The Power of Choice

[Atticus]

I watched the video Karen, fun because I'm on day 5 of clicker training Atticus to go in a air plane travel bag. Soooo fun. I just love watching him think,and he's quite smart so it goes pretty quickly. He just gets so excited when I get that bag and clicker out. I wish I knew how to post video or had someone else here to film because it is really such an excellent example of how choice works. I have basically said nothing beyond yes!

[krandall]

Originally Posted by Suzi

I like the food tray bucket! I can see using something like that on a walk and just keep reaching and treating so much eaiser than going into my pocket

That's what "bait bags" are for! You can get them at most pet stores, and they either attach to your belt, or have their own belt to go around your waist. It also saves you from putting the best REALLY SMELLY stuff in your pockets, and then wondering what you smell like when you go into the grocery store!

Originally Posted by Suzi

Okay so if you were with a litter of puppy's could you use this petting technique to help pick out a dog that would maybe be more into someone petting and touching? Do you think it starts that young?

There is a LOT to temperament testing puppies, and much of it depends on testing them at the right time, as well as knowing the right techniques AND how to interpret the animal's actions. As I said, very few puppies want to cuddle all the time, and this is especially true of puppies. They will all have their wild times where the are just too busy to deal with you, and they will, unless they are WAY outside the range of normal for Havanese puppies, have their sweet, quiet, cuddly times too.

Hopefully Tom King will see this and can add more about temperament testing. I've watched it be done twice, once with Kodi's litter and once when another breeder brought a litter for Pam to test while we were visiting. But the Kings know a LOT more about the ins and outs of temperament testing than I do.

Originally Posted by Suzi

Maddie always comes back for more . Sometimes Zoe seems to want to be close and touched but not with strangers. Maybe my technique of having a stranger put their hand out and try to pet her isn't a good idea. I usually pick her up and bring her more to the persons level and ask them to let her sniff and then pet. Maybe just a sniff is better.

Watch the "choice" video again. This gives her no choice in greeting strangers at all. There is really no reason to expect that every dog has to enjoy and get excited about strangers.

I expect Kodi to be polite, as in not approach someone barking. (this can be a problem for us with men wearing hats in the winter time) I expect him to come back to me and sit quietly until the person passes. I would NEVER insist that he allow that "scary" person to touch him. Usually, if the person WANTS to meet him, if I ask them to crouch down and take their hat off, Kodi will very quickly move forward and make friends (especially if I've slipped the person a Charlee Bear or two )

By holding Zoey and MAKING her accept the advances of strangers, you are taking away her choice, reinforcing her fear and increasing her feeling that she needs to defend herself. In a worst case scenario, this can lead to a bite.

[krandall]

Originally Posted by sandypaws

I'm watching, too, and taking it all in for the future. Hopefully this old brain will
co-operate and be able to recall it when the time is right.

Mary, that's why I've started using Pinterest! It's a great way to organize interesting things you find on the internet so that you can find them again later!!!

[krandall]

Originally Posted by Atticus

I watched the video Karen, fun because I'm on day 5 of clicker training Atticus to go in a air plane travel bag. Soooo fun. I just love watching him think,and he's quite smart so it goes pretty quickly. He just gets so excited when I get that bag and clicker out. I wish I knew how to post video or had someone else here to film because it is really such an excellent example of how choice works. I have basically said nothing beyond yes!

Jody, you can just upload the videos to YouTube (step-by-step directions on the site, and they'll even "deshake" it for you!) Then you just put the link in your post here!

[atsilvers27]

Enjoyed the videos. The licking is definitely an appeasement gesture even if the dog licks you. I see it all the time for nail trims. Some of the less experienced girls think the dogs like them because they are "kissing" them but I let them know that's not what it means. Also how tail wagging isn't that a dog is "happy". It's interesting how much can be read from a dog's facial expression and body position. Dogs can pick up on our every subtle mood yet we struggle to understand them!

[davetgabby]

Originally Posted by atsilvers27

Enjoyed the videos. The licking is definitely an appeasement gesture even if the dog licks you. I see it all the time for nail trims. Some of the less experienced girls think the dogs like them because they are "kissing" them but I let them know that's not what it means. Also how tail wagging isn't that a dog is "happy". It's interesting how much can be read from a dog's facial expression and body position. Dogs can pick up on our every subtle mood yet we struggle to understand them!

yeah I agree with the appeasement licking. But some tail wagging indicates a happy excited to meet you type. It important to notice that different breeds carry their tails differently. Being a groomer you will notice this even more. But generally a loose rear end with a wide moving sweep is indicitive of a friendly dog. When trying to read dogs, it's important to look at more than one body part to get a true sense of how they feel. Here is a post of mine from before on tail wagging http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthr...tail+amplitude

[Momo means Peach]

You are not alone! For the petting video - Momo, when she wants to be petted, usually jumps on the couch next to me and stares. If that doesn't work, she uses her paw to capture my attention. I know she doesn't like to be petted on her head and more often than not, rears back. However, Ume usually rolls onto his back whenever you approach. He loves the chest and belly rubs and doesn't rear back when petting anywhere. He's an attention hound and can't get enough.