[Dailydrool] Smart dogs / dumb dogs

[Happy Hound Pet Services]

Almost every book on dog training I read asserts that hounds just aren't that smart, and that dogs like labs are very smart because they are so easily trained.  I think trainability and intelligence are often inversely proportional.  No offense to you lab owners out there, but I think many labs are about as smart as a box of rocks.  That's why they do what they are told.  My hounds, on the other hand, weigh the rewards of disobedience against the consequences, and act accordingly.  Just because you don't LISTEN doesn't mean you don't understand.  My dogs just don't always care what I want if there is something they want to do.  To me, THAT'S intelligence.  

People are always so surprised that a dog trainer has all hounds (two beagles, a coon hound, a doxie, and two bassets).  But if I'm a dog trainer, shouldn't I be up to the challenge?  Why do I need the "easiest" dogs to train?  

Would not trade my houndies for anything!  So what if I have had to spend hundreds on food containers because my beagle, Annie, can get into ANYTHING.  Finally had to move it to the mud room behind a heavy wooden door - she even unzipped one of those ziplocks on top of a pedigree bag one time without tearing anything!  I walked into the kitchen to the sight of a beagle butt, tail wagging furiously, feet in the air, sticking out of the top of a now not so full bag of dog food!  I have also come into the kitchen to find the dog crates shoved over against the counters so she could reach.  I had to take the step stool that I used to reach the top shelves out of the kitchen because she kept using it to surf the counters.

Do my dogs get into fights over bones?  NO!  One of them just finds something to destract the other with, and then steals the bone.  "Oh look how comfy this pillow is, and momma scratching my ears.  Aren't you jealous?  C'mon over and take a turn!"  

Don't even get me started on how fast they learn if it is something they enjoy.  My furbabies picked up all the agility equipment except weave poles in three one hour lessons because they WANTED to do it.  


Dawn 
Willow (AKA Queen Bean) http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1017143  
Molly (I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU ARE YOU GONNA EAT THAT?)  http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1015524
Annie (my little reverse houdini) http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1015532
Victoria (Don't worry about me... I'll just sit over here... I'm fine... Sigh.)   http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1020098
CJ (These my womens!  Benton, you stay away from my womens!) http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1017153
Benton (OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY!  I THINK ITS A RABBIT!!!!!!!!!!!!  No, it's a leaf.  OH BOY OH BOY!  A LEAF!)  http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1017150