What Do YOU Want From Your Dog?
What Do YOU Want From Your Dog?
I have five dogs in my home. Not one of them knows what “heel” means. Not one of them does agility, fly-ball or competition obedience. They all sit on the couch, occasionally chase one of my four cats and dig huge holes in the yard.
So, are my dogs trained? Well, yes. They are trained to live with me in my house under my rules and to pay attention to me when in public.
They know that if a people plate of food is sitting on the coffee table, it is not to be touched. They know that swimming in the pond is allowed, but pooping on the deck is not. They know that “Outside!” means they are getting too rough indoors.
They know that when they have a leash on, they are to walk nicely and look at mom every now and then. They know that if we meet someone along the way, they must sit and wait to be introduced. They also know that they won’t be introduced to every person or dog we come across.
What makes a “trained” dog is really a matter of opinion, and that opinion depends on what the human owner wants form their dog. The requirements of a working herding dog will be very different from that of the dog who only needs to learn how to navigate city streets without being a nuisance. A therapy dog will have some extra requirements that a non-therapy dog wouldn’t have to meet.
Dogs who live in my house are required to sit in their designated eating place before receiving their food, eat that food in their place, then sit or lie down in that place until everyone is done eating. This might be way over the top for a home with fewer dogs who don’t mind sharing.
I think it's much the same way with children from different homes. I have children in my classes who are required by their parents to call me "Miss Cindy". I never required this of my children, and probably never would. But, this is what these parents want from their children, and therefore it is important.
Does it mean that children who don't address adults this way are unruly and untrained? Of course not. It simply means that it is a requirement of children living with these particular parents.
Of course there are some social norms that address basic manners and public safety that can't be ignored. Any parent would require that children not go around kicking people in the shins (I would hope), just as any dog owner would require that dogs not go around biting people in the shins (I would also hope).
Beyond what it takes to live peacably in society, there are many levels of training. Which level is right for each dog and owner is really an individual matter.
Personally, I feel that the best example of a well-trained pet dog is one who can pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test. This is a ten item test for the average pet dog that I think covers all the bases.
The test covers things like coming when called, sitting politely for petting and walking politely through a crowd. A dog who can pass this test would be a good pet dog in any home with any lifestyle. The great thing is that this test is also a good starting point for those who want to move on to a higher level of training.
I urge all pet dog owners to take a look at the test items and consider finding a trainer and/or evaluator in their area. For more information, please visit:
