Tilt Lesson From The Dog

One of the favorite activities of our hard-headed dog is to sit on the rug by the back door looking outside and waiting for a critter to enter his domain-the back yard. Sometimes a squirrel will be cruising along the 6' wood fence back there that extends into another yard. If the dog notices a squirrel he will go crazy, whining, spinning around, jumping up on the sliding glass door. Of course he must be let out. It is kind of like releasing a bull from a chute- he will explode out of the house at top speed and charge full-force into the fence, standing on his hind legs trying to get this squirrel. He will then run madly about the back yard in hopes of another glimpse or shot at the squirrel. He then goes to his dogloo and peers out of the entryway, hoping to hide in this squirrel blind and get another shot. The dog has no shot at these squirrels. They can merely trot away down the fence or climb a tree and get away. The dog also can be hurt chasing these things. Although just barely two years old he has hip dysplasia (sp?) and is a limping fool if he runs around too much. I feel guilty hunting him now because working just one field will turn him into a limper. He has all the enthusiasm he ever did and is willing to endure the pain for the hunt, but I don't like seeing it or trying it. I didn't get to hunt him much at all this year and might not try anymore, even though he loves getting out even if it's just to run around. Anyway, despite the frustration and risk to his own body, this dog cannot be held back from trying to get this squirrel.


You see, it is the correct decision for the dog, considering his nature, to go after the squirrel. Whether for a tasty morsel or to protect his territory or whatever, the right play in dog world is to try to get this squirrel. And although the play has never succeeded for my dog, he keeps making it because he knows in his own way that it is the correct play. Past disappointments do not factor into the decision to chase the squirrel NOW. He resumes the chase with all vigor each time the situation comes up, as it did a few minutes ago.


Now you know why there is the poster of the dogs playing poker.

Good post. Brought back memories of Buster, the Boston Terrier of my childhood. Buster could scramble up board fences and run along the top of them. He could also climb most of the trees in the neighboorhod. Squirrels wanting safety had few options. Tall chain link fences; phone lines; trees with vertical trunks and no branches for the first ten or twelve feet.


Surviving squirrels would sometimes learn that they could get out a tree limb to the point where it wouldn't support Buster's weight, then sit there and chatter at him.


To put Buster on tilt, all you had to do was whisper "squirrel" within fifty feet of him.


Buster's greatest learning experience: squirrels are different than bobcats.