pet connection

In my blogging series “The Making of a Therapy Dog,” I said I would keep readers updated on Archer’s progress. Well, Archer is having fun!

When we adopted him, Archer had been through three previous homes as he’d been chosen to live the life of a show dog. His breeder had him for a while, then the handler, then the owner of the stud dog. But he turned out to have a couple of faults so the owner of the stud dog asked us if we wanted him.

Unfortunately, going through so many homes in a short period of time was detrimental and Archer’s attitude was, “OK, these people are nice but I won’t get attached because I won’t be here long.” It really took him a few months before he really bonded with us; then he bonded like, well, the strongest glue made.

Once he did bond, his whole attitude changed. Whereas previously he was somber and serious, now he’s happy, silly, and joyful. Everything is fun and he makes me laugh — oh, he makes me laugh!

His therapy dog visits are going very well. When he’s visiting seniors at nursing homes, he’s very gentle and affectionate. With kids he’s happy and gives kisses.

Recently he visited the local Veterans Administration offices and went through two lobbies and numerous offices, giving loves, kisses and “wiggle butts” as only Australian Shepherds can give them! Big, tough former Marines, Army soldiers and Navy sailors got down on their knees to hug this 50-pound dog, all the while their faces are being washed. It does put a lump in your throat.

Archer is also enjoying his trick training. Long before I wrote my book on trick training, “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Dog Tricks,” I’ve been promoting trick training for therapy dogs. Having a therapy dog perform a few tricks is a great ice breaker.  People who may not feel good, may be depressed, anxious or lonely, may smile and even laugh when a dog bows,  shakes hands, balances a treat on each front paw or on his nose.

So far Archer has learned the standards –  shake with right paw, shake with left paw, touch, catch a treat in the air, leave a treat alone, and sneeze. He knows back up and will back all the way across a room when he does it. His “play dead” is hysterical because he lies on the floor on his side — which is great ==  except he holds all four legs straight out as if rigor mortis has set in. Very funny!

Archer is enjoying his trick training so much I’ve had to add a short discussion of it to my family pet training classes. I always talk about trick training to these classes because I encourage people to keep the dog’s mind as busy as his body–  both are important!  Trick training is also great fun and I want people to have fun with their dogs; it makes the bond that much stranger. But that discussion is usually on the last class.

Archer, though, has moved it up several weeks because he has found out he can make people laugh when he does his tricks. Visualize this scene:  People are sitting in chairs in our training yard with their dogs at their feet. My trainers and I are introducing a new exercise or discussing something with the class. Archer, sitting in front of me, is waiting to demonstrate an exercise.

When he feels I’ve talked long enough, he begins offering behaviors  –  tricks. So I may be talking about dogs jumping on people and Archer is sneezing, playing dead, backing away from me –  and the class laughs. He’s taking advantage of the situation; he knows it and I know it. But that laughter is all he needs –  he turns, looks at the class and looks back at me with a huge doggy grin. He knows exactly what he’s done.

I thought about stopping his behavior and may have to later, but right now I’ve been able to turn it into several lessons –  explaining what offering behavior is and means, why it can be great for your training, the fun of trick training, and the fact that training a very smart dog is not always easy!

My thought right now, though, is that I’m going to put his behavior on cue so that I can tell him to do his entire routine when I want him to do it. That way I can have him perform them all at once when I’m ready for it. Then, too,  if I decide later that I don’t want him to show off like this, I can more easily change it.

But meanwhile, Archer is a happy dog and he makes me, and many other people, laugh. What a great life!

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