Oh Canada... You Make Me Ill

From Rosenblog... an interesting post. Now, our kids are going to be indoctrinated in Canada to be animal rights wackos.

Is there any insane cause that isn't embraced by the "enlightened" Leftists?

Just for the record, you don't have free speech in Canada. You can be prosecuted for saying things that aren't politically correct. But, tell kids that they are the same thing as a cockroach... well, that is something to be praised, and even given government funding!

Check this out...

In this post-modern age, religion effectively encompasses moral crusaders in thrall to the high priests and priestesses of animal rights. The Vancouver Sun reports that the "social justice" course about which I earlier blogged must now, according to the urgings of a Vancouver Humane Society representative, also ventilate the tyranny of humans over animals because something called "speciesism" is alleged to be the moral equivalent of racism and sexism. Cows, pigs and chickens, you see, are not only subjugated cruelly by human animals. They aso lack parity with preferred domestic species such as cats and dogs. This despite the occasional unguent tale of a legally victorious, condo-dwelling potbellied pig.

Tethered Dog Mauls Young Boy

The parents of a little boy who survived being mauled by a Rottweiler said today that it was sheer luck the two-year-old survived.

Little Harvey Lawrence sustained deep wounds to his face and body after being attacked at the home of his paternal grandmother...

What happened here? Well, we have a clue from the article...

It had been tethered but lunged at Harvey after he stepped out of Mrs Lawrence's car as they returned home for lunch before heading to the beach.

The rottweiler has since been destroyed through agreement with the owner.

It is NEVER a good idea to leave a dog tethered in a yard. If you research dog attacks, you will find many of them happen when dogs are tethered as a way of containing them in the yard. It makes the dogs hyper-territorial, and it makes the dog feel cornered.

Tethering can also allow the build up of frustration aggression. If the dog was taunted, or not given sufficient exercise, previous to the attack, then that pent up emotional energy would then be directed at the first thing that gave the dog a way to vent that frustration. A frustrated dog then has a higher propensity to attack in an unnatural way.

This might have been why this little boy was attacked. This is why I advocate using a home kennel, if you are going to leave the dog outside while you are away. The dog is safe and the dog isn't conditioned to attack those that approach.

Scent Detection Dogs: Pirated DVDs!

On Tuesday, the Motion Picture Assn. of America showed off Lucky and Flo, a pair of playful, 2-year-old black Labrador retrievers with noses trained to zero in on DVDs, including the pirated kind.

During a briefing at the MPAA's headquarters, Lucky and Flo took turns sniffing out DVDs hidden in a box.

"They tend to be cheaper than most employees and they don't demand raises all the time," said John Malcolm, the MPAA's director of worldwide anti-piracy operations.

Still, the first ever DVD-sniffing dogs didn't come that cheap. The MPAA spent about $9,000 on each to train them over eight months. But the group said that was a small price compared with losses from pirated DVDs, estimated by the industry at $11.1 billion in 2005.

This is seriously amazing. Who would have thought you could do this kind of thing with a dog?

I freely admit, even with all my experience, I still learn new things about dogs all the time.

Sorry!

Sorry I've not been blogging lately. Life has been pretty busy, and I just haven't been able to do it properly. Now, I'm back and I'll be posting again.

Help Rottweiler Owners Fight Against Breed Specific Legislation

The American Rottweiler Club, Inc (ARC) has stepped up and is taking action to fight against some of the more distressing anti-dog legislation and policies that are sweeping the country.

ARC is hereby setting forth a challenge to any dog club in the United States, be it conformation or working, to do their share by becoming pro-active in protecting the right to freely own and maintain breeds of choice. Here is the official challenge:

ARC will supply ALL materials at NO cost to any event-giving Club willing to donate a table/booth and a volunteer to anti-dog legislation for one or more dog shows, including but not limited to the loan of a 2 X 8' heavy duty, vinyl banner for display, full color brochures to be used as handouts, and if needed a self contained/running audio/video that can be used as a backdrop. All shipping/mailing fees will be prepaid. The subjects of anti-dog legislation included in the educational material are:
1. Certain forms of mandatory spay and neuter:
2. The reasons to fear the term guardian:
3. Breed specific legislation:
4. Prohibitions against ear-cropping and tail-docking: and 5. Insurance discrimination against homeowners, based on breed.

