OT- You can teach a dog to improve its behavior, can a dog teach you the same?

[Sandy]

Certainly one can obedience train a dog and help improve his behavior and how it interacts with both dogs and humans. With proper guidance, a dog (or other pet) can become a much better adjusted animal and hence live a more harmonious life with others.

Can a dog teach a human how to better interact with both humans and dogs? I think so. Please let me give an example.

1. I adopted a dog a few weeks ago from the local rescue shelter. I charactrerize him in one sentence- "A sensitive good little boy dressed in an adult pit bull costume". That is the essence of the dog- remarkably good and sensitive. He was chained to a tree for a significant portion of his life and he sometimes fears walking in the neighborhood, especially at night. Although he is significantly improved, sometimes he regresses. Last night, he became quite fearful during a walk and sensed both my frustration and how upset I became when I realized how quickly his easy enjoyable walking had changed to fear. Visibly upset, I took him back into the house, and started to think more about the situation. He reacts to my emotions- If I am upset, frustrated, or angry and hence raise my voice too much or move about the hosue in a manner unilke what is natural for me, he reacts to those emotions in a negative manner. I realized that he is very sensitive, as is my wife, and myself and that if I am stressed, he is stressed, and my wife is stressed.

So I decided to try very hard to remain calm (normally do with him), steady, quiet, and sensitive to his (and my wife) sensitivity and needs. Anger, agitiation, loud communication, obvious stress is simply counter productive to myself my wife and my dog. He has taught me that I must stay calm, directed, quiet, and not react with anger or frustration, but with calm, tenderness, sesitivity, and love. He brought it all home and I plan to apply that to all I interact with. I remained more calm and less frustrated and he has improved already, not perfect, but I will go slowly with him and with greater confidence in the outcome.

So King, my pit bull, has taught me to be more sensitive, calm, and loving to my wife, King, and to myself too. Emotions of agitatation, frustration, and anger often cause stress not just to yourself but to all those around you, especially those that love you- like my wife and my dog.

One may say that Sandy should have know all the above, and I guess that Sandy did, but King brought it all home , very decisively. He will help make me a better person.

Thanks King.


Sandy

[capybaras]

Check out the dog whisperer. His thing about calm, assertive energy seems spot on. Glad to hear that life with your new dog is working out.


What does King do during your 70 minutes on the new Serotta?

[maunahaole]

Sandy, he may not be acting so much to your emotion, but to your adrenalin (or something else) levels. When you get agitated/angry, you will pump different hormones that leach out through you sweat. The do may be smelling that and reacting to it. He may be associating that with interactions with humans in his pre-Sandy life. No expert here, just a theory. I hope the new dog is working out well for you and your wife.

[Viper]

Behind every great man is a better dog and a prettier wife atmo.

Enjoy. :)

[brians647]

While the dog taught you a lot, give yourself a lot of credit for being able to listen and change. Whether it's with wives, dogs, or ourselves, few are able to listen, change for the better, and make it stick.

Good on ya! :beer:

[J.Greene]

What does he fear at night? Maybe he knows something. You've trusted him this far, don't stop now.

Jonathan

[jerk]

we rescued a dog from a virginia wood pile recently by way of the north east animal shelter. we have decided not to follow this advice but perhaps it would be beneficial to you:

congratulations on your new pitbull!
i have many years of experience training pitbulls; a breed reknowned for its strength, loyalty and steadfast resolve. the best method to ensure king's loyalty to you his master; is to place him for 23 hours a day in a small dimly lit cage. encourage your wife, neighborhood children and various malcontents to poke him with sharp sticks through the cage grate.
once a day come to his rescue and feed him an entire uncooked delmonico cut kobi beef steak. it will encourage him to view you as his master and he will learn to do everything you wish!
your pal,
ron mexico

[DarrenCT]

Check out the dog whisperer. His thing about calm, assertive energy seems spot on. Glad to hear that life with your new dog is working out.


What does King do during your 70 minutes on the new Serotta?

sandy, r u still riding those 70mins btw??

don't disappoint us. u promised.

[e-RICHIE]

Save The Sticky Foundation©™®

[jerk]

shiloh pre stick and kobe beef:

[roman meal]

In the first picture, the top frame is how a normal human views another human. In the bottom frame, it simulates how a normal dog views a human. They have some differences interpreting color. In the last frame, it shows how a normal human views a dog with a bone. Note that it is still a dog.

[HSG Racer]

Dogs are smart. They have successfully trained humans to pick up their poops. Do you think that we humans can train dogs to pick up our poop? No way! Dogs are too smart for that.

:D

[capybaras]

shiloh pre stick and kobe beef:

that little dog is very cute.

[Sandy]

Sandy, he may not be acting so much to your emotion, but to your adrenalin (or something else) levels. When you get agitated/angry, you will pump different hormones that leach out through you sweat. The do may be smelling that and reacting to it. He may be associating that with interactions with humans in his pre-Sandy life. No expert here, just a theory. I hope the new dog is working out well for you and your wife.

Dogs have amazing abilities which are difficult to understand. Some are trained to detect items such as drugs, bombs, and produce, as most of us know. In addition, remarkably, there are trained dogs that detect seizures well before they occur, some can detect skin cancer,at a high rate of accuracy, and have saved lives doing such, and others have been trained to detect corpses many feet below in a body of water. How the dogs do such is not fully understood (except by the dogs and they are not talking :) ).

