Sunburst
Posted : 8/31/2010 9:59:53 AM
Hi jennie_c_d.
I know what you mean about the noise! I give the majority of credit to my Dobermans. They were three when first one, then the second, Italian Greyhound came into the house, and the IG's learned from them, faster than they would have from me, that you get a lot more attention, or whatever it is you want, when you're QUIET. House training was so much easier than it might have been. When they'd all go out in the yard, I'd praise the Dobermans for going (they initially looked at me as if to say, what's the big deal, we've been doing this for years!), but the IG's would watch, want the praise too, and do their own business, so they could hear what great dogs they were too! Next thing I knew, all would go out and go immediately in the desired spot, at the same time. It was so funny. The dobermans taught them all kind of manners, effortlessly, and faster than I would have gotten the messages across. They were speaking the same language. I remember once, my IG was a puppy and walked over and started chewing on a kennel. I told her no and redirected her to a toy. A minute later, chewing on the kennel again. I repeated the redirect. Back she went to the kennel. My female Dobe, who'd been watching the whole time, got up, strolled over to Indy (the IG), ever so gently, but firmly, got in between her and the kennel, and when Indy tried to chew it again, she lowered her head to Indy's muzzle and gave a very low, soft woof. It was as if she said, you were told no, so listen up. Indy backed up, grabbed her chew toy, tossed it in the air, and they just started playing, tails wagging. And I never saw her try to gnaw on the kennel again. The Dobies were like a big brother and sister to them, they just naturally wanted to imitate them. They loved their Dobermans so much. Nicky would imitate the Dobes' guarding stance, when the garbage guys would walk to the back yard. How funny to see this 10-pound IG imitating Cody. She'd do the stiff-legged trot over to the fence, stand next to her, imitating her spread-leg stance, with the fur up on her back, going bark, grrr, bark, grrr. The world's smallest Doberman! But she adored her big sister.
Back to the noise, when I prepare dinner, it's my Beagle who gets a little vocal. Being a Beagle, she loves food and just gets carried away with the barking. So I would stop preparing it, look up at the ceiling, and she quickly learned, oh I get it, I get it, too much noise means I won't get what I want as fast. So hurry, hurry, I'll be quiet, can't you see I'm just starving!!! Course, she would have acted that way, if she'd just eaten an hour ago. That dog just loves her food!
Does your IG do that little twisty body, jumping kind of thing when excited? And then zoom around really fast? I just love that.
Sunburst