C o m mu n i t y

WHISPERER

from page 73

May the coming year be filled
with health, happiness
and prosperity for all our
family and friends

Dr. Lawrence & Rona Pasik
Dr. Michael & Ewa Hepner

•
May the New Year bring to
all our friends and family
health, joy, prosperity and
everything good in lif

can & William Klaristenfe

May the coming year be
filled with health and
happiness for all our
family & friends.
L'Shanah Tovah!

Simon & Esther
Tabachnik & family

9/26
2003

74

I wish my friends and family
a very healthy, happy and
prosperous New Year.

Marilyn Berman

Roytapel shows Boomer's owner Randy Otis of Lest Bloomfield proper walking technique
as wife, Elise Otis, and son Ean Otis observe the lesson.

respect," Roytapel explains,
uttering one of many key
phrases that go to the heart of
the training method he honed
in his native Russia, Asia and
Europe and uses in his Troy-
based business, Alternative
Canine Training (A.C.T.).
Unlike more traditional treat-
driven training classes,
Roytapel teaches owners to
think from the dog's point of
view and to speak in an abbre-
viated language they under-
stand.
"Dogs have their own cul-

ture, including language that
includes sounds, smells, body
movements and posturing,"
Roytapel says. "Their behaviors
are completely different from
ours. I am surprised that so
many people today want to
make dogs adapt to our way of
thinking. We have higher intel-
ligence — it is necessary for us
to adapt."
Roytapel teaches owners to
be the "alpha dog," the leader
of the pack. Other dog training
classes may explain the con-
cept, but Roytapel and his

A.C.T. partner, Bonny Wainz,
show what that means in the
canine language through tonal
inflections, posturing, body
blocks and movements based
on how leaders operate in a
real dog pack.
"Dogs control each other by
controlling space, so a body
block is a very powerful visual
signal," he says.
By observing mother dogs
with their puppies, he learned
that the mother growls once in
warning, waits one second for
behavior to change before cor-

Be Leader
Of The Pack

• Dogs hate to make deci-
sions. They like to follow
rules and have structures.
• Don't give dogs choices; you
won't like what they choose.
• Don't be afraid to be an
authoritarian; dogs don't live
in a democracy.
• Spend 15 minute's twice a
day on dog training. Be con-
sistent.

• Give a command once,
allow one second for a
response. If none comes, cor-
rect the behavior.
• Act logically, not
emotionally.
For more information, call
A.C.T. at (5.86) 323-2810 or
check the Web site at
www. alternativecanine
traning.com

Dog trainer and animal
behaviorist Vladae Roytapel
of Alternative Canine
Training offers these tips:
• Love comes automatically.
Teach respect and trust first.