The bell thing is something Scotch is going to be learning as well.

Write more about how your mother got him to ring a bell. You're mother seems very smart, evidently.

Major is the type of dog that does not bark too much, unless he thinks something is out there. He would go to the doors and stand there, but if you were not looking you would not know he had to go out and he would have an accident. I first tried to make him bark at the door, but when I barked it only got him worked up thinking something was out there. It was a few days after Christmas when the idea came to me to put some bells on the door. I bought some of those Christmas bells that are on a long piece of leather at 50 percent off, and hung them on every door that went outside. Before I would let him out any door, I took his paw and hit the bells. The first few times it startled him, and a few times he rebelled, but he quickly learned that if he rang the bells he would get let out. Some of the times I knew that he just wanted to go out, even though he had just been out, but I would still let him go out if he rang the bell. It only took about a day and half before he started hitting the bell. I had to tell everyone in the house that they could not let him out without having him hit the bell, this included when we took him out for a walk. He did pick it up very quickly, and Brad and Dina have been great to follow through with it when they got home. Now they do not have to watch to see if he is at the door. It just sounds like Christmas every day.

Okay, thanks for that information. Good technique.

Well done, Sandy! Excellent job of classical conditioning! It sounds as if Major was a very apt pupil, which always helps, too.

I think every dog my family has ever had has started off actually doing the tricks we ask them to do, but within a short period of time they fall into the "every trick in the book" behavior. I'm sure someone who is wise in the ways of dog training would know how to "fix" this, but honestly it always really amused me...

He's so smart! God I want a dog so much. Do you have any recent pictures of your little dude? Maybe I can just have a vicarious dog.

Here's one!

Eek! So cute.

He is a smart dog, and am glad that he is using the bells so well. I was going to bring his bag of treats that you guys left here. Because of the trip "delay" major will have to wait for those treats.

I need to look for a new car now.

what kind of dog is he again?

my dog (G-Dog) only seems to know the "sniff the female crotch" trick-
which... usually isn't a problem



hmm thinking now- i never call him by his name, it's always "G" or "G-boy"-
maybe that's his problem hahah

I'm going to call you Pavlov from now on.

the next logical step would be to teach him to teach himself new tricks.

"Shaking your leg", eh? I bet he wants a treat.