Old dog new trick

[timeos2]

The two recent threads on dogs made me recall one occurrence that really surprised me. Our first Cairn Terrier was an intelligent dog but he didn't understand moving take home boxes or plates he got to "clean up". For years he would lick them & of course they would slide away & he had to chase it around the room.

When he was 8 we adopted a second Cairn named Chelsea by my sister in law. She unfortunately died and we ended up as the eventual home for Chelsea. Unlike Toto she knew instinctively to place a front paw on the dish/box she was given to clean up. We noticed the difference in approach by both dogs.

Then one day a few months later I saw Toto reach out and place his paw on the sliding dish! He had never done that before and I have to assume he saw Chelsea do it & tried it himself. He taught her to patrol the yard & bark at trucks, motorcycles and thunder - things she never barked at when we first got her. She taught him how to hold his dish still. I was quite surprised he could see and mimic another dog but apparently he could and did. One of many wonderful things about learning everything a dog can do and learn. We sure miss that character.

 

[hypnotiq]

That's why its always easier to train the 2nd dog in the house.

They do a great job of learning from their counterpart...which isnt always a good thing. It also works for teaching bad habits. :ignore:

 

[pjrose]

. . . Our first Cairn Terrier was an intelligent dog but he didn't understand moving take home boxes or plates he got to "clean up". For years he would lick them & of course they would slide away & he had to chase it around the room.

. . . Chelsea. Unlike Toto she knew instinctively to place a front paw on the dish/box she was given to clean up. . . .

Then one day a few months later I saw Toto reach out and place his paw on the sliding dish! He had never done that before and I have to assume he saw Chelsea do it & tried it himself. . . .

Like Like Like Like Like!

 

[wackymother]

Whenever I watch the Dog Whisperer, I'm thinking, "But HE isn't really training that dog. His huge pack of dogs is training that dog!" They definitely do learn from each other...both good and bad.

 

[falmouth3]

I've seen my dogs train the others. We always have two at a time and the older dog teaches the younger one what they can get away with. Abby, our now senior dog, has broken in two younger males. She was very exasperated with Oscar. He apparently had not been a pet, but instead an outside hunting dog. She used to discipline him for us.

 

[pjrose]

Cats do this too, though perhaps not as much or as well as dogs.

We were fostering a single kitten who was biting and also complaining when being picked up. The cat coordinator of our foster organization said he needed another kitten to teach him manners. We brought home two more and within one day the biting and complaining stopped. It was amazing.