I lost the love of my life on my birthday. I chose the day to sit by her side and say farewell. Although it felt like I had no choice. Zuri, my Rhodesian Ridgeback and keeper of my heart, was dying of cancer which had spread mercilessly to her lungs and abdomen. Every decision I had made up to this point was meant to prevent this. I was shocked to view the x-ray which looked like a patchwork of leopard spots over every part of her lungs. There was silence in the consult room as I stared at the results with my hand over my mouth. How was she not gasping for breath? The oncologist finally stepped forward and turned off the monitor light. I remember her voice coming from a distance saying, “That’s enough. It’s a depressing picture. She’s a very sick dog.” There was an urgency in choosing the time of her departure. An over-riding imperative to prevent the suffering that was imminent; A suffering that may be sudden. I did not want the final days and hours of her journey to be tainted by distress. So the fact that it was my birthday was immaterial to the decision. Yet it was also poignant.

Zuri left peacefully in her favourite place, surrounded by her favourite people, head cradled in my hands. And by some miracle, my heart kept beating. It wasn’t the same heart any more. There was a huge Zuri-shaped hole which had once been an overflowing of joy, love, companionship, contentment and endless gratitude. At times I was angry at this heart for continuing on as if everything was the same, for beating around a gaping chasm. How could it carry on when it was bleeding out from a mortal wound?

The task to continue some semblance of living with this defiant heart began. Living in a Zuri-less house was excruciating. For a quiet, easy-to-live with dog, she was conspicuous in her absence. There was no cure for the lack of rhythmic breathing by my side at night. Nor for the loss of enthusiastic greetings upon my return to an empty house. I was solo where once there had been a constant companion quietly by my side.

My grieving was purposeful and deliberate. It had to be. If I was not choreographing rituals and routines to remember my best friend, the grief was overwhelming. If I stopped and looked into the abyss that was my loss, it threatened to suck me into a dark vortex with scant chance of return.

Part of my grieving process included the strict proviso that such an amazing friend could not, would not, should not, must not be replaced until a suitable amount of time had elapsed. Out of respect to her memory.  And because she was irreplaceable.  I had no idea what the right amount of time was, but never didn’t seem too long to wait.

However, I wasn’t prepared for the inconsolable nature of the sadness. I compromised and visited puppies. They crawled on me, and licked me and suffocated me with puppy breath and unbridled exploratory joy. I heard myself vocalizing in their presence and realized I was laughing. There was no laughter in the empty house. Time stood still and heartache was held at bay during puppy therapy. So I took one home.

I was careful not to break the pact I’d made by fostering a puppy who needed some recuperation time after surgery. This was temporary and was not a replacement.  For seven weeks I welcomed Gidget, this amazingly resilient puppy, into the home. Despite two surgeries, her crazy joy filled the house and she recovered well. She disregarded the wall I had built to prevent emotional attachment and managed to creep in and create a little niche inside a part of my heart that wasn’t broken. There were times through tears that I looked at her charming face and apologized for my melancholy state, explaining that it wasn’t her that was making me sad. That she was precious but my heart was struggling with guilt over feeling happy when my soul mate was gone.

On Zuri’s birthday, eyes red and brimming, heart conflicted, I made the decision to return her for a week, hoping the absence would help with making a decision whether it was right to keep her permanently.

I wasn’t prepared for the new grief that ensued. I suspected that it was just the return of a silent, dogless house that precipitated a renewal of sadness. After a few days I realized my plan to wait a suitably respectful time before welcoming a dog into my life was not a good one. The hole Zuri left was too big. I realized that Gidget was not replacing  Zuri; she  had been helping me cope with the loss of my friend by easing the whirlwind of destructive emotions with an eddy of joyful puppyness. She was not taking away the grief or dishonouring Zuri’s memory but making her loss a little more bearable.  This little nutty little puppy that I wouldn’t have chosen had started a healing balm and I didn’t want her to leave. I realized all this too late and through an unexpected turn of events, she was gone and nothing could bring her back.

With a new urgency I needed to fill the painful void. That’s when I found more puppies. This time I resolved to welcome a permanent family member. I picked her while she was sleeping, not knowing if she was already promised to a home or not. She wasn’t.​

​I moved the bed to another position and within a day Willow was lying on it.

