Charlie lived his entire life, probably a bit less than one year, as a feral dog on a beach in Puerto Rico. Then on the 26th of February 2008, his life began again in Maine.
Though his experience of the world is limited, Charlie was well socialized on the beach, and can come across as a "normal dog" most of the time. But as he recovers his health and starts really playing and showing us more of his personality, we are noticing many behaviors that make him a very different dog from the puppies we raised at home.
On the beach, Charlie was really "self-employed." When he was hungry (almost always) his work-for- food involved cajoling other dogs and tourists, dumpster diving, searching and probably killing rodents. His job never required responding to cues like "sit" or "down." We've watched him shaking and throwing stuffed toys like an expert hunter, he's figured out how to open every door, cabinet or container (including the refridgerator) we've got, and I keep finding food buried in the couch. So he's smart. But he hasn't been as quick as I imagined he'd be in learning cues like "down."
Charlie could never depend on anyone other than Charlie before. So he couldn't seem to understand why he should respond to a cue to lay "down" for click and chicken, when feral experience was telling him the most reliable way to get chicken is simply sniff around, find it, and eat it quickly. While learning the cue for "down" Charlie looked at me reproachfully, as though thinking, "Why are you making me go through this trouble for a piece of chicken? If you aren't going to just give it to me, I'll find chicken somewhere else." Charlie seemed to be understanding my game, but wanted me to change the criteria from "down" earns a click/treat, to "looking hungry" earns the click/treat.
But then tonight, we were watching "Across the Universe" (an incredibly great video!) and Charlie and Lola were both sort of competing for space beside me on the couch. Charlie was standing beside me on the couch, and after all our practices today I dared to cue him to lay down. My cue informed him that this prized and cozy couch spot was NOT going to go to Lola, but that I was offering it to him.
He lay right down in the crook of my arm, made his little horse-like whinny that means he's happy. I sensed this wasn't just happy to snuggle, but also happy with his understanding of the cue "down." It wasn't just a conditioned response. There was "cognitive understanding" going on as well.
Cues make it possible for dogs to play more games, they can be fun in themselves, especially when they provide information about what will happen next. As dogs learn more cues, they are really collecting information. Information helps us adapt to our environment more successfully. Of course I will continue to food reinforce, but food reinforcement alone is probably not enough to motivate Charlie to play my games. As a dog who is accustomed to working for himself, he needs to understand what I can give him (information) that he couldn't just go out and get on his own.
