I'd love to know how many people feel their dogs learn from watching other dogs, either around the house or in training?

Some time ago now, a friend was training her Flatcoat, Jasper. (He's a lovely boy!!! :) ) Anyway to cut a long story short, she did the Recall and Finish several times.

I was waiting on the side, ready to practice, with my BSD Banya. We had never practiced the formal finish ever. Anyway, I set her up for the Recall, and she came, then completely "off her own bat" circled round behind me to Finish. I was pretty amazed, but I suspect it's probably not unusual.....!!!

I'd love to know what others think, and to hear of any stories which support the "learning from watching" idea :)

LIndsay

Lindsay if I'm training a young dog then I always will let him watch a more experienced dog perform, particularly in exercises using high drive as it excites them and makes them want to join in because it looks fun. I find it a valuable confidence booster and eliminates a lot of potential confusion.
I've also seen one dog recently overcome a reluctance to clear a hurdle by watching other dogs doing it first!

And unfortunately that 'learning' also happens in the opposite direction :( Chienne used to be quite bombproof around fireworks and other 'popping' noises....thanks to Samma going panicky, she now mimics Sam's behavior/worry :rolleyes:
Fortunately, when they're not together, Chienne, after a couple of "Stop-it" commands settles down to her auld self :)

It is invaluable to me to take an experience, older 'pointing' dog out with a puppy when I am encouraging the puppy to 'point' and 'back'. :-) I have also used a more experienced dog when teaching a younger dog to overcome fear of something eg: water,cover,jumps and even gunshot. They do watch and learn. It can work in reverse,so you have to be careful too.

I used Goldy, our older pointer, when I started Harvey on the moor. He was able to watch her work and he did seem to know what he was supposed to do - whether that was instinct or watching Goldy, I don't know.

They definitely pick other things up too. Goldy and Lucky are fanatical grazers and always go for the really green, new grass shoots. Harvey saw them grazing one day and thought he would join in. However, he didn't eat the green, lush shoots, he ate the old brown grass and he still continues to do it. He sometimes gets it right but the majority of the time, it's the brown shoots which can't taste very nice.

Helen

Taking this a stage further I think they can learn from watching us as well as other dogs. :)
Bayley can open the back door in on herself if it is not bolted, only by watching her did I find out how she does it and I found that she moves the handle down with her muzzle and then noses it open from the side, but to *learn* what handles do she must have watched us opening the door. :D
Nicky

My Lab bitch learned how to open doors just by watching us coming and going. I could see in the plaster on the walls the marks her nails left where she had jumped up and missed the handle with her paw but she soon improved to the point where I had to take all the handles off and fit door knobs! She is now trying to open these by jumping up and using her mouth to turn them. (I can tell this as they were brass coloured but now have teeth marks all round the edge!)I will let you know if she is successful!!

My pup Stan definitely learned how to pee like a male dog from a very early age, from watching my older dog Fred. He'd watch Fred and then he'd have a go in exactly the same spot. It was so funny to watch because he couldn't balance properly at first and would end up doing a little dance or falling against lamp posts in his efforts. My first dog Fed didn't have any mentor in this respect, and it took him ages to cotton on that he should cock his hind leg. (sorry not the most tasteful of examples, but I couldn't resist).
:-)

It's so interesting reading everybody's experiences, esp. Lara, Leigh and Helen using older dogs to teach younger dogs....:) Now i come to think of it, there's another example too: young sheepddogs or livestock dogs learning by going along and watching what happens.

I have to say, i do feel sorry for Helen's Harvey eating the old brown grass, instead of the nice lush green stuff !!!! <g>.

And of course it's right that dogs learn the wrong thing too, sometimes too easily LOL! I guess a fear of fireworks may be a classic example, one of my dogs was fine with them but another wasn't, and over a few years they both ended up shivering with fright :(

Lindsay