The only action that ARC will require from any club participating in this event will be to obtain and place a jar or can on the table for donations to help maintain this as a free project. ARC will include 'wraps' for such jar or can at no charge. All proceeds will be returned to ARC to be utilized in the fight against anti-dog legislation and policies.

Various products are also available at a minimal cost if the Club wishes to sell merchandise to further the ARC educational efforts.
Additional information is available on request via contact information below.

FAQ:
1. How far in advance must the club request to participate?
THE CLUB SHOULD NOTIFY ITS INTENTION TO PARTICIPATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO RESERVE THEIR BANNER.

2. What if the banner gets damaged during shipment or use?
THE CLUB WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT COST.

3. How many brochures will be sent to each club?
THIS WILL VARY ACCORDING TO THE SIZE AND TYPE OF EVENT, THE MINIMUM BEING 150.

4. Will someone be available to volunteer?
THERE WILL BE NO ONE FROM ARC AVAILABLE UNLESS HE/SHE IS IN THE AREA AND MAKES A PERSONAL DECISION TO BE PRESENT. CLUBS MUST SUPPLY A VOLUNTEER TO MAN A TABLE OR PLACE SUCH TABLE NEAR ANOTHER TO MONITOR THE DONATION JAR.

5. We are holding a specialty and our club creates exhibitor packets, can we use the brochures in this manner?
YES, IF YOU NOTIFY THE ARC CONTACT ONCE YOUR ENTRY CLOSES WITH A COUNT OF EXHIBITORS, AN ADDITION NUMBER OF BROCHURES WILL BE SENT FOR THAT PURPOSE.

6. What if we run out of brochures during our event?
IF THIS SHOULD OCCUR, YOU MAY MAKE SIMPLE COPIES, HOWEVER THE ARC WILL HOPEFULLY SEND AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY.

7. What if we did not use all of the brochures?
YOU MAY CONTINUE TO PASS THEM OUT AT MEETINGS OR OTHER PLACE OR YOU MAY RETURN THEM TO ARC TO BE USED FOR ANOTHER EVENT.

8. We have decided to sell merchandise at the table, what kind of merchandise to you have available.
A LIST OF AVAILABLE MERCHANDISE WILL BE INCLUDED ALONG WITH YOUR AGREEMENT FORM FOR YOUR BANNER LOAN. AN ORDER FORM WILL BE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE.

9. Our club wishes to become more active in our area, can we have our own fund raising merchandise at the legislative educational table?
YES....AS LONG AS THERE IS A JAR/CAN READILY VISIBLE FOR DONATIONS TO ARC TO HELP IN KEEPING THIS PROJECT FREE.

10. Where do we send the money to that we collected for ARC's legislative fund?
ALL MONIES CAN BE SENT VIA A SINGLE CHECK/MO TO THE TREASURER OF ARC WITH A NOTE THAT IT IS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE FUND. DETAILS WILL BE INCLUDED WITH YOUR AGREEMENT FORM FOR YOUR BANNER.

11. Does the ARC have any additional information available?
YES, THE ARC HAS A URL WHERE NUMEROUS ARTICLES IN DETAIL ALONG WITH VARIOUS FORMS OF EDUCATIONAL MULTI-MEDIA, FREELY AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD.

Contact for additional information and reserving your banner and brochures is; SUZI FAULKNER at: sakioliver@yahoo.com

Eugenics Wars (Part 2)

CLASS ASSIGNMENT: Check this out, and tell me what you think of this philosophy and discuss how the animal rights philosophy compares and contrasts with the proponents of eugenics.

"An internationally known Princeton "bioethicist" and animal-rights activist says he'd kill disabled babies if it were in the "best interests" of the family, because he sees no distinction in the child's life whether it is born or not, and the world already allows abortion... Singer's support for legalized euthanasia and his endorsement of killing the disabled for up to 28 days after birth also sparked protests against his hiring in 1999 by Princeton, a university founded by the Presbyterian denomination."

I contend that the animal rights philosophy is morally bankrupt, is anti-nature, and is inhumane.

