Nancy Freedman-Smith, dog trainer and owner of Gooddogz Training, provides a place for dog owners to find positive training tips, canine-activities and places to visit along with the latest information on keeping your dog healthy and active. Nancy lives with her three young kids, Charlee and Finney the dogs, Yellow the parakeet and Tater-Tot the Hamster. Staying current, keeping fresh, and always learning new things is a must for Nancy and her profession because one thing that animals surely teach you is "the more you know, the more you know you don't know."
Hamster Soccer with Charlee and Tater-tot
No hamsters were harmed during the taking of these photos!
We have been laughing really really hard, since the day that the dog discovered the ball we bought our hamster Tater-Tot for Christmas and Charlee turned the hamster into her new and unique game of hamster soccer.
Relax, I monitored the game very closely and the dog was very gentle. Game over as soon as Charlee started to get excited, and well before she got carried away. Please do not try this with your hamsters, my dog is well trained and has a reliable "off" switch, and the dog and hamster are good friends.
For several weeks I have been toying with the idea of blogging how we can teach our dogs behaviors simply by laughing. Herding breeds tend to have great senses of humor in my experience, and they are quick to learn both the good and the bad with very little encouragement of the chuckling kind. Charlee has learned some really intricate dance moves just by hanging around when I danced in the living room with the kids. The more we laugh the more into it she gets. Some of the jumps, twirls, and airs above the ground she 'offered', I have easily put on cue. The more we laugh, the wilder she dances (really!) I explained to my tricks class recently that it is like the beginnings of dressage with horses.
Intricate moves were later developed based on what the horses in the field performed naturally while at play. One day when I have more time, Charlee and I will strut our stuff in the Freestyle arena.
Is there anything, good or bad that you taught your dog while laughing?
Please post it here.
Comments
My dog Sable has an elaborate greeting ritual she goes through when I come home from work that entails climbing up on my bed, sitting on the edge and simultaneously "waving" hello to me while vocalizing too. The sounds she produces sound vaguely like a doggy version of mooing and it usually makes me laugh. (So I have reinforced the behavior with laughter). As I'm laughing, I'm also smiling and Sable then adds one more variable to her "performance" by attempting to smile back with a contorted grin, sneezes, and "moo" sounds. Very entertaining and a good way to say 'Welcome Home Mommy'!
Posted by DonnaDecember 28, 2005 10:23 AM
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