esrosedotblog

GUARD DOG

We are beginning to get some clues about Booker's training and habits. The ones we don't know about because we have only known him six days. Is it six days already?

One of these routines is the guard dog routine.

Booker does not bark without reason.

He will bark out of excitement of taking a walk or riding in the Jeep.

He will bark if we are playing with him. A sharp woof.

He does not bark at other dogs or random people. He does not bark at "unseen" monsters in the back yard.

He does bark when he senses a threat.

The first morning there were raccoons. He went to the back slider screen. We didn't quite get it.

But since then there have been other events. Another night bark at the screen. The arrival of workers.

Here is what he does. He goes to the place the disturbance is happening and barks. Then he sits. We finally figured that we are supposed to go and look at/for whatever he has barked once about and decide to pursue the problem or to let it go. We "release" him by an OK or a pat. Approval.

We are more or less convinced that he has been trained to do this. It is quite explicit behavior.

And he has now shaped our behavior to conform to his. He is the house guard. That is his job. We need to acknowledge it and reenforce it. And we are happy to do so. Teamwork.

Labels: Booker