Just wants to please

[geonni banner]

I often hear people say “Dogs just want so badly to please.” While I think that in many situations this is true, I’m not so sure that dogs in general are all that much about wanting to please.

I have had many kinds of experience with working with dogs, from simple training like “sit,” to more complicated things like don’t be afraid of the vacuum cleaner. I’ve lived with/ met/ trained dogs that were turned on by the interaction in training, dogs that placed a high value on “getting it right” and were visibly pleased with themselves when executing complex tasks, and yes, dogs that just seemed happy to be praised – no matter what.

But the best-trained dog I ever had, (a Doberman) was a very independent soul – not overly affectionate, but very into the whole process of learning and carrying out what she learned with precision. She was proud of herself and her abilities. If someone else took the leash and put her through a series of exercises she worked as hard for them as she did for me – and she disdained treats while she was working. She would become visibly impatient with sloppy handling. For her the motivator was the process. Treats were an unwelcome distraction. (Though when not working she was a total chow-hound.)

 

Sometimes I think people don’t credit the animals they live or work with with enough sense of self. We’ve all met the otherwise sweet and attentive dog that pushes boundaries whenever he/she is given the chance – the kind of dog that will try to get away with things. As much as we may love them they can try our patience. But this is not what I’m thinking of here.

 

How often do we credit dogs for working things out on their own – for their own satisfaction? And maybe the dog that shadows you everywhere may simply want stimulation – a challenge to its mind. Living with my first Border Collie has reinforced this notion. She enjoys cuddling, and is delighted to play Frisbee or ball at anytime – but when I really see her turn on is when we work together in a training situation. Maybe it’s because BCs are sheepdogs and have to use their mind constantly to make quick and effective choices. They have to use their minds efficiently to do the work they do. So the breed needs to engage that brain a lot – every day. And though they take direction when herding, it is obvious that they are making many decisions for themselves every minute. Do sheepdogs herd with dash and courage because they think it will please the shepherd? I rather doubt it. I suspect they appreciate a handler who is as canny about sheep as they are – and who acts as a useful partner by giving directions – as needed – that speed the process.

 

Anyone care to discuss this?

[Soda-pop]

Soda is the only one of my three dogs that will "work to please" and even then, she'd really prefer a cookie. She does like completing tasks like penning sheep, where she can easily tell what needs to be done and work with me to do it. She is always excited after that. My other two (a malamute mix and a little black dog) would think I was simply insane to ask them to work for me or for praise alone. They would just walk away and give me the bird.

 

I am not impressed by the trainer who can teach a border collie 150 behaviors. I'll be impressed by the trainer who can teach a chow chow 30.

[geonni banner]

Soda is the only one of my three dogs that will "work to please" and even then, she'd really prefer a cookie. She does like completing tasks like penning sheep, where she can easily tell what needs to be done and work with me to do it. She is always excited after that. My other two (a malamute mix and a little black dog) would think I was simply insane to ask them to work for me or for praise alone. They would just walk away and give me the bird.

 

I am not impressed by the trainer who can teach a border collie 150 behaviors. I'll be impressed by the trainer who can teach a chow chow 30.

 

Hmmmmm. Couldn't agree more. But I once knew a woman who put a CDX on an Afghan Hound. I was impressed.

Vicki Hearne once told me that the way to train a Basenji is to tie the dog to a tree and then go find a brick wall to beat your head against...

[urge to herd]

Samantha in her earlier days was all about the treats and having SOMETHING to do, something engage in. As sweet as she is, she's always been a little bit aloof, and having other dogs made her a bit more so. It's subtle, and I might not have noticed if I didn't have other dogs to measure it against.

 

For Shoshone, it's very much about figuring things out with her scary smart brain, as well as craving the interaction with her human. For Buzz, (lost him a year ago today) it was about the interaction with a human, as many humans as possible. He loved meeting people, loved it when his new friends would talk to him. We were at flyball practice one day, a couple stopped to ask me questions about what we were doing. I was talking to the man, and glanced at Buzz. The lady had knelt down to pet him, he had cuddled up to her and pressed his whole body against her chest and tucked his head under her chin. As she petted and talked to him, he relaxed more and more into her. It was really something to see.

 

So, yeah, I think something along those lines when people say, "Oh, he wants to please me." I think dogs are motivated by much more than 'pleasing' anyone. They want a challenge, they want stimulation, they want a feeling of satisfaction at accomplishing something, they want interaction and connection. We humans are very short sighted.