Animal training is my passion. For me it is not just training. I’m not satisfied with just getting a job done, or training a certain task to a certain level. It’s the journey. It’s how the job is done: how the task is taught. How the animal is responding matters immensely.
 
It is really important to me that the animal is showing signs of wanting to engage. Further, I want to engender an attitude of joy in the trainee. I want it to be fun for the learner. There is a wonderful by-product of creating an enjoyable learning experience – the trainer is associated with the positive experience. The trainer is the source of all good things, someone to keep an eye on, to gravitate towards. The trainer is consistent, to be trusted and not feared. The trainer is a good communicator, not confusing or a source of stress. This is a huge factor in relationship building.
 
I was challenged when I reviewed video footage of a training session I had with Zuri. I wanted to measure her nose for a muzzle. I hadn’t done this before and Zuri is hesitant with new things (enter the tape measure) and handling.  “This would make a great video topic”, I thought. What a great way to show a functional use of a well taught ‘touch’ and ‘wait’ with a reluctant dog. It would also demonstrate how seamlessly a dog can learn something new if they have a history of learning other tasks and playing training games that are enjoyable.  Off I went and duly measured Zuri’s nose in front of the camera. It got the job done quickly, in less than two minutes. When I watched the footage back, I was disappointed. On the surface it looked pretty good: no physical restraint or enviromental restraint (like backing a dog into a corner), no force, no struggle, no harsh words or physical intimidation, no avoidance by seeking distance or walking away on Zuri’s part. Yet it lacked enthusiasm. It lacked the joyful demeanour of a softly wagging tail. Where was the anticipation and engagement with gusto? I even noted some subtle signs of stress such as repeated blinking, paucity of movement, head turning away from me and the tape measure, drawing the head away from the tape measure and, because I know her body language so well, even the slight tension in her floppy ears as they pulled backwards and close to her head just a few millimetres. She was licking her lips at times. I wasn’t sure if this was due to the food or a sign of stress, but I suspected stress. She wasn't wagging her tail.
 
I was simply too focused on getting the job done: the job being showing how ‘touch’ and ‘wait’ were so cool for teaching other tasks. I wasn’t using overt force but I was pushing her into a level of discomfort and I was lucky she was staying despite this.
 
What I didn’t like:
 
* I was doing it slowly, but not slow enough.  Instead of breaking the process down into small enough steps, I was jumping straight from presenting the tape measure to touching her with it.
* My hands were moving towards her with the tape, rather than giving her the option of approaching. That’s a big deal for animals: to have options of when to engage and disengage. When an animal feels safe, they will be more compliant. Part of feeling safe for an animal is having the ability to stop the process at any time.
* When she looked away, I prompted her to touch my hand instead of waiting for her signal that she was ready to continue. (All because I wanted to demonstrate ‘touch’!)
* I asked her to ‘wait’ and then held the measuring tape on for too long. I should have been quicker to remove it and built up the duration gradually.
 
This just wouldn’t do. The functional goal had been met but the journey could have been much better for Zuri. She's my bud and this matters to me. So I did it again the next day with the goal to get footage of Zuri engaged with obvious enjoyment. One of my favourite catch phrases is, “Our behaviour changes a dog’s behaviour”. I changed what I was doing ever so subtly.
 
* I broke the process down into even smaller steps. There were quite a few in between showing the tape and wrapping it for a few seconds around her nose to measure.
* Breaking down the process into smaller steps resulted in being able to give a higher rate of reinforcement which is a sure way to get an enthusiastic learner.
* I let her approach the tape rather than put it on her nose.
* If she looked away, I didn’t ask for a ‘touch’. I waited until she was ready.
* I threw treats away from me and let her return in her own time to look for the measuring tape.
* I was more relaxed and my body language was more playful, not so darn serious!
 
The difference was noticeable. Her tail was wagging, her body soft, she was eager to engage and find the tape even when I hid it from view. Her floppy ears were pivoting forward more. The lip licking that was present in the first video was greatly reduced in the subsequent footage. The blinking reduced.
 
I got the behaviour required for taking measurements and then just kept on playing the game because we were both enjoying the moment. It took about one and a half minutes. That said, how long it takes is less of an issue to me than how much fun it is. I make mention because many people believe that it's too time consuming to approach dog handling in this way and therefore resort to physical restraint. I will add that if you do not have a solid trust account with your dog, it will take longer.

