Count Sydney the Dog (AKA, “Syd Dog” learns his left from right side. Prior to this video, I had already taught Count Sydney to donkey-kick on cue, but I originally allowed him to kick either leg on my donkey-kick command. You can see him distinguishing his left leg from right leg in this video. Since “Syd Dog” won’t let me touch him while training, I didn’t have the option to use a handshake trick to teach him left from right. Nor could I circle my hand above his head to teach him to spin left or right, as I had taught other dogs. He always backs away if I reach toward him beyond giving him a treat. Remember from earlier chapters that Sydney the Dog is my neighbors dog and is afraid of me, but lets me train him unconventional dog tricks like counting to 10 on cue, and other strange dog tricks you don’t see elsewhere online.
Sydney is a right-legged dog, so I first needed to show him the difference in his left and right back legs using our “Dogkey” donkey-kick exercises as a vehicle. When I commanded, “Left kick,” I would then keep saying, “Donkey-kick left” until he actually donkey-kicked with his left leg rather than right. He would kick out either one of his legs each time (mostly the right) until he caught on to the difference. As I would only reward him after he kicked the correct leg out. Then I shortened the verbal cues to “Right Kick” and “Left Kick.” Watch Count Sydney the Dog’s level of understanding the difference between his left from his right leg after 4 dog training lessons of about 10 minutes each.
“Dog Talking Buttons” are introduced for the first time to Count Sydney the Dog in this video. Count Syd is scared of the buttons, yet at the same time he wants to play with them (dogs bow when they want to play.) In spite of this dog’s deranged actions and apparent loss of mind over the dog talking buttons, Sydney the dog pays close attention, but only after he hears the button actually command him to speak a certain number of times. You have to also pay very close attention and ONLY count his barks AFTER he hears the talking button (my recorded voice) speak out a specific number as his cue.
Now that Count Sydney can correctly count to 10 consistently, my newest dog training inspiration is to teach Sydney the Dog to also talk, using ‘Dog Talking Buttons’ so he can be the first real dog in the world that can both talk, and recall how many times to bark on each number commanded, (whether I speak the number verbally, or show him my fingers to count, or both.) His first day intro here to dog talking buttons, he answers the buttons correctly each time. Imagine that. A dog that can ACTUALLY count, and on top of that, now learning to talk too!
Notice when I step on one of the dog buttons to activate the recording, almost every time, Sydney Dog barks prior to the cue. Yet, he answers each time with the correct amount of barks to equal the particular number commanded by the dog button. Again, only after he hears the recorded number spoken. I think it freaks him out to hear my voice coming from a different location, and it seems the sound is too mysterious and eerie to him. He will change his perspective every time we work with the dog talking buttons. But who knows where his mind and body will go. He’s always full of delightful surprises with his cartoon antics, though he is a real dog! He’s a ‘Dog’s Dog,’ not a ‘Man’s Man.’
Syd the Dog is quite hilarious responding in his first day encounter to the electronic buttons created to teach dogs to talk. The shouting buttons (my voice on recordings) are a real mystery to Sydney the Dog. barking at them before being commanded by the buttons. But he still pays close enough attention that when a button speaks a command, he instantly answers with the correct number of barks each time.
Why is this dog kicking up a storm over the dog talking buttons, it’s because just a few days previous to filming this video (“Dog in Frenzy over 1st Intro to Dog Talking Buttons,”) I had only just begun training Syd Dog to kick out either one of his back legs on command. And only the day before this video, I began teaching him a totally new dog trick, our (original) “Donkey-Kick” trick, where he kicks out and up with both back legs at the same time like a donkey. You can see here that Sydney gets so overwhelmed with the joy and the fear of the first introduction to dog talking buttons, that he remembers his newest kicking tricks, but he does them many times on his own, without me commanding him to kick. Some of those dog kicks he decides to throw into his answers are the very most recent trick he is learning—the “Donkey Kick” trick.
This video’s data of one dog’s very first reactions to the “Dog Talking Buttons,” should be included in scientific studies of dog intelligence, demonstrated by this unusually smart 2 year old Jack Russell Terrier & Dachshund mix pup.
The unexpected is always expected at any given time when I am filming these dog training sessions where I am teaching Count Sydney the Dog to count and talk. (and other bizarre, one-of-a-kind dog tricks.)
