Tuesday 23 August 2011

Dog Training


As sure as eggs is eggs, you can rely on a labrador's greed. I know of no other creature which will do as much for food as a labrador. A banker might come a close second in the greed stakes, but he's not usually after food. By nature a lab is very accommodating, but promise him food and he'll do anything.

 A ramp? What's that for?

You want me to go up a ramp?

Benno is getting very old, his arthritic hind legs and back frequently trouble him and, jumping up into the  car he sometimes misses his step and his back legs and belly hit the lip of the boot. It takes a mad and probably painful scramble to get upright. He is too large and heavy for us to lift him in.

Let's try putting a few bits of his favourite nibbles on the ramp.
Hey, that's cheating!

So is this!


Next we put the nibbles right at the top of the ramp and stood either side of it, blocking the way up from the sides and forcing him to start walking on the ramp.

After many attempts, it finally worked. Benno got the message that if he wanted food, he'd have to climb up the ramp for it.


It was hard work for all three of us. Benno was huffing and puffing and we needed a break and a cuddle and lots of reassurance that he was our best boy, our lovely boy, our very good boy, our very clever boy. He took it all in his stride; a labrador can lap up any amount of cuddling and petting. All the same, he was keeping a close eye on the box of treats in his master's hand.

There was another lesson yet to come: how to get down again. He would have been able to jump but he jars his joints jumping and negotiating the ramp would be less painful. As he had learned to get up, he'd learn to come down.

This looks interesting!

There! Made it!

It looks easy, but, believe me, it wasn't. This was the third attempt. Twice before we gave up and we were ready to get rid of the ramp altogether. But needs must. If he wants to come with us, he has to get into the boot. Unless we have a dog sitter, I hate leaving him behind for more than two hours. 

The next attempt will be for real, I'll tell you how we get on. With all these treats, he might grow too fat for the ramp!


52 comments:

  1. it is certainly hard work, but stay at it...best wishes for continued training and well done on round one...smiles.

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  2. I don't have a dog. Maybe that's my whole problem. I've noticed that people who do have dogs tend to prioritize things differently and get a little less hung up on the heavy stuff. This post took my mind right off jobs.

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  3. We're going to need something like that for Lindy when her back gets bad. We know it will, because one of her vertebrae is misshapen.
    Treat-training works with Golden Retrievers, too, but I'm not sure how Lindy will feel about a ramp, but I'm sure glad Benno finally figured out how to go up and down his. Eventually he'll forget he did it any other way. I enjoyed this post a lot because we're just reunited with Lindy after our two week river cruise in Russia. We enjoyed the trip but talked about Lindy every day.
    — K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  4. What a great idea! I had a part Lab for awhile who hated having to jump into the car, but getting out was no problem whatsoever for her. But Benno is a good doggie!

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  5. Like most dogs, I guess - the next bite to eat is a priority. I shall remember this technique for when I'm really old and need to get up a hill. I'll get someone to tempt me with .... Hey, hang on a minute. Already do that!!

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  6. The ramp is such a good idea, and it looks like Benno is doing great with his snacking...errr...training. Our previous dog was a lab and she spent her entire 13 years thinking that the object of life was to become fat! Really, there are worse goals than that I suppose.

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  7. Good for all of you! Old dogs can learn new tricks! He'll catch on that it's easier and less painful for him and the treats won't be needed.

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  8. That picture of him smiling away in the boot of the car is priceless. Poor guy! I know just how he feels in the face of all the pain and suffering. With a little payoff (mine is usually alcohol related) I can be made to do almost anything myself! :-)

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  9. Ah, your lab looks just like mine! You're so right, lab are so willing to do just about anything, but when they get old, the body just doesn't cooperate. What a nice idea to make the ramp and teach your sweet dog a new trick.

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  10. I think you should get a motorized one :-).~Mary

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  11. Aw! Nice work! It's certainly true about labs and food. My sister's boy once ate a frozen chicken and has eaten bags of sweets, wrappers and all. Crazy dog!

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  12. Labradors are canine garbage cans, in Canadian lingo. But so is the resident Malamute at my house so I suppose it's not fair to pick on just one breed. There are others who turn their noses up at anything but the best, but I don't think I'd want that kind of a dog.

    Congratulations to all of you. Benno may be greedy, but he is also clever. It'll all be fine when you do it for real.

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  13. Getting the job done in three tries sounds pretty impressive to me! Now that he's done it, and once he gets rewarded with a nice ride, he'll be begging you to get out the ramp!

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  14. Benno is a dear. My neighbor's dog, D.O.G., is half yellow lab and half golden retriever and is wonderfully well-trained except that if he sees me in my yard he crosses the street and heads for my front door to collect some treats he knows that I keep for him. To his credit he shakes my hand before begging.

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  15. What a smart dog...he has you so well trained I remember getting our dog to use the ramp into the house and through the dog door. That took some doing.

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  16. Good for Benno. The ramp might also come in handy if you do some extreme shopping and need to wheel something into the car. If I had one, I'd be training my husband to walk the plank. Hmm, there's an idea...

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  17. Bless your love and patiene. Our Sofi is 14 and arthitic and only three of her legs work.
    It's kind if heartbreaking. Harder to watch our animal companions slow down than to slow down ourselfs.

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  18. Great idea! He'll catch on, especially if treats are involved!

