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GREEN EGGS & HAM and DOG TRAINING?
by Suzanne Clothier
For most dog owners, Dr. Seuss's classic tale Green
Eggs & Ham seems an odd place to look for inspiration. But as a
Greek mathematician soaking in his tub found out centuries ago, inspiration can
be found in the most unlikely places.
Trying to make it perfectly clear that he absolutely hates
green eggs and ham, Sam I Am's friend describes where and how he still
would refuse to taste this dish:
- in a house
- with a
mouse
- in a box
- with a fox
- with a goat
- on a boat
and so on. . .
Looked at from a slightly different viewpoint, Green
Eggs & Ham might also be an accurate reflection of how many dogs view
responding to a command. Here's a little spoof on what a dog might say:
I do not
always heed commands
My dear but often silly man
I might not sit if near a goat
How could I lay down on a boat?
Perhaps I'd lay down in the house
But not if I have seen a mouse
Don't tell me "heel" when I've smelled fox
Or found the biscuits in the box
I'd find it odd to hear words said
If you were standing on your head
And wonder if "stay" means "do come here"
If you said it to me from a chair
I cannot always just obey
Whatever silly words you say
'Cause if I'm staring at the cat
I will not hear you - that is that!
It is easy to forget that we, just like our dogs, are
creatures of habit. And while this is sometimes a good and helpful thing,
it can also backfire - especially in a training situation. If we are using
our bodies and/or voices in certain habitual ways while giving a command, the
dog may depend upon ALL of those clues, even if we are not aware of them.
One simple and fun approach to improve your dog's response
to your commands - no matter what's going on around him! - is to borrow
ideas from Green Eggs & Ham. Ask your dog to sit here and there
or everywhere! While you’re in a
chair, while you do your hair, at the store or on the shore. For each skill your dog has, try to find new and interesting ways and
places for him to practice. Be
patient – this may be news to him! Step
back as needed to helping and rewarding, and take note of how much your dog may
be leaning on in the cues you’ve provided unawares.
Very
often, when we think a dog “knows” something, we forget that this knowledge
may be very contextual – he only knows it at home or in familiar settings, or
when you’re standing in a certain way. Take
the time to lay down on some grass, stare up at the clouds, and put your dog
through his paces. It’s an eye
opener to realize how patterned we are – and thus how patterned our dogs can
become. |
FROM BARN FIRE
to BARN OF JOY: St. Patrick's Day 2004, our barn burned to the ground,
taking with it our beloved
pig Charlotte, turkey Mabel, cats Dudley & Jessie and many chickens and turkeys
did not escape. ( Please
click here for details.) The incredible outpouring of support from
all directions has humbled and staggered us - we are truly blessed. The
new barn that stands now is the barn that love built, and includes a room for
seminars & training so that the love that made this possible can be passed along
for years to come. Thank you for
your support & patience during this difficult time. - Suzanne & John