As a professional dog trainer that specializes in positive training for show dogs, some of my happiest moments are when I convince owners to show their own dogs. I understand the purpose of dog shows and I understand that people want to win, but it is possible to have success in the show ring showing your own dog.
To be clear, I am not against people using professional handlers and I am certainly not against good professional handlers. The criteria with which I determine whether or not a professional handler is "good" is a subject for another blog, but I do think that there are plenty of good handlers out there who treat the dogs and their clients with kindness and respect. This isn't about whether or not to use a professional handler. This is about people who enjoy training and competing with their dogs and want to handle their own dogs.
I work with a lot of clients who have show dogs that they would like to show themselves. Many of them really enjoy training their own show dogs and feel like they would like to try actually doing the showing as well. What makes me sad is that many of these people have their confidence crushed by other people who believe that the dog has a better chance of winning if someone else handles him. This may be the case, but for some people, they are okay with that and would prefer to take their time doing the training, showing the dog, learning the ropes and finishing their own dog. For some people, it isn't about finishing the dog quickly and just getting it over with. Some people actually want to learn to show a dog, specifically their own dog and the only way that they are going to get more confidence and skill is by doing it. Being rushed at ringside and told everything that they did wrong and how they blew it for their dog does usually not build confidence, but breaks it down.
So, if you are a show dog owner with a dog that you want to show yourself, I say "go for it"! Frankly, showing a dog is not that difficult once you understand how to do it and if you have trained and competed in obedience or agility, you sure as heck can learn to exhibit a dog in the show ring. Do handlers have an edge? Yes, they do this for a living and many are very skilled at it but they all started out not knowing how to do it either. This is one of the only sports where amateurs compete against professionals and you won't always win, but I can tell you that sometimes you will. I finished my first show dog owner handled all the way. Did it take longer? Yes, I am sure it did, but I did it! There is really nothing like finishing a dog owner handled. If this is what you want to do, do it!
If you are a breeder, co-owner, handler or just a friend of someone who wants to show their own dog, support them and encourage them, but don't put them down and don't tell them, they can't. Remember, we were all there at one time.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
My Blog My Way
I haven't written here for a while. I think the reason is that I was starting to feel frustrated with people who are not positive reinforcement trainers reading my blog and then getting mad at me for putting down the use of positive punishment, aversives and painful equipment. Well, this blog is about my thoughts and opinions on training show dogs and that includes the promotion of positive reinforcement training and non-aversive, dog friendly equipment. There are plenty of other websites, blogs and trainers who recommend and discuss the use of aversives, but that isn't what I am about so it's not what my blog is about. If you want to read about positive training for show dogs, you came to the right place!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Training Venom
I haven't blogged for a little while. After bringing home Venom, our new Dachshund puppy, I have been kind of busy! However, since part of what I have been busy with is his show ring training, I figured I might as well share it. Since Venom came home 6 weeks ago, I have bee working on quite a bit with him. I practice scent work (tracking) with him, I have started him on K9 Nose Work box work, we have started working on sit, down, name recognition and come here and I have been working on stack training and gait training.
The stacking is going really well. I have been experimenting and using my Staxrite table to work on his stacking. The Staxrite table is a little table that has sliding wood strips so that you can adjust it to the length of the dog. It raises the dog off the base but only by a few inches. This is the first time I have used it from puppyhood to train a dog and so far I am really liking it. Tools like the Staxrite or the Happy Legs can be really helpful, unfortunately, I have seen so many people abuse them and practically use them as torture devices. I once saw a miniature wirehair Dachshund at a show who was put on a set of Happy Legs on a grooming table with a leash tightly attached to a grooming arm for over an hour. This is obviously not humane and not how they should be used. We don't want to cause fatigue and pain, we just want them to learn to hold the stack for a short time. I will stack Venom on there, ask him to wait and then feed treats as I praise him. He is probably on there for 20 seconds at the most, then we take a break. Of course, I also practice stacking without the Staxrite.
His gaiting practice is going really well. We usually practice on the driveway in front of our house. On a show lead I begin to walk him slowly and click and treat him for not hopping or skipping. He gets reinforced every time he makes the right choice. It is important at this age and in the early stages of training that he gets reinforced often so that he can learn exactly what the behavior is that I want. At this stage, I am very happy with how he is doing on this. And, he is just so darn cute...
