[CrystalAndZoe]

So it’s good for the soul to confess, right? Well….I’ve had Jett for almost 2 years now and I have gone back and forth on whether or not Jett is not the brightest crayon in the box, or whether he is really smart and just playing dumb to get away with things. And I stand before you today confessing that I have erroneously gone with the ‘not the brightest crayon’ theory. Then I got out the Nina Ottosson puzzles for him. And again I fell for the “help me mommy, I’m clueless” game that Jett seems to be so good at. He even has a ‘clueless’ expression that he has perfected! But I saw him actually work that puzzle in no time when I had to take a phone call and he couldn’t play the “help me mommy, I’m clueless” card. So…..I decided to work on his return command. Oh he knows what ‘come’ means. And for the most part he does so. Unless that is, there is something he would rather be doing ever since I decided NOT to give him a treat every single time he comes on command. You would think high praise, cuddles, toys would be sufficient reward. I have even gone so far as to say to him, “ok, no treats for you” and walk away. And he will come running! He is so darned food motivated that it actually gets in the way in training at times. LOL But still I’m being gullible and thinking I have to give my little man some slack. After all, he just doesn’t always get it. Yeah right! So I decided to try a different technique for “come”. I taught him “touch” and have him touch the palm of my hand with his nose. He picked that up in under 2 minutes. So far I have treated him every single time I use the “touch” command because I want a sure fire method of getting him to come to me. So I’m at my parent’s house last night. They live in the country on 3 acres and have a field behind them. So I’m armed with a bag of treats and I let Jett run off leash. Of course he is at my heels since I have the treats. After about 10 minutes or so, he finally starts to nose around the ground and wander away. I let him get a good 20 ft away from me and say “TOUCH”. He comes running towards me at full speed. So he runs a good 20 ft away from me again, turns around and sits down…looking at me. Then without my command, he comes running to me at full speed. So I did not give him a treat nor did I have my hand down where he could touch it. So after a few minutes of prancing around my feet and pulling out the “I'm so cute card” and the “I'm clueless card”, he runs up to my parents house and goes into the garage, about 30 ft away. He turns around right inside the door and just stands there looking at me! Pleading with me to say “Touch”. So I wait a minute or so and finally say “touch” and put my hand down for him. LOL He comes to me in a dead run!

So, not only is my little man a genius, but he’s a manipulator and a con-man to boot! My darlin’ little Zoe obeys me because it genuinely makes her happy to make me happy. Not my little man. Oh no. He wants to be compensated for following orders!

 

[drclee]

Too cute! Jett's a smart one! My Jack is very similar. Once he knows what I want, he gives it to me, but only when treats are involved! :biggrin:

 

[LUCY N PETS]

Don't you know by now he is a male, dog, man it doesn't matter, if you give them treats, etc, etc, you can get your rewards.

Lucy

 

[njdrake]

Sometimes they should get treats for just being cute, Tess does all the time. Zoey does tricks and Tess gets treats too. I've never thought Tess was the brightest crayon in the box either then she'll do something that shows so much intelligence that I wonder about it. I'll be watching her close now to see if she's pulling Jett's tricks on me.

 

[bentleyboy]

You know i think that being a second dog has a lot to do with it. He sound a lot like Brie. I also wonder whether my sweet Briezee Girl lack in the faculty department and i always tease her about being a dumb blonde because she so different to my Bentley who seems to be almost human and watches my every move. But i think Brie is intelligent but chooses her moments - she pretends a lot of the time not to hear me cause she knows it does not really matter. When she gets into trouble she does not even care, Bents is the one who stresses fore her. Both my dogs have never resonded to treats at all (well in the training game). As for the puzzle - i think JHett is really smart for mastering it. I don't have any of those kinds of games and wonder if either of my fluffs would even know what to do with it. :brownbag:

I love little Jett and i think all Malts are of superior intelligence.

 

[Maglily]

wow that is so smart !

 

[mom2bijou]

Ahem....Jett sounds like another fluff that I know LOL!

Benny is known not to be the brightest crayon in the box, but when it comes time for commands and training.....we got a whole other story. If I open the front door he knows to sit with that dramatic facial expression of his b/c if he sits when I open the door he gets a treat LOL!

Although not as advaned as your boy Jett....I think our boys just like to play the cute, dumb card hehehe!!!

Jett sure sounds like a little smarty!

 

[allheart]

That is just toooo adorable :wub:

 

[diamonds mommy]

:HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: That is soooooo funny!!!! I am literally in tears laughing. Jett and Diamond would be great friends! They are 2 con artist! LOL! :HistericalSmiley:

 

[Hunter's Mom]

Ha ha ha - you just described Hunter (and our previous dog Harley) to a tee.

 

[CloudClan]

Great story! Isn't it amazing how different they are? It is humbling as well. I think I have this training thing figured out and then I try to apply what I have learned to another one of my dogs and those rules are tossed out the window. But then it keeps me guessing and keeps me movitivated to keep trying to get it right. B)

 

[jenniferhope423]

HA HA HA That's too funny!

 

[CeeCee's Mom]

My goodness Crystal........Jett is a genius to boot!!!!! No wonder the girls clammer around him. I still want him if something happens to you and the other ones in line before me!!!! LOL!!! Jett, keep em guessing all the way!!!!

 

[bellapuppy]

That is a WONDERFUL idea! My Maggie Bella also knows what come here means and she does come when I have a treat or toy = sometimes. Other times I say "come" and she looks straight at me then turns her head as if to say "talk to the paw". We are working on little Trixie now too and she is doing pretty well but is selective about when to come to me too. I think this must be a Maltese trait. They are brilliant aren't they? :HistericalSmiley:

 

[Matilda's mommy]

:HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: yup you've been bamboozled by the cutest littleman ever :wub:

 

[Layla Bunnie's Mom]

My Layla does the same thing! When I tell her to come she looks at me and if I do not have a treat she pays me no mind!