Ok, a word of clarification that Mom and Dad’s training class isn’t dismissed. However, if Mom and Dad’s trainer thinks he can arbitrarily dismiss our favorite release word, he has another thing coming! Their trainer thinks it would be less confusing for Mom and Dad if they change our release word from “ok” to “dismissed.”
Ok, I admit that Mom and Dad use that word a lot more than they realize. I also admit it can be confusing sometimes for Asa and myself to figure out what they mean. Was that “Ok, we can eat?” Or were they referring to “Ok, we can run and greet that other dog?” Or was Dad simply agreeing with Mom, “Ok, I’ll pick up some milk and bread while I’m out.” But to just randomly dismiss it, is not ok!
After all, the word “ok” empowered us to make our own decisions. For example, the other night while patiently waiting for Mom to give me the release word to eat, Dad came wandering into the room and while talking on the phone said, “ok.” I, of course, immediately rocketed over to my bowl to eat. Mom couldn’t stop me, because those are the rules. “Ok” means I can eat. I can’t be held responsible that Dad meant it in a different context. Or how about when while showing off his sit/stay at Petco, Mom asked, “Is it ok that Asa’s not looking at us?” Asa only needed to hear the ok, to give himself permission to trot over to meet the puppy that was shopping nearby. Again, not Asa’s fault. Mom did after all say our release word that it’s ok to go greet someone. Sure it wasn’t what she meant, but those are the rules!
However, by changing the release word to “dismissed,” our opportunities to interpret Mom and Dad’s meaning are dramatically reduced. Dismissed never comes up in casual conversation! I agree yes, that does clear up a lot of confusion for Asa and myself. Now when they say “dismissed” they are definitely referring to us. In fact, I can honestly say I’ve never heard Mom give permission for Dad to be dismissed and vice versa. But at the same time, who gave Mom and Dad’s trainer permission to suggest that change without consulting us first? That’s not ok!
Clearly their trainer never considered the dire consequences this simple change could have on us. In fact Asa almost starved to death the other night! There he was with his iron clad focus patiently waiting by his bowl for the ok, that he completely ignored Mom when she said “dismissed” instead. Asa sat there for another 15 minutes before figuring out it was ok for him to be dismissed to eat! My little brother could have starved right in front of me! Luckily, he and I are fast learners, and are adjusting to this new change, while out of habit still responding to the old word. However, Mom and Dad’s trainer better not think he can make any more arbitrary changes like that one. Otherwise it will be ok for us to dismiss him!
