Riker began visiting retirement homes and Alzheimer’s facilities when he was just a year old. He accumulated more than 200 hours doing these visits and was always a hit with the folks he visited.

However, by chance I got a call from the director of a day care center for children who needed protection.  The director wanted to give a therapy dog a try but the dog would need to love kids, be very tolerant of the kids’ actions, and be able to react accordingly should a child be too rough. Many of these kids had never been taught how to be good to animals. In fact, many had been raised seeing people being cruel to animals.

In addition, because the kids were under various types of protection, the dog’s owner would need an extensive background check and clearance.

I decided to give Riker a try since he loves kids and I already had a background check and clearance from my Marine Corps and military police days. It just needed to be updated.

Once I got that taken care of, Riker and I began visiting this day care center. I’ve written about a few of our visits in previous posts, so in short I’ll say Riker found his life’s work. I swear he’s happier there than he is at home. He gives kisses when kisses are needed, snuggles when kids need a hug, chases the ball when they need to play, and makes the kids laugh on a regular basis.

I stopped counting his visit hours when he went over two thousand.

I’ve been watching Riker to see when he’s going to be ready to retire. He is slowing down and is sleeping more. However, he still brings me a toy so we can play every evening. He still enjoys going to the dog training yard. He even continues to demo during the therapy dog classes. At twelve years of age, when I bring out his therapy dog vest, he turns into a younger dog. He bounces, whining, and trying to stick his head through the opening of the vest. So he’s obviously not ready to retire yet.

I’m so proud of my old dog I could just bust!

Photo: Riker by Liz Palika

The goal was to help therapy dogs and their handlers keep their skills sharp. The dogs and owners had a chance to work on some obedience skills, especially with some distractions. Last year Kate Abbott, a KS trainer and president of the board for Love on a Leash, devised her ‘gauntlet of distractions’ as she called it, and she set that up again this year. There was a flapping kite, a billowing trash bag, some wind spinnners, an animatronic parrot that made noise, and a horrifyingly lifelike ape head that moved, made noise, and reacted to sounds and movement in its space.

Bashir had seen the ape last year and didn’t seem bothered by it at all this year. However, Sisko was not at all happy with the ape. He went up to about a foot away from it and stared at it, hard, growling very deep in his throat. There was obviously something very wrong. A talking head on a table just doesn’t compute in the World of Sisko.

The goal was for dogs and owners to walk through these distractions. The dogs didn’t have to ignore them; in fact, the lesson was to help the owners learn how to help their dogs when their dog reacts to something so out of the ordinary.

KS trainers Dawn McMahon and Melissa Duffy also held a Canine Good Citizen test for dogs who either hadn’t passed it or who wanted to re-take it for the practice. Attendees also got to play with a variety of Nina Ottosson and other smart toys. You could see the dogs trying hard to figure out how to work the toys. Some other games included tic tac toe, using dogs on sit or down stays as Xs and Os. This is a great way to practice obedience training with distractions, too.

Deb and Dan Jensen provided lunch for everyone and it was welcome. Deb’s chicken salad is great but her lemon bars are awesome.

Dog owners were also given a chance to ask questions about visiting, visit skills, problems, training needs, and anything else they needed help with. Attendees included some experienced dogs and owners as well as some new therapy dog teams so a great deal of sharing happened over lunch.

Last but certainly not least, Walter the Wonder Dog demonstrated a number of his tricks. His human partner, Kate, assisted him. Plans are already in the works for next year’s continuing education day.

All photos by Sheri Wachtstetter. Top: Dogs and owners playing tic tac toe. Middle: A therapy dog investigates the ape head. Bottom: Walter the Wonder Dog and his human assistant, Kate.

Riker was the first. Almost immediately he climbed up onto Paul’s spot on the sofa and curled into a little ball. He wouldn’t move for hours at a time, and I would have to pull/push him off the sofa and walk him outside. But that only lasted a couple of days. Then his therapy dog heart kicked in. Apparently all these people were coming to our house so he could love them. That finished his grieving.

