Comical Side to Dog Training
Teaching your dogs to do tricks is simple. All the books on dog training say so. Even the books that use photographs of each step, insist that it is so easy. I beg to differ. Sometimes things can go hilariously wrong. When my Maltese was younger, he learned the sit command in minutes. Okay, lets learn how to shake a paw. Always so cute when company comes or during walks when he is admired. What I wanted him to do was sit when told, hold a paw up to shake when asked. He learned both very fast. Except, the second he was asked to shake a paw, up comes the hind end. He just can’t get them together. When meeting new people, he will dash at them holding one tiny paw up, running on three legs. Once he gets in front of the person, he’ll sit, and the paw get dropped. Of course everyone is ready to gang up on me for on taking a poor wee doggie out for a walk when he has such a sore paw. What sort of owner am I anyway!
When it comes to the show ring, good training is vital to a dogs behaviour, ability to show the animal to its best advantage and of course catch the judges eye. I went to a dog show that was held in a small town. People drove in from long distances to have their dogs strut their stuff in the ring and haul home a ribbon the size of a small car.
Backstage it is pure bedlam. Once the dogs and handlers hit the spotlight anything can happen. I watched a woman and her (new to the ring) Pug. She had put her dog through the paces, he knew them well. In the ring, he developed a severe case of stage-fright. He was frightened. The only way he could cope was to glue his eyes to his handlers face, and stay that way. Around they went, with the Pug with his poor head canted to the side so he could stare at his owner. She wasn’t quite sure how to handle it, kept tripping over her own dog while he struggled not to lose sight of her dear face.
A young girl entered with a ball of fuzz. A beautiful Pomeranian. They stood in front of the judge. He told the girl to “circle around.” Unfortunately, he made the motion with his hand. The small dog did as she was told. Every step of the way, she circled, and circled, tying herself in a knot to make sure she did it right. The crowd loved it. They clapped, the Pom was delighted. As they left the ring, she still circled.
A man watching said condescendingly, “Its only those silly ‘toy’ breeds that can’t get it right. Those aren’t even ‘real’ dogs, just little idiots covered with fur. Everyone who heard him bristled. Dogs are the same, big or teacup size.
Ah, revenge is so very sweet at times!
The man entered the ring with his handsome, powerful Mastiff. The dog preformed beautifully, while his owner smirked at us. All went well until the man sneezed, loudly. To everyone it sounded exactly like the command word, “Release.” The Mastiff took him at his word and bounded out of the ring into the crowd to meet and greet other dogs. The big fellow presented his charming self to anyone who wished to pet him. To make it even better his freedom tasted too good to give up. He refused to obey his orders to, in plain English, “Get your rear end back here if you know what is good for you,” command. The judge was not impressed, but we were. The man went on to show another Mastiff that did very well. He was sure he would win every ribbon and cup on the table.
It was a moment of pure bliss to watch that horrid man’s face when the winner was announced. Best of show went to a four pound toy breed who’s name was “Perfection,” a Chihuahua!