The stacking is going really well. I have been experimenting and using my Staxrite table to work on his stacking. The Staxrite table is a little table that has sliding wood strips so that you can adjust it to the length of the dog. It raises the dog off the base but only by a few inches. This is the first time I have used it from puppyhood to train a dog and so far I am really liking it. Tools like the Staxrite or the Happy Legs can be really helpful, unfortunately, I have seen so many people abuse them and practically use them as torture devices. I once saw a miniature wirehair Dachshund at a show who was put on a set of Happy Legs on a grooming table with a leash tightly attached to a grooming arm for over an hour. This is obviously not humane and not how they should be used. We don't want to cause fatigue and pain, we just want them to learn to hold the stack for a short time. I will stack Venom on there, ask him to wait and then feed treats as I praise him. He is probably on there for 20 seconds at the most, then we take a break. Of course, I also practice stacking without the Staxrite.
His gaiting practice is going really well. We usually practice on the driveway in front of our house. On a show lead I begin to walk him slowly and click and treat him for not hopping or skipping. He gets reinforced every time he makes the right choice. It is important at this age and in the early stages of training that he gets reinforced often so that he can learn exactly what the behavior is that I want. At this stage, I am very happy with how he is doing on this. And, he is just so darn cute...
Monday, June 6, 2011
Being smart about those first dog shows
By now, you have figured out that I am all about making sure that dog shows are fun for dogs. It's only fair that if we are going to ask our dogs to participate in a sport with us, that we make sure that they enjoy it. Not only is it the only ethical way to approach it, it's also the only realistic way to approach it. If a dog is not having fun, he is generally not going to be competitive. So, whether you are starting out a new puppy or an adult that is new to the show scene, it is critical that you go about it the right way or you risk ruining dog shows for your dog forever, or at least for a long time.
Dogs, like other animals, can experience "single event learning" which means that some experiences, particularly very frightening ones can have a lasting effect. If your dog goes to a dog show and has a very frightening experience or a very stressful or upsetting one, he may associate dog shows with bad things. If we want our dogs to win at dog shows we have to make sure that they have fun at them and that they enjoy showing. We want all their dog show experiences, especially their early ones to be fun and rewarding. It is really critical that your dog doesn't experience any really scary experiences at his or her first few dog shows. It is doubly important if you are working with a puppy under a year old or a very sensitive dog.
Since the first and most important thing to do is to make sure that your dog has fun at dog shows it is up to you to set it up to ensure that this happens. Bring high value treats and toys to dog shows. Realize that the first few times to a dog show can be very overwhelming so it's important that you are prepared to set your dog up to have fun and enjoy himself. Bringing toys and treats will help him to associate dog shows with fun things.
Consider going to some shows just to hang out with your dog without entering. A lot of people have a difficult time with this and figure that it's a waste of time to go without entering. Not true! It's actually a really good idea to take your dog to a show or two without entering so that he gets used to the sights and sounds that he will be exposed to at a dog shows. Unless you have practiced in a LOT of different environments with a variety of different distractions you have no idea how your dog will react and how well he will be able to perform at a dog show, unless you attend a couple first to see how he does. Dog shows are fun for people but they can be extremely overwhelming to some dogs. Dogs that are easily aroused or shy or timid really need to be desensitized to the dog show environment before being expected to perform reliably at one.
This next recommendation is a really important one and one that a lot of people take very lightly, unfortunately. I recommend that a new show dogs first shows are one day gigs. I would never ever start a puppy at a two day show and I would certainly never take a new show dog or a young show dog to a three or four day cluster. Even with a very well trained and experienced show dog, three or four days is a lot. I have seen many very stable dogs that seem to enjoy dog shows get really burned out on the third or fourth day of a long show weekend. It takes a lot for a dog to work up to being able to cope with that, and in my opinion it's simply not fair to expect that from young or inexperienced dogs. So, start them out nice and easy with just one day. If you do enter a four day cluster I recommend you pull the dog if you start to see signs of stress or fatigue.
