Out for the usual walk this morning but had taken some lovely juicy roast chicken with me left over from yesterday. Now this is very unusual for my two to be offered such a high value reward and they clearly really, really wanted it. So a cunning piece of behaviour evolved between them. They have in the past been naughty chasers after wildlife, especially deer, and especially together as a pack but much training of the stop and recall whistle has put an end to that for a long time. So today, they decided the best way to earn their reward was to charge off together as if on a deer hunt but over 30-40m slowed and started glancing back at me waiting for the stop whistle and recall. As soon as the recall was blown they tore back to me with huge labrador grins on and screeched to a halt in the sit position awaiting chicken. Did this at least 15 times. A simple case of dogs more intelligent than the owner I suspect.....
Re: Cunning behaviour to gain rewards I'd say they've got one very well trained owner there.. That's teach you leave your copy of Total Recall lying around at night !! Labs 1 Owner 0. ;D
Re: Cunning behaviour to gain rewards Clever girls... Deeply impressed by their cunning! I had something very similar happen recently - two young deer ran across the path, and before I could even get the whistle to my lips, Poppy had sat down on her bottom and was looking at me as if to say 'where's my treat???'. Not quite as clever as your two, she hadnt planned it, but I am interested to see whether she now does this each time a deer appears!!
Re: Cunning behaviour to gain rewards Oddly, it only seems to work with deer - not with squirrels, rabbits, foxes, or cats... :
Re: Cunning behaviour to gain rewards They were really funny this morning. If asked to sum up my dogs in a few words then cheeky and clever would always have come to mind but now I'm worrying they are getting organised with Blackadder-style "cunning plans"......
Re: Cunning behaviour to gain rewards Karen, I would be in seventh heaven if Charlie reacted like that Helen x
Re: Cunning behaviour to gain rewards That is brilliant.....im passing on the story to Dexter in the hope he can adapt the plan to work in his ( and my) favor as we have begun practice on recall from the parks' solitary rabbit......to all you country dwellers that must just sound like the nuttiest comment ever! X
Re: Cunning behaviour to gain rewards Walk today - no chicken, no crime......standard training walk, no running off despite seeing deer, lots of retrieving, etc etc. They are too smart for me now.....
