Naughty Willis has learned how to open windows. He has a favourite window he opens that allows him to see across the field and terrorise anyone attempting to cross the public footpath by half leaning out of the window and barking his head off. I thought I would solve this by locking the window - but he has actually learned to unlock it, using the key (assuming the key has been left in the lock) and then open it !!!

The problem is, I can't catch him in the act because he generally only does it when we are on the outside of the window. So now I take the key out.

He is also capable of opening doors (including round handles and upside down ones), cupboards, drawers...he can turn on taps and lift the toilet lid.

Clearly, all this behaviour is a "means to an end" for the Willis. My question is how can I channel that into getting him to do tricks? He's not into clicker training because he does the "sit/required behaviour" and totally ignores the click. Its as if he sees it as totally surplus to his requirements. Any thoughts as to how I can get him to use his mind to do things he will enjoy?

WOW!! What a clever baby you have there.!!!
Not sure what you could do to channel his energy, but hope it all goes well with you and you little Einsten!! :D

Good luck!

luv sarah xxxx

Well, I've always thought of 'High IQ' and 'Gt Dane' a contradiction in terms ;) just shows there is always one exception to prove the rule.

Took a friends GD to a 5 acre field to exercise, in this field there was one tree 3/4 of the way across the field from the gate - yes, you have guessed, opened the gate and the Dane ran slap bang into the only tree in 5 acres, knocked its silly self even sillier and worried me to death.

PS: Use the clicker to teach something he does not do, or do you mean he is not into food.

LOL!!! :D

Oh no, thats not Willis. For a start, Willis gets his own lead and opens the front door and takes himself down the field for exercise!!

Jackie beat me to it ;) I was going to post : High IQ + Great Dane = Oxymoron :D :D :D

Its a good job he can't read (yet), he'd be hurt and wounded!! :D

Are you sure he can't read and are you sure you have not been sold a 'pup'. :) Might just be one of these super healthy super intelligent cross breeds we hear about :D

My OH keeps saying we've got a Collie in a Great Dane suit :D :D

Poor boy :D :D .....mind you ..it is rather like Malamute + Obedience ...rotfl

LOL :D

The lead reminds me of a GSD I had years ago.  I saw some programme where a dog brought its own lead to the owner when it wanted a walk.  I thought that was very clever.  I decided to hang my GSD's lead over the front door knob.  Sure enough, within a half hour she brought me the lead and off we went for a walk.  I was pretty pleased with myself.  A couple of days went by and she continued bringing me the lead when she need a walk ... and then it started.  We'd come back from a walk, I'd hang up the lead, and five minutes later it was in my lap again.  Too short a walk I guess.  I removed the lead from the door knob and kept it in a drawer.  :-)

Why do you need to teach Willis tricks?  Surely he's learned enough already without your assistance!  

I don't know about GD's reputation in terms of smartness, but I believe my husband when he says "dogs learn what they need to know" - and clearly Willis needed to know how to get out of the house or into rooms by himself.

Stacey

Why do you need to teach Willis tricks?  Surely he's learned enough already without your assistance!

I would like him to act slightly more responsibly and a little more constructively LOL. He already knows how to turn my office chair around with his paw when he wants attention - where will it end??! :D :D :D

OH! I can beat that my pup takes a ride on mine, thought it was an accident the first time I saw him sitting on the seat going round in circles but he has repeated it far too often for it to be accidental. Thinking of taking him to the fairground for some extra stimulation. He also pushes across the room in order to create havoc on my OH's desk too.

You lot crack me up :-D

watch out - thats how Willis started...a seemingly innocent "accident"...next minute he's pulled me and the wheelie chair over backwards

wish I'd had a video when my afghanx was in line queuing for the kiddies slide.  Wait in line, climb steps, fly down slide, back in line :D  he also liked the horse and the roundabout, but couldn't take too much of the roundabout cos it made him dizzy :D  He also liked to wear sunglasses in the sunshine - would sit for ages looking over the top and then thru to see the difference :)  He wasn't one to learn to do things for himself so much, true to the afghan in him he was really good at teaching me to do them for him ;)

So Chloe what you are saying is soon  it may not be you, but a GD sitting in your chair typing out posts maybe titled "Low IQ Human -help" :)

I don't want to worry you but my Dad had back in the late 1940's a dog that when he got bored at home he'd go and visit my Dad's sisters and brothers who had married and had left home and lived over B'ham. My Nan used to pass him soemtimes when he was on his way back from visiting them as she was going. And Dad said she always said "Morning Rex" as she passed him going in the opposite direction. They lived in the middle of B'ham city centre and he never caught the wrong tram or bus. He used to look at the numbers and would never get on the wrong one. And whats more the conductors used to stop them for him even if no-one else was at the stop. He used to open every door in the house and whats more they had rats (ugghhh) and their cat used to kill them, and he's pick up a rat the cat had killed in his mouth every Monday morning and take it round to the butchers bark at his back door and the Butcher came out saw the dead rat. And said "Good Boy Rex" and give him some meat in exchange for the dead rat. No one had any idea how and when he learnt this either. It appears also when my Dad's brothers were in the army during the war Rex cried and whinned for a day before any of them came home on leave - and was always there to meet them at the train station. Whatever the time the got back.
So good luck Chloe.

Karen