Finally, please make sure that your dog is ready to attend a dog show before entering him. I can't tell you how many people contact me a week or two before a three or four day dog show because they entered their untrained, unprepared dog and now they are panicked because the show is in a couple of weeks and their dog is not ready. It is unethical in my opinion to enter a dog in a show when they are not prepared for the show ring. Even a stable dog will experience some stress at a dog show, especially their first shows, but if you also have a dog is not trained and has no idea what to do or what is expected and it's a recipe for disaster. It's simply not fair to the dog and a great way to teach your dog to dislike dog shows because they view them as overwhelming events where they are confused and don't know what to expect.
So, take your time, plan well and be smart. There will always be another dog show, so if your dog is not ready don't enter yet. If you do enter, take your time to ease your dog in so that they can slowly and honestly get used to the dog show scene so that they learn to love dog shows!
Dogs, like other animals, can experience "single event learning" which means that some experiences, particularly very frightening ones can have a lasting effect. If your dog goes to a dog show and has a very frightening experience or a very stressful or upsetting one, he may associate dog shows with bad things. If we want our dogs to win at dog shows we have to make sure that they have fun at them and that they enjoy showing. We want all their dog show experiences, especially their early ones to be fun and rewarding. It is really critical that your dog doesn't experience any really scary experiences at his or her first few dog shows. It is doubly important if you are working with a puppy under a year old or a very sensitive dog.
Since the first and most important thing to do is to make sure that your dog has fun at dog shows it is up to you to set it up to ensure that this happens. Bring high value treats and toys to dog shows. Realize that the first few times to a dog show can be very overwhelming so it's important that you are prepared to set your dog up to have fun and enjoy himself. Bringing toys and treats will help him to associate dog shows with fun things.
Consider going to some shows just to hang out with your dog without entering. A lot of people have a difficult time with this and figure that it's a waste of time to go without entering. Not true! It's actually a really good idea to take your dog to a show or two without entering so that he gets used to the sights and sounds that he will be exposed to at a dog shows. Unless you have practiced in a LOT of different environments with a variety of different distractions you have no idea how your dog will react and how well he will be able to perform at a dog show, unless you attend a couple first to see how he does. Dog shows are fun for people but they can be extremely overwhelming to some dogs. Dogs that are easily aroused or shy or timid really need to be desensitized to the dog show environment before being expected to perform reliably at one.
This next recommendation is a really important one and one that a lot of people take very lightly, unfortunately. I recommend that a new show dogs first shows are one day gigs. I would never ever start a puppy at a two day show and I would certainly never take a new show dog or a young show dog to a three or four day cluster. Even with a very well trained and experienced show dog, three or four days is a lot. I have seen many very stable dogs that seem to enjoy dog shows get really burned out on the third or fourth day of a long show weekend. It takes a lot for a dog to work up to being able to cope with that, and in my opinion it's simply not fair to expect that from young or inexperienced dogs. So, start them out nice and easy with just one day. If you do enter a four day cluster I recommend you pull the dog if you start to see signs of stress or fatigue.
Finally, please make sure that your dog is ready to attend a dog show before entering him. I can't tell you how many people contact me a week or two before a three or four day dog show because they entered their untrained, unprepared dog and now they are panicked because the show is in a couple of weeks and their dog is not ready. It is unethical in my opinion to enter a dog in a show when they are not prepared for the show ring. Even a stable dog will experience some stress at a dog show, especially their first shows, but if you also have a dog is not trained and has no idea what to do or what is expected and it's a recipe for disaster. It's simply not fair to the dog and a great way to teach your dog to dislike dog shows because they view them as overwhelming events where they are confused and don't know what to expect.
So, take your time, plan well and be smart. There will always be another dog show, so if your dog is not ready don't enter yet. If you do enter, take your time to ease your dog in so that they can slowly and honestly get used to the dog show scene so that they learn to love dog shows!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Choosing Venom
Choosing Venom
We are now just a couple of weeks away from bringing home our new puppy, whose name will be Venom. As I have mentioned in this blog, this puppy is a great great grandson to my old dog Ivy who will turn 14 years old next month. We are very excited about this puppy as it is the first standard smooth puppy we have had in about 8 years.
