Erny Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) P: "Well he doesn't seem to understand sit, drop, come and not to jump up on people" .... sorry, but I don't think that's a "doozy" nor necessarily indicative the person shouldn't own a dog. Many people don't realise that obedience skills are not necessarily behavioural problems. I often call out to classes that I am there to assist them with any behavioural issues they might be having with their dogs and quickly explain this is not about their dog not sitting, dropping, etc. (there's another instructor there for that) and proceed to give them examples of what might constitute a behavioural problem. Jumping up at people can be categorised as "behavioural". The guy made the call. He was obviously seeking help in one shape or form. What's wrong with that? Or am I just missing something from the OP? Edited February 11, 2009 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAX Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Erny I agree, but don't you think it's sad for the poor dog when owners think the dog should know this without training the dog? I think that is what the OP is getting at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I don't think its sad because this dog's owner made the phone call Many do not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) Erny I agree, but don't you think it's sad for the poor dog when owners think the dog should know this without training the dog?I think that is what the OP is getting at. Maybe the guy thought that the dog being an older one (I'm presuming) would have been trained. Naive thinking, yes. But I'm sure we're all guilty of being naive at some stage in our lives. Or maybe where he got the dog from, it was indicated that the dog seemed to understand some basic obedience skills. It might be that this guy just doesn't know how to 'push the right buttons' but doesn't realise it is him and not necessarily the dog. I think to him for making the call. He obviously wants to know and wants some help. I don't think him doing this renders him as someone who would be better off "owning a stuffed toy". Heck ..... I know of people with problematic dogs but who have free access to all the help in the world at their fingertips but don't want to know about it. They are the ones who deserve stuffed toys rather than dogs. By the sounds of it to me, this guy should have been encouraged for taking the second step in the right direction. The first step being his adopting a dog in need of rescue (again I'm presuming due to the word "adopted"). This guy deserves a chance, IMO and our respect for trying to make one happen. Edited February 11, 2009 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) P: "Well he doesn't seem to understand sit, drop, come and not to jump up on people" .... sorry, but I don't think that's a "doozy" nor necessarily indicative the person shouldn't own a dog. Many people don't realise that obedience skills are not necessarily behavioural problems. I often call out to classes that I am there to assist them with any behavioural issues they might be having with their dogs and quickly explain this is not about their dog not sitting, dropping, etc. (there's another instructor there for that) and proceed to give them examples of what might constitute a behavioural problem. Jumping up at people can be categorised as "behavioural". The guy made the call. He was obviously seeking help in one shape or form. What's wrong with that? Or am I just missing something from the OP? There is nothing *wrong* with it other than the way he said it..... I am completely aware that people don't realise that obedience skills are not necessarily behavioural problems and I certainly offered him the advice and assistance that they required. What stumped me was the way that he said it as in he said sit and the dog looked at him funny.... as in the dog has never been taught a behaviour and didnt' do it...... Excessive jumping yes, can be a behavioural problem, but from a dog that has never been taught otherwise? No I don't see that as a behavioural problem any more than a training issue ETA - I also never said I thought it was sad or that he shouldn't own a dog.... I just said I found the phone call amusing Guess it's a 'you had to be there' moment... ETA2 - Thanks PAX - exactly what I meant. If they assume that the dog knows how to 'sit', 'drop' and 'come' as soon as it arrives home.... what other things to they assume the dog knows? Not to dig? Not to jump on furniture? I applaud them for making the call.... but as I said, I find it amusing that they were honestly dumbfounded that you need to *train* a dog to understand these commands. Edited February 11, 2009 by leopuppy04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) ETA - I also never said I thought it was sad or that he shouldn't own a dog.... I just said I found the phone call amusing I didn't say you said that LP04. Pinnacle dts did and wasn't corrected for it if that wasn't the spirit of the thread as you intended it. And the guy's call was referred to as "a doozy", not merely "amusing". So I took it as read. If they assume that the dog knows how to 'sit', 'drop' and 'come' as soon as it arrives home.... what other things to they assume the dog knows? Not to dig? Not to jump on furniture? I guess that depends on what they might have been told previously. Even if he did "assume", he made the right move by making a call rather than running with his supposed assumption. It wasn't just your OP, LP04 .... it was the 'spirit' of the thread and the way it was running that seemed to put this person down. I only expressed my opinion that there might be some things that people here hadn't considered and that to think poorly of people who ask questions perhaps in a way that we would not express don't deserve to be so critiqued. Edited February 11, 2009 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 With all due respect, Erny, I must point out my stuffed dog comment had nothing to do with the caller mentioned in the OP. I was having a chuckle with Lablady about her enquiries about wanting a quiet, non-energetic Lab - they just don't exist unless it's a stuffed one! I too think it's great the guy made the call to try and learn something as not everyone does, I guess we also just found the amusing side to someone thinking a dog come pre-programmed knowing commands. No malice intended Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) With all due respect, Erny, I must point out my stuffed dog comment had nothing to do with the caller mentioned in the OP. I was having a chuckle with Lablady about her enquiries about wanting a quiet, non-energetic Lab - they just don't exist unless it's a stuffed one! I too think it's great the guy made the call to try