Learning to Listen

listen (lis·ten) vi. 1: to pay attention to sound 2: to hear something with thoughtful attention : give consideration 3: to be alert to catch an expected sound

Reading with Rowdy went to the Delano Library this week with high hopes for big improvement in his library listening skills.

Rowdy and I have been working on a “listen” command, that translates to golden retriever as “lay your chin flat on the ground and lie quietly until instructed otherwise” and which lets our little patrons know that he is ready to pay attention to the sounds of their voices sharing their storybooks.

Thanks to a training clicker and a bag of rabbit-flavored mini treats, my happy hooligan mastered the meaning of the word and will eagerly drop his head to the floor, with the rest of his golden giddiness following in some semblance of stillness. He’ll usually stay put, and generally needs only a silent-but-serious look or a subtle “Ahem” as a reminder to set his head back down if he lifts it before official release. Unless…

Unless someone enters the room. Or leaves the room. Or talks in the room, walks past the room, opens the door, closes the door, or drops something on the floor in the room. Shiny objects are everywhere.

We introduced his new trick – which, when the novelty wears off and the reliability soaks in, we’ll call a behavior – last month, using small bits of a soft treat as an intermittent reward. Fortunately, the treats brought out a series of successfully completed reading sessions. Unfortunately, they also brought out a series of soundless stomach releases that I could not pass of as those of the sleeping sibling, napping while her brother read to Rowdy.

So this month we went in sans food rewards, verbal praise only; and Rowdy respectfully showed his readiness to listen when asked, maintaining the position as the kids shared their books with him. Mostly.

Mostly, except for the 2 attempts to complete his favorite roll-on-the-back-and-grab-the-leash maneuver, which threatened to morph into his full-blown clear-the-fleecy-blanket thrashing episodes of old.

Mostly, except for the irresistible lure of toddler siblings with sticky hands and smelly shoes; Rowdy’s Nirvana, a veritable disco ball of distraction.

Turns out though, he really is learning to listen; to pay attention, to hear with thoughtful attention. Especially when he gives consideration to the tiny bit of pressure he feels under his chin from an opposable thumb on the other end of the leash -a low level attention-getter, perfectly suited to stopping the dog without stopping the reader. He picked up on the prompt and stayed alert to catch the expected sound.

Good boy! Let’s go get a treat!

In the truck. With the windows open.

Lost in Translation

Maybe visions of fireworks stilled danced in his head. Perhaps the extra sleep that is the benefit to the rest of us, of Boone’s new anti-anxiety medication protocol provided an energy boost. Possibly 15 minutes of fetching a rubber ball before breakfast, at 7:00 a.m., when the temperature is 80 and the humidity close to the same, is not enough. For him.

Whatever the reason, rowdy Rowdy showed up this morning at the Maple Lake Library. We started out nicely, well within Acceptable-Therapy-Dog-in-Public parameters. Unless we count that part where, for the first time ever, he crawled from the back seat over the center console to jump out of the truck as I wrestled our supply bag out of the front seat. He hit the sidewalk before the bag did, but sat nicely and waited patiently as I snapped his leash on the buckle. Good dog! Sort of.

Dog lying in library He greeted the kids nicely, lying quietly, taking stock and taking advantage of the many bare toes presented at nose level. He could not resist the opportunity to sniff and smooch. Most of the readers tolerated, even enjoyed, the interaction, though one little girl was only too happy to use the towel I offered.

Our rough patch came during the actual Reading of the Story, which, given our goal of helping kids read by “sitting quietly on a blanket, listening to children without judgment, so that they build confidence in their skills”, does not bode well for our success rate of the future.

Rowdy seems to interpret “sitting quietly” to mean wriggling on his back, rolling over repeatedly, mouthing the leash, and/or pawing the edge of the blanket to craft himself a pillow.

Dog watching child write The approximate total of 5 minutes of indiscretions seemed like 5 days, but as is becoming our routine, he composed himself and controlled his impulses by the we end of our book. Just in time to endear himself to his readers and his handler by closely overseeing the group’s work to solve a crossword puzzle.

The Reading with Rowdy spellchecker.

He even renewed a few friendships from last week’s joint session with the pre-schoolers, who came over to replenish their weekly reads. As I checked out books for the young patrons, with the Happy Hooligan on a “Down/Stay” under the desk, he did as instructed. With his head peeking out just far enough for them to pet his ears and him to kiss their feet.

It’s all in the interpretation.

Dog sleeping on blanket

First 4th

Twenty-five children with kazoos and flags.

25 Children.

With kazoos.

And flags.

Most of them under the age of 6, fingers still sticky with breakfast, little toes teeming with summer’s best barefoot bouquets.

Add an unfamiliar venue, a few strollers, a bunch of new friends, and you have Reading with Rowdy meets Marie’s Pre-School Storytime for a 4th of July celebration with the Maple Lake Library.

It was All Calming Strategies On Deck as the event started, and preliminary activities presented Rowdy and me an opportunity for some helpful Down-Stay, Heel-Sit-Watch Me-Good Dog! practice, along with a little work in appropriate greeting behavior, assisted by our now-veteran junior trainers, introducing their toddler siblings to the Very Happy Hooligan.

A group photo for the local paper provided a bit of a challenge, but if 25 youngsters could sit still long enough to be organized into 3 rows and have their names recorded for identification, it seemed reasonable to expect 1 golden retriever to do the same.