I don’t believe Bashir was grieving for Paul at all. Rather Bashir was devastated because I was. When I could take a deep breath and calm myself he did too. But for two weeks he hasn’t allowed me out of his sight when he had any control of the situation. If he had opposable thumbs I would never ever be out of his sight.

Sisko earned his therapy dog stripes these past two weeks. At the worst of my grief, he stayed close, tried to take it all from me, and licked away the tears. Whereas so many puppies his age might have been worried or frightened, he stayed close.

Sisko’s protective instincts also kicked in at the same time, though. No one was going to touch me, hug me, or even get close if he had anything to say. Since I needed and wanted any and all hugs, we did have a discussion about those protective instincts. He’s still rumbling under his breath but that’s okay; he’s learning.

Archer didn’t react right away. But Paul often took business trips without Archer so a few days away from home weren’t too unusual. All the excitement, tears,and visitors didn’t bother Archer too much at first either. He’s bomb-proof and changes don’t upset him normally.

However, three to four days after Paul’s death, I would turn around and see three dogs but not the fourth. Archer would be up on the bed on Paul’s pillow. Then, after a couple more days, I would find Archer in Paul’s closet. He had pulled some clothes off the hangers, including Paul’s bathrobe, and was lying on them.

In addition, Archer began having moments that I could only call frantic. He would come to me, stare at me deep into my eyes, cry, poke me with his nose, and try desperately to communicate with me. I knew what he wanted, I knew what he was trying to say, but I couldn’t help him. I couldn’t bring Paul back.

At Kindred Spirits, we have two men who help us part time in the classes –  Jeff and Rich. When either of these guys walked into the yard, Archer would rush to them — without even looking back at me. He wanted some male companionship. So Jeff has spent a lot of time with Archer, walking him, playing with him, and working him.

In addition, Kate has been trying to channel Paul — copying his way of working Archer — and having Archer work for her. Kate also handled Archer at Paul’s memorial and he was calm with her. Wearing his service dog vest, his mind was in working mode and that steadied him. Other than when he snatched a peanut butter cookie from the minister’s hand, that is.

Unfortunately, when I see Archer so devastated I want to love him. I want to fix his hurt. But that’s not what he wants or needs. So keeping him well exercised physically and working his brain seem to be the best medicine at the moment.

Remember that saying that has been so popular, “It takes a village to raise a child’? Well, perhaps it takes a dog training village to alleviate a grieving dog’s heartbreak.

Photo credit: Paul and Archer. Photo by Liz Palika

It was just a little more than two years ago when Archer was going through therapy dog training, and I began the series of posts titled, “The Making of a Therapy Dog.”* Archer turned out to be an awesome therapy dog and has often visited a Veterans Administration center with my husband, Paul. They visit grizzled Vietnam war vets and young-faced wounded warriors from this generation. Everyone greets Archer with open arms.

Now it’s Sisko’s turn. It’s hard for me to believe he’s actually old enough to begin therapy dog training, but he is. He has grown up so fast and will be a year old in April.

A couple weeks back, Sisko and I began a first week Canine Good Citizen class. I don’t anticipate any problems as his obedience skills are very good; his only weakness is a tendency to lie down when left in a sit stay. We’re working on that. Everything else –  heel, down, stay, and come are wonderful. His “leave it” is excellent; once told to ignore something, it no longer exists. He doesn’t jump on people, doesn’t paw or scratch, and never touches anyone with his mouth. Well, except for the occasional teeny tiny tongue flick lick. He’s very social with other dogs. I don’t anticipate any problems but we’ll go through the class and earn his CGC.

The therapy dog class also began last week. Sisko was introduced to the command, “Go say hi!” and learned how to approach people so they could touch him. That was fine with him; people can pet him. He leaned into their hands.

