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That Dog Sure Has You Trained…

Everyday we train our dogs we make a choice about the relationship we want with our dogs and the relationship we want our dogs to have with the world.

That dog sure has you trained…is a common statement I hear from a lot of folks.

The reality is that any good trainer has been well trained by their dog—one way or the other.

Teaching new skills goes through successive approximations to achieve better and better behaviors with a final goal in mind. It can look like the trainer is rewarding crappy behavior. But, in fact we are rewarding better-than-before behavior knowing that we are nudging the behavior closer to our final goal.

We will gently shift our criteria for each rewardable event to slightly improved behaviors, little-by-little.

In other words, if I want a dog to settle while their favorite thing on earth is nearby (say kids playing ball) I have two choices:

  • Pay the dog for the settle in a currency that is greater in value than the kids – Treats, kibble, or cheese…depends on the dog
    • Keep the payment going in reasonable intervals that will allow the dog to make the better choice and stay in the settle
    • This dog learns to LOVE being in a settle around a challenging trigger (kids)
    • Positive Reinforcement
Or
  • Collar correcting the dog every time he tries to reach the children
    • The reward for the dog is the cessation of correction when he lays back down
    • The dog will make many mistakes in this set-up
    • The dog will probably not love being in a settle around a challenging trigger (kids)
      • In fact it be just the opposite and we would have a dog who is not happy around kids.
    • Positive punishment and Negative reinforcement
Both handlers had to be trained by their dogs in order to know when to reward or when to correct.
For example:

The positive reinforcement trainer has been well trained by their dog to know how often their dog will need rewards to remain in the settle.

The positive punishment/negative reinforcement trainer has been well trained by their dog to know when they need to correct the dog, how much they need to correct, and when to release the collar.

In the end any trainer who achieves reliable behaviors has been trained by their dog to know what that dog requires to learn.

The real question is not who is training whom—it is about the choices we make as the caregivers of these animals.

Positive reinforcement is a back and forth negotiation that allows for the dog to say,

“This is too hard for me so you need to pay me a bit more.” Or, “I really don’t care for this but if you pay me well I will do it.”

A. Verg Dog

This is not unlike when we look at our boss and tell them we will need time-and-a-half to work on a holiday. With appropriate payments the final result will be a great settle that has not negatively effected how the dog feels about performing the well-paid-for settle in the face of the children?

Positive punishment/negative reinforcement training it is not about negotiation but about forcing the dog to comply. Here the dog will probably say the same thing,

“I really don’t care for this thing,” Or, “This is too hard for me.”

A. Verg Dog

But this dog receives punishment for her inability to comply or lack of understanding. This is not unlike the boss who tells the employees they will have to work on the holiday and if they do not, they will be fired. The final result in this instance is a dog who learns to comply but has a negative association with their handler (boss) and the activity

Every day we train our dogs, we get to make a choice about what kind of relationship we want with our dogs and what kind of relationship we want our dogs to have with the world around them.

What do Steve Jobs and Boo have in common?

Just as the paperback of the best-selling A Dog Named Boo is starting to appear, the most unlikely pair ever makes an appearance on the store shelf!

Now that the paperback version of the best-selling A Dog Named Boo is starting to appear on shelves, a friend of ours sent in this photo from their local Target that made me laugh.

Steve-Jobs-and-Boo

It’s quite the juxtaposition, but it made me think about just what do Steve Jobs and Boo have in common?

[unordered_list style=”bullet”]

  • Boo’s certainly no computer tycoon.
  • Boo’s only interaction with an apple has been as the occasional snack treat.
  • Boo is clearly a dog and Jobs—well not so much.
  • They do both have a thoughtful kind of mischievous expression on their book covers.
  • They both have the distinguished salt and pepper thing going on.
  • They are both the subjects of best-selling books.[/unordered_list]

In short, they couldn’t be further from each other’s place in this world yet here they are together on the shelf at Target.

Funny old world!

 

Lisa and Boo were on the Marie Osmond Show!

See Boo and Lisa’s interview on the Marie Osmond Show

Boo and I took a trip out to California.

Cleaning up my archives, I came across this post. While this was years ago, Boo’s story is timeless.

Boo flying out to be on the Marie Osmond show

Luckily we had enough miles to upgrade to a Business class seat.

Boo needed room to stretch out.

He needed to get his beauty sleep before his big TV debut.

Enjoy the clip
Boo listening very carefully to Marie.

The Boo book has been reprinted in multiple languages, is an international best seller and if you have not read it, it’s well worth it.

Lisa was profiled by The Journal News!

Lisa was profiled by The Journal News in their latest My Neighborhood article!

The Journal News and LoHud.com profiled Lisa and Carmel in their latest My Neighborhood series of articles!

Here’s a link:

My Neighborhood: Lisa Edwards loves the wide open spaces of Carmel

And to top it off, both Boo and a certain little boy ham it up for the camera!

Enjoy!

 

A Dog Named Boo was reviewed by Interactions magazine!

Interactions magazine, published by Pet Partners, reviewed A Dog Named Boo in the Winter 2013 issue and they loved it!

Pet Partners (formerly known as the Delta Society) reviewed A Dog Named Boo in the latest issue of their periodical magazine, Interactions.

In short, they loved it!

Interactions magazine is print-only so you can check out the review below:

Interactions-A-Dog-Named-Boo
A Dog Named Boo

By Lisa Edwards

Harlequin (September 2012, hardcover)

292 pages

This book tells the story of Boo, a mischievous rescue pup who overcame a few bumps and health challenges to find his way into the lives and hearts of so many people working as a therapy dog. The book’s author, Lisa Edwards, is a professional dog trainer as well as having served as a Pet Partners Instructor and Evaluator for more than 10 years. In A Dog Named Boo, Lisa shares the journey she, Boo and her other dogs have taken with a warmth and understanding, and you’ll also find a wealth of training tips and excellent advice on making visits with a therapy dog. What is special about this book is that Lisa opens up to how powerful the human-animal bond is especially when facing life challenges. A wonderful, heartfelt read.

Jayne Ryan, Therapy Animal Program Coordinator – Facilities and Affiliates