Flying Poodles

Reading About Dogs…

I am reading a book called Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Free-Thinking Dog by Ted Kerasote. I’ll be honest, these days I’d rather read about dogs than about many other things (my bedside reading piles include one pile for dog books, one pile for knitting books, and one pile for everything else). But in any case, I am really enjoying this book. It’s written with enthusiasm and a decent sense of structure and language, and segues nicely from anecdote to science and back. (And, of course, I like the science part as much as the anecdotes.)

The author raises some interesting issues about dog training, including a question that has always intrigued me: do you want a dog to obey you without thinking, or do you want a dog that thinks for herself? (My dogs are girls.) He specifically discusses Karen Pryor and clicker training with regard to this question, and makes the case for training creativity. I like to think that I reward my dogs for creativity and problem solving as much as for the “correct answer.”

I watch a lot of agility, and the border collies certainly seem to be enjoying themselves, but it’s a question that nags at me. Do I want dogs that don’t ever ignore what I’m saying? Certainly, I’d Q (get a qualifying score) a lot more often… but I think I’d laugh a lot less. For me, I think a good laugh is as good as a Q any day.

Today, as the girls were finishing their post-walk meal (I don’t usually feed them until we’ve had our daily walk), Dancer still had a bit in her bowl, and Elly was done. Elly ran to the front door and started barking. When Dancer joined her–”What is it, Elly? The mail carrier? The UPS guy? Can I help chase him away?”–Elly ran back and finished the food in Dancer’s bowl before Dancer had figured out there was nothing there.