I Have a Smart Dog

Well I have 2 smart dogs but this post is only about one of them. Milo is his name. He's awesome.


In the Snow
Anyway, a year ago we didn't have dog doors and the pups were new to the house and still learning how to go outside for potty business. They weren't quite learning how to let us know when they needed to go out so I hung a bell on the door.

The dogs were of course interested in what I was doing by the back door so I figured I'd go ahead and show them. I leaned over, said "Potty outside?” rang the bell then opened the door. Later when I took them out again I did the same thing.


At the Dog Park
The next day I was hanging out on the computer and I heard the bell ring. I thought, "No way... I only showed them twice, one of them must have bumped it." Then as I was headed toward the back door I heard it again. Milo was standing there at the door, looking at me expectantly. I was shocked and excited! So I praised him like mad and let him out.

Shortly after that we had doggie doors installed so the bell method fell by the wayside and I took it off of the door. It stayed tucked away on my desk for probably 6 months. In that time the cats figured out how to get out of the doors and over the fence so we had to monitor the dog doors again. I thought, while they are closed we'll just revert back to the bell method. I didn't expect him to remember the bell but he did. I heard it one day and just started laughing.


We actually have two back doors and two dog doors. One leads from the house proper to a closed in back porch. Then the porch one leads outside. The bell hangs on the outside door. The other day both doors and dog doors were closed. Milo barked at the inside door and as my Honey opened it for him, he ran to the other door and rang the bell! I guess he really wanted out!


Super Happy at the Dog Park!
In April I purchased a dog training kit that focused on clicker training. The book said to get the dogs to connect the clicking sound with good I needed to give them a food reward. After several clicking sessions over a few consecutive days the dogs will learn the pattern. Within the week of buying the book I did this multi day acquaintance test. After that I totally dropped the ball and have yet to teach them a trick. It is on my list of things to do.

Well some months later, let’s say July, I found the clicker and thought "I wonder if they remember what this does?" I should have known due to the bell training that they would but I was still surprised and excited when after just one click they both came to full attention and waited for their treat. I of course gave them one.


Silly Boy
Now fast forward to last weekend. Milo got out of the house. When these darn pups do that they do not respond to my calling them. That has yet to be trained. Their noses get the better of them and off they go down the street. So Milo took off. I immediately thought "Get the clicker!" I ran in the house and tracked it down then went out on the porch and yelled "MILO!" and clicked. That little mutt turned and bolted toward me like lightning!!


Milo Loves his Tennis Ball
I jumped up and down, hollering praises at him, clapping my hands, let him in the house and lavished him with treats and petting and all sorts of verbal praises.

So now I know, basically, that he is trained to come to me by the sound of that click. Fabulous smart dog!


Grassy Tongue


He was Chewing


My Sweet Boy Milo