Dog Training Steps For First Dog: SOCIALIZATION!

Congratulations to Bo Obama! From what my mom the dog trainer said, he found his way into the First Family via Senator Edward Kennedy - got him from a family that was having trouble caring for him... that's questionable, but I won't comment - mom did that for me.

Okay, remember what happened with Barney Bush and nipping the (lack of common sense) reporter? Boy, Barney was called all sorts of names: dominant-aggressive, evil, annoyed - just to name a few, from many folks. The reported said Barney "wasn't in the mood to be pet." Well I've never met Barney, but from what I saw on the Barney Youtube video, it seems like he was behaving more like a dog, and the reporter was behaving more like a human - and unfortunately, the greeting skills of each species just didn't mix well. Oh, and yes, maybe he just wasn't in the mood to be touched by a stranger!

As for me, Poncho the dog, I don't appreciate someone I don't know just coming up to me, reaching over me, and touching my head! You humans don't like people just coming up to you and touching you, do you? Or strangers approaching your human kids and touching them? Even if you know the person, sometimes it isn't appropriate or acceptable - why the heck do you think us dogs enjoy it?

Remember, you all have your own weird way of greeting. That hugging and shaking hands stuff is kinda strange to us. We dogs never said we liked being hovered over and touched on top of the head. That is your silly interpretation. Sure, we get used to it, especially if you follow it up with something wonderful, like a treat, or that goofy baby-talk, or a belly rub - but it takes awhile for us to get to know you and make these associations. Please don't assume just because we're dogs that we like everything and everyone - you don't, do you?

Okay, so what's my point in all of this? Let's hope that the Obama's take the time to socialize Bo to all of the people that they'll want him to like, all the places they'll want him to enjoy going to. They need to help Bo create those pleasant associations with all of those things. Maybe a field-trip or two to different places - the girls schools with all of those kids. Mr. Obama's office? Or to a press conference to get used to those pesky reporters...

Mom teaches her students about the importance of socializing their dogs...she says "Anything you want your dog to like or do as an adult, it's best to get them used to it when they're young." She says not to force them to like something, but to "pair" the person or place or situation with something that the dog loves, then they'll begin to love that person, place, or situation, because they associate one thing with something good. The following is a partial list of what mom recommends for good socialization:

• People: different ages, races, sizes, shapes.
• Places: cars, outside to potty in the rain, vet's office (just a drop-in to say hi), outdoor cafe, walk the perimeter of a shopping mall - cars, people, sounds and smells.
• Sounds: loud noises, cars, trucks, buses, sirens, thunder and lightening, fireworks, wind. 

Hopefully the First Family will take the right steps in taking Bo to a dog training class, or working with a private dog trainer, to help them properly socialize him - especially to being handled by reporters. 

Us dogs are a pretty good judge of character. I wonder if Barney was actually dialed in on this reporter and his true personality? Hmm, something for this intuitive, and inquisitive canine to ponder. 

It's MOMS birthday...still!

Wow, what a great day we've had... you saw from my previous post that today is mom's birthday. We spent a lovely day out and about. Had so much fun I ended up needing a bath. Mom always says you can judge how much fun your dog has had by how many times you have to bathe them! 

Well, mom is right indeed because I've needed about 5 in the last week! Good thing she and dad make bath-time and grooming fun! I know in this picture my body language might "say" differently, but trust me, the treats, like the water, were flowing nicely - which always makes for fun "association" learning... 

Once I was all "fresh as a daisy" we got dressed and headed south

to our friends the Goren's: Bonnie, Isaac, and Miss. Valerie. Mom and Miss. Bonnie have been friends since mom was born! YIKES! That's a really long time... Anyway, they wanted to throw mom a fun party - so we all met up at one of moms favorite stores - Trader Joe's - thats where we get lots of our yummy food...(hmm, I gotta figure out if they deliver)... After we picked up lots of goodies to throw on the grill, we headed to Bonnie's house where we also met up with some other of moms and Bonnie's friends, April and Randy. They have dogs too - I met them at one of my moms parties at the studio. 

The evening was complete with lots of laughter, a great meal  and fun socialization! The Goren's have kitties, but they didn't want to come out and play with me...oh well, gave me more time to "stay on my place" and have hors d'oeuvres. Check out this photo - this is the same behavior mom has me do at home while she is cooking dinner. She tells me "go to your place" which is what I do. It's the best choice for me... either I sit on my place, or I get locked out of the kitchen... hmm, only took one time for me to figure out what the best choice is. 

