"Phyrie" spoke these words of wisdom in
:


"diddy" none wrote in message
. ..

Is there ever a case where you give a treat for no reason other than
you want to? Perhaps he didn't eat the very high value treat because
he hadn't done anything he considered high value. Is that possible?
Much of what Tuck does seems impossible to me, so I can't judge.

Very very rarely.
And he often spits them out until he runs to go find something, then
earns it, and takes the treat.

But he often does work for which he is never paid at all for.

He works gratis a lot. So you would think getting a freebie on rare
occassion would be a plus.

I think there is your answer. If Tuck has the morals or values he seems
to, he wouldn't eat the deer treat, because he didn't earn it. He also
finds the job at hand it's own reward, on occasion, as evidenced by his
lack of needing a reward to work. Kiba, too, will "work" without
reward, such as fetching a ball, although he starts the game, I'm sure,
with the intentions of being treated for playing. He enjoys it, but if
I throw the ball too many times without giving him a cookie for bringing
it back, the game deteriorates.
The rule is, ball in my hand, puppy sitting, before a cookie is given.
If he doesn't receive a cookie after, say, six throws, the ball hits the
floor at my feet, instead of my hand. If I continue to throw the ball
(after picking it up myself) the ball will drop farther away. If I have
to get up to reach it, I won't play anymore, and the ball gets rolled,
instead of thrown. Or I play the game properly, with cookies given for
fetched balls, depending on whether I want to play or not.
I think Tuck knew he hadn't earned the deer slice, so didn't eat it.
Period. The fact that Tuck displays human morals and value judgements
is astonishing and incredible. In some demented way, I hope he is an
aberration of his kind, not the norm. If he's not, and is simply
displaying what is possible with the right kind of work, training and
dedication, I should give up dog ownership now, and for forever, and
leave it to people like you with much more work ethic than I will ever
have.
FWIW, His father seemed to have what might be considered morals, if you can
admit that dogs might have them.

But Reka, raised under the same roof, with the same strategies does not.
There seems to be a genetic connection. Other dogs raised the same way do
not. Yet other people have rather astounding similar experiences with their
dogs (at least in this breed). So this is not exclusive to just Tuck and
his breeding. And es, I consider him not the norm, not even in this breed.

Reka would have eaten the heart without any second thoughts.