Take a look at the proponents of animal rights and see who they are and their entire philosophy on life.

I am all for ANIMAL WELFARE. But, this stuff... I think it is amoral fanaticism. What do you think?

House Training

Many of you have pups or dogs that aren't house trained.

I believe that potty training is one of the most important lessons you can teach your dog. Besides, it is no fun having a dog that urinates or defecates in the home.

If you are having trouble house training your dog, or you don't know how, then you should immediately hire a professional trainer to help you out.

This is why I took 6 months last year to write a 95 page house training book, called "100% House Trained". The books I had seen and the training I had witnessed just wasn't good enough. And I had seen people make tons of mistakes, too.

Harsh and stupid methods abound in house training. Doing that stuff will not only cause your dog to fail in his or her house training, it will harm your relationship with your dog.

Hire A Professional Dog Trainer!

Hire A Professional Dog Trainer!

I'm starting to see an alarming number of dogs becoming aggressive. The causes?

First, people are buying into the idea of "all positive" training. All positive training means never correcting a dog, only giving it treats for desired behaviors. Sounds great... These folks like to talk about "cruelty free" training... meaning no corrections.

The result? Bratty and sometimes dangerous dogs. This politically correct thing about not giving dogs pack leadership is harming more and more dogs.

Second, I'm seeing people trying to implement the same type of training that Cesar Millan does on his TV show, The Dog Whisperer. Just in the past month, I've met two people who were bitten pretty good on the forearm by alpha rolling their dogs. One was a Welsh Terrier, the other a Chow. That stuff is for professionals, not do it yourselfers. People are being bitten when trying to implement the "alpha roll" technique. If you watch his show or read his materials, he says that you shouldn't be doing any of his stuff without the supervision of a professional dog trainer.

So, hey guys, quit being cheapskates and hire a real dog trainer if you want your dog to turn out properly. For some dogs, doing it yourself will end up causing someone to get seriously hurt.

WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH BLOGGER?

I have been having difficulties making new posts to this blog for the past couple of weeks. Fore example, Blogger for Word no longer seems to work. Weird. I guess they are upgrading the blogger site, so when that happens, then I expect to merge this blog into it. So, sorry for the lag in posting lately.

Is The Puppy Purse Animal Abuse?

It's the ultimate fashion accessory for people who "love their dogs a bit too much."

Imported from the United States, these colourful and stylish "doggie bags" enable devoted dog owners to carry their puppies and little pooches wherever they go.

Designed to be "lightweight" with an adjustable strap, the "Puppy Purse" is exactly as it sounds.

I find these "pooch pouches" to be completely obscene. If you look at the photos of these types of devices, how can a dog breathe properly? "Teacup" dogs, especially, are known to have fragile internal organs. What about the dog's circulatory system? And what about exercise? And what about having to urinate or defecate? What about learning to walk on a loose leash and obeying? What is the justification for using such a thing? How can this be healthy?

In my opinion, anyone who would do this doesn't deserve to have a dog. Is this animal cruelty? I’d want a veterinarian opinion on such a device before I’d make that determination here. But, if it is, I would advocate arresting, fining and jailing anyone who would subject their dog to such a device.

This fashion thing started with Paris Hilton, who I think is a terrible role model.

Fashion trends are no excuse for animal abuse.

Presa Canario Mauls Woman To Death

In a ferocious attack never before seen in Broward County, a powerful, pit-bull-like dog mauled its owner to death Friday afternoon as she tried to give him a bath.

Here is a family dog attacking the owner's girlfriend. There are some clues in the story to tell us what happened. Assuming this story is accurate, here is my opinion of what was going on:

