January 2002
First Time Letter Writers
Subscribers Only
Getting Your Children Involved in Training the Family Dog
Subscribers Only One of the things that parents almost always say when they decide to add a dog to the family is, “It will help teach the kids about responsibility.” That’s the hope, anyway. Those of us who are committed to teaching non-force, positive dog training see another important opportunity for growth that may arrive with the dog. Many pet dog trainers today are using modern, dog-friendly methods that teach students – children and adults alike – that it is not appropriate nor necessary to use pain or physical force to make another creature to submit to their will. These trainers teach kids how much more powerful (and enjoyable) it is to use kindness, patience, and intellect to communicate and solve problems with their dogs.
Teaching Your Dog "Off"
Subscribers Only When they fill out their evaluation forms at the end of a six-week course, my clients frequently name the “Off” exercise as one of the most useful behaviors they have taught their dogs in class. “Off” means “Whatever you are paying attention to right now, I want you to leave it alone.” It can be applied to the roast on the counter, the snacks on the coffee table, the dead skunk beside the trail, the neighbor’s cat darting across the yard, or frail 93-year-old Aunt Martha. It’s one of my favorite exercises for watching a dog’s brain at work as she grasps the concept of “leave it alone.” Best of all, it’s fun and easy. You can do the exercises all in one session if your dog is an “Off” whiz, or it may take several.
Courses in Alternative Medicines
Most trainers would agree that it helps immeasurably to be very clear about what you are asking for when you work with a dog – even to the point of visualizing in your mind the behavior or movement you are seeking from your dog. Unquestionably, your focus will help you communicate your wishes to your dog, making it easier for him to interpret and understand your cues. Life is demanding and stressful for many people these days. We rarely have enough time to be as reflective as we’d like. But as you work with and care for others, including your dogs, take a moment to focus purposeful thought on your tasks.
Force-Based Training Methods and Some Unintended Consequences
Subscribers Only Most people, unwittingly or intentionally, use a lot of physical force when raising and training their dogs. The purposeful ones have a whole variety of reasons. Some may have read about behavioral theories regarding dominance and “the importance of showing the dog who’s boss.” Fans of these theories may advocate imitations of canine behavior such as “scruff shakes” or “Alpha rolls” to convince the dog he’s at the bottom of the family hierarchy. Others may have been influenced by advocates of traditional, military-style training – think of yanking collar ‘corrections’ or using the leash leveraged under their foot to forcibly pull a dog into a Down.
Finding Your Dog a Warm Winter Coat
Putting a coat on your dog shouldn’t be about making a fashion statement. Rather, it should be about keeping a chilly dog warm, thereby preventing hypothermia, a dangerous condition characterized by a reduced internal body temperature. (The normal canine body temperature is 100.5 to 102 degrees. A dog whose temperature drops below 95 degrees can die.) A dog’s natural protection against cold varies from breed to breed. Labradors and certain Northern dogs (Huskies and Malamutes, for example) have developed with special physiological responses for coping with cold.
Making Peace With Death
Subscribers Only One great and inescapable sorrow awaits all of us who share our lives with dogs: Sooner or later we shall have to face the decline and death of our beloved companions. Painful though it is to contemplate this loss, ask yourself the following question: If it were within your power to provide it, what sort of death would you wish for your dog? Chances are, you would wish him the same death as you would wish yourself: to die when he is ready, peacefully in his sleep, at home, in bed, surrounded by loved ones.
Loose Ends
Subscribers Only