We have a lot in store for Venom. The plan is that he is going to be Rick's new field trial dog which is why we are doing so much early scentwork with this litter. But, we have other plans for him as well. I am going to show him in the breed ring and plan to finish a championship on him. I will also probably do K9 Nosework (scent detection dog sport) with him. On top of all that, he will be living in our house with 9 other dogs. So, there is a lot we need to look at here.
Temperament to me is the number one priority. I want a pretty dog and I want a dog that can hunt, but most of all I want to live with a nice dog. To be honest, I will take emotionally stable over "pretty" any day. I feel strongly about this and frustrated because I feel that a lot of breeders put structural conformation over temperament a lot. I see it all the time, dogs that are placed or kept as show dogs because they look nice but have unstable temperaments. I am not saying that these dogs can't become great companions only that they shouldn't be put into the show ring and used in our breeding programs.
So, in a few weeks I will have to decide which puppy will be coming home with us. I am pretty sure I have made up my mind, but I am staying open. Generally, I would pick the best structured puppy for the show ring. This time, I will choose the puppy that will make the best pet and field dog for us. I am 100% willing to compromise on conformation in order to get the right temperament for what we plan to do with him. Both of the males are very nice and I am sure both will finish easily, but they are slightly different in type and I may end up taking the one that is less the type I prefer in order to get the right companion for us and to ensure that both puppies end up in the best homes for them. I think it important to keep in mind that both of these puppies have a right to go into the homes that are best matched for them and who they are and what they will be best at whether that is competing in the field with us or going to soccer games with some great family. This piece is huge and it matters greatly to us and to Sue.
I am excited for the day to come when we bring Venom home and I can't believe it's only a couple of weeks away.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Does being a positive reinforcement trainer equal closed mindedness?
On a recent discussion of this blog, someone commented that I am "closed minded" because of my posts and commitment to positive reinforcement training. This took me by surprise as I have always considered myself to be a very open minded person. And, because going from traditional training methods to positive reinforcement training took such a huge amount of open mindedness, not to mention hard work. If you talked to my friend Colleen, who was the first person to really start encouraging me to research and explore positive reinforcement methods, after years of successfully training with punishment I am sure she would agree. I was resistant because it was foreign and different and learning more about it would require a huge amount of change and hard work on my part. On the other hand, I had not felt good about the methods I was using for a while. More than anything else, I think that part of what was so difficult was that it forced me to recognize that what I had been doing was not the best thing or the kindest thing for my animals or my client's animals. I was put in a position of having to take a long, hard look at what I had been doing to them in the name of training. It was painful and difficult, but I forced myself and I believe that my dogs and I are better off because of it.
So, the question is, does the fact that I use and recommend positive reinforcement methods mean that I am close minded? Does the fact that I don't use or recommend compulsion methods mean that I am close minded? Honestly, I don't think so. How can I be considered close minded to something I have already done? I have "been there and done that" as they say. I cannot, in good conscience, say "just do whatever works" if I believe in my heart of hearts that it is not good for the animal. I believe with complete conviction that many of the methods that people use on dogs in the name of training are painful, scary and intimidating to the dogs. I believe that many dogs (and other animals) are treated with a huge amount of disrespect and that animals deserve to be treated and trained with compassion and respect. I believe that some of the equipment people use on dogs in the name of training are much more aversive and uncomfortable than they realize. I have seen it, I have caused it, I have watched others cause it and now I try to spread the word that there is another way. Is this wrong? Does this mean I am closed minded? I don't think so, but at least one person believes I am. I wonder why that is.
I believe that part of it is the definition of positive reinforcement in general. Some people believe that they are positive reinforcement trainers because they use food some of the time. It's true, that when they reinforce behaviors with food they are positively reinforcing the dog, but if they are also using aversive equipment and positive punishment, can they really be considered a positive reinforcement trainer? Not in my mind. People will sometimes argue that what they are doing isn't "hurting" their animal, but if the animal's body language indicates that they are frightened or in pain or uncomfortable, I am going to believe the animal. Many of the pieces of equipment that are used were designed to cause discomfort or pain to stop behavior. This is why they "work" to stop a behavior. In my eyes, the only way a technique or piece of equipment "works" is if the behavior is changed without pain or intimidation. I feel that part of being a good teacher is respecting the comfort level of the learner. I believe if my learner (human and non human animals) cannot understand than it is my responsibility as the teacher to change MY behavior in order to the help the learner understand. If I can't figure something out, I am not going to turn to punishment or aversives, I am going to go back to the drawing board and figure out how I can change or build this behavior while still respecting the animal. Why in the heck should the animal pay for my lack of skill as a trainer?
