Picking Up Other People's ****

Another glorious, "I can wear shorts," day as I walk to my bench. I try to feel the pain of those suffering freezing cold temps across the country, but it is hard to do as I sit on my bench basking in 70 plus degree sunshine.

While I sit on my bench quite a few dog walkers pass by. It is always fun to compare dogs with their owners. What does someone's dog choice say about them? Of course the variety of dogs and owners is unlimited, every shape and size. Funny isn't it that you never see someone walking a cat. Which brings me to my real subject: dog ****.

The park has signs telling "pet owners" exactly what they can do with their dog's ****. Yet, some people don't get the message or most likely refuse to get it! You can tell I am a bit upset about this lack of common courtesy. That's when it happened.

A gentleman (you will see why I use that word) comes walking by with his dog and the dog stops and I don't have to go into detail on what the dog does. The gentleman pulls out a plastic bag and cleans up after his pet. But then an amazing thing happens this gentleman pulls out another plastic bag and cleans up another pet's mess left by a inconsiderate, waste littering idiot!

As the gentleman continued his walk I thanked him for his good deed. "I always bring an extra plastic bag to help keep the park clean," he responded.

Praise God for the "gentle" people that make our world a better place because they are willing to clean up other people's ****.

Tim

Humans and Dogs Respond to Rewards

Halfway through my walk, as many of you know, I pause to sit on "my bench." The other day as I was resting on the bench I looked across to the Middle School and noticed a dog obedience class was being held in the playground. I thought it interesting that dogs were being trained at the same place 7th and 8th-graders have classes.

The pet owners with a direct and firm voice asked their dogs to perform a behavior and then rewarded them when the behavior was done correctly.

It raised a question in my mind: do humans respond to rewards like dogs? So I did what any 21st Century person would do I Googled the question. I discovered the "Dog Behavior Blog" authored by Dr. Con Slobodchikoff, President and CEO of Animal Communications, Ltd. In his January 2, 2009 blog, "How Dog Training Imitates Life," he says the same qualities; clarity of communications, trust, rewards, and social interaction affect the behavior of humans and dogs.

The greatest and most effective reward? Love. (You thought it was food didn't you!) It is amazing what dogs and humans will do for love.

Tim