Dogs often detect thunderstorms well before they occur and many claim that dogs react in a manner which indicates their "owner" is coming home well before the "owner" is anywhere near the home.

Sandy

PS- I am secretly teaming up with the local border collie in predicting changes in stock market prices for 1,000 selected companies. Thus far he is doing ok- 89% accuracy. When the dog reaches the expected 99% accuracy, I will set up a stock picking service and make gobs and gobs of $$$$$$$. He will get fat eating gobs and gobs of milk bone dog biscuits for his work. :) :)

[Sandy]

What does he fear at night? Maybe he knows something. You've trusted him this far, don't stop now.

Jonathan

I know a great number of people don't trust a pit bull, and I certainly understand why. This one is a gentle,sensitive, calm, affectionate, and loving dog in a one on one basis. I do trust him. I also realize that he was chained to a tree and missed, probably, proper socialization and life experiences.


Somewhat Socialized Simple Serotta Sandy

[Len J]

I know a great number of people don't trust a pit bull, and I certainly understand why. This one is a gentle,sensitive, calm, affectionate, and loving dog in a one on one basis. I do trust him. I also realize that he was chained to a tree and missed, probably, proper socialization and life experiences.


Somewhat Socialized Simple Serotta Sandy

Nice reflection Sandy....

How is Gloria and your B-I-L doing with King? Any progress?

Len

[Sandy]

Nice reflection Sandy....

How is Gloria and your B-I-L doing with King? Any progress?

Len

My B-I-L is doing much better with King. In fact so well, that I have decided that they can be alone in the house without any supervision. Gloria, unexpectedly really genuinely likes King. She looks at him and often says that he is a good dog. Recently she said " You can't get a better dog than him." Quite the statement since we had cared for a lab/retriever mix, a chihuahua, and an absolutely adorable Yorkshire Terrier in the past. All three dogs were simply wonderful and problem free.

Thanks for your kindness, insight, and help relative to King. I owe you one. So does King.


Sandy

[Sandy]

we rescued a dog from a virginia wood pile recently by way of the north east animal shelter. we have decided not to follow this advice but perhaps it would be beneficial to you:

congratulations on your new pitbull!
i have many years of experience training pitbulls; a breed reknowned for its strength, loyalty and steadfast resolve. the best method to ensure king's loyalty to you his master; is to place him for 23 hours a day in a small dimly lit cage. encourage your wife, neighborhood children and various malcontents to poke him with sharp sticks through the cage grate.
once a day come to his rescue and feed him an entire uncooked delmonico cut kobi beef steak. it will encourage him to view you as his master and he will learn to do everything you wish!
your pal,
ron mexico

Would make a lot more sense to feed him your Pal ron mexico than the uncooked delmonico cut kobi beef steak. Problem is that ron would probably be too tough and would be rejected by the pit bull!! :rolleyes: :)


Tender Sandy

[Sandy]

shiloh pre stick and kobe beef:

Shiloh is both adorable and beautiful at the same time. What is he?

Don't you wish you were as good looking as Shiloh? I know that I wish were. :)

Mr. Beautiful

[CNY rider]

Behind every great man is a better dog and a prettier wife atmo.

Enjoy. :)

Then there's hope for me yet.

[Sandy]

Then there's hope for me yet.

Me too!!


Sandy

[Len J]

My B-I-L is doing much better with King. In fact so well, that I have decided that they can be alone in the house without any supervision. Gloria, unexpectedly really genuinely likes King. She looks at him and often says that he is a good dog. Recently she said " You can't get a better dog than him." Quite the statement since we had cared for a lab/retriever mix, a chihuahua, and an absolutely adorable Yorkshire Terrier in the past. All three dogs were simply wonderful and problem free.

Thanks for your kindness, insight, and help relative to King. I owe you one. So does King.


Sandy

Sincerely happy for you.

Keep the vigilance and consistency up.

You owe my nothing but your continued friendship.

Good on Ya.

Len

[Smiley]

Sandy, he may not be acting so much to your emotion, but to your adrenalin (or something else) levels. When you get agitated/angry, you will pump different hormones that leach out through you sweat. The do may be smelling that and reacting to it. He may be associating that with interactions with humans in his pre-Sandy life. No expert here, just a theory. I hope the new dog is working out well for you and your wife.
Sandy can sweat so this is the best theory I have heard. Ride behind the guy with a rain coat on :)

[manet]

bump

[jerk]

[QUOTE=Sandy]Shiloh is both adorable and beautiful at the same time. What is he?

Don't you wish you were as good looking as Shiloh? I know that I wish were. :)

Mr. Beautiful[/QUOTE

he's half hyena half giraffe and all bladder. he's actually a Virginia wood pile mutt, I think he's probably got some pit bull in him as well as some greyhound and who knows what else. he's a good dog.

jerk

[Sandy]

[QUOTE=Sandy]Shiloh is both adorable and beautiful at the same time. What is he?

Don't you wish you were as good looking as Shiloh? I know that I wish were. :)

Mr. Beautiful[/QUOTE

he's half hyena half giraffe and all bladder. he's actually a Virginia wood pile mutt, I think he's probably got some pit bull in him as well as some greyhound and who knows what else. he's a good dog.

jerk

Most dogs are good. It normally is the owner who might not be so good.

Sandy