Approaching handling this way is a delightful journey where both participants enjoy the ride.
​
Email subscribers can watch our journey here.

It’s a fact. Not all dogs like to be patted. Those that do don’t always like to be patted on the head. Dogs have preferences as to where and how they like to be touched. They also have preferences of who they like to be touched by. Just because they love a chest scratch from their care giver, doesn’t mean they want the same from a stranger. Even in the same household a dog may enjoy a particular interaction from one member of the family, but not from a different member. The good news is that it’s easy to ask a dog if they like the way they are being touched. It simply requires some knowledge about dog communication and body language.
 
I’ve made a video to demonstrate a simple way to ask your dog how he/she likes to be patted. It’s as simple as starting to pat your dog and then stopping and noting the response.​ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU4TKzBOzw4

Another common theme is that people are sure that their dog likes being hugged. I sometimes ask them to show me - because some dogs don't mind at all. The majority don't actually enjoy the interaction. Once the "no" signals have been discussed, it's amazing how many of these signs are recognized. Before the hug begins, many little dogs are almost chased down and picked up while they are trying to avoid the impending interaction. If you bend down and your little dog moves away, they probably don't like being picked up much, let alone hugged. Many dogs tolerate our hugs but don't actually enjoy them. Some dogs don't mind a hug from their special people, but don't want the same affection from others.

Here’s a quick summary of how dogs say “yes” or “no”. Sometimes they say “maybe”. I suspect they are conflicted at times because they want our attention but don’t like the type of attention they are getting. It’s the classic walk away and then come back and then walk away routine. I've heard many times, "Well if he didn't like it, why does he keep coming back?" Once we change our approach, a “maybe” can soon become a “yes”. Be aware that all dog body language needs to be observed with consideration of the context within which it occurs, the rest of the dog’s body language (not just one part of the dog)  and the individual dog involved. Just like people, different dogs have little idiosyncrasies and styles of communicating.

Body language that says “Yes”:

• Moving into your space, coming to you for physical contact
• Nudging a head into your hand or lap
• Pawing your hand, trying to move it closer
• Leaning into you
• Lying down near you, touching you or flopping onto you
• Face, mouth and eyes are relaxed, even droopy

 
Body language that says “No”:

• Moving away from you, especially if they don’t return or leave the area - This is so important to take notice of. If a dog does not come to you, do not go to the dog and invade the dog's space, especially if you do not know the dog. Do not put dogs in situations where they cannot move away or escape from a patting interaction you think is pleasant but they don't appreciate
• Leaning away from you.
• Turning the head away
• Looking away from you with the eyes
• Shying away or ducking the head away from your hand
• Rolling the eyes away to show the whites of the eye (whale eye)
• Yawning
• Licking the lips
• Freezing (a tense stillness as opposed to a relaxed stillness)

If you miss the more subtle "no", communication may escalate to become more obvious and effective. Dogs who really find patting aversive (i.e. hate it and can't wait to escape) may learn to skip the subtle requests if history has shown that no-one ever listens.

• Growling
• Snapping
• Biting

 Body language that could mean “Yes” or “No”:

• Licking your face or hands. This can be asking for space or for you to stop. It is a common appeasement signal. Appeasement behaviours function to reduce or get rid of some part of the interaction which they do not like without using overt aggression. It can also be a sign of affection from a very mouthy, licky dog.
• Rolling over. If the dog is tense, lips are drawn back and tense, this means "no". It is another appeasement behaviour. If the dog is floppy and the eyes are soft or closed, this means “rub mah belly”. Refer to the pictures below.

