No constraints: Self-guided pup could teach family dog, and his people, new tricks

I had grand plans for all the tricks I was going to teach the new family puppy when we first brought Jack home from the animal shelter.

Never mind that I’d never so much as taught a dog to sit before. I was sure that in no time at all, I’d have this pup catching Frisbees and playing dead when I pointed my fingers at him like pistols. Six years later, though, no one in the family has gotten around to teaching him much beyond “sit” and a few of the other basics.

So poor Jack, finding his education neglected, has resorted to teaching himself tricks. He’s mostly a good dog, but his independent studies are guided by undisciplined exuberance.

The most popular trick Jack taught himself is darting across the house in just a second or two and leaping up to join in the embrace whenever he sees two of us lean into each other for a hug. Which, come to think of it, just goes to show that we forgot to teach our dog not to jump up on people.

He’s also mastered the trick of reminding me when I need more exercise, although I do wish the alert didn’t involve grabbing one of my shoes and making me chase him around the house any time I go too long without what’s supposed to be our daily walk.

So I was a little surprised the other day when I tried to get Jack to suspend one of the important rules that the family did manage to teach him, only to find out that he has more self-discipline than I gave him credit for.

On our usual walk in the neighborhood park, we were confronted by a highly unusual sight. A dog we hadn’t seen there before appeared to be out for a walk entirely on his own.

I had to admit that this dog seemed to have much more respect than you’d expect a stray to show for the city requirement that all dogs be on a leash. He was wearing one, for a start. And he even knew what it was for, picking up the end every now and then and trotting along as a self-walking pup.

It took a moment to see that the dog actually did have a human a few steps ahead. But Guapo, as I later learned he was called, was a model canine citizen who didn’t need much attention from her. It wasn’t until we drew right alongside this freewheeling pair that Guapo caved to temptation and tried to play with Jack.

I say “tried” because Jack, who loves few things more than running free with other friendly pooches at the off-leash park, refused to cut loose. Faced with a dog making its own responsible way around this park, Jack didn’t know what to do.

Looking around to make sure nobody was in sight who might object, I dropped Jack’s leash so he could play freely. He wouldn’t move from my side, though, as if to demonstrate that “heel” is another trick he taught himself.

Even when Guapo picked up Jack’s leash and took a few steps, showing my dog that he wasn’t being held back by anything but habit, he stayed within a few feet of me.

I should probably be proud that Jack, who’s usually bubbling with playful energy, kept himself under control. But ever since that day, I’ve had the nagging sense that my dog isn’t the only one who fails to notice when he has more freedom than he thinks.

We tell our kids not to let anything hold them back when they grow up, and then we turn back to grown-up lives that revolve around things we leashed ourselves to years ago. It’s worth checking once in a while to see if maybe there’s nothing more than habit keeping us from running in a new direction.

Richard Espinoza is a former editor of the Johnson County Neighborhood News. You can reach him at respinozakc@yahoo.com. And follow him on Twitter at @respinozakc.