Patience with a Good Sense of Humor

Training dogs and owners (moi) is not always easy.  The concepts are not difficult; it is the execution.  Dogs read our body language more carefully than we do theirs.  Keeping our bodies still beside the needed gesture and with good humor is tough.  I know - I am training Justus and vice verse. 

Justus has "sit" and "down" down pat - mostly when he perceives a treat (or squeeker as in the photo) literally in hand - so he has a ways to go.  He knows his leash and work collar - he is finally beginning to sit still (but not yet stay well) while I put it on.  "Stay" is a problem with us both.  I use a hand with palm out, fingers up for "down;" the theory being (and those of you who attended Sue Sternberg's session on training shelter dogs at Cape's Petfinder Adoption Options workshop will remember this) should he ever be off leash, I could raise my hand high telling him to "down" at distance.   For "stay," I want to use my hand palm out, fingers down: Justus often ignores the subtle difference and downs himself, looking for the treat.  To be fair, I'm ambiguous when I give the signal, forgetting which way my hand goes!  Sigh.  However, he does know "kennel up."

Most of the dogs here at Silverwalk learn crate manners quickly.  I feed them in their crates; it is thus a good, good place and on occasion, I will leave them while I run errands.  Crate trained dogs are safer for their adopter's home, they know of a special place to hang out and they know where they eat.  Justus doesn't buy my arguments.  He is not up for adoption so prepping him for an adopter's home - NOT; everything else, you bet.  This evening was sweet with patience and humor.

"Kennel up!" calls dogs to their crates for meals.  Almost everyone was in place but Justus at the top of the stairs as I stood by his crate in the breezeway.  "Justus, come on!"  High, perky, cheerful voice.   He stood his ground.  I stood mine - tall with lifted chin, looking him in the eyes.  He blinked.  HA.  "Kennel!" with a gesture into his crate.  Same song, second round of both standing our ground.  "Justus, kennel!" happy voice with another gesture and the "eye" again.  One is only supposed to command once (if you know the dog knows what you are talking about) - and believe me, Justus knows.  Finally, I was quiet.  And patient.  He stood, then sat with his eyes on me.  I waited...waited...waited....YESH - he came down the stairs straight into his crate.  No hysterics, I was NOT going to get him, my patience paid off.   He knows - I need to give him the time to process the command and let him execute.  Next time?  I only ask ONCE :).  Oh, yes, I told him what a GOOD boy he was, chuckling to myself.