 Rub Mah Belly Roll Over:
*  Mouth relaxed (floppy gums dropping with gravity, exposing teeth)
*  ​Front legs floppy and relaxed
*  Back legs relaxed, flopping wide open with gravity
*  Skin around eyes soft, not taut
*  Body relaxed, stretched out fully, lying fully on back
​

• Paw raised. If the dog is tense and the body is leaning away, it means “no”. If the dog is leaning towards you and body is relaxed, it can be “yes” or "maybe".
• Walking away. Some dogs will walk away and come back. They may want attention from you, but not the sort you are giving. If you change what you are doing, they may stay.
• Mouthing the hand. This may mean “no” if it occurs whilst you are petting and stops when you stop. Some dogs show affection by mouthing, so they may gently mouth your hand as you pat them. If it occurs when you stop petting, it could be a mouthy dog requesting for you to continue. In the video, Turbo mouths when the patting stops to get it to start again. He stops mouthing when the person is patting him. When it happens it very important. Does the dog mouth to stop you, or to get you to start again?
• Being motionless. If the dog is relaxed and motionless they may be enjoying the pat. They may lean ever so slightly into your touch, with all the other signs of enjoyment (soft eyes, ears, mouth). If they have “frozen” and are tense or rigid under your touch, almost resisting relaxation or holding their breath, they are probably not enjoying the patting and are waiting for it to stop. You can often feel a pounding heart under the chest of a dog who is very still but not enjoying the contact.
• Lots of wiggling. Some dogs are happy, wiggly, bouncy balls of exuberance who can’t stop moving when they are enjoying an activity. Others are nervous, uncomfortable wigglers who are torn between wanting some attention from you but not liking where or how they are being touched.

 
I'm encouraged by the comments I’ve read on social media. Many people notice a difference in the way their dog approaches, stays and responds to them when they take the time to observe, ask the dog and accommodate what he/she enjoys.
 
Have a try. Ask your dog and let me know the answer.
 
Want to practice more observations skills? Read this other great blog and video on the same topic:
 
http://eileenanddogs.com/2012/08/29/does-your-dog-really-want-to-be-petted/

Here are some great resources which Eileenanddogs.com recommends in her blog. She is spot on with her recommendations, so with her permission, I've included them just as she has recommended. You can never get enough of the good stuff.​ Go check out her blog.

Recommended Resources:

"Doggonesafe.com: How to Love Your Dog –  Believe it or Not. This little gem describes ways to ask the dog’s consent, encourages getting to know one’s dog’s language, and suggests ways that humans and dogs can be physically close to each other without intimidating or “over-touching” the dog. The whole website has great stuff about learning to read dogs and keeping kids safe around them.

Dogs Like Kids They Feel Safe With. This is a wonderful movie about teaching dogs with a clicker and teaching children with TAGteach with the goal of comfortable and safe interaction between the two. Children who are fearful and and children who tend to overdo with animals are both included. The children are taught about asking the adult handler’s and the dog’s consent.

Dr. Sophia Yin has a wealth of information on dog body language, polite greeting behavior (from humans), and low stress handling. Here is a page with a load of information. Free Downloads: Posters, Handouts, and More.

Family Paws is another great site that focuses on safe interactions between dogs and their human family members, with special emphasis on education for expecting families and families with infants. Here is founder Jennifer Shryock doing a great analysis of a now infamous human/dog petting session gone wrong, with nice explanations of the mismatch between dog and human communication and expectations.

Observation Skills for Training Dogs. That great FaceBook group I have mentioned before."

© Sonya Bevan
Dogcharming.com.au

Thank you to Eileen Anderson for sharing her blog and resource recommendations, Steph Walker for her pictures of Reggie and Bodel Mitchell for sharing Zoe with me.

In my view, training and playing with my dog are synonymous. Training should be fun for both participants. The most mundane of tasks can be made into a “training game” with a little bit of creativity. Playing with my dog can also morph into a covert training session that she is ecstatic to participate in.
 
Whenever I play, I try to have guidelines that my dog needs to follow. It’s not as regimented as it may sound. How many games do we play that have rules that need to be followed that enhance the fun? Even the most basic of games have some guidelines: count to ten before chasing, then when you’re tagged, you’re it!
 
When I think about it, even spontaneous rough and tumble with my dog has certain guidelines such as “bite me very softly, not hard” or “dodge me, don’t slam into my legs” to keep it fun. The play spontaneously stops if these rules are broken because I’m no longer having fun!
 