During Sisko’s puppyhood I neglected to introduce him to wheelchairs and walkers. I have no idea why; I usually do it as a matter of course. But he learned what they were in the first class. He saw them move, heard them rattle, and walked up to investigate – no problems.

He also learned how to approach wheelchairs from the side – left or right – and to stand still so people in a chair can reach him. We also did the same thing to walkers.

My only reservation is that Sisko is still young. Most of our previous Aussies have been mentally immature at just a year of age. They can really still be silly at this age. I don’t want to force him into therapy dog work and if he appears to be too immature I’ll slow down. However, although Sisko is always willing to play, he’s an old soul. He’s serious for his age and very loving. I do think this is going to be perfect for him.

In coming weeks, I’ll post about Sisko’s progress and perhaps Kim will add some notes about Harper, too, as she also has the goal of becoming a therapy dog.

Photo credit: Bashir on the left, Sisko on the right – almost as tall as Bashir. Photo by Liz Palika.

*(As a minor side note, that series was nominated as Best Regular Blog in the 2009 Dog Writers Association of America writing competition.)

This article by Steve Dale in USA Today Weekend discusses both the signs and ideas on how to keep cognitive dysfunction (CD) at bay. CD is diagnosed by excluding everything else medically relevant first, but there are signs to identify it.

“It’s always been there,” says veterinary behaviorist Gary Landsberg of Thornhill, Ontario, director of veterinary affairs at Cancog Technologies. “Our pets are living longer, and we’re learning much more about identifying cognitive dysfunction.” Landsberg is now researching the disorder in cats.

The acronym for pet owners to identify CD is referred to as DISH:

D — Disorientation and confusion, such as attempting to walk through the wrong side of a doggie door.

I — Changes in interactions, such as an outgoing pet becoming withdrawn.

S — Sleep disturbances: cats yowling or dogs pacing overnight for no apparent reason.

H — House soiling, having “accidents.”

So what can be done to prevent CD? The best wisdom points to one thing  –  exercise. Professor Carl Cotman, Director of University California, Irvine,  Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia, says that dementia in people and in animals respond the same.

Cottman [sic] has studied cognitive decline in dogs and people. In one canine study, a group of dogs was enrolled in continuing canine education and followed an exercise protocol. The control group was fed a special anti-aging diet. All the dogs were periodically tested for cognitive skills, and Cottman couldn’t believe the results.

“It was a fantasy come true because the results were so definitive, proving social interactions, exercise, enrichment and diet really do make a significant difference in dogs,” he says. “We believe the same must be true for people.”

Cottman adds that if you do anything, take your dog for a walk: “We know moderate exercise bolsters brains in dogs and people.”

Shooting cats in Utah: The concept of TNR hasn’t caught hold yet in the state of Utah. The ‘Feral Cat Bill’ (HB210) was passed by the Utah House this past week. It will allow Utahns to shoot “pests” without being charged with cruelty. From the Deseret News:

The House agreed to add back a provision allowing the humane shooting of an animal in an unincorporated area of a county if the shooter “has a reasonable belief” the animal is feral.

Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, said feral animals are ever-present in rural areas. He said it’s not a matter of if they’re coming for his cows, but when.

Right. It’s all about the cows. Read the bill. The language is so broad that it could lead to some horrific abuses. Once the animal is killed, there’s no way for a person’s word to be contradicted. If HB210 passes, it’s open season in Utah. Proof that bad legislation can be much worse than no legislation.

Dog saved  –  by dolphin: Turbo got himself stuck in a canal in Marco Island, Fla. He was eventually saved, but not by a person. Check out this video from CNN.

Cats and phones: Author, cat expert and about.com contributing writer Amy Shojai examines the curious relationship between kittehs and phones.

Abuse come in all guises: Have you ever heard of someone having their dog masquerade as a service dog – even when there’s been no certification?  Check out this Wall Street Journal article. Maxx the Westie might be cute, but in spite of the vest, that’s all he is.