and learn something as not everyone does, I guess we also just found the amusing side to someone thinking a dog come pre-programmed knowing commands. No malice intended I realise, RS. I wasn't referring to your comment although I did mention "stuffed toy" when I should have mentioned "gold fish" if I was to be quoting directly. From what I can gather, the guy didn't necessarily think a dog comes pre-programmed knowing commands .... but a number here have assumed this is what he thinks. What if he decides he wants to find out more and seeks to join a fantastic on-line dog forum .... only to see that he's been embarrassed by these criticisms? If I were in his shoes I think I'd curl up and die. Did the guy say that he figured dogs come pre-programmed? I'm only continuing my post to respond to others, but IMO his call was not "a doozy". I think it was a good call simply because he did and I don't think he should be regarded as better off as a gold fish owner (knowing that's a saying when holding a dog owner in disdain). Even if he did think dogs came pre-programmed, perhaps this might have deserved a quiet little smile, but not necessarily the basis for a thread the support for which included following comments such as him being better to own a gold fish instead and even then perhaps not. Edited February 11, 2009 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 It wasn't just your OP, LP04 .... it was the 'spirit' of the thread and the way it was running that seemed to put this person down. I only expressed my opinion that there might be some things that people here hadn't considered and that to think poorly of people who ask questions perhaps in a way that we would not express don't deserve to be so critiqued. My thoughts of this thread was that after my post, the person wasn't really mentioned again.... we simply went on to discuss naughty Labs. Nobody said anything about the enquirer mentioned that he had a Lab..... someone (can't remember who) brought up the topic that they often get calls as a breeder regarding wanting a 'quiet' lab.... we then went on to tease owners who had labs .... to me asking for a quiet lab is no different to asking for a BC from a breeder which has no energy please I didn't think the person was getting put down at all.... and you have to admit - regardless of what the situation is, be it breeder, working in a pet store or answering more serious calls, you will get the occasional one where you hang up thinking 'what were they thinking'... I still stand by the fact that I find it amusing people think dogs are born knowing how to speak English...... and I still believe that *most* people at least acknowledge that a dog needs to be 'trained' to do these commands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I understand the purpose of the thread and maybe i am just paranoid but i always think what if the caller found DOL and found this thread? They probably wouldn't feel the greatest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 How would they know it's about them?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) Because there wouldn't be too many people who made a phone call and said that? And you have a link to Pawsitive AS- which i am assuming is where they would have called. Edited February 11, 2009 by Cosmolo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) I think they rang her at the office Cosmolo not through her website. Her work is in the pet industry and not linked to either of her signatures. Edited February 11, 2009 by ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I think the OP passed on the story to make a fair point that there are people who think that dogs are born fluent 'understanders' of the English language. Especially of the magic words...sit, drop, come, stay etc. I agree with Erny that this case has a positive. The owner made a phone call about the issue. So you can move to the next step. Ask such an owner, 'Can you fly a plane?' Usual answer would be 'No.' 'If you thought it important to fly a plane, what would you do?' Usual reply, 'Go get taught.' Ditto for dogs. ' You think it's important for your dog to sit, drop etc. What would you do? ' Then you'll get an answer where you can take it from there...how dogs can be taught basic obedience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) The issue here isn't whether or not he received assistance. You can rest assured that the person in question received assistance with their problem no questions asked, nor did I allude to the strange wording of their question. Let's put it this way - if you were a plumber.... or a technician.... would you not laugh(on the inside) when a client rang you up and say 'my washing machine won't work'... only to find out that they didn't plug it in first?! That was the 'feeling' of this call.... no biggie. I didn't laugh in his face and hang up on him... I helped him, and he and his dog now have a better understanding of each other Asking for help is much better than sitting there and dwelling on your own.... maybe I have a strange sense of humour, but if I was said plumber, even if I was the client of the said problem.... I would still have the ability to have a chuckle over it Edited February 11, 2009 by leopuppy04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah L Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I think that person should get some gold fish.... Oh no wait then you would probably get a call saying " I did not know they did not come pre programmed to clean their own tank" Actually Erny above is what I said exactly. Where do I say they should not own a dog. My post was written in the spirit of amusement that was the original post. It's called a sense of humor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I imagine where LP works (not the training business part) 99.9% of phone calls of that nature are *stupid people questions* so hats off to her because I couldn't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 The person I wrote about is actually one of my best friends. And there is nothing on here that I haven't said to her face. She even knows I have written on here about her. Sometimes I would loveeeee to write about my class but figure that they might just be reading here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Sometimes I would loveeeee to write about my class but figure that they might just be reading here. Yeah, I always have that in the back of my mind. I might make a general comment (like about the time I had 5 adolescent labs) but a specific comment about an individual - no. I try to keep the general comments old too - ie, not from current or recent classes. If I want to vent I tell OH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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