Sugar And Spice
Sugar and Spice were a pair of spirited siblings of the Poodle clan. They lived directly across the street from the fenced warehouse parking lot where a basic dog obedience class was taught. Classes were held on Saturday mornings. Often, Sugar and Spice were left unattended, behind a short picket fence enclosing their front yard. On these Saturdays, this brace of poodles raced up and down the short fence line and vociferously announced the arrival of each canine student. After an interval of woofed invective, the owner whisked the two miscreants into the house and all became peaceful. This weekly scenario played itself out for several months. One Saturday, the raucous tradition ceased. The front yard behind the picket fence was unusually quiet and empty. And there, standing next to his owner in class, was Spice. His brow appeared somewhat quizzical at the turn of events that had precipitously transformed him from truant to pupil. In the following weeks, he proceeded to become a model student and the wag in his tail expressed an enjoyment of working for a living. Sugar appeared in a subsequent class and she also performed in exemplary fashion. But in the weeks following attendance in class, the two were seen and heard reverting to their previous, rowdy ways. Walking across the street to study the art and science of obedience training had a profound effect on these two Poodles. Regrettably, the spell quickly wore off when they walked back across the street and reentered the “real world.”
So what sorcery was cast upon Sugar and Spice as they passed through the gate to attend class? Why didn’t the enchantment of good behavior stick when they returned the short distance to their home environment? Is there real magic involved in training dogs and other animals? To be sure, there is some sleight of hand in animal training. A flourish of an empty hand can direct a dog into a sit, down, stand or the heel position. A touch stick is easily mistaken for a magic wand when seen in the hand of a doggie dancing expert. Momentarily sidestepping the question of whether working dogs involves real magic, two essential but mundane elements are introduced in a class setting, Management and Training. Both elements needed to be imported from class across the street and into the everyday lives of Sugar and Spice.
Management is setting up situations and the environment to prevent problems. Management tools include crates, indoor tethers (when supervised), baby gates, exercise pens, fences, leashes and accessories such as harnesses and head collars. In the class setting, Sugar and then Spice were each outfitted with a Gentle Leader® of a fashionable color. They were kept on leash and at a distance from other dogs, as more distance equals less distraction. Their choices for misbehavior were limited and they happily received union wages for good behavior. They did well. Each pup was worked individually in class. At home, walks had ceased long ago because of berserk reactivity at the sight of any dog. Now, neighborhood walks resumed- safe, doable and enjoyable. Each pup was walked individually, sporting his/her Gentle Leader®.
Occasionally, weeks after attending class, Sugar and Spice were allowed into the front yard unsupervised “to watch what was going on outside.” Immediately they resumed their favorite sport of snarling ambushes and intimidation of passers by. The front yard was definitely a less than minimum security facility. The picket fence was about four feet tall and did not appear up to the task. It was a miracle these two brigands had yet to figure how to open the gate to “work things out” on the street. Fortunately, there was a medium security zone behind a tall wooden fence on the side of the house to confine the two Poodles. With their subscription to the front yard entertainment canceled, Sugar and Spice rarely responded to the auditory stimuli outside the fence. Inside the house, maximum security, they were angels.
In addition to Management, as Sugar and Spice crossed the road, they were introduced to Training, the second element. Dog training, like all animal training, relies on the principles of operant conditioning. A cat pushing a dog in a stroller (1), a duck playing a guitar, a chicken playing baseball, a bunny opening a bank account (2) (3), all suggest behaviors found only in a magical kingdom. But these were behaviors taught in the real world using operant conditioning. To avoid the confusion placed upon civilians by the jargon employed by psychologists, let’s say that Sugar and Spice began an earnest study of what worked and what didn’t work for them. Simple behaviors such as Name Recognition, Sit, Leave It/Take It, Walking With a Loose leash all resulted in rewards. There was no opportunity to practice unwanted behavior. Ferrying their new knowledge back across the street, Sugar and Spice rendered what they learned into practical day to day conduct. For example, a Sit was required before eating, greeting or going through the gate. Not scarfing a gross delicacy on the ground resulted in kudos, a pet and possibly a treat. Walking nicely was rewarded with a sniff.
There is an alchemy that takes place when Management and Training are combined with the additional elements of Exercise, Socialization, Nutrition, Grooming/Handling and Vet Care. Base behaviors can be transmuted into gold standard decorum. The question remains, though, is there magic involved in the relationship of humans and dogs? Of course there is! Magic is a whisper or a force that crosses from “beyond the fields we know,” that bends our reality and awakens in us a sense of wonder. (4). There is small and big magic. The training of the cat, the duck and other animals referred to above is amazing but it small magic. For a few brief moments we are transported with wonder but it is short lived. But how “Nookie” knew to be at the right place at the right time to save lives is big magic (5). The story of Red Dog, his loyalty and his travels across Australia, is big magic (6). The journey of Skidboot from chicken filching trouble maker to chauffeured celebrity is much more than operant conditioning at work (7). Big magic sticks with us.
It was impossible to have a bad day if one took Beau, the dapper Doodle, for a walk. For years, everyone, with the exception of a single sour child in a stroller, broke into a big grin at the sight of him. That is special. The career of Goliath, a “memory assistance dog,” is much more than remarkable (8). There is magic in the smile of an autistic child throwing a ball at a dog, who caught it and tossed it right back to her, beginning a special relationship of many years. The stories of rescue dogs “rescuing their people” are abundant. The owner of Sugar and Spice, all of us who have had a favorite dog(s) have had our lives upgraded by the company of a dog(s). Our world has been enhanced for the better with magic. How strong this spell is cast upon us is embodied in the depth of the grief we feel when the tail of a best friend wags no more. It is best said in a song-
When I get to heaven first thing I'll do, Pull out my horn and call old Blue...
I'll say, "Here Old Blue come-on dog" "Good dog you."
I'll say, "Here Blue-e" "I'm a coming there too" (9).
(1). Comedy Pet Theater | Gregory Popovich - YouTube
(3). IQ Zoo Animal Training | Real People | George Schlatter - YouTube
(4). Lord Dunsany- English/Irish writer who knows a lot about magic- author of King Of Elfland’s Daughter
(5). (52) This Amazing Rescue Dog has RESCUED Multiple People | ALPHA -
(6). .Red Dog (film) - Wikipedia great movie
(7). (52) The Best Of Skidboot_Part 01 - YouTube
(8). Memory Assistance Dogs | Modern Dog magazine
9). Original versions of Ol' Blue by Mark O'Connor featuring James Taylor | SecondHandSongs