Purely Pavlovian & Instant gratification

Close-up of a brown and white husky with striking blue eyes.

Amelia, Veruca, Ivanna or RILEY

Our 9 year old husky, Ranger, has a new sister; a ~4 year old stray we adopted from a local shelter. We named her Riley. Naming family pets has always been more challenging than it should be. The shelter had given Riley the temporary name of Amelia Bedelia. We kind of liked the AB name as she's a little peculiar and definitely has difficulty understanding commands. Maybe like most huskies she understands, but is loathe to follow orders. We could have named Riley Veruca, as in Willy Wonka's Veruca Salt. When Riley wants something, she "Wants it Now!" This is particularly true for food. Riley was skin and bones when we brought her home. Her foraging or hunting for food while a stray must have amplified her food aggressive nature. She didn't know the certainty of her next meal. While Amelia Bedelia or Veruca would have been appropriate names, they had a bit of a negative connotation. Riley, unlike Ranger, is a snugglier. She has an adorable temperament, especially when not eating.

This photo of Riley shows off her beautiful blue eyes. Maybe her eyes and face convey a bit of frustration that she can't freely do, or immediately have whatever she wants. The photo doesn't show off Riley's extremely long tongue. When doing something she likes (think getting ready for a walk or looking at her food bowl being prepared) her tongue will dangle six inches out of her mouth. That tongue, plus a little drool is purely Pavlovian. She is the most food motivated dog that's ever been part of the family. I suppose we could have named Riley, Ivanna, after Ivan Pavlov, but that name didn't receive serious consideration.

So the first month with Riley transitioned from "Riley Nooooo!" to a focus on key "S" commands like stop, sit and stay. Now commands like "heel" or "play" and "come" are being learned with the Pavlovian influence of a tasty kibble.

A bowl filled with dry multicolored pet food kibbles.

Pavlovian Kibbles

Kibbles certainly create a Pavlovian response in Riley that is favorable for training and an obedient response without thought. Yet this year, being a midterm election year, there are abundant examples of political kibbles. For many Americans the midterms are a "so what" event. They are kind of like Ranger's blasé response to a kibble treat. For some, and certainly for ardent Democratic and Republican party leaders, this election year like every recent election, will be viewed as an existential event.

Political kibbles are intended to motivate the base to want to vote, and to vote right now! Look out Veruca. With the right kibble stimulus, thinking is optional. Obediently and reflexively voting along party lines is not. Sadly, the political kibbles of choice are typically grounded in the fear or distrust of others. The opposition is a: sexist, racist, nazi, communist, homophobe or a zionist (are just some examples). These political kibbles need not be truthful or of any real benefit to the electorate (like a plan to address the National debt). Unfortunately, the more hyperbolic and cynical the rhetoric associated with political kibbles the greater the Pavlovian response of those with TDS (Trump Derangement/Devotion Syndrome). Even more regretable, the money spent by Republicans and Democrats on these kibbles could have helped care for others truly in need.

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Trust and Ultimate Fulfillment

A recent study of Elijah, in 1 Kings, didn't focus on the widow's oil, the bull offering on Mount Carmel, or the dramatic end of an extended drought. Rather, the focus was on trust and ultimate fulfillment, on a timeline beyond control. Before this study Elijah was thought a powerful prophet, maybe the most powerful. Now, it is known that Elijah was thoughtful and both a powerful and powerfully patient prophet. If Elijah was an "I want it Now" prophet, he learned to trust and model faith even up to seven requests for the end of the drought. Elijah and his life were the antithesis of a life of instant gratification.

1 Kings 18:44-45

At the seventh time he said, “Look, a little cloud no bigger than a person’s hand is rising out of the sea.” Then he [Elijah] said, “Go say to Ahab, ‘Harness your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’ ” In a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind; there was a heavy rain.

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