Some of the guidelines I apply when playing fetch or tug with my dog are:
 
1.  "Wait" patiently for the game to begin - don’t help yourself to the toy from my hand
2.  "Sit” to ask to start the game – I like this to be automatic, not asked for by me every time
3.  Game starts when you hear “OK” or “Tug”
4. “Give” the toy into my hand, don’t drop it at my feet or 2 metres away
5. “Find” a dropped object
6. “Leave” a toy, no matter how enticing. At a more advanced level, leave it even if you are chasing it

I have no problem with playing tug with a dog. If you teach a dog the rules, there is no problem with aggression or over-arousal. I don't understand the advice to never let the dog win either. It's a win-win game when you play with your dog. When you say "give", the dog gives and then the game starts again when you say the word. It's darn fun!

A common complaint that comes up with puppies who are first learning to walk on lead is that they bite, chew and tug the lead as soon as it is put on. It’s not a problem limited to puppies either. Many full grown dogs have the same habit. Some people get around the problem by using a metal chain that’s not pleasant to chew. Or by spraying something nasty tasting onto the lead. Or by punishing the behaviour with a leash jerk, a choke with a choker collar or a raised voice. I like to approach the problem by first assessing when and why this behaviour might occur.

Reasons may include that:

* it’s reinforcing. Puppies explore with their mouths and many leads seems to feel good to chew. The attention a dog gets when they start chewing may also be reinforcing: the dog gets looked at, spoken too, touched to the point that trying to retrieve the lead from his mouth becomes a super-fun game of tug. If it wasn’t reinforcing, a dog wouldn’t continue to do it.

* it’s due to frustration. It may be a displacement or replacement behaviour. If a dog cannot access something they want, they may turn on the lead which is restricting them and chew in response.

* it’s a response to something a dog wishes to escape or avoid. They may desperately chew on the lead that is preventing escape.

I choose to introduce a behaviour that replaces the biting and pays off more. If the reason is due to frustration, I provide an alternative behaviour in conjunction with teaching the dog some impulse control in an environment in which he can succeed. It is not effective or efficient to attempt teaching a dog who is already frustrated. For fearful dogs I avoid putting them in the situations that trigger the escape/avoidance response whilst working on helping them overcome the fears in a controlled and safe environment.

My ethos is that training should enhance the relationship between the dog and guardian. For this reason, I avoid punishment-based techniques to stop the behaviour after it has already occurred. Punishment has side effects. The type and intensity of the fallout becomes evident only after the damage has been done. Further, it is generally much harder to reverse than it is to cause. I value the human-dog relationship too much to risk gambling with such consequences.
 
I label many training tasks as games. I do this deliberately because games should be;

a) mutually enjoyable,
b) a vehicle for building positive relationships, and
c) a fun way to learn practical skills.

When has playing games been boring or time wasted with friends? Of course, each individual must enjoy the actual game chosen. It's not truly relationship building if only one party is enjoying it. So it should be with our dogs. I add another proviso; games with our dogs should be win-win. There is no loser when teaching your dog in this way. You will choose to teach your dog skills which will be beneficial and your dog will be reinforced with something he values and enjoys. A relationship of trust is another wonderful outcome.

The “Don’t Chew The Lead Game” and “Drop The Slack Lead Game” are two of my favourite ways to prevent lead chewing and tugging. The emphasis is on prevention by setting the dog up for successfully choosing an alternative behaviour before he bites. If he gets distracted and starts chewing, the “Drop The Lead Game” then gives an alternative behaviour rather than continuing to chew or tug. No force is required and no raised voice.

Here’s some handy extra hints:

* If your dog starts chewing as soon as the lead is clipped on (or before), start the game earlier. Simply show your dog the lead and reinforce for the behaviour of staying still, sitting or just looking at the lead rather than jumping up to bite it. Only clip the lead on when you know your dog won’t bite it. If your dog won't give you an alternative behaviour when you are showing the lead, problem solve why this might be. 
Is he looking for one second before jumping? Anticipate this and work on your timing. Click that look and get the treat to his mouth before he can leave the ground. 
Is the lead too close to him? Hold it higher. 
Does movement make him jump? Hold the lead still. 
Is he grabbing the end of a dangling lead? Fold the lead up and show him, so there are no dangly bits.

* Deliver food directly into your dog’s mouth or onto the ground as this will prevent your dog jumping up. This helps prevent jumping to get the lead as well.

* Avoid letting your dog chew the lead at other times. Avoid putting him in situations where he does chew to get quicker and more robust results.

Here’s a video showing how I approached teaching Yoda the kelpie and Abby the labrador not to chew and tug the lead.