 

Ruth

[geonni banner]

Samantha in her earlier days was all about the treats and having SOMETHING to do, something engage in. As sweet as she is, she's always been a little bit aloof, and having other dogs made her a bit more so. It's subtle, and I might not have noticed if I didn't have other dogs to measure it against.

 

For Shoshone, it's very much about figuring things out with her scary smart brain, as well as craving the interaction with her human. For Buzz, (lost him a year ago today) it was about the interaction with a human, as many humans as possible. He loved meeting people, loved it when his new friends would talk to him. We were at flyball practice one day, a couple stopped to ask me questions about what we were doing. I was talking to the man, and glanced at Buzz. The lady had knelt down to pet him, he had cuddled up to her and pressed his whole body against her chest and tucked his head under her chin. As she petted and talked to him, he relaxed more and more into her. It was really something to see.

 

So, yeah, I think something along those lines when people say, "Oh, he wants to please me." I think dogs are motivated by much more than 'pleasing' anyone. They want a challenge, they want stimulation, they want a feeling of satisfaction at accomplishing something, they want interaction and connection. We humans are very short sighted.

 

Ruth

 

Re: Shoshone and the stranger. It's really something to see your dog - especially if that dog is not normally very demonstrative - plaster themselves to a stranger as if it was their long lost best friend. I sometimes wonder if they knew each other "somewhere else." (Ok, now everyone knows I'm a New-Age Crackpot.) But really, it's something to see - like when your normally mild-mannered dog wants to eat a perfect stranger who is doing nothing overtly scary or hostile. I remind myself that serial killers are often remembered by their neighbors as "That nice young man..." I tend to trust the dog's judgment. (While preventing him from eating the guy.)

[flyer]

How often do we credit dogs for working things out on their own – for their own satisfaction? And maybe the dog that shadows you everywhere may simply want stimulation – a challenge to its mind. Living with my first Border Collie has reinforced this notion. She enjoys cuddling, and is delighted to play Frisbee or ball at anytime – but when I really see her turn on is when we work together in a training situation. Maybe it’s because BCs are sheepdogs and have to use their mind constantly to make quick and effective choices. They have to use their minds efficiently to do the work they do. So the breed needs to engage that brain a lot – every day. And though they take direction when herding, it is obvious that they are making many decisions for themselves every minute. Do sheepdogs herd with dash and courage because they think it will please the shepherd? I rather doubt it. I suspect they appreciate a handler who is as canny about sheep as they are – and who acts as a useful partner by giving directions – as needed – that speed the process.

 

Anyone care to discuss this?

 

 

I think this is it in a nutshell. I see this with my Colt and I can tell when he needs to do something in the day. I get it completely. This is where he differs from my last dog or any of the other dogs I have had. They were all fairly high energy, smart dogs, I prefer dogs with spark, but they didn't have that same need to be engaged and using their brain all the time. This is why I feel just fine having Colt do tricks whereas in the past I felt they were somehow demeaning. He totally digs it and loves to learn something new. My daughter just taught him a fun game called "Show me something new" which I discovered in Pryor's book and he caught on right away and got pretty creative with it.

[mbc1963]

Buddy will do just about anything for a cookie, and he's quite anxious to work if I get the "big guns" (chicken or cheese) out.

 

But early on, before he really knew or trusted me, his work seemed much more about "pleasing me." What I think it was really about was figuring out the world and making a set of logical rules in his mind - rules that gave him a place. For example, he was terrified of bicycles early on, and would have meltdowns (fear, shaking, trying to run away) when they came anywhere near us. So, when we walked and ran into bikers on the path, I would take Buddy off to the side, have him do a "sit," and then reward him after the bike passed. It really only took a couple days before he started taking himself off the path and doing the sit. I think he had convinced himself that doing the behavior was what made the bicycles safe. I think he felt powerless in a scary, unpredictable world, and that he was trying to see patterns of safety and security. Sure looked like he wanted to please me, though.

 

Mary

[ejano]

Brodie works for praise and hugs. He refuses treats while training. Robin on the other hand has a "Will work for food" hanging around his neck, though he is starting to get the idea that success is its own reward .

[JohnLloydJones]

Vicki Hearne once told me that the way to train a Basenji is to tie the dog to a tree and then go find a brick wall to beat your head against...