a.) Willey -- who has been cited in the past for having dangerous dogs. So, these owners had warnings about owning dangerous dogs. They had problems with more than one dog. And they own more than one dog.
b.) The dog was of a breed called Presa Canario, akin to a pit bull. They had a powerful breed, which is marketed as being a guard breed.
c.) The two officers who arrived at 3:25 p.m. saw the dog standing over her bloodied body. It was ''acting aggressively'' and they shot and killed the animal. This was a very personal attack by the dog. This was aggression with intent, and the dog knew what it was doing.
d.) Neighbors on Friday in this well-heeled neighborhood said warning signs had appeared in the past. The owners had allowed their dogs to threaten other people.
e.) Rafi Horwitz, 19, said a friend of his came over recently and gasped: ``I just got chased by two dogs.'' Willey had been walking a dog the day before and was struggling to maintain control over the canine, said neighbor Clemente Vaslo, 47. ''She had him on a leash but he was clearly having his way,'' he said. In other words, the dog wasn't under her control. The dog wasn't trained. She couldn't lead or manage the dog.
f.) In 2000, she was charged with having a dog at large, according to Hillsborough County court records. A dog ''threatened [a] witness into the house,'' records show. So, she had a history of having no control over her dogs.
g.) Willey also has a son in middle school. One neighbor, who declined to give his name, said the son had cautioned against playing with the dogs because ``they are mean.'' So, the family knew the dogs were challenging them in their own home!

Here is a perfect example of why you should train your dogs to obey. When you don’t have control over a dog, and that includes leadership over a dog, especially a large breed known for being protective, then you will endanger others, yourself, and your family. And to you "all positive", clicker training folks, or those of you who baby your dogs: this is what happens when you figure that you can train a dog without any rules, boundaries or leadership. This dog clearly got all it wanted in life, and it ended up killing someone.

Just because you think it would be cool to have a certain breed of dog, doesn’t mean you are going to be able to handle it on your own without professional training.

I get emails from people all the time telling me that they are having behavioral problems with a dog, but don’t see the need to train the dog.

In fact, these are the types who don't know a thing about dog behavior, but when it comes down to them having to work with the dog, they would rather either blame the dog, or tell me how they think the dog should be trained.

Check out this email I received last week:

"Hello, We got this puppy at eight weeks old he is now 7 months old. This is what I am noticing about him (my husband doesn’t think it's that bad). He sometimes growls when you try to put him in is cage. He sometimes tires to jump up and bite the kids when they are fighting they are 10 and 16 years old. When we took him to the kennel when we went on vacation they said he tried to bite them the first night and then he was fine (maybe he was scared)? The one girl actually said she was going to miss our dog. Sometimes when you are in the yard with him he tries to jump up and bite your hand (my husband thinks he just playing) I don't know if he is or not. He has showed his teeth to me and he doesn't like you to touch his feet at all especially trying to cut his nails. He is a little dog, Boston Terrier mix. He can be such a loving dog also he cuddles with you , but there is a side that can be mean. My husband doesn’t see it or doesn’t want to see it. I don't know what to do. My husband doesn’t think we should get rid of him. What do you think?"

I told her: "This can all be sorted out in obedience classes. There is no good reason to get rid of the dog. This is a problem created by not training your dog… it is your fault, not the dog’s."

Then, she responded: "There's only one problem with what you are saying, we had a dog before this one for 11 years who passed away last year and he never went to obedience class and he never did any of these things. Can you explain that?"

Just because you have owned a dog doesn't mean you know what you are doing with ALL dogs. This pup of theirs is heading down the wrong path. Training can and would fix this. Imagine such a person, letting a powerful breed of dog head down this path. You'd get the horrifying story you read about above.

MORAL OF THE STORY: All dogs need dog training. If you are too cheap, foolish or lazy to train the dog, then do us all a favor, don't get a dog.

Olympic National Park: REVERSE THE DOG BAN!

Olympic National Park is getting a new management plan that will set a course for the park over the next 20 years.

The public is asked to comment on whether the park should continue to be managed as it is today; whether to place greater emphasis on preserving the park as a wild ecosystem; or to increase development for visitors and tourism.

National Park managers have extended the public comment period on the plan, as well as scheduled a public hearing on it in Seattle.

The hearing is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Seattle REI, 222 Yale Ave. N.

To review the plan, go online to http://parkplanning.nps.gov/olym. Or, to request a printed or CD version of the document call 360-565-3004.

Copies also are available at the Seattle Public Library and at the University of Washington Library.

The public-comment period is open through Sept. 30.

Dogs are banned from our National Parks. I think you should write them and tell them that you want dogs allowed in the parks. They cause no harm at all.