Something that many people don't understand is that positive reinforcement training isn't permissive. Positive reinforcement training doesn't mean that there are no consequences, it simply means that the consequences I choose to use are not painful, scary or intimidating. My animals are taught rules, boundaries and are trained to respond to the cues I teach, but I don't turn to methods or equipment that I feel is aversive. It's really that simple. Punishment (corrections, aversive collars, force) only suppresses behavior, they never, ever build behavior. Punishment, by definition causes a behavior to go down in frequency. Punishment never builds behavior or teaches anyone to do something. So, if what you want to do is build behavior, why wouldn't you use positive reinforcement? It is so much easier to simply teach the behaviors you want, rather than punish out everything you don't want. There will always be more behaviors you don't want, it would take forever to get rid of everything you don't like, so just focus on what you want and train that! It's simple really, but I digress...
Like so many other crossover trainers, I have learned for myself, from using both traditional based methods and positive reinforcement that positive reinforcement training is less risky, more enjoyable and more reliable than traditional methods. I have been accused of (and have seen other positive reinforcement trainers) accused of being closed minded because they feel strongly that positive reinforcement training is the way to go. I don't understand why being committed to training dogs using methods that protect them and their relationships with their owners can be considered negative. When I see an animal being handled in a way that I feel is inhumane, being jerked with a choke collar on for example, it causes my blood to boil. It is painful and upsetting for me to see. It does not feel good to be upset, I wish I could change it, but I can't. It is my emotional response to what I am seeing. My passion comes from my journey which started there. My commitment is to the animals, if that aggravates people, well, I guess, so be it.
So, for the record, I am not close minded to new ideas, in fact, I absolutely love learning a new method or technique. I attend lectures, seminars, workshops and classes from other trainers regularly. I meet with other trainers in my area monthly to discuss and exchange ideas. I am completely and wholeheartedly open to other ideas, as long as they are in the best interest of the animals. I am only closed minded to techniques or ideas that I feel cause distress, pain, fear or intimidation to the animals I am working with.
So, the question is, does the fact that I use and recommend positive reinforcement methods mean that I am close minded? Does the fact that I don't use or recommend compulsion methods mean that I am close minded? Honestly, I don't think so. How can I be considered close minded to something I have already done? I have "been there and done that" as they say. I cannot, in good conscience, say "just do whatever works" if I believe in my heart of hearts that it is not good for the animal. I believe with complete conviction that many of the methods that people use on dogs in the name of training are painful, scary and intimidating to the dogs. I believe that many dogs (and other animals) are treated with a huge amount of disrespect and that animals deserve to be treated and trained with compassion and respect. I believe that some of the equipment people use on dogs in the name of training are much more aversive and uncomfortable than they realize. I have seen it, I have caused it, I have watched others cause it and now I try to spread the word that there is another way. Is this wrong? Does this mean I am closed minded? I don't think so, but at least one person believes I am. I wonder why that is.
I believe that part of it is the definition of positive reinforcement in general. Some people believe that they are positive reinforcement trainers because they use food some of the time. It's true, that when they reinforce behaviors with food they are positively reinforcing the dog, but if they are also using aversive equipment and positive punishment, can they really be considered a positive reinforcement trainer? Not in my mind. People will sometimes argue that what they are doing isn't "hurting" their animal, but if the animal's body language indicates that they are frightened or in pain or uncomfortable, I am going to believe the animal. Many of the pieces of equipment that are used were designed to cause discomfort or pain to stop behavior. This is why they "work" to stop a behavior. In my eyes, the only way a technique or piece of equipment "works" is if the behavior is changed without pain or intimidation. I feel that part of being a good teacher is respecting the comfort level of the learner. I believe if my learner (human and non human animals) cannot understand than it is my responsibility as the teacher to change MY behavior in order to the help the learner understand. If I can't figure something out, I am not going to turn to punishment or aversives, I am going to go back to the drawing board and figure out how I can change or build this behavior while still respecting the animal. Why in the heck should the animal pay for my lack of skill as a trainer?