Basenjis must be one of the least biddable dogs I have met. They figure right down at the bottom of the canine "intelligence" list -- which surprised me until I realised that the ranking is really about trainability -- I met some really smart Basenjis, but they do their own thing, not yours.

[MicheleS.]

I like to say that Gypsy would sell me out for a cookie! It's all about figuring out how to get the cookie for her. Even though she loves the cookies, I do feel like she likes the interaction and learning too. Chase, well, Chase is all about Chase I think, sort of! ha ha He's still young but in reality I feel that he likes the interaction and he is one dog that exudes pride when he knows he's pleased me. He really seems like he's all puffed up when I give him a pat and a good boy! He much prefers the praise and toys over food.

 

I do think they are a bit self-serving in a way but they get what they want and I get what I want

[geonni banner]

Buddy will do just about anything for a cookie, and he's quite anxious to work if I get the "big guns" (chicken or cheese) out.

 

But early on, before he really knew or trusted me, his work seemed much more about "pleasing me." What I think it was really about was figuring out the world and making a set of logical rules in his mind - rules that gave him a place. For example, he was terrified of bicycles early on, and would have meltdowns (fear, shaking, trying to run away) when they came anywhere near us. So, when we walked and ran into bikers on the path, I would take Buddy off to the side, have him do a "sit," and then reward him after the bike passed. It really only took a couple days before he started taking himself off the path and doing the sit. I think he had convinced himself that doing the behavior was what made the bicycles safe. I think he felt powerless in a scary, unpredictable world, and that he was trying to see patterns of safety and security. Sure looked like he wanted to please me, though.

 

Mary

 

This about the bicycles is very interesting to me. I have agoraphobia, and I can get really anxious out in the world. I had an assistance dog, and am now training Sugarfoot as her replacement. I have found that if I can get my mind in "problem-solving mode" it will very much reduce the level of anxiety that I'm experiencing in a given situation. Usually this means engaging the dog in training a new behavior or sharpening up an old one. (If I don't have the dog with me I try mental problem-solving like spelling/word games.) It derails the anxiety to have this problem-solving mindset. I wonder if the same dynamic is what helps Buddy. You engage his brain in a training situation and it derails his anxiety about the bicycle. Eventually the "anxiety loop" that is triggered by bicycles is replaced by a "positive interaction loop" with you.

It's well known that obedience training can really help a shy or insecure dog to come out of its shell - it is generally held that the dog becomes more confident as it "learns the rules." But I wonder if it's really more about the dog replacing an "anxiety loop" by simply focusing on something positive, (the training) and replacing its anxiety with the reassuring experience of successful owner/dog communication and the learning process itself.

[urge to herd]

Re: Shoshone and the stranger. It's really something to see your dog - especially if that dog is not normally very demonstrative - plaster themselves to a stranger as if it was their long lost best friend.

 

 

It was Buzz, not Shonie, melting into the nice lady;) And I'd have thought the same thing about that particular incident, except that he LOVED meeting people. Loved it so much that it quickly became the biggest reinforcer by far for good behavior in public, or when we had new friends over. He'd refuse his favorite food treat, but would sit or lie down in a flash, if I told him he could go meet the nice man or lady. He'd walk over, aquiver with excitement, but not tugging on his leash, sniff the hand, and then go right into heavy leaning, gazing up at their face with adoration, tail wagging slowly in delicious bliss. His eyes would close, he'd sigh heavily and melt a little more, and on and on, which usually made the nice lady or man ooh and ahhh even more. He was quite the social boy.

 

That just goes right along with your original post, about dogs being more complex creatures than we give them credit for.

 

Ruth

[ejano]

This about the bicycles is very interesting to me. I have agoraphobia, and I can get really anxious out in the world. I had an assistance dog, and am now training Sugarfoot as her replacement. I have found that if I can get my mind in "problem-solving mode" it will very much reduce the level of anxiety that I'm experiencing in a given situation. Usually this means engaging the dog in training a new behavior or sharpening up an old one. (If I don't have the dog with me I try mental problem-solving like spelling/word games.) It derails the anxiety to have this problem-solving mindset. I wonder if the same dynamic is what helps Buddy. You engage his brain in a training situation and it derails his anxiety about the bicycle. Eventually the "anxiety loop" that is triggered by bicycles is replaced by a "positive interaction loop" with you.

