Your Pet Training
Questions
Seventh in a helpful new pet series
sponsored by Invisible Fencing of Birmingham.
Frequently Asked Questions
do you do then? How do you get both of you out of this
situation without being hurt either emotionally or physi-
cally? All in all, the physical methods requiring brute force
and aggression are not necessary or safe.
My dog is five years old. Is it too late
to train her?
Not at all. Dogs are social animals, accepting of changes
in leadership at any age. It may take4rer a bit longer than
a pup to understand—You're working against five years
of guessing. Once she comprehends you're trying to teach
her something, she'll learn whatever you teach her quick-
ly.
Can you find 10
dog bones hidden
in this picture?
Whenever I walk him, my dog holds
the lead in his mouth. If I try to get it
from him, he thinks it's a game. Help!
Chances are someone used the lead to play tug-of-war
with your dog when he was a pup. When they're young,
it's pretty cute when they grab the lead; as an adult it is
obnoxious. Never train your puppy to do something you
don't want him to do as an adult. Stop all tug-of-war. Spray
the lead with Bitter Apple right before the walk. If he grabs
it, do several "Downs" in a row. That often takes a dog's
mind off of being playful. If that does not work, take
the lead on either side of the mouth and, using
your wrist, snap it down and out in a "J" mo-
tion. Remember to praise your dog the
moment he releases the lead. Also,
shortening up on the lead so it does
not dangle in front of his face will help
to resist the temptation.
My dog bumps into me all the time.
He's even knocked me over a few time
outside. Why does he do this?
There are two types of dogs that do this. The first is
the touch-insensitive dog. Classically a sporting
breed, bred to run through briars and swim
in cold water to retrieve game, they
just aren't aware that they have
knocked into you. If they are
aware of it, they mean it only in
the nicest possible way. The oth-
er type knows full well he is
making contact. He's doing it to
make a point. subordinates do not
bump leader dogs often and nev-
er without repercussions. He is telling
you that it is your responsibility to get
out of his way. He needs an attitude
Brian Kilcornmons is one of the country's fore-
adjustment. Use your "Off," "Sit,"
most dog trainers and the author of several widely
"Wait" and "Down" commands to acclaimed books on dog behavior and training. Bri-
gain the right of way.
an is also the exclusive training consultant for
I've heard of group
classes, private training and
sending your dog away to be
trained. What kind of train-
ing is best?
Group classes are for an owner who has
the time to train and for the dog who has no
real problems other than he is out of control. Pick a class
that is limited to 10 or fewer and that uses methods that
make sense to you. Both the dogs and the people should
be having fun and having some success.
Private training is for people who don't have the time
to go to class every week and for dogs who have specific
home-related problems such as housebreaking, chewing,
barking or aggression. It is individualized to suit your needs.
Choose a trainer who has professional references from
such sources as veterinarians or humane societies. You
should like 0 - ern and see that their methods are effective
with your dog. The trainer's job is NOT to train the dog
but to teach you how to train the dog. After all, you'll be
the one working with the dog most of the time.
People who have no time to train or who have dogs
that have advanced problems may find that sending the
dog away for a few weeks is the answer. It is an excel-
lent way to get things started, but you will still have to earn
your dog's respect when he returns. The trainer will teach
the commands and teach the dog to respect and respond
to him or her. That respect can only be transferred to you
through hard work and consistency on your part. Sending
the dog away is a shortcut, but it is not a miracle. If you
do not work with your dog, he will not listen.
Invisible Fencing.
Is allowing my dog to
sleep on the bed bad?
If your dog is otherwise well behaved, it is not a bad
thing to let him sleep on the bed. Tri is always on our bed.
Caras come up when invited. Piper prefers his dog bed. If
you single and hope not to be one day, don't let the dog
sleep up there all the time. Insist that he wait until he is in-
vited. Have him sit, then say "OK, up" and pat the bed.
If he jumps up on his own, put him off and make him wait.
Other wise, the next time you have a friend sleep over,
you may find that three is a crowd.
A friend tells me I should roll my dog
over and pin him when he is bad.
What do you think?
I think it's unnecessary and know it is dangerous. One
12-year-old boy heard about it, used it on his dog, and got
a bite on the face for his trouble. I don't like methods
that involve confrontation. If the dog chooses to accept
them, they work fine. But what if the dog takes offense.
What do you do then? And where does it leave you emo-
tionally? You've pinned your dog and he snaps at you—what
__/
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Fun Facts
Did you know..
•• The queen bee is the only
member of her colony who
can live through the winter.
The largest living turtle is
called the leatherback. These
turtles usually weigh between
1,000 and 1,100 pounds
(though one was found that
weighed 1,500 pounds!).
•■ • There are more than 3,500
different kinds of ants.
• Despite their name, cen-
tipedes don't necessarily have
100 feet. They.range from be-
tween 30 and 100.
▪ It wasn't only the ancient
Egyptians who suffered a terri-