Which he did very nicely until we had to scooch in for a last-minute adjustment, bringing any kids within sniffing, snuffling or smooching distance directly into Rowdy’s zone of Too Much Temptation.

Fingers crossed that the shutter snapped during an acceptable Therapy Dog moment.

Our grand finale, the always-anticipated parade around the block, brought out a few cheering merchants, 25 kazoo-humming, flag-waving children, and one prancing pup, who handled the whole experience pretty well if you don’t count the part where he kangaroo-hopped across the intersection.

Next week we return to our regular programming. A smaller crowd, a single book, a few games.

And no kazoos.

Dog and flag

Enjoy a happy healthy Independence Day!

Peanut Butter Peace

Dog with kids in library

Another rainy Monday morning started with the potential for setback in our ascent to Therapy Animal superstardom, or even Therapy Animal suitability, but my slightly-damp dog eventually dried up and quieted down to hang out with the 11 young readers, who came out to Reading with Rowdy at the Maple Lake Library.

We began with something less that our best behavior today, navigating a few rough patches of vigorous back-scratching and insistent paw offerings, but once rambunctious Rowdy found his Good Dog gear, he settled in and chilled out.

It’s possible we benefitted from the plot of our children’s chapter book, which revolved around some missing peanut butter treats. Hearing the name of one of his many favorite snacks may have lulled the happy hooligan into a dreamy state of Skippy slumber.

Following our story and mystery message activity, the readers had an opportunity to practice proper greeting behavior with Rowdy, who was very happy to cooperate and (mostly) calmly accept several scratches under the ear.

Every week gets a little bit better, and next week we’ll face a whole new challenge when take a short break from our “Figure It Out” theme to join with the pre-schoolers story-time group for some Independence Day activities, including the annual 4^th of July Parade around the block. No fireworks or marching bands, but lots of red, white and blue, many children waving flags, several local merchants waving hands, and one golden retriever, excited to lead the festivities.

With a peanut butter chaser.

Dog dreaming

Putting the Pieces Together

The weather calmed, and so did Rowdy, for our second week of the summer program at the Maple Lake Library.

Dog listening to reader

My convivial canine greeted 11 young readers this morning. Well, greeted as in sat calmly, watching children enter the library, without whining or wheedling to worm his way closer.

As a bonus to our story and game time, we talked a bit about how to safely approach a dog, even a too-friendly type like Rowdy. Those who wanted, took some time after the story to practice their dog interaction skills, waiting until he was sitting quietly, and then petting the pooch on his favorite just-under-the-ear spot. It may have been Rowdy’s favorite part of the morning, and possibly a light-bulb moment his library career.

Dog watching children

It is definitely progress and he seems to be catching on to his role in this work. He only rolled over to scratch his back with great gusto twice this week, and only tried to park his posterior in my lap once.

That’s progress my friends.

So we will continue to practice a lot and pray a little and trust the process.

And figure it out.

And so We Begin

Dog in library

This morning brought rain and readers to the Maple Lake Library, for the inaugural gathering of Reading with Rowdy.

Seven young book enthusiasts dodged the drops to meet the Happy Hooligan, take turns reading aloud from a short chapter book, then solve some word and picture puzzles.

Reading with Rowdy replaces the popular Books with Boone summer program, as an effort to encourage students to enjoy some summer reading time. The retirement last fall of Boone, the big brindle greyhound, leaves some pretty big paw prints for roommate Rowdy to fill, but he’s up to the task.

Maybe a little too up, but let’s think positive.

There is hope. Apparently, rowdy Rowdy paid some attention to my session-starting conversation with the kids, as by the end of our hour, he seemed to have figured out his part in this program.

Dog with children at library

Birthday Boys

May is a big birthday month here at Four Sticks Farm.

Boone begins the festivities on May Day, celebrated this year by a visit with Dr. Wilcox for his annual checkup. Other than the obviously rickety rear end, and some pretty gamey greyhound gingivitis, our Teen Idle is a healthy 13 year old hound.

Greyhound on bed

Two days later, Chicago turned an astonishing 21. Astonishing in that it’s been 15 years that this big red beast has taken up residence in my home and my heart, and we’re both still around to tell our tale.

Now that he’s reached the age of maturity, Chicago is finally starting to look more like the Paint horses on his pedigree, growing even more handsome, with all the spots showing up on his sorrel self.

His tail lightened a few years ago, but other than that, most of his color (besides the 3 white stockings that inspired his name) hid beneath his mane or under his belly. Now his white hair is out for all to see.

Finally, a horse who resembles his owner…

Paint horse

Rare is the blog entry missing mention of rowdy Rowdy, and this one is no exception. The gregarious golden turned 2 on May 17, inching his way out of puppyhood, with it’s built-in excuse for bad behavior. He continues to live with energy and enthusiasm, eager to engage in whatever life extends, always under the assumption that everyone else shares his excitement.

Someday, an owner who resembles her dog…

Golden retriever on blanket with books

Rowdy is only weeks away from his first official Therapy Dog gig, with the “Reading with Rowdy” program scheduled to start in mid-June. Our theme this summer is “Figure It Out”, initially intended as a reference to the series of mystery stories we’ll read, and puzzle games we’ll play, though I suspect it will apply equally to Rowdy’s effort to perfect his library manners.

And he will figure it out. Now that he is 2, the day grows ever closer that my happy hooligan masters impulse control.

And that will be a day of serious celebration.