Be prepared for the timid, politically correct letter back saying how dogs upset the “wilderness experience” for some people. In other words, Dog Haters are preventing you, the taxpayer, from using parks that you paid for, and should have every right to use.

Just remember, native Americans had pet dogs in these parks long before the European and Russians arrived on the West coast. So, dogs ARE a part of the natural habitat of that area.

Dolphins and Whales... Just Animals After All

Dolphins and whales are dumber than goldfish and don't have the know-how to match a rat, new research from South Africa shows.

For years, humans have assumed the large brains of dolphins meant the mammals were highly intelligent.

Paul Manger from Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand, however, says it is not intelligence that created the dolphin super-brain -- it's the cold.

To survive underwater, these warm-blooded animals developed brains that have a lot of insulating material -- called glia -- but not too many neurons, the gray stuff that counts for reasoned thinking.

The same goes for whales because they share the dolphins' brain composition, he said.

Uh Oh, another animal rights propaganda myth bites the dust. The argument has been that since these animals have brains as large as ours, they are really just some kind of fish people, equal to us in every way. Bah! This was then used as a way of enacting draconian animal rights legislation all around the world. Remember that Star Trek episode where they saved the whales? Even though I am a Star Trek fan, this kind of pseudo-science has been used to bludgeon pet owners all over the world.

Why can’t we be satisfied that an animal is just an animal, and that is OK? Is this just a way for those who want “something more” to invent their own gods, because they don’t want to accept that God really exists? I think so.

Animal Rights vs Animal Welfare

"We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding. . . One generation and out. We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding." Wayne Pacelle, Senior VP of Humane Society of the US, formerly of Friends of Animals and Fund for Animals, Animal People, May, 1993

NOTE: (Wayne Pacelle’s initial training was as a PeTA activist. Today he heads HSUS under the guise of "legitimacy". It is the largest and most profitable of the animal Rightist lobbying organizations.

Many people think that every “humane society” is part of the same organization. But, they aren’t. They are each distinct non-profit companies. Some are animal rights oriented, some are animal welfare oriented. You had better do your research before you send your money off to one of these groups.

Would you want to send your money to a group that was against the domestic dog?

WEIRD: Cancer Can Spread To Dogs As A Parasite

A strange form of cancer is being transmitted as an infectious agent among the world's dogs, without help from viruses or bacteria, a research team in England has found.

The discovery, reported in the journal Cell, shows how a single cancer cell can become a parasite, grow and then spread worldwide in susceptible animals.

Fortunately, even though the tumours grow aggressively at first, they eventually shrink and then succumb to the host dog's immune system. Remarkably, after the cancer has disappeared, the dogs have gained protective immunity, which blocks further infection by the cancer cells. The dogs' blood also can be used to vaccinate other dogs and block infection.

ANOTHER Mass Slaughter Of Dogs In China?

SHANGHAI, China — A second Chinese city plans a mass dog slaughter to control a rabies outbreak, state media said Friday, days after a similar cull in which dogs were beaten to death prompted a torrent of criticism.

Officials in the eastern city of Jining said Thursday they would kill all dogs within three miles of areas where rabies had been found, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

The measure came in response to the deaths of 16 people from rabies in Jining in the last eight months, Xinhua said. It didn't say when the cull would begin or how the animals would be killed. It said the city had about 500,000 dogs.

Rabies cases are on the rise in China, with more than 2,000 people dying from the disease each year. Only 3 percent of the country's dogs are vaccinated against rabies.

So, let me get this straight… China is going to do ANOTHER mass slaughter of dogs to control rabies, when all they’d have to do is vaccinate the dogs? And how bad is this problem? In a country of over a billion people, they only have 2,000 deaths per year as a result of rabies? So, they figure that to save the 2,000 per year, they need to kill off entire cities full of dogs? This makes no economic sense... but then again, when have Communists ever understood economics?

There is more going on here than meets the eye. Did you notice, last week, that people went out and CLUBBED THEIR OWN DOGS TO DEATH? This sure smells bad. Wouldn’t you have to be COERCED to beat your own dog to death? I know I wouldn't do it voluntarily.

C’mon, folks.

This is why a closed and regulated media is bad for public policy. You don’t get the straight story, and a lot of bad things can be covered up.

