Inside Of A Dog Part 17

Avoid the missteps common to those who have the cla.s.sic idea of what a dog should do: sit, stay, obey. Your dog is not born knowing what you mean by come come here. here. You must teach it explicitly, in small steps, and reward him when he actually comes. Dogs are attuned to tiny cues from you, cues that may be the same when you call You must teach it explicitly, in small steps, and reward him when he actually comes. Dogs are attuned to tiny cues from you, cues that may be the same when you call come come as when you say as when you say go away!: go away!: a tone of voice, a body posture. It is up to you to make your request specific and distinctive. a tone of voice, a body posture. It is up to you to make your request specific and distinctive.

Training can take a long time; be patient. When even a "trained" dog does not come to calling, too often people chase him down and then punish him-forgetting that from the dog's point of view, the punishment is linked with your arrival, not his earlier disobedience. This is a quick, effective way to get him to never come when you call him.

When come here come here has been learned, a good argument can be made that there is little else by way of commands that an ordinary dog needs to know. Teach them more if you both enjoy it. What a dog most needs to learn is the importance of you-and that is something he is born to see. A dog who cannot "shake hands" on command is just a little more doggy. Make clear what behaviors you dislike and be consistent in not reinforcing them. Few celebrate a dog who jumps at people as they has been learned, a good argument can be made that there is little else by way of commands that an ordinary dog needs to know. Teach them more if you both enjoy it. What a dog most needs to learn is the importance of you-and that is something he is born to see. A dog who cannot "shake hands" on command is just a little more doggy. Make clear what behaviors you dislike and be consistent in not reinforcing them. Few celebrate a dog who jumps at people as they

approach-but start with the premise that it is we who keep ourselves (and our faces) unbearably far away, and we can come to a mutual understanding.

ALLOW FOR HIS DOGNESS.

Let him roll in whatever-that-thing-is whatever-that-thing-is once in a while. Endure some traipsing through mud puddles. Walk off-leash when you can. When you cannot walk off-leash, do not yank him along by his neck, ever. Learn to distinguish a nip from a bite. Let approaching dogs smell each other's rumps. once in a while. Endure some traipsing through mud puddles. Walk off-leash when you can. When you cannot walk off-leash, do not yank him along by his neck, ever. Learn to distinguish a nip from a bite. Let approaching dogs smell each other's rumps.

CONSIDER THE SOURCE.

Why does he do that? I am asked almost daily. Many times my only answer can be that not every behavior a dog does has an explanation. Sometimes when a dog suddenly flops on the ground and looks at you, he is just I am asked almost daily. Many times my only answer can be that not every behavior a dog does has an explanation. Sometimes when a dog suddenly flops on the ground and looks at you, he is just lying down and lying down and looking looking-and nothing more. Not every behavior signifies something. Those that do mean something should be explained by taking into consideration the natural history of your dog-as an animal, as a canid, and as a particular breed.

Breed matters: A dog that stares down invisible prey or slowly stalks other dogs may be presenting very good "eye" behavior for a herder. So too with the dog who is aggrieved when one person leaves the room or who nips at everyone's heels as they wander down the hallway. Freezing at movement in the bushes slows down your walk, but it is very good pointing behavior. A bred dog with no task may be agitated, restive, keyed up: a drifter, not clearly driven to any activity. Give him some. This is the great science behind "tossing a ball": a retriever is made happy just to do it, over and over. He is fulfilling his capability. On the other hand, if your dog has a short nose and has trouble breathing, don't a.s.sume he can run with you. That same dog, with his near, central vision, may not care for the game fetch, fetch, while a retriever with a wide visual streak may care only for it. Give your dog a context to play out his innate tendencies-and indulge him a little staring at the bushes now and then. while a retriever with a wide visual streak may care only for it. Give your dog a context to play out his innate tendencies-and indulge him a little staring at the bushes now and then.

Animalness matters: adapt to your dog's capacities rather than simply expecting him to adapt to our strange notions of how to be a dog. We want our dogs to heel heel-I have seen people turn furious when their dog does not-but dogs may be more or less p.r.o.ne to walk close to, and in step with, their social companions. Retrievers do, but sporting breeds might not (both will keep an eye on you). Also, most dogs exhibit handedness-pawedness-so while we shunt them to our left, as every training cla.s.s has us do, we might be disadvantaging some dogs more than others (and leading to inevitable frustration if the good smells are all on the right side of the path). It would be a shame to punish a dog needlessly because we simply do not know his nature. Not every dog needs to heel in the same way: the essence is simply being safe and manageable.

