I sometimes take Madigan, my 9 year old border collie, to classes with me. The last time I did this she jumped on all the people, barked at me when I wasn't paying her attention, and refused to hold a stay once I took my eyes off her. Mind you, I'm teaching this class. This is the dog who represents me and my skills in training. I was humiliated and wanted to hand her to the nearest stranger and say, "Is this your dog? I don't know where she came from!"
My students were very supportive, and tried to provide me with excuses and justification. "Maybe she's not used to being here?" No, she had been there many times. "Too much excitement?" She'd been in much more crowded and far more exciting circumstances before and behaved admirably. But I did like the way my students didn't jump right to blaming the dog for being disobedient on purpose or see it as some kind of a power struggle between Madigan and me. Apparently I did something right in my teaching!
The fact is, dogs are living, thinking, feeling creatures with wills of their own. They are not little robots that we program to perform flawlessly 100% of the time. They have their moods, they have their quirks, and they have their off-nights. For some reason, that night the dog I normally use to demonstrate how a close and trusting relationship built on mutual respect results in willing and eager obedience decided to act like a little brat who never had a lick of training in her life.
Most of the time when I take Madigan to classes with me, or out to other public places, she draws attention from onlookers in a completely different way. People comment on how sweet and friendly she is as she approaches them, sits nicely, and smiles widely in greeting. If I make the most miniscule of movements, her attention locks on me, waiting for me to take the lead and provide her with guidance: Oh, yay, what are we doing now, Mom? She responds to quiet cues said one time (and/or subtle hand signals). Most of the time my Madigan delights me and makes me proud when we're out and about.
Will she ever act like a brat-faced snot-nose again and embarrass me in public? Oh, most definitely. I don't know when, I don't know why, but this complex and emotional creature will never perform like a machine, and I don't want her to. I love her for her personality and her mind, not just her obedience. Is she perfect? Well, it depends on what your idea of "perfection" may be. She will never behave perfectly, but yes - she is my perfect dog.
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It couldn't be!
Leah, it's quite impossible that Madigan is the perfect dog.
The perfect dog lives at my house! :)
I enjoyed your article. Questions like, "What is the best dog?" alway make me laugh. Best for what? Best for who? My perfect dog is not your perfect dog is not someone else's perfect dog. Gotta love them for all being different and for being their own canines!
Perfect, schmerfect...
I had a breakthrough the day I accepted the fact that my little dears would most certainly, utterly and completely mortify me in public - often - especially if I were wearing my very recognizable work clothes (which identify me as a trainer). Once I accepted that utter public humiliation with my dogs was a possibility, I became able to laugh about it, reign it in quickly and get over it. My two girls are mischevious little punks now and then but generally very well behaved - and getting to be quite good demo dogs! Some of the best compliments I've ever gotten are those commenting on how easily and calmly we move past those "brat-faced snot-nose" moments. I love my quirky, bratty, darling dogs and I wouldn't have 'em any other way!
Nice post!
Dog Humiliation
My labs all humiliate me regularly in public. ONce everyone in class was laughing and I didn`t think I was being THAT funny, turned and discovered Bridget was up and snarfing all the treats on the table behind me. hahahaha
Leslie Fisher PMCT CPDT-KA Look What I Can Do! Dog Training Where There Are No BAD Dogs, Just Dogs That Don`t Know WHAT To Do.
ditto!
Glad to know I'm not the only one this has happened to :)
My generally beautifully trained 10 year old accompanied me to a training class to help demonstrate some basic skills. He looked at me completely blankly when asked to sit and down - I think the only time he moved was when I asked him to stay :) I always say dogs teach us humility!!!
Thanks for sharing - lets us mere mortals know we are not alone - and that dogs are dogs :)
Push button dogs are boring
My female dog is the best dog in the world (to me) 90% of the time. But she's got a mischief about her that crops up every now and then that we love. You can see the wheels turning in her head. She's very smart and if we don't stimulate her, she finds her own problems to solve (read: escape artist). That's why I love all dogs. Like people, they have personalities. The most interesting dogs are the ones who get to show us those personalities at times. It's those types of dogs that people write books about. Jon Katz's books come to mind. He has border collies and labs but they are all so different. I've enjoyed all the happenings on Bedlam Farm.
My male dog is much more affable as far as going with the flow. His name is Domino, but we call him Dumbino at times. Sorry boy! Your big sis got the brains.
I hear ya sistah
www.dancingdogs.co.nz
My dog must be one of the most socialized dogs in the world, lots of good play with many different breeds, sizes and ages of dogs. Occasionally a bicker with a dog but hey, no one likes everyone right? Well, now he doesn't like anyone. Looked into all the usual suspects, health, changes, etc... and some of those things have contributed. But its embarrassing and upsetting when he makes the choice to jump a dog that has done him no wrong. Although our dogs will never be "perfect" nor would we want them to be little robots, training and conditioning is ongoing!
We had a dog like dancingdogs.co.nz
We had a female lab/boxer who jumped submissive, old dogs and rolled them. Never bit or fought, just bully attitude. We finally learned to not give her the opportunity but it was so embarrassing! Kind of like your kid beating up another's on the playground when you know you are a good parent but the actions of the kid (or dog) don't reflect it to someone who doesn't know you.
Our theory was that she was bitten twice by different dogs before she was a year old, pure bad luck, requiring stitches, and so she went on the offensive after the second incident. Funny, though, she never challenged a dog that she couldn't "take." Now that I know more about dogs, I'm thinking that was just her personality as she matured and she had some hangup about old, stinky dogs like survival of the fittest. In any event, it was very inappropriate, but we nipped it in the bud once we figured it out by not giving her the opportunity. And when we was an old, stinky dog she was so very sweet and greeted everyone with a lick and a wag.
P.S.
That was a personality trait we did not appreciate and could have done without! I still cringe when I think of the time she rolled a purely sweet, pristinely groomed, yellow lab into a stinky, muddy ditch. That was 15 yrs ago but the memory stays with me.