The problem with setting numbers: Proposed rules to hamstring breeders frequently try to set arbitrary numbers as some kind of litmus test – ‘Well, it just stands to reason if you have x number of animals, you must be a puppy mill.’ The reality is that a numbers test doesn’t work. This post from desertwindhounds is worth reading (paragraph breaks added to improve readability).

Why are laws with kennel requirements, space requirements, and all that jazz bad? Because dogs are not machines, all the same except for the size. The best husbandry, or animal care, is not institutionalized, but customized: to the breed, the breeder, the climate, and the breeding program. Good husbandry for Foxhounds will be totally different that good husbandry for Chihuahuas. Some dogs do well in groups, some don’t. Some are pretty weather proof, some are delicate. Hunting dogs, for instance, need to acclimated to the environment. Keeping them in air-conditioning all the time will impair their performance and may actually make them more prone to heat exhaustion. Sled dogs need to be exposed to the cold, so they develop good thick coats. Things like wormers and vaccines are highly individualized. Most breeders have a protocol that works for them. Likewise with food, puppy raising, and housing. People who keep multiple dogs usually have a management system that works for them. Ask twenty people what the best way to keep twenty dogs is, and you will get twenty different answers.

If the people who introduce these bills really wanted to protect dogs (assuming that the local welfare laws are good enough), they would apply performance standards instead of engineering standards. Are the dogs in good condition? Do they have shelter? Puppies healthy? Yard acceptably clean? Any sick or injured dogs taken care of? Then it would not matter how many dogs there were, or how they were housed, but whether the actual dogs were cared for.

Unfortunately this type of enforcement is harder, and requires people who are intelligent, well-versed in animal husbandry, and unbiased to do the enforcing. I don’t think that’s going to happen because protecting dogs from neglect and abuse are not what these laws are all about, that is just the surface glitter designed to distract the bleeding hearts. These laws are all about limiting or eliminating purposeful dog breeding and driving breeders out of their business or hobby.

The post’s headline goes down a whole different road, but that’s beside the point.

Hand 2 paw: Maria Goodavage at Dogster tipped me to this great video about Hand2Paw, a Philadelphia program that connects homeless kids with shelter pets.

Magic and poetry in his fingertips: People who think the now-famous quotes from Charlie Sheen’s recent interview were examples of arrogance or delusional thinking just need some context. For that, we have mediumlarge.com.

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.

Photo credit: Exercising dogs, flickr creative commons (PhillipC)

With Harper, though, I’m getting close. I spent all day Saturday getting a taste of what we would need to do to pass the evaluation. The morning was spent assisting at other teams’ evaluations. I crossed their paths on crutches, argued loudly with a fellow volunteer regarding the merits of Cavaliers vs. Vizslas, rushed up to people to pet their dogs, and was part of the “crowd” each team had to navigate. After each evaluation, we would discuss the team’s good points and where they needed work. Most of them were recertifications, and it was reassuring to see that even some of those dogs occasionally jumped up on people, were a little slow to respond to commands or needed to be refocused before performing their tasks. (Pictured are evaluator Maryanne Dell; her Tibetan Spaniel Jitterbug; and Steve, who is under the mistaken impression that Vizslas are better than Cavaliers.)

In the afternoon we watched a slide show that reprised the material in the workbook. Then came the fun part. The evaluators performed a series of skits and we had to point out what each handler did wrong–or right. I learned a lot from both sessions, and I think we have a reasonably good chance of passing if I can just keep Harper from going la-la during the evaluation. She’s capable of doing everything called for in the evaluation, but like me, she doesn’t always test well. It’s very difficult for her not to go right up to strangers, for instance. One of the evaluators mentioned that people with certain breeds, like Goldens, often wait until the dogs are about seven years old before getting them certified, just because it takes that long for their exuberance to mellow. I’m guessing Cavaliers are the same way.

