| Just when I think I've got my dog Tuxcitto in control he | | | | that I've had some good success with is to |
| gives me a demonstration that this well may be a life | | | | demonstrate a certain result that he doesn't like when |
| long pursuit. Tuxcitto is a Border Collie that has an | | | | he fails to follow my commands. |
| uncanny learning capability. Not from my dog training | | | | So I started with showing him the door, then telling him |
| skills but from observation. He watches everything that | | | | no. Tuxcitto understands no, so I believe he understood |
| goes on around him. | | | | that the door was not something he was to go near in |
| And you never know when he's going to add one and | | | | the future. But that doesn't always work when I'm not |
| one to get two. Tuxcitto excels in obedience training | | | | present to reinforce the command. |
| when in sight or when his master is around. All I have | | | | So I then locked the door and both Tuxcitto and I went |
| to do is show him what I want him to do and then | | | | back to the other part of the house. I don't know if he |
| repeat it for a few days and he nails it after that. His | | | | went back and tried to open the door that day but I |
| ability to learn has always been obvious from the first | | | | believe he might have knowing his nature. A few days |
| day we brought him home. | | | | went by and I decided to test his memory. |
| But he also learns on his own. We have a good-sized | | | | I work out of a home office so the dogs and the cats |
| front and back yard. And both dogs (I have an older | | | | generally follow me around all day. If I'm in the office |
| female dog named Spoofy) know that they can do | | | | they usually come in and lay down near me. If I go to |
| anything they want as long as it's in our yard. We live | | | | the kitchen, or anywhere else, they follow me. So I set |
| in a small community and have lots of neighbors with | | | | up the test by going back into the back bedroom and |
| dogs. From time to time one of them comes over for | | | | unlocking the door and going out into the back yard. |
| a visit. | | | | I came back in and did not lock the sliding glass door. I |
| No problem there except the temptation for our dogs | | | | then went back to my office, with all in tow. So now I |
| to go run with the visiting dogs is too much to handle | | | | keep a close eye on Tuxcitto to see if he would make |
| sometimes. Since most neighbors are dog owners this | | | | his move. I've made the mistake before of under |
| is not a problem. Except that my dogs are supposed | | | | estimating his intelligence and I'm not going there again. |
| to stay in my yard. That's the rule. But we all know | | | | Sure enough, after a little while he got up and looked at |
| rules are made to be broken. | | | | me, and I ignored him, and he sauntered off. As soon |
| So one day a friend's dog comes over to play and | | | | as he went down the back hall I knew where he was |
| Tuxcitto follows him back to his yard. I happen to see | | | | going. I quickly slipped out another door and went to |
| this and go out and call Tuxcitto to come home. | | | | stand out of sight but close to the outside of the back |
| Tuxcitto comes back and everything is fine. I look back | | | | bedroom sliding door. |
| out a few minutes later and no Tuxcitto. So this time I | | | | I heard him start trying to slide the door back and |
| call him home and bring him into the house. | | | | walked up close enough to be in direct sight when he |
| If he can't follow the rules, inside he goes. I go about | | | | came out the door. As soon as the door opened I said |
| my daily tasks and forget about it. Some time later I | | | | his name and then told him no in a very stern manner. |
| glance out the window and to my surprise, there's | | | | He froze, caught in the act. I came in through the door |
| Tuxcitto out in the front yard. And along with him are | | | | and told him no again and sent him to his couch. When |
| our two inside cats. Both these cats stay inside since | | | | he does something he's not supposed to he gets sent |
| they are both scared of their own shadows. | | | | to his couch, which is leather I might add so it's not too |
| After a quick look around, I see that the back bedroom | | | | harsh a punishment. |
| sliding glass door is open. Great, Tuxcitto has learned | | | | We went through this ritual about 3 more times before |
| how to open the sliding glass door. This is not a good | | | | he figured out that it was a trap. I don't care if he |
| thing since we have several around our house. And | | | | doesn't open the door because I told him no or |
| although it's no big deal for Tuxcitto to get out, the cats | | | | because he thinks I'm waiting outside to catch him. |
| are a whole different issue. So I close the sliding glass | | | | Either way he understands that you don't go open that |
| door and go round up the animals and bring them | | | | sliding glass door. |
| inside. | | | | From time to time I do catch him looking or even |
| Knowing that Tuxcitto will gladly give another | | | | walking up to the sliding glass door but he doesn't try |
| demonstration of his new trick, I walk out another door | | | | to open it. The crazy thing about this whole deal is he |
| to the backyard and wait. Within minutes I see him use | | | | can go outside anytime he wants. All he needs to do is |
| his paws on the end of the door and pull it open. It took | | | | go sit by the front door. I let the dogs out many times |
| him about 5 seconds. Did I mention that he all ready | | | | each day, whenever they want. |
| knows how to open doors with doorknobs? He | | | | Now if I could just get Tuxcitto to resist the temptation |
| learned that trick in his second week at the house. | | | | to go out of the yard I would be overjoyed. But I know |
| Now I have a challenge in that it's much easier to | | | | that that may be too much for his personality to handle |
| teach Tuxcitto how to do something rather than teach | | | | so I cut him some slack. After all we all have our |
| him not to do something. So now I had to figure out a | | | | weak spots and his are few. |
| way to teach Tuxcitto not to open the door. One way | | | | |