Here’s the other weird thing, they were paying people about $.60 per dog as compensation. Now, figure this… if they were to purchase rabies vaccinations for all these dogs, how much do you think each shot would cost? Probably no more than this amount. And do you really think that killing off all these dogs will stop the rabies problems? This whole thing is completely inhumane and should be stopped immediately.

SHAME ON YOU, CHINA!!! You know better!

What Is Dog Whispering?

There are more and more dog trainers out there starting to call themselves “Dog Whisperers”. So, what does that mean, and how do you know if you are working with a Dog Whisperer? And should you hire someone who calls themselves a “Dog Whisperer”?

We Haven't Won Yet...

Have we won our fight against the Dog Haters? No, not yet.

Have we convinced the public that pit bulls are not inherently vicious? No, not yet…

But, a hint of sanity has appeared in the mainstream media (LA Times) today…

No one is suggesting that pit bulls have replaced the Chihuahua as the new "it" dog — at least not until Paris Hilton gets one. And county statistics show that the biggest concentrations of licensed pit bulls are in Compton and Lancaster, not Malibu or Beverly Hills. But trainers and animal shelter staffers and rescuers see a trend: increasing adoptions by families, professionals and others willing to attempt to raise a civilized pit bull.

Many who own or rescue pit bulls want to rehabilitate the image of a breed they believe has been unfairly maligned.

"I would say we're trying to restore the image," said Donna Reynolds, 44, who lives in Oakland. She and her husband rescue pit bulls and run a website, http://www.badrap.org , that seeks to dispel the belief that pit bulls are vicious and unmanageable. Reynolds says a pit bull is "an exceptional family pet…. People who tend to believe they're scary have been educated by the media.

"I say, 'Have you hung out or met a dog you consider to be a true American pit bull?' 'No, I haven't, but my neighbor has one chained out in the backyard.' Well, any dog chained in the backyard is going to be mean."

Cesar Millan, the famed "Dog Whisperer" who has his own show on the National Geographic cable channel, says pit bulls, like all the power breeds, can be trained through exercise and discipline.

He keeps pit bulls in his resident pack at his South L.A.-based Dog Psychology Center, which is part dog camp, part rehab center.

"My kids are around pit bulls every day," said Millan, who believes the dogs have been unfairly stigmatized. "In the '70s they blame Dobermans, in the '80s they blame German shepherds, in the '90s they blame the Rottweiler, now they blame the pit bull."

Mass Slaughter Of Dogs In China... Again

A county in south-west China has ordered all 50,546 dogs to be killed to fight a rabies outbreak which has killed three people, state media says.

It has taken five days, but authorities in Mouding County in south-west China say they have killed almost all of the 50,000 dogs in the area.

Some of the dogs were clubbed to death in the street as their owners watched.

Other dog owners took matters into their own hands, poisoning or electrocuting their pets.

They were paid around $0.60 (£0.32) for each dog in compensation.

China has a poor record of animal protection. There are no laws to prevent cruelty to pets.

This is reminiscent of what happened during the Cultural Revolution, when dogs were slaughtered en masse for evil political purposes. This is why we refer to these kinds of things as a Dog Holocaust.

There had to be a better way to do this. They could easily have asked animal welfare groups to help raise funds for vaccines (though, if you read the article, they even killed the vaccinated dogs). This cull was inhumane in every way. This is why you need better laws protecting dogs and dog ownership everywhere in the world. You couldn't do this in the USA

I really don't dislike China. I have great hopes for China, but they have so much baggage left over from their feudal ways, then colonialism, and the horrors of Communism... It is going to take a long time. I would love to travel there, and even better, conduct training seminars for dog owners and government officials. There is a lot of good to be accomplished. Who knows? Maybe someone is reading this and might make that connection happen.

What To Do About A Spoiled Dog?

From time to time, I get interesting emails that illustrate important points about responsible dog ownership. I publish these for the education of the general public, but remove identifying information about the persons involved to protect their privacy. This is just such a letter. Here is what happens when you spoil a dog.

