I am finishing up my notes for my radio show tomorrow titled Why We Love Dogs which will explore the reasons why dogs are such a special, integral part of our lives including some of the historical aspects of our relationships. I am sitting on the couch with my laptop and look over to see Trooper, one of my Collies, looking out the window at a passing dog. I looked at him and something seemed strange. Then I realized what was different.

He was quiet. 

This small fact encompasses a big part of why we love dogs. Trooper used to bark uncontrollably out of the window. This did not show up right away when I adopted him at two years of age, but started showing up after another dog suprised him and lunged and barked at him when we were on a walk a few years ago. This combination is consistent with Barrier Frustration which can start slowly for many reasons, including a trauma, such as Trooper experienced. 

I did all the exercises that I recommend to all my clients, but struggled with a common challenge that I see all the time. I did not have an easy way to block our bay window from Trooper that looks out over a highly-trafficked street with dozens of dogs walking by every day.  Trooper's behavior wasn't a constant irritant and wasn't getting worse, so we just kind of dealt with it for a while. Finally, my wife and I rearranged our furniture a bit and moved the couch closer to the window and put a chair next to it so Trooper can't get behind it when we are not around. 

That was about two months ago, and it has worked wonders.

If you have read any of my posts, watched my videos or listened to my radio show, you will know that managing a dog's behavior is an intregal part of my training philosophy.  One key is prevent a pattern of inappropriate behavior escalating into an intense "habit". In Trooper's case, he has not been able to rehearse or practice his barking behavior, so his behavior has become less intense. Combined with a lot of "Good boys" for looking out of the window and remaining quiet, Trooper now is able to look out the window and remain calm.

I identified a situation that was annoying, and helped Trooper change his behavior so it is not a problem any longer.  

Why do we love dogs? They are so incredibly adaptable, teachable and can integrate into our lives.  

Listen to my show tomorrow, February 14th at Noon CST for more reasons why we love dogs. Some of the stories may surprise you. One of my favorite topics is dog history and this is a great opportunity to share some of the stories that I know about dogs and people throughout history. 

If you listen live, call in with your own stories, or use the chat room to chat with me while I am on the air. Click here to access the show information the day of the show, or here for an archived version. 

I want to hear why you love dogs!

Now I want to hear what you have to say. It is so much more fun if you take part in the conversation. If you are not a member, all you need to do is Join.