Something that many people don't understand is that positive reinforcement training isn't permissive. Positive reinforcement training doesn't mean that there are no consequences, it simply means that the consequences I choose to use are not painful, scary or intimidating. My animals are taught rules, boundaries and are trained to respond to the cues I teach, but I don't turn to methods or equipment that I feel is aversive. It's really that simple. Punishment (corrections, aversive collars, force) only suppresses behavior, they never, ever build behavior. Punishment, by definition causes a behavior to go down in frequency. Punishment never builds behavior or teaches anyone to do something. So, if what you want to do is build behavior, why wouldn't you use positive reinforcement? It is so much easier to simply teach the behaviors you want, rather than punish out everything you don't want. There will always be more behaviors you don't want, it would take forever to get rid of everything you don't like, so just focus on what you want and train that! It's simple really, but I digress...
Like so many other crossover trainers, I have learned for myself, from using both traditional based methods and positive reinforcement that positive reinforcement training is less risky, more enjoyable and more reliable than traditional methods. I have been accused of (and have seen other positive reinforcement trainers) accused of being closed minded because they feel strongly that positive reinforcement training is the way to go. I don't understand why being committed to training dogs using methods that protect them and their relationships with their owners can be considered negative. When I see an animal being handled in a way that I feel is inhumane, being jerked with a choke collar on for example, it causes my blood to boil. It is painful and upsetting for me to see. It does not feel good to be upset, I wish I could change it, but I can't. It is my emotional response to what I am seeing. My passion comes from my journey which started there. My commitment is to the animals, if that aggravates people, well, I guess, so be it.
So, for the record, I am not close minded to new ideas, in fact, I absolutely love learning a new method or technique. I attend lectures, seminars, workshops and classes from other trainers regularly. I meet with other trainers in my area monthly to discuss and exchange ideas. I am completely and wholeheartedly open to other ideas, as long as they are in the best interest of the animals. I am only closed minded to techniques or ideas that I feel cause distress, pain, fear or intimidation to the animals I am working with.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Uh oh, my dog looks guilty!
The other day my cattle dog Bill ate a cupcake off of the counter. He licked the icing off another one. My husband found the crumbs of the first cupcake and the frosting missing off of the other and said, "Oh man, someone ate a cupcake off the counter. Hey, they licked the frosting off of this one!" There are only two dogs big enough to do this but I was pretty sure which dog it was. I didn't say anything but looked for Bill and found him lying down behind the couch looking very "guilty". He looked the exact same way he looks when my husband raises his voice because his football team is losing, when something he is working on around the house isn't going his way and when he is losing at his video game. Do you see where this is going? Bill didn't feel "guilty" because he ate a cupcake, in fact, he didn't realize Rick was vocalizing about cupcakes, he responds that way anytime Rick is upset about anything. Bill is very close and attached to Rick and freakishly in tune with Rick's emotions. He is so sensitive to Rick's tone of voice in fact, that every time Rick raises his voice he slinks away regardless of what Rick is talking about or who Rick is talking to. In fact, Rick has taken to saying, "It's okay Bill, it's not you" nearly every time he raises his voice to stop Bill from worrying.
People are always saying that their dogs feel "guilty". They say this because this is how they perceive their dog's body language, usually just after they have found something that the dog has done that they don't like. What they don't understand is that the dog is not responding this way because he feels "guilt" or "remorse" over something he has done, in fact, the dog usually has not clue that he did something "wrong". The dog is simply responding to the owner's tone of voice and body language. If a person comes home from work, finds poop in the house, then has an anger meltdown because they have to clean it up, the dog will begin to look worried and afraid when the owner comes home. It isn't because of what he did, it is because of his past experiences of his owner coming home and then getting angry. By the way, a dog can find our reactions punishing regardless of how benign they may seem. To some very sensitive dogs, something has subtle as a heavy sigh or look of disgust can be punishing to the dog. It is so interesting to me how people are can be completely resistant to the fact that dogs have emotions (which they do) or they believe that they have emotions and because they do, they must be exactly like human emotions (which they aren't).