It's well known that obedience training can really help a shy or insecure dog to come out of its shell - it is generally held that the dog becomes more confident as it "learns the rules." But I wonder if it's really more about the dog replacing an "anxiety loop" by simply focusing on something positive, (the training) and replacing its anxiety with the reassuring experience of successful owner/dog communication and the learning process itself.

 

Many trainers working with problem dogs will suggest that giving them a familiar command in an unfamiliar situation helps the dog to focus and gain confidence.

 

Liz

[Root Beer]

I train three of my four dogs and they are very different from one another. Their learning styles are different. Their individual attitudes toward training and performance are different. Each is an individual and each is definitely quite complex.

 

With my dogs, use of food in training has nothing to do with pleasing me or not. The food is one of several means of communication that I have at my disposal to use with them. I can use the food to communicate that I am extremely pleased about something. I can use food to encourage my dogs when they get "stuck". I can use food to help shift their focus. I can use the food to mechanically show them something (a new behavior, a change to a known behavior, etc.). I can use food to manipulate the situation (example: tossing food to move the dog off of something that we are training on so I can reinforce the dog for returning to it).

 

I also use targets, tone of voice, my own body movements, a clicker, and other tools to communicate with my dogs during training.

 

As far as a desire to please, all three are also quite different from one another. Granted, I can't say 100% what is going through my dog's brains, but based on body language and demeanor I'd say that Speedy doesn't work to please me. He works to work. He loves learning. He loves performing. He loves everything about training. Yes, there is a relationship aspect between him and me. But first and foremost, I'd say he trains and performs for the sake of the mental energy and effort that he himself puts into it. It's pretty special, actually.

 

Dean - he's more of a "please the handler" kind of dog. He can never ever ever ever think he's in the wrong when we are training. He will shut down immediately if that happens. So, I have had to learn to show him, in different ways, that he is doing what I want and that I appreciate what he is offering me. It has been a real learning experience, but it's bearing really nice fruit lately. I am finding lately that he is starting to become motivated by the work of training and performing itself. His style is different from Speedy's, but I'm starting to see it come forth in him.

 

Maddie is the most complex. She's not all Border Collie and she is actually an extremely challenging dog to train. It takes a lot of repetitions for her to really "get" something and even after that, she needs a lot of review. She's not driven by the work itself as Speedy and Dean are. Of all of my dogs, I'd say she "works for food" the most. But she can reach a point where food does not have to be in the picture - obviously, since we compete in Agility!

 

One thing that I have found is that different dogs really do have different learning styles. It's actually extrememely interesting. At least when I'm not in the middle of a high level challenge because of a unique learning style!!!

[sweet_ceana]

I don't think "wants to please" is the proper phrase to describe Poke, although I have used it. The best way that I can explain his behavior and mentallity is that Poke wants to be my partner, in everything. He constantly is trying to find ways to assist me in whatever I am doing, even if I do not need or want his help. There are times when I have to tell Poke " It's okay, I've got it." Until I let him know that I have everything under control, he is at my side or in the thick of what I am doing "helping." (Sometimes that help is more of a hinderance, but I appreciate the effort)

 

Poke doesn't need treats or praise to drive him to be my partner, although he will happily take both if offered. In fact, he often tries so hard to be my partner that correction will not get him to stop. The thing that makes Poke happy and satisfied is to feel useful. I don't tell him he is useful, his actions in "helping," me are all the satisfaction he needs.

 

I finally fully understood his motives/self purpose/drive in life for the first time last month at a herding lesson. Poke is a hard dog and has a history of being a little over zealous with the sheep. Poke needed some pretty stiff corrections from the trainer at first, since he thought he obviously needed to grip and micro manage every movement the sheep made. At our last lesson I finally got to go in the round pen with Poke and the sheep. We were worried that he was going to walk all over me. Our trainer stayed close to make sure if things got crazy, experienced help was right there.

 

Poke didn't walk all over me. He amazed me. He knew I had no clue what I was doing, that I was nervous, and that he could have his way with that sheep if he tried. With a huge "reward" right there for the taking he chose instead to be my partner. He backed off and slowed down and eased me into a world that he knew much more about than I did. He could read what I wanted before I even realized what I was doing. I was amazed at how fluid our communication was. Being my partner was more important to him than all of that prey drive inside of him. It made me appreciate his sometime frustrating bossiness and unwanted help.