Yoda and Abby simply found chewing and tugging reinforcing. The principles are the same for every dog, but the process itself may need to be modified slightly for each individual. This may include how quickly you progress through the stages or how small you have to break down each increase when raising difficulty.

I hope this helps you in devising a plan for preventing this behaviour. Most of all, I hope this increases the fun-factor for you and your dog.

I'm one of those people who is guilty of taking photos of my dog with a silly hat on. I get great pleasure out of getting a neat shot of Zuri with a hat that corresponds to a special occasion and sharing it. Getting good shots of a dog with a silly hat can be no mean feat. If you approach it the right way, it is amazingly easy and can be enjoyable for both photographer and subject. For me, it must cause no or very minimal signs of stress in Zuri. Here's a sneak peak into how I capture adorable shots of Zuri. She's such a good sport. (Video link for email subscribers)  

I mention the "trust account" that I have with Zuri. Below is a video by Dr Susan Friedman which describes this trust account beautifully. (Video link for email subscribers)

I recommend everyone with a dog should teach their dog silly dog tricks. I don’t think they are silly at all. There are so many reasons to teach tricks.

1. Your dog doesn't know the difference between a trick and any other training task. To your dog, “sit” and “stay” are no more important than “shake hands”. So teaching tricks gives your dog more practice in how to learn. It makes teaching the important tasks easier due to this history.

2. If it makes learning easier for the dog, it also makes the trainer a better teacher simply by providing more practice in training the dog. Hopefully practice improves technique and creates more efficient results.

3. The really neat thing is that when people train tricks they are usually happier and less stressed than when they are teaching the important tasks. Think, “stay” on your bed while we are eating and stop jumping on us. How frustrating can that be? Or to stop pulling on lead? Compare this to "roll over" or "speak". When the teacher thinks it’s fun, it’s more fun for the dog. A relaxed, calm teacher who is smiling and patient is so much nicer to learn from than the frustrated, “you have to learn it now because it is very important” instructor.

4. Time spent training tricks is invaluable time to create a connection between human and dog. If this time is positive and rewarding for both participants, this is an investment in a positive relationship. The same is true of time spent frustrated or resorting to punishing techniques. This depletes the relationship bank balance.

5. Training tricks stimulates the dog’s mind and is one way to provide stimulation. It’s part of providing an enriching environment for the dog and reducing problem behaviours that result from boredom. Dogs who are satiated don’t have such a pressing need to amuse themselves.

6. Dogs who can’t exercise due to illness, poor exercise tolerance or anxiety benefit greatly from the time spent teaching tricks. It fills a void and can be a way of providing carefully monitored and safe exercise.

7. I've saved my favourite for last. Teaching tricks using positive reinforcement can open up a wonderful world of communication between the guardian and the dog. Communication the dog is empowered to initiate.

I emphasize the way training takes place because using techniques involving aversive stimulation, which are unpleasant things, results in avoidance or escape. They seldom lead to increased motivation to interact. Dogs will usually only do the minimum required to escape punishment or avoid pressure. In contrast, dogs taught with positive reinforcement of desired behaviours tend to continue to offer behaviours with increased vigour compared to just offering enough to remove pressure and bring back the status quo.

Communication is a two-way street. It requires interaction between both parties. That’s why a dog who has learnt to interact with fun methods and then chooses to interact spontaneously is well on the way to communicating.

Zuri has shown me how teaching simple tricks can morph into a language where she conveys her wants or needs at a particular time.

“Get yah collar” Trick:

I’ve taught Zuri to find and retrieve her collar for me when I say, “Find collar.” I hide it in various places and ask her to find it and bring it to me. This became very handy. I could ask her to, “Find collar” before we went for walks or went outside. Then a very poignant moment occurred.

I was sitting at the computer working away. Zuri came and sat behind me. Every now and again she would give a soft whine. 

“Yeh, hang on. We can go out soon.”

An hour later she was still patiently waiting. Then I heard the sound of something dropping behind me. I turned. Zuri had gone searching, found her collar and dropped it behind my chair. Wow. When one way of asking to go go outside didn't work, she problem solved and predicted the outcome of finding and bringing me the collar: I would put it on and take her outside. That’s exactly what I did immediately! I wanted to reinforce her ingenuity.