*Note: Count Sydney the Dog’s nicknames: “Syd Dog,” “Sydney the Dog,” “Count Sydney,” “Sydney Dog,” “Sydney,” and “Syd”) I hope you will comment and let me know what you think of Count Sydney the Dog so far.
Dog Performs “5 & Jump,” and “4 & Kick” While Counting #s 1-10 | Count Sydney the Dog Chapter 2
Count Sydney the Dog (AKA “SYD Dog,” “Count Syd”, “Count Sydney”.) is just beginning to learn to jump when he counts certain number commands. I spent the last year training Syd Dog to count from 1-10. Now In just two lessons he understands both commands “5 & Jump” and “4 & Kick” in this counting lesson 2 days later, I impulsively threw in these 2 newest tricks just to see if he had even vaguely grasped the first days short lesson. See how after only one session of training Count Syd to multitask, (then waiting 1 day,) he performs each trick well and entertains us while he tries to remember exactly what I want him to do with these fresh commands.
This intriguing dog will be back shortly with more videos and more variety in dog tricks. I have a surprise to share next week. Shh me! It’s a new idea to make Count Sydney the Dog World famous for being the only dog in the World that can do 2 certain things I have in mind. Mums my word until next week.
Choose to watch this Chapter 2 video in YouTube to be able to subscribe to my YouTube channel “Count Sydney the Dog” and ride along with us as we both (dog and human) learn from each other through dog training lessons.
Count Sydney the Dog Does Multitasking Tricks while Counting
Count Sydney the Dog is an extraordinary dog, as he can actually count. I trained him numerous tricks, yet he is not my dog. He is my neighbor’s dog. I’ll introduce you to Cory his master later.
This story began about a year ago when Sydney the dog (whom I later nicknamed Count Sydney) first made his appearance on my deck. It was another gorgeous sunny day in Southern Oregon with huge white billowy clouds contrasting with a deep blue sky. My husband Bill and I sat soaking in the sights and sounds of wildlife, and the rippling waters as we enjoyed our Saturday brunch Bill had prepared and served us on the Rogue River’s edge.
Suddenly, ‘out of the blue,’ this lil’ cartoon looking dog appeared at the top of our steps, looked around, and seeing us, he began barking at us incessantly, as if we were the intruders. I called him to me, reaching my hand toward him as a welcoming gesture. “Hey, who are you? Come here little buddy…it’s ok,” I said in my best enticingly gentle dog-whispering voice. He kept barking, lunging a few inches toward us with each bark indicating he is no dog to be reckoned with. As he made his way closer to our table, still barking nonstop, he caught a glimpse of himself in the glass door, sending him into a high pitched rapid barking frenzy. Lunging in hesitant leaps toward his own reflection, with hair up from shoulder to tail, he put that threatening dog in his place, turned on a dime, then darted back down to the fishing hole, where Cory sat fishing.
We had not met Cory, Sydney’s master yet, as they had just moved in. Cory was standing at the water’s edge between our houses fishing. Sydney (AKA Syd Dog) rushed back to the bank where he felt safe again. This scenario played out about every other day for awhile. To gain his trust, I would offer Syd Dog a tiny piece of cheese when he appeared. Not allowing me within 6 feet of him for some time, I would toss it to him. Eventually, he would come stand in front of me, that is if nothing unusual happened like moving anything on the deck, bringing the camera tripod out, dropped treat bag, etc,etc. Oh yeah, it took months to get Sydney the dog to accept a camera running while I was teaching him tricks. I’m on my 3rd camera trying to hide the fact I am filming him. A click or visual light from a camera caused Sydney to take off. I think he is more camera shy than I am.
A year later now, Count Sydney will still not allow me to pet him during our training lessons. But without touching him, he has allowed me to teach him to do multiple doggie tricks for treats, including counting any number from to 1 to 10. Every time Cory fishes, Sydney will grace me with his presence if I am on the deck where I often work. As a regiment, he comes prancing up to the table. I say to him, “What’s up Lassie? He responds with barking or crying softly and jumping toward his home. I go in my house and get his beef jerky treats made for dogs, reward him, and set up our training spot overlooking the river.
This is only the first chapter of Count Sydney the dog’s story of how he learned to count and do other fascinating tricks. Be sure to come back for coming chapters for the rest of the story with accompanying videos which just might finally prove a dog can count. Not just any dog, but Count Sydney thee Dog barking numbers on command.
