Even old dogs can learn new tricks
Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bvwv/News/685/
The saying goes that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Just let Sharon Gruetzmacher give it a try. Her business, Pet Emporium, a pet motel and training center in Pea Ridge, is geared to teach any dog, young or old, a few things.
Gruetzmacher is well versed in modifying the behavior of animals using non-aggressive methods that include the use of a clicker to allow the animal to identify a positive behavior. "The clicker marks the spot in time that the dog gives the correct behavior and is then followed with a treat," Gruetzmacher said. "The dog quickly learns the behavior that it is doing in order to get the click and treat. Once the dog starts to repeat the behavior, then the behavior gets named. [This process] teaches them to think rather than to react."
The training also extends to the pet owner. If the behavior of a pet owner can be changed, then the dog’s will follow, Gruetzmacher said. If an owner yells at his dog and the dog doesn’t make a connection between the yelling and the negative behavior, no learning is taking place.
Instead, rewards are used to emphasize positive behaviors. Dogs are curious and intelligent animals. They want to learn and make their owners happy. Only by properly "communicating" with the dog can learning take place, and bad behaviors are slowly taken away.
Each time a dog exhibits a positive behavior, the dog associates that behavior with the clicking sound and the subsequent treat. Eventually, the clicker is replaced with verbal commands or approval. Gruetzmacher has also used the clicker training for cats and birds, and has even heard of horses responding well to it.
Gruetzmacher does admit that the old saying does have some truth to it. An older dog has a certain behavior imprinted on its brain, so habits can be harder to break. Any dog that is willing and able to learn will, with some patience.
Starting this behavior modification with younger animals, therefore, is a more efficient and faster way of teaching them. A puppy doesn’t have a chance to learn bad behaviors if it is inundated with desired behaviors, backed up with positive rewards.
Another method Gruetzmacher uses is called T-touch, a method of moving the tips of the fingers across certain areas of the dog’s body in a circular motion. This stimulates blood flow, which releases endorphins and helps the animal to relax and focus. "It’s relaxing for the dog as well as the owner," Gruetzmacher said. "It helps to instill self-confidence so that a mutual relationship can be developed with the owner, a relationship based on appreciation and friendship rather than on dominance and submission."
Patience can be a virtue when training dogs, but the benefits are numerous. "The whole dog is the sum of its parts," Gruetzmacher said. "Dog training is not limited to the 15 minutes per day you schedule to practice heeling and sitting. Learning takes place every minute of the day."
Gruetzmacher is also a registered Delta Society "Pet Partner" team evaluator. For those that would like to use their dog for therapy, such as visiting hospitals and nursing homes, Gruetzmacher can decide if the dog will be able to handle it. Her business also supports the Reading Education Assistance Dogs program, where a dog and its owner are paired with a child having difficulty reading. They meet once a week so the child can read to the dog, which can improve a child’s reading by several grade levels.
Pet Emporium also offers agility classes, a training project with the 4-H and a canine Easter egg hunt. The many indoor and outdoor dog runs make a suitable place to board pets if necessary, and Gruetzmacher lives on site so the animals get plenty of care and attention.
To find out more on the many ways you can improve the life of your dog or other pets, contact Gruetzmacher, Pet Emporium, at 273-1275.