[RKDinOKC]

This comparison work to dog commands got me to thinking about the differences in training my 3 Goldens.

My first, Penny, raised her for the first year just me and her. Kept and took her with me everywhere except work, and even sometimes there to (she would lay patiently at my feet under my desk.) She was a fantastic dog that stayed at my side and would not even take food from someone else unless I said it was okay. And could be trained by just showing her once what I wanted. When I went to stay with people she would stay right beside me and even sleep next to the couch or bed I slept on. Becase she was always with me she behaved so well nobody made any sort of deal over her being there. We stayed in hotels that had signs up that said they didn't allow pets. I would just ask and prove she went to the bathroom on command and would not speak unless I told her to. She also went with me and stayed right beside me when I went to radio controlled flying fields. The guys at the flying field would tell other people not to bring pets, but all liked Penny and said she had an invisible leash because she stayed right beside me and only interacted with anyone else when I told her it was okay. Usually it was to go to someone's pickup, and fetch a beer from the ice chest in the back. Not sure how she knew which truck. My brother did not want her in his room and she would only go to his door and sit. He liked to eat peanut m&ms. He would occasionally drop one. He would look over a Penny, say okay. She would run in, grab the m&m, run back out. and sit at the door and eat the m&m. I cried for 2 days when she passed at 18.

Two months later couldn't stand it and got my second, Camber. Mom and I were taking care of my brother with MS. Because I worked and Camber was always home with Mom and George. Camber was Mom's dog and not mine. Because Mom didn't go anywhere Camber didn't and did not learn to behave as well and Penny. But Mom had a stroke and a speech thearapist. While teaching Mom to talk again we taught Camber to speak english. The therapist said Camber was making all the right sounds, just counldn't move her lips. Even brought her kids to hear the talking dog that sounded like Astro on the Jetson's. Camber would say, "I want out". "Drink of water", "I'm hungry", "I love you", etc. Camber was still totally Mom's dog, slept with Mom and asked Mom to be feed, to go in and out, and would only go for a ride if Mom was going. When Camber passed Mom went to bed and would not get up. So I took Mom and bought the only girl golden available that day even though she cost $900. She had AKC and obedience heritage out the wazoo, her dad was a local media star in commercials and print, her granddad was Better Housekeeping pet of the year.

My third and current, Pepper, really changed Mom's dimentia. Pepper stuck to Mom like glue. Mom started doing things like cooking she hadn't done in 5 years. It was so Mom could feed Pepper off her plate. Mom's memory even got better. It was amazing to see. I even trainned Pepper to speak english like Camber as a puppy to help her interact with Mom. Because Mom let Pepper do anything it was difficult to really train Pepper basic stuff like stay. But she was a pretty good dog. But did have to keep going over things for Pepper to do them reliably. Still think it's cause Mom treated Pepper more like a cat than a dog.

A couple of months after Mom passed a made what I concider a huge mistake. Since had been home caring for Mom so long decided to take a 2 week vacation. Instead of taking Pepper with me I left her with what I thought was a very good dog trainer. When I picked Pepper up I found the trainer had taught her to not speak, or even bark. She just stood at the back door when she wanted out instead of saying "I want out" or even speaking. I have been working and working on her to speak. She does say "hello" at drive up windows because they give her a bite to eat.

Found training on the internet for diabetic alert dogs. You can take a well behaved dog to 2 weeks of class and they will help you train your dog to alert you when your saliva shows your blood sugar goes below 70 or above 130. They charge about $20K. Dogs can tell about 30 minutes before it shows up on a finger stick blood test. Bought cotton, baggies, and freezer containers to start freezing salaiva samples and was not looking forward to running my blood sugar low to train Pepper. Before I got much saliva frozen I noticed Pepper was waking me in the night to let her outside to do her stuff. This one time I felt my blood sugar felt low. Test myself and it was so I gave her a treat before letting her out. Kept letting her out and 4 more times in the next couple of months my blood sugar felt and measured low so I gave a treat before letting her out. One the fifth time after I gave her the treat she did not want out she woke me up because my blood sugar was low. She still wakes me up to go out, but she also wakes me up if I have low blood sugar, even if I have fallen asleep in the lazyboy or couch and it's no night.

Because of some of my physical health problems and that nobody comes to visit I have not been able to work on her basic obedience as much as Penny, but think Pepper is a pretty good dog since she is a diabetic alert dog.