Dixie keeps a vigil
Confessions of a dog trainer…
I allow my dog on the furniture. I freely admit it. Even THIS chair — my beloved oversized recliner that eased my infant son into a peaceful slumber somewhere between revelry and 4 a.m. Park yourself in the comfy confines and you can still see traces of pale 15 year old stains on the arm rests when Josh’s formula refused to conform to the laws of gravity.
That is not to say that Dixie has a free pass to the one creature comfort I have afforded myself. She learned a long time ago that I am the “Great Gatekeeper” to all things wonderful in her world. I control her access to me, my affection, her food, water, toys, the multitude of olefactory delights that await her beyond my apartment door — and yes — my throne. In fact, Dixie has to sit (her default position) then perform a simple trick before hopping up on any piece of furniture.
Dixie is really OK with this. Dogs are pack animals. They communicate with us in the same manner they do with other dogs (we’ll save the discussion of “my dog jumps on my mother-in-law” for another day). From Dixie’s point of view, I’m just a hairless member of the pack. Most dogs are happy to accept whatever position in the pecking order that we assign to them. It’s not something they dictate to us.
So be the leader! Love your dog enough to set some boundries and start having fun! Reward behavior that you would like to see again. Withdraw your attention from behavior that is unacceptable. It’s called reward-based training.
Dogs had jobs back in the day. The tracked. They herded. They retreived. They disposed of rodents and other pests. I don’t know about you, but I can find my own way to the local food barn. My landlord doesn’t allow livestock on the property and the pest control guy takes care of the vermin. Still, Dixie has a job. She works for me. And I’d like to think she is happier for the experience.
Dixie and I will be appearing live at Furry Little Monsters at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9 for a lively discussion on being the “Great Gatekeeper” in the eyes of your dog.
Due to space constraints, Lila and I ask that you leave your dogs at home. My training classes are for you and your dog and I’ll have information about them as well. RSVP to Lila. You’ll find a link to her website to the right of this post.