[JohnLloydJones]

I was amazed at how fluid our communication was. Being my partner was more important to him than all of that prey drive inside of him. It made me appreciate his sometime frustrating bossiness and unwanted help.

 

The instinct of a pack animal is to work together, especially with the pack leader. It's that instinct that has been developed in working dogs. The reward for Poke is to establish a working rapport with you, not just wanting to please. That trumps his individual prey drive.

[mbc1963]

This about the bicycles is very interesting to me. I have agoraphobia, and I can get really anxious out in the world. I had an assistance dog, and am now training Sugarfoot as her replacement. I have found that if I can get my mind in "problem-solving mode" it will very much reduce the level of anxiety that I'm experiencing in a given situation. Usually this means engaging the dog in training a new behavior or sharpening up an old one. (If I don't have the dog with me I try mental problem-solving like spelling/word games.) It derails the anxiety to have this problem-solving mindset. I wonder if the same dynamic is what helps Buddy. You engage his brain in a training situation and it derails his anxiety about the bicycle. Eventually the "anxiety loop" that is triggered by bicycles is replaced by a "positive interaction loop" with you.

It's well known that obedience training can really help a shy or insecure dog to come out of its shell - it is generally held that the dog becomes more confident as it "learns the rules." But I wonder if it's really more about the dog replacing an "anxiety loop" by simply focusing on something positive, (the training) and replacing its anxiety with the reassuring experience of successful owner/dog communication and the learning process itself.

 

Yes, I think that definitely sounds about right. I also think that for dogs who have lived in chaos, seeing a world where there are clear expectations and orderliness must be utterly comforting, finally.

 

As for the human analogy, oh, yes, I suspect you're right. I think we all have patterns of behavior that we find soothing, even if we don't remember when we started with them, or even that they calm us, somehow. Me, I sometimes like to get on Excel and play around with my finances: if I pay X beyond my mortgage every month, my house will be paid of by Y. If I pay another $100, then it wiill cut Z more years off my mortgage. Silly, and not very practicable with a dog who keeps needing stitches and teeth removed and all... but it sets my mind into a pattern that feels orderly and calm.

 

Snood helps, too.

 

Mary

[geonni banner]

With my dogs, use of food in training has nothing to do with pleasing me or not. The food is one of several means of communication that I have at my disposal to use with them. I can use the food to communicate that I am extremely pleased about something. I can use food to encourage my dogs when they get "stuck". I can use food to help shift their focus. I can use the food to mechanically show them something (a new behavior, a change to a known behavior, etc.). I can use food to manipulate the situation (example: tossing food to move the dog off of something that we are training on so I can reinforce the dog for returning to it).

 

I really like this making of distinctions about the use of food in training. So many people think food is the payoff for doing a behavior right. Sometimes that is so – but it can be used so many other ways.

 

Dean - he's more of a "please the handler" kind of dog. He can never ever ever ever think he's in the wrong when we are training. He will shut down immediately if that happens. So, I have had to learn to show him, in different ways, that he is doing what I want and that I appreciate what he is offering me. It has been a real learning experience, but it's bearing really nice fruit lately. I am finding lately that he is starting to become motivated by the work of training and performing itself. His style is different from Speedy's, but I'm starting to see it come forth in him.

 

Is Dean a rescue? Could he have been “spoiled” for training situations by someone else’s unskillful handling? Or do you think he is simply emotionally fragile?

 

Maddie is the most complex. She's not all Border Collie and she is actually an extremely challenging dog to train. It takes a lot of repetitions for her to really "get" something and even after that, she needs a lot of review. She's not driven by the work itself as Speedy and Dean are. Of all of my dogs, I'd say she "works for food" the most. But she can reach a point where food does not have to be in the picture - obviously, since we compete in Agility!

 

One thing that I have found is that different dogs really do have different learning styles. It's actually extrememely interesting. At least when I'm not in the middle of a high level challenge because of a unique learning style!!!

 

I once heard someone say that the best dog for competition obedience is a half-bright Golden Retriever. The reasoning was that they were so jazzed to get praise for correct behavior that they would do endless reps happily. I confess, I’d rather work a dog that was a bit tricky, smart, and the kind to keep me on my toes. More fun for me…

[Root Beer]

Is Dean a rescue? Could he have been “spoiled” for training situations by someone else’s unskillful handling? Or do you think he is simply emotionally fragile?