We’ll be practicing a lot over the next few weeks. Evaluations are coming up late this month and in March. Wish us luck!

There are several national therapy dog organizations and probably hundreds of smaller ones, and they all want well behaved, trained, certified and safe dogs (and other pets) to visit people who need them.

Love on a Leash gives every member a “List of Manners for Visits.”  Although I had to think twice about the word “manners,” it’s a very nice list. I thought I would share several of them here because they apply well to all therapy dogs no matter what organization.

The dog (or cat or other therapy pet) must be clean, well groomed and free of fleas, ticks or other parasites. The pet should be healthy. Make sure the dog gets a chance to relieve himself prior to the visit and carry clean up materials at all times.

Make sure you have your therapy dog’s identification and vest or scarf. Make sure you have your identification.

Arrive with enough time before a visit so your dog can move around, greet the other therapy dogs and people, and relieve some excitement prior to going into the facility. When greeting the other therapy dogs and people, make sure your dog is not being too rowdy, pushy or rude. This is not playtime.

When you enter the facility,  no matter how excited your dog is, make sure he’s behaving himself. If your dog is too excited, take him outside, let him calm down, and then come back inside when he’s calm.

Know your dog. If he gets upset, stressed or tired, take him outside to calm down or take him home. Don’t continue a visit when your dog is not up to par; that’s when accidents happen.

When visiting people, remember to ask introduce yourself first and ask if the person would like to visit with your dog, “Hi! My name is Liz and this is my Australian Shepherd, Bashir. Would you like to visit with Bashir?” When presenting your dog, cat, rabbit or other pet, keep the safety of your pet in mind as well as the person being visited.

If someone doesn’t like pets, or just dogs, or even just your dog, respect their space and move away. Don’t try to talk someone into a visit unless there is a really good reason for it. If the doctor or caregiver or therapist says to try, then do it. Otherwise leave that person alone.

Don’t talk down to people. Be respectful. Respect people’s privacy and never share information about the people you are visiting. Never touch a wheelchair, walker, cane, bedside table or bedside chair without asking permission first. When you leave a room, if you have moved something put it back where it was.

Don’t forget to visit the staff, too. Your smiling face and happy dog or purring cat can help them get through the day.

Don’t forget to listen to the people you’re visiting. If you’re visiting kids, they can say the darnfest things, as the late Art Linkletter used to say. And if you’re visiting the elderly, they have wonderful stories to share.

My dogs and I have visited an Olympic gold medal swimmer who was originally from Scotland. We’ve talked to and listened to a former professional opera singer. For a period of time we visited one of my favorite authors, who wrote about horses. People have told me about their families and the dogs and cats who shared their lives. It’s so easy to just take a few minutes to listen as people pet our dogs. It’s a small thing but it means so much.

Photo: Bashir modeling his therapy dog vest.

Kindred Spirits Dog Training has an informative therapy dog class but also a demanding one. When we graduate dogs and owners from this class, we want to make sure that the dogs and owners are suited for this volunteer activity. With twelve dogs and their owners graduating, there will be twelve more dogs visiting people in retirement facilities, nursing homes, Veterans facilities, and children’s special education classrooms. In addition, several of these volunteers are interested in the read to dogs programs in the local libraries.

Last year I wrote a series of posts, “The Making of a Therapy Dog,” about my youngest dog’s journey through the class. The series was nominated by Dog Writers Association of America for “Best Blog Series” in last year’s writing contest.

Twelve dogs and their owners graduated from last Saturday’s class and I – and Kindred Spirits – send congratulations to all of them.

The Leonberger, Bear, is approached by one of Kindred Spirits' volunteers, Lindlee, during training. Bear was calm, well behaved and unfazed by her enthusiastic greeting. Good boy! Bear's owner is Cherrie Giles.

Annabelle, a Boxer, and her owner, Kelli Kaliszewski, are congratulated by Kate Abbott, the class instructor and board president of Love on a Leash.

