump around like a nut. (Luckily, he was already doing this when we adopted him.) Suffice it to say, EVERYTHING we do has a purpose, and it is ALWAYS the same. Going for a walk is always done with the purpose of exercising, not wandering aimlessly and smelling everything that strikes his fancy. Of course between my wife and I, there are some differences, and we are still ironing out some of those differences. But the goal is to have the exactly the same procedure each time so that he knows exactly what is expected of him.

Clarity/Directness

Every time we give Sammie a command, it is in the same tone of voice - it is one word - it is often accompanied by a hand gesture. When it works, EVERYONE is happy - people and doggie. He is learning quickly that obeying these commands is how he gets what he is looking for, be it food, getting ready to walk or playing catch. And of course, clarity and consistency go hand-in-hand.

Discipline

This seems to be something many people are every willing to hand out regarding almost any little problem that arises with their dog. In the four months that we have had Sammie, I don't think we have ever disciplined him for doing something that we didn't want him to. Granted, he isn't one of those dogs who chews on random pieces of clothing, furniture, a random object left on the floor. On the odd chance that he does something "out-of-bounds" all we do is give quick, stern "no" with eye contact and go about our business. Sometimes, if he isn't paying attention, we poke him on the side of the neck to "wake him up". On the whole, we have found that fear is generally a bad motivator for dogs. Not to mention the fact that, over time, it breeds mistrust.

Praise

Of course, everybody likes to be to be praised. With Sammie, we try to use it somewhat sparingly, reserving it for tasks/tricks that have recently been learned. At first, it is admittedly over the top - lots of "Good boy!" in that motherese voice, petting, hugging, maybe a treat if that's part of the deal. But as those tasks become more automatic, the praise settles into a simple pat on the head. Praise, we have found, is vitally important, but should be used judiciously.


As I recently drove home from yet another teaching interview, I began to think long and hard about my previous teaching position as a long-term substitute. Nothing like a drive down US-20 to clear the head! Although I was praised for for my knowledge of the subject, abilities, professionalism, and the like, I distinctly remember the principal saying to me, after I left, "I will certainly give you a positive recommendation, but if they ask about any reservations that I would have, I would have to tell them that you need to work on your classroom management."

hmmmmm. . . . . . .

Time for something that I know I can do well - reflection!

I began to think about all of those classroom management lessons in my education classes. How are you going to handle discipline? What kind of policies will you set as "rules" in your classroom? What kinds of procedures will you use to run your classes smoothly and efficiently?

And on . . . and on . . .

Now what was I doing wrong?

Everything! Regardless of the reasons, only some of which may be valid, I had a scant amount of procedure, I wasn't very consistent, I didn't always stick to rules that I may or may not have instituted, I wasn't always clear in my directions. . .

Needless to say, I could have done a lot better! Back to the drawing board. . .

Consistency of procedures. Clarity of direction. Discipline. Praise.

Thanks, Sammie. You have no idea how much you're helping me!