Canidness matters: Your dog is a social creature. Do not leave him alone for most of his life.

GIVE HIM SOMETHING TO DO.

One of the best ways to see your dog's capacities and interests is simply to provide a lot of possible things to interact with. Wiggle a string in front of your dog's nose along the ground; stash a treat in a s...o...b..x; or invest in the many creative dog toys that are marketed. A rich set of things to burrow into, nose, chew, bob, shake, pursue, or watch will engage your dog-and keep him from finding his own burrowable and chewable objects among your possessions. Outside, agility training or some simulacrum obstacle course is a well-defined way to engage and interest many energetic but driven dogs. But interest can be spiked simply by a weaving, smell-laden path, or the unexplored reaches of a field.

Dogs like both the familiar and the new. Happiness is novelty-new toys, new treats-in a safe, well-known place. It can be cure for boredom, too: the new requires attention and prompts activity. Hiding food to be searched for is one example: they must move around to explore the s.p.a.ce, using nose and paw and mouth together. You need only watch the exuberance of an agility dog on a new course to see how good new new is. is.

PLAY WITH HIM.

In youth, but even throughout their lives, dogs are constantly learning about the world, like the developing child. Games that children find mind-bogglingly fun work with dogs too. Peekaboo, disappearing around the corner or under a blanket instead of behind hands, is especially fun when dogs are learning about invisible displacement, that objects continue to exist when you can no longer see them. Dogs are astute perceivers of a.s.sociations, and you can play with that: ring the bell before dinner, Ivan Pavlov found, and the dogs antic.i.p.ate dinner. You can connect bells-or horns, whistles, harmonica, gospel music, just about anything-not just with food, but with people arriving, or the time for a bath. Make a string of a.s.sociations-and treat your dog's actions as adding to that string. Play imitation games, mirroring what your dog does: jumping on the bed, yelping, pawing the air. Note your dog's current skills, and try to stretch his ability. If he seems to know walk walk or or ball, ball, start using words that make more subtle distinctions: start using words that make more subtle distinctions: smell walk smell walk and and blue ball; evening smell walk blue ball; evening smell walk and and blue squeaky ball. blue squeaky ball. And at any age, play with your dog as a dog would. Choose your play signal-play-slap your hands on the ground, mimic panting close to his face, race away with looks back at him-and play. Treat your hands as he does his mouth and grab head, legs, tail, belly. Give him a good toy to hold on to, or be prepared for some nips. Watch as your own tail may begin to wag. And at any age, play with your dog as a dog would. Choose your play signal-play-slap your hands on the ground, mimic panting close to his face, race away with looks back at him-and play. Treat your hands as he does his mouth and grab head, legs, tail, belly. Give him a good toy to hold on to, or be prepared for some nips. Watch as your own tail may begin to wag.

LOOK AGAIN.

Much enjoyment can be had in noticing the invisible-visible features of your dog: the things we typically see through that are on display right in front of us. We now know how attentive dogs can be to people, and to our attention: notice the various and creative methods your dog uses to try to get your attention. Does he bark or bray? Stare at you wistfully? Sigh loudly? Walk back and forth between you and the door? Lay his head on your lap? Find the methods you like, and respond to them, letting the others fade away naturally.

