It really WAS our own faults!
George and I both wanted a smart dog, an intelligent breed. After having a Lab, and an Akita, we did not think one with stubborn tendencies, or a slow learner, would fit the bill. So…after some research and several discussions with a local breeder, we decided that a German Shepherd would fit the bill. Fortunately, our breeder friend had many years of experience, an outstanding reputation, and even better, she had some puppies on the way.
THE CHOICE IS MADE
It seemed like forever, but finally the big day came…we were ready.
Into the holding pen we went, and were instantly surrounded by 50 million, waggly-tailed, squirming, floppy eared puppies. At least it seemed like that many, though Mrs. Eckles swears there were only eleven in the litter.
For those of you who don’t know, a GSD’s ears are usually down, and as they grow, the ears eventually become erect…not all at once, or both at the same time. So, for a while, you have the cutest bundle on earth with the weirdest ear configuration ever! One ear will be up and the other down. Then, there is the period while one is up or down, and the other is straight out…my favorite was both extended to the sides. Our little Angel looked like an airplane taking off!
So there we sat, eyes darting back and forth.
Hummm…which one would it be? After a few minutes the puppies lost interest in us and began looking for food and a way out of the holding pen…early signs of intelligence. The crew wandered off…all except one, who approached George. Hopping on his hind legs, he put his front paws on George’s knee. Our choice was made…yes, the very Einstein of dogs!
Yes, you should be smarter than the dog you are teaching.
HOME AT LAST!
Our little Hobbes (named after the Tiger in the Comic Strip, Calvin and Hobbes) was house trained, I swear, in about a week. At night he slept in his crate, which was right beside the bed, and was so very quiet. As long as he could see us, he was happy…even if separated by bars.
After about 6 months, he was out of the crate and sleeping on the floor…when George didn’t coax him up onto the bed. We taught him some fundamentals while waiting for puppy school to begin…and when he attended, he was definitely no slouch in the classroom. He had the basics mastered in short order: sit… lay down…and over… which meant lie on his side. Good commands for when you need to check eyes, ears and mouth, clip nails and check for ticks.
We taught him to give paw, high-five, sit and wait, nudge, get hat (which meant he would remove a hat from George’s head), fetch (which we call “get”) bring and give. Yes, a well-mannered, well behaved dog, so anxious and eager to learn, typical for his breed. We were soon searching the internet looking for more to teach him. He still loves to go through his paces and at age seven still learns new tricks.
TRUE INTELLIGENCE WILL WIN OUT...THE FLIP SIDE
We taught him to nudge…to indicate he wants a treat; he will also do this while you are eating and food, as well as drink, will occasionally miss your mouth. He has also figured that by nudging the handle, then nudging the storm door, he can get out of the house. He taught himself that one by watching us and applying previous knowledge.
He will do an over, until he realizes we are going to clip his nails…then, he wants to impress us by showing us his lie down, sit and up abilities. He will fetch one of his toys, (un-asked for) and sit and wait right on our feet for a treat. He loves to fetch and returns the toy to our hand; but when he realizes we are done for the day and are going inside, he plays a game he taught us…CATCH ME!
We have done some basic search and find with him, hiding his rubber ring and telling him to find ring, or have George hide somewhere outside and telling Hobbes to “find Daddy.” We started working with some basic herding, but a Lassie he wasn’t. To do this, you use large air-filled balls and the dog pushes them from one area to the other. We tried this during Hobbes’ younger days. He misunderstood and thought we meant “hurt” the balls, because he ended up putting his teeth through them and deflating the flock. Anyway, all three of us lost interest in that one.
AN OLD BELIEF FROM OUR TEACHING DAYS
One of the many things that George and I wished to accomplish during our many years working as Educators, was not only to provide the basics from which future learning would develop, but to instill in our students the confidence and courage to use their own Imaginations and Creativity to take that knowledge and expand upon it…to use the fundamentals and build upon them to craft something different, unique, and totally their own. If we managed to accomplish this with all of the young people who passed through our classroom doors, then we can be proud of a job well done. HIGH-FIVE!!!
(This week, Carolyn wished to “fill-in for me, George. I MORE than welcome her thoughts and words. Truly what we both have attempted all our Lives, and continue to try to accomplish, is the “Awakening” of Creativity, Knowledge, and Intelligence in all with whom we come into contact…including our beloved HOBBES! Thanks, Carolyn!)
Did you say (that) I’ve got a lot to learn
Well don’t think I’m trying not to learn
Since this is the perfect spot to learn
Teach me tonight
Starting with the ABC of it
Getting right down to the XYZ of it
Help me solve the mystery of it
Teach me tonight
The sky’s a blackboard high above you
And if a shooting star goes by
I’ll use that star to write “I love you”
A thousand times across the sky.
FRANK SINATRA
(Teach Me Tonight)
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