Common Ground

Meet BonBon.  She's a five month old Yorkshire Terrier.  There's a reason why they refer to terriers as the terrors of the dog world.  They are wonderfully feisty and mischievous canines.  I happen to prefer terriers to all other breed categories.  They have the most delightful way at looking at the world and I love to be around them.  I happen to have two.  My other pup is a Miniature Schnauzer named Truffle. But I decided it was time for a completely portable, take anywhere kind of dog.

BonBon attended her first obedience training class last Saturday.  She was with a baby Rottweiler and a young German Shepherd. As you may know, small dogs never know they are small and large dogs haven't a clue they are big, so I think it's safe to say that the field was level for all.

To my delight, it was a very positive class.  I've seen too many trainers with a need for dominance and control.  I have rarely felt a need to prove my dominance and prowess with a thumb or demonstrate my brute force.  With a desire for true transparency, I must admit that I currently have a nasty male goat I'm using force with, only so that I can have a reasonable working relationship with him.

With the other 14 goats, my dogs and especially  BonBon -- I want an enjoyable camaraderie with them.  It's difficult to do that with punishment as the common mode of communication. 

Therefore, when BonBon does was she's supposed to do -- she receives a tiny morsel of goodness and my honest praise.  When she doesn't do something the way I've instructed -- that stuff is momentarily withheld until we get to the correct response.  That's learning.  If she does something bad, she hears a tone of voice that she find unpleasant.  We have a great friendship forming, she loves to learn and she learns quickly. 

My dad could change my behavior by the movement of his eyebrow.  Seriously.  He could arch it up like a chevron or an upside down v.  It was a bit terrifying. It always changed my behavior and I really hated getting that look.

I think animals and people alike are much more prone to learn in a positive setting.  Relationships are much more likely to form into something positive when the little things we do are appreciated.  When you are training a four legged animal, you reward the littlest behaviors that point to the ultimate behavior you are working towards. How amazing things would be if we took the time to "reward" all the wonderful little things that occur around us.