Notice how your dog uses his eyes; the frenzy of his nose; how his ears fold back, p.r.i.c.k up, and pivot toward a distant bark. Notice all the sounds he makes, and all the sounds he notices. Even the way the dog moves, an action so familiar as to make him recognizable at a distance, is transformed on closer examination: what gait does he use? A medium-sized dog may stride forward in the cla.s.sic walk, walk, the rear foot on one side of the body slowly chasing the front foot to the ground, the diagonal paws moving almost in sync. Hurrying a little, he the rear foot on one side of the body slowly chasing the front foot to the ground, the diagonal paws moving almost in sync. Hurrying a little, he trots, trots, the diagonal legs now in tandem, occasionally finding himself with only one paw of four fully on the ground. Between the trot and the walk is the gait of the short-legged: typical of the bulldog, front-heavy with a wide stance, his rear end rolling as he walks. Leggy dogs do better at the the diagonal legs now in tandem, occasionally finding himself with only one paw of four fully on the ground. Between the trot and the walk is the gait of the short-legged: typical of the bulldog, front-heavy with a wide stance, his rear end rolling as he walks. Leggy dogs do better at the gallop, gallop, the run of greyhounds, wherein the two rear feet precede the two front to the ground, the dog's body alternating between outstretched, and airborne and spring-loaded. In the gallop that fifth toelike digit partway up the front leg of most dogs-the dew claw-is used for stability and leverage; at a gallop's end you might find the usually clean dew claw with a dollop of mud under it. Toy-sized dogs the run of greyhounds, wherein the two rear feet precede the two front to the ground, the dog's body alternating between outstretched, and airborne and spring-loaded. In the gallop that fifth toelike digit partway up the front leg of most dogs-the dew claw-is used for stability and leverage; at a gallop's end you might find the usually clean dew claw with a dollop of mud under it. Toy-sized dogs half-bound, half-bound, bringing their two hind legs forward at once but uncoupling their front footfalls. Other dogs bringing their two hind legs forward at once but uncoupling their front footfalls. Other dogs pace, pace, their left legs moving forward and falling at once, followed quickly by the right. Mesmerize yourself trying to keep track of the complexity of your dog's gait. their left legs moving forward and falling at once, followed quickly by the right. Mesmerize yourself trying to keep track of the complexity of your dog's gait.

SPY ON HIM.

To understand what your dog's day at home without you might be like, by all means videotape it. One of the distinct pleasures I got with Pumpernickel was seeing her act without me. Despite hours of videorecording, I rarely turned my camera on to her. It was only when she didn't expect me-when a friend had taken her out, and I arrived unannounced-that I got to see her carry on without me.

It was spectacular to see. You can re-create this kind of spectacle by setting up a videotape at your home when you leave for the day. I recommend this "eavesdropping" not because it reliably reveals spectacles-it does not-but because it allows you to see your dog's life without you there. You will more fully understand what his day might be like by watching a snippet of the day pa.s.s later, minute by minute.

What I saw in my eavesdropping was Pump's independence, freed not just from the need to check back with me, but from the kind of scrutiny to which I subjected all her behavior. She existed capably without me, for the hours that I milled about in the bookstore, had an extra-long run, went elsewhere for dinner followed by elsewhere still for drinks. This was at once rea.s.suring and fully humbling. I am glad that she managed the day on her own, yet I am sometimes mystified that I ever left her alone at all.

Most dogs are simply alone all day with little to do, expected to wait it out until we return, and then act just as we want them to. And we are surprised and horrified when they actually do something in our absence! That dogs endure this (and much worse misinterpretation and neglect) is almost part of their const.i.tution. We can, and do, get away with it. But dogs are individuals. It is for this reason that they require-and deserve-more attention to their umwelt, to their experience, to their point of view.

DON'T BATHE YOUR DOG EVERY DAY.

Let them smell like a dog as long as you can stand it. Some dogs will even develop painful skin sores from regular bathing. And no dog wants to smell like a bathtub that has had a dog in it.

READ THE DOG'S TELLS.

Like novice poker players, dogs reveal what could be called their "tells"-their intent, their "hand"-with every move, if you simply look. The configuration of the face, head, body, and tail are all meaningful. And there is more to it than whether the tail is wagging or the dog is barking: dogs can say more than one thing at a time. A barking dog whose tail fans the sky is not "about to attack" but is instead more curious, alert, uncertain-and interested. A furiously wagging low tail undermines the aggressiveness of a familiar dog snarling as he guards a ball.

Given the salience of eye contact to all canids, and the dog's use of gaze, you can get a lot of information about an unknown dog from his eyes. Constant eye contact can be threatening: do not approach a dog by gazing non-stop, which may be perceived as staring him down. If he is staring at you, you can deflect his gaze by turning away slightly, breaking eye contact. They do the same when they are tense: turning their head to the side, or distracting themselves with a yawn or a sudden interest in a smell on the ground. If you think you are the recipient of a threatening stare, you can confirm it by looking for its accompaniment: hackles up, ears up, tail up, body frozen. A stare with a tongue darting licks into the air is more adoring than aggressive.