It doesn’t stop there. Zuri now uses the collar to let me know when she wants to go out the front at various times of the day. When she wakes up, she goes to get her collar wherever it is and brings it to me so I can let her out the front to sun bake. It doesn't matter where I am either. I can still be in bed or in the kitchen. Most recently she was waiting outside the bathroom. The collar can be lying around in full view but she only brings it to me when she wants to go out the front. Pretty neat communication huh? 

Watch Zuri bringing me her collar to communicate that she wants to go outside (for email subscribers).

“Trade an empty for a full one” trick:

I feed Zuri her usual meals by stuffing Kongs. I’ve taught her the trick of bringing me the empty Kong and I will trade it for a full one. Did I mention that tricks can be useful and save leg work and searching for toys too? I usually give Zuri four Kongs. Have you ever wondered what your dog would do if presented with an all-you-can-eat buffet? What if I had a never ending supply of trade Kongs? Would she just keep bringing the empty one back for the full one - until she exploded? The trade trick became a means of communicating how hungry she was. The number of times she brought the Kong back for more was between two and six. It varied depending on the day. When she has had enough, she doesn't bring me the empty Kong. I was particularly impressed with the time she only wanted three Kongs, since I originally suspected I may have conditioned her to expect four simply because of routine. I was particularly relieved that she only wanted seven on one occasion.

So this is why I feel tricks play an important role, not only in enriching the dog's life, but also enriching the relationship between dog and guardian. 

Have you been surprised at how a trick spontaneously turned into a way for your dog to let you know his/her needs?

Today Zuri and I lost a little buddy. Archie, the irrepressible little staffy and constant companion of our friends, Petra and Leon, left this world. Zuri and Archie weren't best friends at first. However, once Zuri began to understand the staffy exuberance and Archie toned down his bumper car style of play, they became very comfortable with each other. Zuri used to run away at his barking and give him a wide berth, hesitating to get in the car if he called "shot gun". The photo below of them side by side after a bush-walk sums up how they came to a mutual understanding and space was no longer an issue. Zuri knew Archie by name. Two days ago, Zuri was dozing on the bed. I asked her, "Do you want to go and see Archie?" 

Her head popped up immediately.

"Well, go get your collar then." 

She jumped off the bed, found the her collar and brought it to me. Ready to go see her buddy. We are so glad we did. Little did we know it would be the last time we would see him. He was extremely ill, but managed a few wags of his tail as we walked over. That was all he could muster.

I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. After all, he's just a dog. He's not even my dog. Yet it feels like I've lost a friend. Zuri has definitely lost a friend. When Petra and I caught up, well, it was actually four of us that would catch up. I loved it when he came running to greet my car. I loved it when we went on a short holiday and he came to wake me up and then stayed by the side of my bed for some smooching. I loved it when Zuri and him played.

I hope my friends are OK. There's nothing I can say to make it better. Thank goodness he left lots of wonderful staffy memories. He will never really die. He will stay alive with warmest memories tucked lovingly away in their hearts.

It may seem terribly irreverent, but I can't help but smile,if a little reluctantly, when I think of the one individual who may not be totally devastated by Archie's passing. Pippa the cat! I hope Archie forgives me for finding this sadly amusing.

Oh, you do know that he wasn't just a dog, don't you? It seems fitting to share "Just a Dog", in memory of the wonderful Mr Archibald.

We will miss you Archie. We already do.

From time to time people tell me “Lighten up, it’s just a dog”, or “That’s a lot of money for just a dog.”  They don’t understand the distance travelled, time spent or costs involved for “Just a dog.” Some of my proudest moments have come about with “Just a dog.” Many hours have passed with my only company “Just a dog”, and not once have I felt slighted. Some of my saddest moments brought about by “Just a dog.” In those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “Just a dog” provided comfort and purpose to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it’s “Just a dog”, you will probably understand phrases like “just a friend”, “just a sunrise”, or “just a promise”. “Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust and pure unbridled joy. “Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that makes me a better person. Because of “Just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

For me and folks like me, it’s not “Just a dog”. It’s an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past and the pure joy of the moment. “Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday people can understand it’s not “Just a dog”. It’s the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a man or woman”.

So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog”, smile; because they “Just don’t understand.”

-Author unknown-