I did try and sneak in a spot at the dinner table. I think everyone was done with their meal, because they let me sit there. They were laughing too, saying I was cute. Didn't get me very far because I didn't get anything else to eat. But sitting there was fun. I guess I was pretty tired because mom kept saying how I was falling asleep at the table. Well it was a long day! 

We had lots of fun with Bonnie and her family. You can tell by this photo of me on the chair... That's me "digging in my heels". In other words I didn't want to leave! I'm even sticking my tongue out! 

Being at the Goren's is what I definitely call "positive reinforcement"! They have a company called "Adventure's 4 Fun" and I'd have to agree, that visiting with them is a fun adventure! I know mom and dad had a great time too, although they were okay with going home to our own place. They kept talking on the way home about about how much fun it was. 

Mom really appreciates her friends - says they are like family. She also said this was a great birthday! I wonder what we're going to do next year? Hmm, something for this inquisitive canine to ponder... 

Run like the wind MOM!

What a day! We started off really early today... A nice rainy, chilly morning... Mom AND dad were both in their running clothes... Hmm, early morning on a weekend, both mom and dad dressed for running, could only mean one thing: RACE TIME! 

Yep, off to Santa Barbara we went... At first they weren't sure if they were going to bring me, but I decided that for them - I got up early too. Sometimes I prefer to just sleep - but it was windy this morning, and you know from other posts, that I'm not a big fan of the wind...yep I was licking my lips and trembling a little bit - that's the first sign. So mom and dad gathered up my rain jacket, and sweater vest, blanket, and treat bags (different levels of motivation), water, and my poopy bags - cuz ya never know what we have to prepare for, and off we went! ROAD TRIP! 

I hung out in the car with proper ventilation, water, and my bwanky while mom and dad went and did their thing. Dad finished first... then we cheered when mom came across the finish line! I'm so proud of mom! She did a great job... 

I still don't understand why you humans run like you do, but you're not really going after anything... You're not chasing something and wanting to kill it or eat it.... or move it across the pasture...Anyway, we hung out for awhile, said hi to some other people and their dogs, then headed south. 

But wait! Guess what??? We didn't go home right away... We got to stop at one of mom and dads favorite places so mom could get her reward! Starbucks!!! PLUS, and this is the best part - we had a play-date with moms friend and rockin' Web marketing therapist Miss. Lorrie!

 I love seeing her...she calls me her boyfriend :-) I'll be her boyfriend anytime she wants! 

So we hung out, had tea and snacks...and lots of good conversation. Then south we headed once again! But wait!!! You're right, we didn't go home yet.... nope, we decided to stop off at one of my favorite places: the beach! It was such a lovely afternoon.... The rain had made all 

the wonderful smells come out...and for a dog, that's like a bakery or candy store for you humans.... 

OMG! Just fantabulous! I didn't know what I wanted to sniff first. Well, mom and dad are really cool about me just going about and sniffing away... as you can see by these pics. 

(as long as I'm safe of course. I don't go into the rocks or anything, I just stay around on the sand. But my favorite thing to do is roll in all my favorite smells. Just roll and roll and roll...gettin' the stink on! Mom and dad allow me to do this too. They figure its part of my normal doggy behavior, and that I need to do it and get it out of my system... plus, they figure I'm small so I'm easy to bathe. So why not? 

After I got my stink on I got to chase the ball...that's always a fun time. Then it was back in the car and home we went. Mom kept coughing in the car and saying how the odor that was coming off of me was making her eyes burn. Hello? She just finished a race! Even though I thought she smelled great, I'm sure dad would think otherwise! 

Anyway, once we got home it was into the bathtub for me... Not so bad though. Mom gives me treats while we do the splish-splash routine~ some nice association and positive reinforcement training here... Then I get the zoomies and run around the house. Then they throw my ball in between being dried - more fun associations with bath time, and rewards for me! See? You don't always have to use food to reward us dogs! Rolling, sniffing, and ball time! All good motivators for us! 

I'm exhausted! It was a long day, but it was SO much fun! I love road trips with mom and dad. I wonder when we're going again? I wonder when moms next race is? Or dads next race? Hmm, something for this inquisitive canine to ponder...