Learning to Live Among Humans

With each new puppy comes the need to tailor and adjust the CCI-approved training methods to meet and adapt to the qualities of the dog. When I got my second CCI pup, everyone told me he would be different than the first and not to compare them. I KNEW he would be different, but it didn't occur to me that I would have to be different. I had to stop and realize that each one learns at a different rate and is motivated by a different inducement. I had to change my training methods to correspond with the intelligence and temperament of the new puppy.

The first few months of the pup's life, puppy raisers spend a lot of time teaching basic house manners, things like where and when to toilet, what and what not to chew, acceptable greeting conduct and how to stay quietly in a crate. To successfully do this, a puppy raiser has to recognize what positive rewards really motivate the dog to perform. Some dogs go nuts over squeaky toys, for some verbal praise and a pat on the head is all that's needed, for most (but not all) a small food treat will do the trick. The key is to gauge how much of what kind and when.

The ideal is a pup who minds and complies because he likes to train and wants to please. So it is with Sergi. It is such a joy to work with him and see the constantly wagging tail. He is my first pup to show so early on an enthusiasm for learning new things and a desire to do more. Although he has not graduated from Kindergarten yet, he has been learning and performing several of the commands that are not taught until the next class, Basic. He seems to grasp the concepts quickly and follows the lure/treat easily. Within 10 minutes of practicing, he can usually execute the motions with little or no assistance. (Of course, this is in the quiet of my living room with no distractions.)

We attended the annual Volunteer Appreciation Day at CCI at the beginning of February. It's always such a fun day with a chili cook-off, games and prizes for people and for dogs. This year, one of the games was "Musical Down" in which everyone walks around in a circle and the last dog down when the music stops is eliminated until only one dog is left. Sergi won his age division!! It's always a delight when a puppy is able to concentrate enough to obey a command in the middle of a room filled with dozens of people and dogs, noise, talking, laughter and smells. Of course in my somewhat skewed opinion, Sergi was magnificent.

The exciting part is not just the quick learning ability that he seems to be blessed with, but the joy he demonstrates that just seems to be a part of who he intrinsically is. Sergi loves working. His ears are up, his tail is wagging and there is a prance in his step. It may be that because he is so bright he is happiest when his mind is occupied and he is busy. He needs and loves a challenge and it is my struggle to continue to provide one.

But, of course, busy brains also get bored easily. Which brings us back to house manners.

Sergi is the most destructive pup I've raised yet. Soft toys, dog beds, crate liners and chew bones that have lasted through four other dogs have turned into shredded pieces of unrecognizable atomic particles. Several large stuffed animals that my other pups have slept with and cuddled with, Sergi has torn to pieces and eviscerated. He is the first dog I've ever had to drag his dog bed around the house, shaking it senseless, trying to kill it. When given one of the so-called "indestructible" dog toys, he will work on it to the exclusion of all else until he has found its weakness and has got at least some of it frayed to the point it has to be thrown away.

I always have to return to the puzzle of determining what is the positive reinforcement that will trigger Sergi's actions to conform with the behavior required to live peacefully and happily as a well-adjusted member of a human household. Whether he chooses to become a beloved pet or an assistance partner as his destiny, clearly his desire to work and keep his mind occupied will influence his future.