PET FRIENDLY.

Though they nearly all look pettable, not every dog likes to be petted. Attending to that is not only polite, it is sometimes imperative: a fearful or sick dog might respond to touch with aggression. There are great individual differences in dogs' sensitivity to petting, and their current interest can be changed by their state of health, their state of happiness, and past experience. For most dogs, the right touch by a human is a calming, bonding experience. Light touch is irritating or exciting; a firm hand is relaxing; too firm a hand is probably oppressive. They (and you) can be physically calmed by steady, continuous strokes from the head to rump, or by capable deep muscle ma.s.sage. Watch your dog's reaction and find his preferred touch zones. And let him touch you back.

GET A MUTT.

If you don't have a dog yet, or are getting another dog, I have just the breed for you: the breedless dog, the mutt. The myth that a shelter dog, especially a mixed-breed dog, will be less good or less reliable than a purebred dog is not just wrong, it is entirely backward: mixed breeds are healthier, less anxious, and live longer than purebreds. When you buy a bred dog, you are simply not buying a fixed object, guaranteed to act in certain ways-regardless of what the breeder tells you. What you might get is a dog with an overriding fixation, born of breeding for a task that he will likely never do while living with you (who nonetheless will still be wonderfully doggy). Mutts, on the other hand, with the bred characteristics diluted, wind up having lots of latent abilities and less mania.

ANTHROPOMORPHIZE WITH UMWELT IN MIND.

On walks Pump was never satisfied with being on one side of the path or the other: she weaved back and forth capriciously. Holding her on leash I was constantly readjusting my hand on the thing. Sometimes I'd insist she stay to one side of me, and she sighed at me while we both glanced knowingly at the good un-smelled spots on the other side.

Even with a scientific take on the dog, we find ourselves using anthropomorphic words. Our dogs-my dog-make friends, feel guilty, have fun, get jealous; understand what we mean, think about things, know better; are sad, are happy, are scared; want, love, hope.

This way of talking is easy, and sometimes useful, but it is also part of a bigger, more exceptionable phenomenon. As we recast every moment of a dog's life in human terms, we have begun to completely lose touch with the animal in them. It is no longer the rare dog who is shampooed, clothed in garments, and feted on his birthday. That may seem benign, but it is also part of a de-animalizing of dogs that is somewhat radical. We are rarely present for their births, and many people will choose not to be present for their own dogs' deaths. We eliminate s.e.x for the most part: we neuter dogs and we discourage the slightest lascivious thrusts of the hips. They are fed sanitized food, in bowls; they are largely restricted to a leash-length distance from our heels. In cities, their excrement is bundled up and thrown away. (Happily, we have not yet taught them to use the toilet ... convenient though we know that would be.) Breed types are described like products, with specified features. It seems as though we are trying to get rid of the animal part of the dog.

If we a.s.sume that we have reduced the animal factor to zero, we are in for some unhappy surprises. Dogs do not always behave just as we think they should. They may sit, lie down, and roll over-but then will revert magnificently. They suddenly squat and urinate in the house, bite your hand, sniff your crotch, jump on a stranger, eat something gnarly in the gra.s.s, don't come when you call them, roughly tackle a much smaller dog. In this way, our frustrations with dogs often arise from our extreme anthropomorphizing, which neglects the very animalness of dogs. A complex animal cannot be explained simply.

The alternative to anthropomorphizing is not simply treating animals as precisely unhuman. We now have the tools to take a more measured look at their behavior: with their umwelt and their perceptual and cognitive abilities in mind. Nor need we take a dispa.s.sionate stance toward animals. Scientists anthropomorphize ... at home. They name their pets, and see love in a named-dog's upward-turned gaze. In research, names are verboten: while they might help tell animals apart, they are not benign. Naming a wild animal "colors one's thinking about it forever afterwards," a preeminent field biologist noted. There are obvious observational biases that are introduced when you name the subject of your observations. Jane Goodall famously violated this maxim, and "Graybeard" became known to the world. But "Graybeard" for me connotes a wise, old man: as a result, I may be more likely to perceive his behavior as indicative of his wisdom than see it as foolishness. Instead, to distinguish individual animals, most ethologists use identifying markings-leg bands, tags, or marking fur or feathers with dye-or look for ident.i.ty in habitual behavior, social organization, or natural physical features.*