Post by awlrite4now on Oct 1, 2005 11:59:25 GMT -5
This isn't exactly "in the news", but I didn't know where to put it. It's a funny little discussion by Ami Simms that was in her newsletter. She is a well known quilter who a few years ago took in a guide dog puppy to raise. Her experiences were well chronicled on her website, and are written from the dog's (Daisy) point of view. Here is Ami's explanation of how to teach your dog to park.
"Here goes: When we raised a Leader Dog puppy there were certain
skills we were required to teach the dog in addition to socializing
it. They included basic obedience commands like sit, down, stay,
come, heel, and PARK. Our puppy counselor (Aunt JoAnn) explained that
PARK, the command to eliminate, is called that because it's nicer to
say PARK in public than what PARK sounds like when spoken backwards.
I don't know if that is the official Leader Dog explanation, but Aunt
JoAnn is a really fun person to hang around with.
As Shirley has discovered, this is a very handy command to have in
your bag of tricks for any dog owner. For assistance dogs (service
dogs like Madison, and dog guides) it's imperative. With PARK, you
decide when and where, not the dog. It's easy to teach. Go outside
with your dog and watch. As soon as you get the desired behavior, say
in a high-pitched enthusiastic voice: "GOOD PARK!" Prior to going out
the very next time, say (one time, enthusiastically) "Let's go
OUTSIDE to PARK." Watch again, and when the desired behavior is
accomplished, reward (GOOD PARK!) You may want to wait until the dog
is finished parking, especially if it's an older dog. It can be quite
disconcerting to suddenly have a cheering section when you're not
expecting it. Some dogs learn faster than others, but you should see
the light bulb go on over his head and something come out the other
end in a few weeks. Be consistent. Reward good behavior, ignore
failure.
When we had Daisy our yard wasn't fenced in. We took her outside to
PARK on a leash. If your dog has short hair and you're paying any
attention at all, at this proximity there are clues when success is
imminent. I would open a plastic bag, give the PARK command, and at
the opportune moment position the opened bag where it would do the
most good. Daisy would oblige and I never had to scoop. A veritable
hole in one!
I apologize if this is too much DOG in the newsletter for you. But if
it isn't, you might enjoy this addition to the Newsletter Gems. I
didn't write it; Madison did. See:
<http://www.amisimms.com/skdogo20.html>
Thank you, Ami. (Rhymes with salami).
"Here goes: When we raised a Leader Dog puppy there were certain
skills we were required to teach the dog in addition to socializing
it. They included basic obedience commands like sit, down, stay,
come, heel, and PARK. Our puppy counselor (Aunt JoAnn) explained that
PARK, the command to eliminate, is called that because it's nicer to
say PARK in public than what PARK sounds like when spoken backwards.
I don't know if that is the official Leader Dog explanation, but Aunt
JoAnn is a really fun person to hang around with.
As Shirley has discovered, this is a very handy command to have in
your bag of tricks for any dog owner. For assistance dogs (service
dogs like Madison, and dog guides) it's imperative. With PARK, you
decide when and where, not the dog. It's easy to teach. Go outside
with your dog and watch. As soon as you get the desired behavior, say
in a high-pitched enthusiastic voice: "GOOD PARK!" Prior to going out
the very next time, say (one time, enthusiastically) "Let's go
OUTSIDE to PARK." Watch again, and when the desired behavior is
accomplished, reward (GOOD PARK!) You may want to wait until the dog
is finished parking, especially if it's an older dog. It can be quite
disconcerting to suddenly have a cheering section when you're not
expecting it. Some dogs learn faster than others, but you should see
the light bulb go on over his head and something come out the other
end in a few weeks. Be consistent. Reward good behavior, ignore
failure.
When we had Daisy our yard wasn't fenced in. We took her outside to
PARK on a leash. If your dog has short hair and you're paying any
attention at all, at this proximity there are clues when success is
imminent. I would open a plastic bag, give the PARK command, and at
the opportune moment position the opened bag where it would do the
most good. Daisy would oblige and I never had to scoop. A veritable
hole in one!
I apologize if this is too much DOG in the newsletter for you. But if
it isn't, you might enjoy this addition to the Newsletter Gems. I
didn't write it; Madison did. See:
<http://www.amisimms.com/skdogo20.html>
Thank you, Ami. (Rhymes with salami).
