The dogs and I have been going sheepherding (Rioja is just good company :)) for the past 2 years - same place, days and times. In fact, I only take this route with the two of them when we are going sheepherding. The only variables are that sometimes Rioja stays behind and goes for a hike with John and sometimes Deuce is wearing his fluorescent vest so that passing cars can see him when we work outside the big
enclosed pen.
I noticed about three weeks ago, on one of those days when Deuce was coming solo that he began to whine out of excitement. Well there is my boy, who for the most part is quite silent, now expressing pure joy and anticipation on what lays ahead.
Whining dogs in moving cars is a phenomenon that quite a few people experience once their dogs have figure out that a certain route as well as other contingencies, such as items of clothing - a prop like a walking stick, and a myriad of other non-verbal cues which dogs are masters at observing which means fun for them is to be had.
Dogs are masters at flow charts… When she wears these pants or those shoes it means we are going… weeee, how exciting!
If the whining and barking is excessive and the route long, this could turn out to be a torturous activity for the driver - and it is never the dog behind the wheel.
It is hard to modify the barking and whining behaviors because people should be driving when behind the wheel and not training! However, not impossible.
I am not ready to jump into training mode with Deuce because I kinda’ like hearing his excitement. And besides, it got me thinking once again: When is it appropriate for our dogs to express joy? Sadness? Frustration? ANYTHING?
This is a big lesson for me because I am sensitive to pretty much any loud noise. In fact I hate noise! Well I should have thought about that before I got involved in training dogs for a living and having my own dogs, no? Because whining and barking are normal parts of the canine vocal & emotional repertoire. So there you have it.
I have noticed however that Deuce’s whining is beginning a bit earlier (farther away from our destination) with every outing and that his whining is accompanied many a times with a typical Deuce move: the stretching of his front leg – almost looking like a dressage horse, only to let it drop full force on whatever surface happens to be there. Now this has to stop! Because besides my distaste for noise I also hate it when my car gets “trashed” by dogs.
If you have been reading this column now for a while, you probably have taken note that I am constantly assessing my emotions and responses towards my dogs, their behavior as well as the behavior of client’s dogs. I don’t mind this part, in fact, I welcome it – I definitively do not want to go on living blindly - without engaging in making [personal] choices.
Should I ask Deuce to stop expressing joy (whining) in the car because of my own neurosis towards noise? Should he be allowed to do so as long as it is not too "high" a pitch or for too long? And what about his pawing? Should I just accept the fact that if you live with dogs some of your possessions will get trashed?
There are times, of course, when the whining in the car is so unbearable that one can make the case of jumping into full training mode in consideration for the safety of all passengers or if not that, the possibility of the dog being scolded waaay too much by an exasperated driver.
In cases like this, I must say that curtailing vocalization or any possible car destruction is necessary. The training plan for something like this is not much different than any other behavior modification plan: You have to think like a detective or at least like a problem solver (love this part… totally fun) you must weigh in fairness for the dog by taking into account what is normal part of canine behavior with the fact that dogs live in our world and travel in our cars in addition to sound knowledge of the science of animal learning.
Yes, you are right! It will take patience, many, many “reps” and creative thinking. Sometimes it will require the use of some aids such as a crate - if the dog is crate trained or a calming cap, which will also require of prior desensitization.
For the time being, I have managed to calmly, in an almost -as-melodious- pitch, as Deuce is whining ask him to tone it down a bit. And he has. So we take turns: he whines in excitement and I look at him in the rear view mirror while I politely ask him to curtail the noise.
So far no need for a more elaborate training plan. And the beauty of it is, that I also enjoy knowing that my dog is having a grand time!
enclosed pen.
I noticed about three weeks ago, on one of those days when Deuce was coming solo that he began to whine out of excitement. Well there is my boy, who for the most part is quite silent, now expressing pure joy and anticipation on what lays ahead.
Whining dogs in moving cars is a phenomenon that quite a few people experience once their dogs have figure out that a certain route as well as other contingencies, such as items of clothing - a prop like a walking stick, and a myriad of other non-verbal cues which dogs are masters at observing which means fun for them is to be had.
Dogs are masters at flow charts… When she wears these pants or those shoes it means we are going… weeee, how exciting!
If the whining and barking is excessive and the route long, this could turn out to be a torturous activity for the driver - and it is never the dog behind the wheel.
It is hard to modify the barking and whining behaviors because people should be driving when behind the wheel and not training! However, not impossible.
I am not ready to jump into training mode with Deuce because I kinda’ like hearing his excitement. And besides, it got me thinking once again: When is it appropriate for our dogs to express joy? Sadness? Frustration? ANYTHING?
This is a big lesson for me because I am sensitive to pretty much any loud noise. In fact I hate noise! Well I should have thought about that before I got involved in training dogs for a living and having my own dogs, no? Because whining and barking are normal parts of the canine vocal & emotional repertoire. So there you have it.
I have noticed however that Deuce’s whining is beginning a bit earlier (farther away from our destination) with every outing and that his whining is accompanied many a times with a typical Deuce move: the stretching of his front leg – almost looking like a dressage horse, only to let it drop full force on whatever surface happens to be there. Now this has to stop! Because besides my distaste for noise I also hate it when my car gets “trashed” by dogs.
If you have been reading this column now for a while, you probably have taken note that I am constantly assessing my emotions and responses towards my dogs, their behavior as well as the behavior of client’s dogs. I don’t mind this part, in fact, I welcome it – I definitively do not want to go on living blindly - without engaging in making [personal] choices.
Should I ask Deuce to stop expressing joy (whining) in the car because of my own neurosis towards noise? Should he be allowed to do so as long as it is not too "high" a pitch or for too long? And what about his pawing? Should I just accept the fact that if you live with dogs some of your possessions will get trashed?
There are times, of course, when the whining in the car is so unbearable that one can make the case of jumping into full training mode in consideration for the safety of all passengers or if not that, the possibility of the dog being scolded waaay too much by an exasperated driver.
In cases like this, I must say that curtailing vocalization or any possible car destruction is necessary. The training plan for something like this is not much different than any other behavior modification plan: You have to think like a detective or at least like a problem solver (love this part… totally fun) you must weigh in fairness for the dog by taking into account what is normal part of canine behavior with the fact that dogs live in our world and travel in our cars in addition to sound knowledge of the science of animal learning.
Yes, you are right! It will take patience, many, many “reps” and creative thinking. Sometimes it will require the use of some aids such as a crate - if the dog is crate trained or a calming cap, which will also require of prior desensitization.
For the time being, I have managed to calmly, in an almost -as-melodious- pitch, as Deuce is whining ask him to tone it down a bit. And he has. So we take turns: he whines in excitement and I look at him in the rear view mirror while I politely ask him to curtail the noise.
So far no need for a more elaborate training plan. And the beauty of it is, that I also enjoy knowing that my dog is having a grand time!
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