Jeff Gross and his German Shepherd Dog, Storm.

Teenager Zach Tucker is congratulated by Kate for his hard work and the success he's achieved with his husky, Cora.

As I parked the van, I could see the director walking towards us waving her hands to get my attention. This particular day care center is for kids facing challenges. Some are in the foster care system, some have severe health or emotional challenges, and some have behavioral issues. Riker is popular here with the staff and the kids, but the director doesn’t meet us in the parking lot.

As I leashed Riker and he jumped out of the van, the director said, “Liz, Riker, I’ve been waiting for you.”

As I greeted her, she continued, “We have a new student and we need Riker’s help.” Apparently the little girl we were going to see was abandoned by her mother shortly after birth; perhaps because the little girl, Gracie (her name changed for privacy), is blind and deaf. “Gracie is in a wonderful long term foster home and is getting a lot of therapy. Unfortunately she doesn’t accept change well and doesn’t trust easily.”

As I sighed, the director continued, “I’m hoping Riker will help Gracie relax and perhaps even smile. She’s been coming to us half days all week and I haven’t seen her smile yet. Nor will she move from her chair, play with the other kids, or play with any toys.”

I told the director, “I’m in over my head here. I have no idea how to handle this.”

As she patted my arm, she said, “Just get Riker close to her. I’ll help Gracie. Let’s see what Riker decides to do.”

As we approached, I saw a tiny, five year old girl. Her hair was in cornrows tipped with beads and tiny bells. Her complexion was dark and lovely. Her eyes were closed but she was swinging her feet under her chair so I knew she was awake.

The director approached Gracie and touched her arm. Gracie stopped swinging her feet and froze.

The director told me, “Bring Riker in close, across the front of her so I can put her hand on Riker’s back.” I did that while keeping a firm grip on the coat and skin on the front of Riker’s neck. He’s a kisser and I didn’t want him to frighten her.

The director placed one of Gracie’s hands on Riker’s back. Riker has a luxurious, thick, silky coat. Gracie pulled her hand out of the director’s and began stroking Riker’s coat. Soon both hands were feeling his coat, her fingers working through the thickness of it, and moving all over his back. She was leaning forward in her chair to reach him but still she was showing no facial expressions at all.

Still, her positive reactions must have caused me to relax my hold on Riker because his head swiveled around and he gave Gracie a big wet sloppy kiss across the face. I inhaled sharply and looked at the director, afraid that I had allowed Riker to spoil Gracie’s moment of discovery. But the director was laughing so hard she couldn’t speak and pointed at Gracie.

Gracie was wiping the sloppy kisses off her face but was smiling!  As Riker kissed her again, she began laughing out loud, rocking in her chair as she continued to touch Riker on his back, shoulders, and even his head.

After a few minutes, the director stopped laughing long enough to say, “That’s why I was waiting for Riker!”

Within an hour, Gracie had already walked around the playroom and with a staff member’s help, found her way to the restroom – with Riker by her side, of course. The the two of them went outside and we watched as Gracie explored the playground with Riker by her side. If he moved too far away and she felt alone, she called him back – not by name as she didn’t speak words at all – but by making a sound. He responded to the sound and pushed his nose under her hand.

Soon, a few other children (who had been coached as to how to act around Gracie) were allowed out on the playground. They approached Gracie and Riker, touching Gracie on the arm, petting Riker with her, and making Gracie feel special. Riker paid attention to each of them, too, of course.

Me? I was unnecessary. I was just Riker’s driver. But I also shed a few tears watching my dog do what he does best: making people feel loved and special.

Normally Riker and I visited this day care center once a week. However, we went to see Gracie on a daily basis for a little more than a week so she could settle in. Then we went back to our regular schedule. Gracie is going to face some challenges in her life but she does have people to care for her. Hopefully, Riker helped her in some small way and we’ll continue to visit her as long as we can.

Photo: Riker by Liz Palika

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!