Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Why the dog didn't fetch the shoe - Gooddogz Training tip #1

This is a reenactment Beck is showing you all where I was sitting when I came up with the brilliant idea to ask him to fetch my sneakers.  Sure I could have just reached for them.   Beck has a very good understanding of fetch, bring and deliver to hand. I had never asked him to fetch shoes before.
 "Beck fetch the shoe".




Beck did not fetch the shoe after much asking and pointing, so I picked it up and tried to give it to him.
So I asked him a few more times and the answer was still the same. "NO".
Beck is a very biddable dog when it comes to work, and after all he did want to go out, so he offered up another option that he hoped would get him out the door.




Quoting my daughter.  "The dog has standards. He didn't want to put your stinky feet in his mouth, and he knows where your shoes have been."





This has been a public service for  all dogs from Beck.  The message here is simple.  Sometimes there is a very good reason your dog doesn't want to do what you ask them.  So ask yourself, what can I change to better communicate with my dog and is what I am asking fair.   When I showed Beck that he could fetch laces, and not put his mouth on stinky feet or poop residue he was fine with it. 

Honor the dog.



We have joined the Blog the Change hop.  This is my contribution for dogs.