How many times do we see people spoil their dogs… not willing to give them order and leadership, feeling that is somehow harsh… only to see the owners being bullied and bitten by those same dogs, the owners ultimately either yelling and hitting the dogs, having these dogs put to death by veterinarians for biting problems, giving the dogs away to a shelter, or causing the breakup of families over the dog issues?

If you have a spoiled dog, then hire a professional to help out, and do what they say:

Here is a real case study, and a classic example of the Mommie / Daddy type of dog owner:


Dear Sam,

I have a 1 ½ year old standard poodle. I have had her since she was 8 weeks old.

I enrolled in an obedience class and have completed 7 sessions. In these classes, she learned to sit and off (sometimes).

My problem is I got married in January. My husband is afraid of dogs, yet he is with her while I am at work. He tells me she is quiet all day long and good. When I come home from work, she starts to jump on me, and at night she bites my hands. She loves to chew on my skinny wrists and it hurts. Then, she will get a little aggressive as I pull away and she’ll come after me. I have to let her outside to run. When it comes time for food she sits at the table with me and eats with me and wants my food. She wont stop barking for food so I have to give it to her to keep her quiet.

I can't eat with my new husband I have to eat with the dog to keep her quiet. It is ruining the marriage. I won't give her away.

She is my child and means the world to me.

I tell him not to yell at the dog. When he yells at her, she gets worse, and he’ll go into the bedroom to close the door. She lunges after him and then I have to try and grab her to get her away from him. She is uncontrollable to get, but I grab her and get my hands scratched. I won’t have her attack him to keep peace.

She is spoiled with the food and the bones. That I agree. But the biting is the major problem. Why is she biting my arms, and why does she get aggressive towards my husband? She gets even more aggressive after he yells at her. She bites hard, and I have been bitten and bloody. I have to be careful so I don’t get my arm bitten or finger bitten off.

I love this dog. Why does she do this?

The dog is great otherwise with me. When I‘m alone with her she is fine. If he is alone with her she is fine. But, when we are both together she is biting my arms. or my legs. I have to give her bones to chew to keep her from biting me to quiet her down.

I don’t know what to do anymore.

I was married before but my first husband of many years died and I just remarried. My first husband loved dogs and they loved him but not this new one.

It is awful!!!!

My first husband saw my new pup when she was a baby and he loved her. He said to me before he died “take care of her; she’ll be your best friend.” Now, she’s a year and a half old, and I’m married to a retired military man who hates dogs but puts up with her. One minute he talks nice to her but as soon as my dog jumps up to him he gets scared and yells and it sets the dog off. I don’t know what to do anymore.

If I knew this I would never have married him and put myself in the position I’m in now.

He knows it’s my dog and she comes first to me. I hate to say it, but, after my first husband died, I lost the love of my life, I didn’t need to remarry and now be in this situation with someone who can’t tolerate my pup.

Thank you,

XXXXXX


Dear XXXXXX,

Your dog is a spoiled brat. This problem is being created by both you and your husband. This can be fixed with proper obedience training and house rules. You need a better trainer to work with. No need to get rid of the dog or your husband. Both of you should be involved in the classes to learn more about your dog and how to manage her. This is easily fixed.

The biting is because she is a spoiled brat. You gave up your leadership position with this dog long ago, and it doesn’t help your husband is afraid of the dog. Fear doesn’t make you act like a calm, directed leader around a dog, so the dog takes advantage of that. You baby the dog, and so you are half the problem, your husband is the other half.

The bones are a small part to fixing this. If you do this on your own, without a professional, you will not fix this.

I see from your letterhead that you are a professional person. Do you think I could just walk into your job today, without any training and experience, and do what you do? You believe in education otherwise you wouldn’t have the degrees you have. However, you don’t believe that training and experience play a factor in becoming a good dog trainer or dog owner. You can have this fixed in a month if you work with someone good. On your own, this will keep going on and on because you don’t know what you are doing. You need a new type of education: dog training.

This is a piece in the puzzle for sorting out your marriage problems, too. This is a way for you both to learn to work together better. It can be good for you, your husband, and your dog.

Best wishes

Sam Basso
www.samthedogtrainer.com

UPDATE: This person has contacted me and told me they are setting up lessons. This is a good sign. I have encouraged her to stick with the training to see this through.