When it's good to be "bad"

So many times I've rewarded somewhat inappropriate behavior by laughing, or worse, laughing as I run to get a camera. I know better, but dang if it isn't hilarious to see Frodo standing on his hind legs slurping a cup of coffee, or former foster dog Hobbs looking up at me happily from atop the kitchen table after emptying the dog treat bowl I'd set there.

Typically they get a chuckle the first time they do it but then I try to rearrange the environment so it doesn't happen a second time.

But my number one goal when working with a foster dog is not a well behaved dog - don't get me wrong, it's high up on the list, but not at the top. My number one goal with my foster dogs is to get to where they are able to be relaxed around people. So many of the dogs who come through our door have been yelled at and punished and even at times hit. To them, humans are inconsistent, volatile beings and I want to help my foster dogs change that point of view since they can't be relaxed as a house dog if they find humans frightening.

But back to the rewarding of "bad" behavior. One of the things that I've been working with Salinas on is "four on the floor" - basically not giving each human she meets a frantic love attack trying to reach their face for licks.  She's doing great! Smart girl has picked up quickly that a calm approach is much more rewarding than a frenzied one.

Well, guess what I just rewarded her sister Chima for? Yep, jumping up on me. I couldn't help it. This is the dog who didn't want to get within 10 feet of me and when I headed outside (with some deliciously smelly treats in my hand), she stood on her back feet, paws on my legs and looked me in the eye. I was stunned for a moment, but I had the camera in my hand and actually got a shot of it. I was torn because while I know better than to reward jumping up this was Chima! Chima, choosing not only to come close to me but to jump up on me in excitement - a completely normal, excited terrier thing, not a fearful under-socialized dog thing. So I'm telling myself that I rewarded her choice to interact with me, not the jumping up part. With Chima, I'm working on basic manners stuff later. Right now we'll continue to work on that number one goal - relaxed interaction with people. Not that I'll actively train her to jump up on me, but at this point, any happy, positive attempt to interact with me is getting reinforced.