Dogs repeat behaviors that are reinforcing. They also live in the moment. I had a very hard time resisting those cupcakes, even though I had already eaten one! Bill saw them on the counter and wanted one, so he took one. I believe he saw it, wanted it, took it, ate it and then it was over. He probably forgot about the cupcake the moment he was finished eating it (even though there was still frosting on his lip when I found him behind the couch!). When Rick started to complain that a cupcake was eaten, Bill heard his tone and got worried like he always does. There was no cupcake-guilt about it. By the way, we didn't care too much that he ate a cupcake and Bill didn't get in "trouble" for it, we just felt stupid for leaving the cupcake container open on the edge of the counter. STUPID!
There has been a video circulating on the internet of a "guilty dog". The owner comes to the dog with a ripped bag of cat treats and says to the dog "Did you do this? Did you rip open these cat treats?". The dogs starts to do a series of appeasement behaviors including pinning his ears back, yawning, lip licking, squinting his eyes, and finally offering a full, submissive grin with all of his teeth showing. People watch it and laugh and say that the dog is guilty, but the dog is not feeling "guilty" the dog is simply responding to the owner's tone of voice. It's sad to watch actually if you know what is going on. If you tested it (which I don't recommend you do since it's stressful to your dog) you would see that your dog will respond the same way if your tone and body language worries him.
The take away message here is "please don't assume your dog is feeling guilty", he is likely just responding to you. Oh, and remember to put the lid back on the cupcake container before leaving it on the counter!
People are always saying that their dogs feel "guilty". They say this because this is how they perceive their dog's body language, usually just after they have found something that the dog has done that they don't like. What they don't understand is that the dog is not responding this way because he feels "guilt" or "remorse" over something he has done, in fact, the dog usually has not clue that he did something "wrong". The dog is simply responding to the owner's tone of voice and body language. If a person comes home from work, finds poop in the house, then has an anger meltdown because they have to clean it up, the dog will begin to look worried and afraid when the owner comes home. It isn't because of what he did, it is because of his past experiences of his owner coming home and then getting angry. By the way, a dog can find our reactions punishing regardless of how benign they may seem. To some very sensitive dogs, something has subtle as a heavy sigh or look of disgust can be punishing to the dog. It is so interesting to me how people are can be completely resistant to the fact that dogs have emotions (which they do) or they believe that they have emotions and because they do, they must be exactly like human emotions (which they aren't).
Dogs repeat behaviors that are reinforcing. They also live in the moment. I had a very hard time resisting those cupcakes, even though I had already eaten one! Bill saw them on the counter and wanted one, so he took one. I believe he saw it, wanted it, took it, ate it and then it was over. He probably forgot about the cupcake the moment he was finished eating it (even though there was still frosting on his lip when I found him behind the couch!). When Rick started to complain that a cupcake was eaten, Bill heard his tone and got worried like he always does. There was no cupcake-guilt about it. By the way, we didn't care too much that he ate a cupcake and Bill didn't get in "trouble" for it, we just felt stupid for leaving the cupcake container open on the edge of the counter. STUPID!
There has been a video circulating on the internet of a "guilty dog". The owner comes to the dog with a ripped bag of cat treats and says to the dog "Did you do this? Did you rip open these cat treats?". The dogs starts to do a series of appeasement behaviors including pinning his ears back, yawning, lip licking, squinting his eyes, and finally offering a full, submissive grin with all of his teeth showing. People watch it and laugh and say that the dog is guilty, but the dog is not feeling "guilty" the dog is simply responding to the owner's tone of voice. It's sad to watch actually if you know what is going on. If you tested it (which I don't recommend you do since it's stressful to your dog) you would see that your dog will respond the same way if your tone and body language worries him.
The take away message here is "please don't assume your dog is feeling guilty", he is likely just responding to you. Oh, and remember to put the lid back on the cupcake container before leaving it on the counter!
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