Teaching your Doodle to count

[Ann W]

One of Charlies's reading buddies has requested that I teach him to count. When we first starting going to school she was afraid of him. Last week she grabbed her book and touched him without any signs of being afraid. I would really like to try, but I'm not sure how. So...I have come to those that will know. Because if its not on Doodlekisses then it is not so!

[Adina P]

Count! Wow--I know dogs who have been taught this as a trick...but it sounds way too difficult for me to even think about.
We have a few trainers on our site...

http://doodlekisses.com/profile/LauraBrodyCPDT

http://doodlekisses.com/profile/Paula53

http://doodlekisses.com/profile/Mara3

http://doodlekisses.com/profile/RichardArmyMaguire

http://doodlekisses.com/profile/Bridget

I would copy and paste a link to this discussion for them on their page...ONE of them has got to know how to do this!

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

Lilo knows the verbal numbers 1-5, because I have taught her how 1,2,3,4 and 5 associate with the number of treats she gets.... I hide the treats, and she has to find them.

I tell her "find ONE", and she goes to find 1 treat, and immediately returns to me...

Then I tell her "Find TWO", and she finds 2 treats, and returns to me etc etc.

I have not pushed it beyond 5 treats.

Both she and Rocky instinctively knew the difference between 1 and 2 before I introduced the treat trick as described above.

I have not attempted to teach them the written numbers... I'm sure it can be done though!!

[Ann W]

Great! This is just what I wanted to do. We are going to start today.

[Nanette de la Torre]

My Winston, terrier/collie mix/ knows his left and right. I saw a dog on the Oprah show that could "add". The owner would say, 5 + 4 and the dog would tap out 9. Incredible. So a dog can be trained to do that but the trick is how? Please let us know if you have succeeded and share the secret!