Do dishes?

sara

Moderator
Staff member
First a little background so you all understand the context.....

I have a twin sister who has been a dog lover all her life too, but not quite like me lol. She's never done the research and learning about dogs that I have (she has a life lol) Well, I have never been without a dog... a rescue always, but she hasn't had one since she moved from home. She has, however always been somewhat jealous of my dogs lol. She decided a few year ago that it was a Westie that she wanted and when she was done university, she would get one. well she got back from a tour in Afghanistan last fall (she is in the Canadian Army - Reserves) and well, she told me she was ready for her dog. I had done lots of prior research for her, decided on a breeder and such, so I phoned the breeder up, and long story short, she got her puppy on March 1st. Unfortunately, she has to leave for the month of May for some training in Ontario, so I get puppy for the month. She is amazed by what I did with my deaf dog, Scout, and what I've already accomplished with my rescue puppy from Texas. she had no intention of doing the kind of training that I do, she just wants a mannerly dog, and i will be getting the puppy at an optimum age for training for obedience and such. Annabelle is already a good puppy, Lauren is doing a wonderful job, and spends hours on the internet finding the best way to teach certain things. Annabelle has a good start....

So heres why I am posting this.... She said to me "you know I told my buddy that Annabelle would probably be washing dishes when I get her back, so you know, I expect her to be!" lol it was too funny! So I am thinking I am going to teach her something to do with doing dishes! I was thinking, since she is 14 weeks old right now, so she'll be around 4 months when she comes to stay with me. I might be able to teach her to open the dishwasher (I'd put a chord on it for her to tug on) and put a dog bowl in it. I am envisioning telling Annabelle to "do dishes" then her running to the dishwasher, pulling it down, going to get a dog dish, jumping up onto the door, and putting the dish into the dishwasher, then running back to us. it would be really cute, and Lauren would get a huge laugh out of it!

What do you all think? would it be possible to teach a 4-5 month old Westie puppy to do this? and what steps should I take? should I teach everything seperately, then put them together under "do dishes" or work everything in sequence? or is there something else along those lines, that could be taught to her? The only thing is tho, I dont think she'd be big enough to teach her to close the dishwasher back up again! lol, Maybe I could teach ollie to "Help Annabelle" and he could go close it LOL

your thoughts on this?
 

snooks

Experienced Member
It would be possible to do some approximation of doing the dishes sure. I fed my two the other day and my puppy picked up her bowl when done and walked in the kitchen with it. I'm sure I could get her to put it in the lower rack. (it's a stainless steep sided dog dish) Too cute. Both girls help me with laundry too if I drop things while folding.

Just be very careful about putting knives tip down or in the top rack if you're going to have a fairly short dog like a Westie getting so close. It certainly would be a conversation starter. :dogtongue2: You could just get her to lick them clean and call that doing the dishes...LOL Your guest list might shrink for dinner if you did that.
 

Jean Cote

Administrator
Staff member
LOL. That is what I thought when I saw the thread title, just call your dog to lick the plates clean ... There ya go!!! :)
 

tx_cowgirl

Honored Member
Staff member
Actually saw a vid recently of a dog putting dishes in the sink. ^^ Very cute trick.

I'm not sure that a 5 month Westie would be able to pull the dishwasher open(depending on how easily the dishwasher opens). If it's not too much of a strain, then I'd say absolutely! Go for it! If it is then I'd start opening it myself but teach her to place some bowls in the dishwasher...until she's big enough to do it easily.

Have fun!!!
 

sara

Moderator
Staff member
Maybe Ollie can open it for her then.... get a duo going.... LOL he's a nice big boy, he shouldn't have any issues....
 

maven

New Member
The vid of the dog putting the dishes in the sink was very cute. It even differentiated between the plastics, which it dropped into the sink, and the stainless which it took to the human. :) Much better than the clanging you would get dropping a stainless bowl -- probably better for the porcelain too.
 

snooks

Experienced Member
Please do notify me if anyone figures out how to get them to vacuum. :doglaugh: OTHER than eating the fur tumbleweeds.
 

tx_cowgirl

Honored Member
Staff member
Lol, actually you could easily teach them to push the kid's toy vaccuums. ^^ Check out the link of Shebang pushing a toy mower--think I put it in the staff lounge and in my vids thread. But pushing a real vaccuum might be a feat. Lol!
 

sara

Moderator
Staff member
So I started with Ollie, gonna teach him to open the dishwasher, as I think you all are right about Annabelle being too little. first I am teaching him to "take" a rope. I figure that would be the first step? then to hold it, then pull it. then attach it to the dishwasher? is this the best way to go about it? I've never trained anything like this.....
 

tx_cowgirl

Honored Member
Staff member
I would think so. If you wanted, you could try teaching him to take the rope, teaching him to pull the rope(a 'tug,' still in your hand), teaching him to tug something small(child's toy, small wagon, etc) so he gets the idea of pulling something, then attach to the dishwasher. Check out '101 Dog Tricks' with Kyra Sundance and Chaucy. She has a section in it teaching how to get a beer from the fridge--exact same steps. Teaching how to pull the fridge open and such.

Teaching him to place the dishes in the dishwasher should be the simple part. :) Good luck!!
 

bellapup

Well-Known Member
What a great idea with the dishwasher! I love the idea of vacuuming as well...what if you didn't use an upright? I have an upright and one of those pod vacuums with the long hoses...I can see training how to hold the hose in the mouth and poking it into crevices to capture those "fur tumbleweeds". Love that, snooks, by the way. *LOL*
 
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