 

Dean is a rescue and his experiences before we adopted him certainly played a part in shaping who he is. I don't know a whole lot about his former life, but I do know he had no structure. And he's a dog who thrives on structure. That early lack of structure very likely has had long term effects on who he is and how he relates to the people in his life.

 

"Spoiled" definitely isn't the right word (he is certainly making wonderful progress in his training now), but I would say that the reality of his life for the first 10 months of it didn't do him any favors in that regard. It is entirely possible that had I raised him from puppyhood, he would be far less concerned about being "wrong". The fact that he is, after several years, finally coming to understand that he really doesn't need to worry about being "wrong" shows that he possesses the emotional wherewithal for performance and sport training.

 

On the other hand, he is who he is. It is just as possible that there is a natural inclination on his part that contributes to that aspect of his "personality". He never asked to be a trainer's dog and it really might have been a lot for me to put on him. But we are making it work - quite nicely.

 

My guess is that if I had the privilege of raising him from puppyhood, he would still be very similar to who he is now, but he probably would have found confidence and heart much sooner.

 

But who knows, really? How much is nature and how much is nurture? Well, all I know is that he has his whole life ahead of him and we have years to learn all he has to teach me about training him.

 

I once heard someone say that the best dog for competition obedience is a half-bright Golden Retriever. The reasoning was that they were so jazzed to get praise for correct behavior that they would do endless reps happily. I confess, I’d rather work a dog that was a bit tricky, smart, and the kind to keep me on my toes. More fun for me…

 

I've never had a dog for whom it all comes easy. I guess if I ever have one, I'll know which I like better!! But I'm inclined to say I enjoy the challenges. Speedy, Maddie, and Dean have all been challenges in their own ways. But all three have made it more than worth my while to stick with it.

[geonni banner]

Dean is a rescue and his experiences before we adopted him certainly played a part in shaping who he is. I don't know a whole lot about his former life, but I do know he had no structure. And he's a dog who thrives on structure. That early lack of structure very likely has had long term effects on who he is and how he relates to the people in his life.

 

"Spoiled" definitely isn't the right word (he is certainly making wonderful progress in his training now), but I would say that the reality of his life for the first 10 months of it didn't do him any favors in that regard. It is entirely possible that had I raised him from puppyhood, he would be far less concerned about being "wrong". The fact that he is, after several years, finally coming to understand that he really doesn't need to worry about being "wrong" shows that he possesses the emotional wherewithal for performance and sport training.

 

On the other hand, he is who he is. It is just as possible that there is a natural inclination on his part that contributes to that aspect of his "personality". He never asked to be a trainer's dog and it really might have been a lot for me to put on him. But we are making it work - quite nicely.

 

My guess is that if I had the privilege of raising him from puppyhood, he would still be very similar to who he is now, but he probably would have found confidence and heart much sooner.

 

But who knows, really? How much is nature and how much is nurture? Well, all I know is that he has his whole life ahead of him and we have years to learn all he has to teach me about training him.

I've never had a dog for whom it all comes easy. I guess if I ever have one, I'll know which I like better!! But I'm inclined to say I enjoy the challenges. Speedy, Maddie, and Dean have all been challenges in their own ways. But all three have made it more than worth my while to stick with it.

 

Sounds like Dean is in good hands - well, all of them! I didn't mean spoiled in the permanent sense - that was what the parenthesis were about. Most dogs will come around with skillful handling, and it sounds like that's what you've provided!

[geonni banner]

Yes, I think that definitely sounds about right. I also think that for dogs who have lived in chaos, seeing a world where there are clear expectations and orderliness must be utterly comforting, finally.

 

As for the human analogy, oh, yes, I suspect you're right. I think we all have patterns of behavior that we find soothing, even if we don't remember when we started with them, or even that they calm us, somehow. Me, I sometimes like to get on Excel and play around with my finances: if I pay X beyond my mortgage every month, my house will be paid of by Y. If I pay another $100, then it wiill cut Z more years off my mortgage. Silly, and not very practicable with a dog who keeps needing stitches and teeth removed and all... but it sets my mind into a pattern that feels orderly and calm.

 

Snood helps, too.

 

Mary

 

Yikes! NUNMBERS! I am so math-challenged... Excel would have me out in a rash in two ticks! But hey, whatever works! Right?