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  19. Why won't my cats fall for that?

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  20. This brought a smile to my face. Benno is a very good dog, and you are very good to him.

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  21. Very good boy! Lovely boy! Smart Benno!!

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  22. such a wonderful fellow
    and lovely post.
    Thanks for making my heart glad - even if we all do get older...


    Comfort Spiral
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  23. A dear story about your Benno...it is never easy watching our friends decline in agility. Our own Sasha wanted nothing to do with her ramp...we now must lift her ourselves. Sadly, we are preparing to say goodbye as things have been very rough for her this week...she has been our companion for 14+ years.

    Dogs rule...

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  24. Hi Friko .. gosh - a labour of love all round .. loved the story and the pics .. and glad Bennie can go with you now .. Hilary

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  25. Hello:
    Benno looks wonderful and we should love him. If we were to have a dog, then we should most likely choose a labrador - such wonderful companions.

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  26. And to think that was only a practice run! I was relieved to discover that Benno didn't have to go to the vet, which was what I was anticipating.

    Well thought of and carried through. I always say blogs are the best place to learn clever ideas for the activities of life.

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  27. What a good idea !
    Mr. G. made a ramp to the catflap because it's high in a window and when the cats were young they couldn't jump that high and they quickly learned to walk up the ramp.

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  28. Well done. If only ladies were so amenable.

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  29. Well done Benno, and well done you where theres a will theres a way and where theres a treat for a lab, there is a definite way to learn new tricks even if he is an old dog! and he looks so happy he did and pleased you.

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  30. It's true that smart people tend to gravitate toward smart dogs. Good for you and Benno for working that out. I am grateful that our own Benny is a small breed and it will be easy enough to lift him when that time comes.

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  31. Du erinnerst mich an mich selbst, liebe Friko! Haha! Genauso hätte ich es auch gemacht! Bravo, Benno!
    Uebrigens mag ich auch nicht ohne Ana wegfahren...!
    Ein schönes Post!
    Viele liebe Grüsse von Renée

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  32. Oh yes...labs are so food oriented..but so lovable. You can teach them anything with the promise of a few nibbles!!!

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  33. What an amiable companion Benno is. Food interests cats mightily also, but I've never been able to use it to train them. In fact, I've never been able to train them at all. They get bored easily and simply turn away as if to say, "In your dreams!"

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  34. Living with an older dog, not unlike living with an older person can be a challenge. We always said about our old Max, we don't love him because he does what we want, we just love him. Kibbles help. Dianne

    PS, I love animal stories.

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  35. I read your updates and will answer your posts in one comment – About your Melancholia post - Sometimes it is not easy. I also wonder why I need to keep blogging … when my laptop stopped working 10 days ago I could not get close to my husband’s computer for days…

    on Begone Dull Care - I don’t know why sometimes we feel blue. Friends have been telling me that Mercury was in retrograde – whatever that means, and things don’t work properly then – maybe it involves our moods too – I try not to think about these things too much (the sad things in my life) because it would be too hard.

    I am pleased that Gardener is making a good recovery – he is a very nice fellow. Your post The Way we Were – excellent story – a tough lady with a bittersweet tale.

    About your dog training – I wish I could train my cats that way – but I have more luck with a bit of yarn thrown in front of their eyes. Getting older is hard on everyone.

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  36. What a good dog! I have a Jack Russel that could give your lab a run for its money in the greedy, food-driven stakes - it's a PIG!
    Di
    :-)

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  37. I'm coming back as a lab....!!

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  38. What a good dog! The ramp is an excellent idea.

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  39. Friko, I think its lovely that you all are teaching this beautiful old Benno dog some new tricks, or perhaps new routes to familiar treats.

    Please do let us know how this training goes. xo

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  40. Well done Benno! He actually looks pretty confident in his steps for first time training this. Glad to see he will still be able to go along. Smiles.

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  41. Well done Benno - and well done you for persevering. I've seen these ramps advertised and wondered if they would work. It will not be too long before out Pointer will need help to get in the car and go out with his beloved master on those vital trips to the recycling depot and Morrisons...trips where a dog's presence is absolutely essential etc. Etc...

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  42. "he might grow too fat". I don't suppose it is a huge jump in skills from walking the ramp to driving up in his motorised wheel-basket!

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  43. The treats were welcome , of course , but he looks as though he'd do anything for a cuddle !

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  44. Dog training is a labor of love. This is such a sweet post. Great photos and great parents.
    Cheers
    Manzanita@Wannabuyaduck

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  45. I'm glad that Benno has learnt to walk the ramp. We had similar problems with our late Buddy but he managed it with lots of blood, sweat and tears on our behalf (okay, I'm exaggerating!) Soon it will be Frodo's turn. His hind leg weakness is due to his anti-epileptic medications.

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  46. Well now that's how it is for you and the lab. Ha! I like your comparisons.

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  47. This is such an inspirational website and I am looking forward to more insightful post!
    Dog sitter San Diego

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  48. I hope he has learned the lesson by now - and that his joints will last longer without so much pain. He is gorgeous.

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  49. I have a Benno, too...so I read this post with great interest. Our old guy is a lab mix, and has inherited the love of treats :) He's not quite ready for the ramp yet, but--after seeing these great photos--I most definitely will know what to do!!

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