Saturday, May 19, 2007

Dog Training

Saying for the Day: Some dogs do a better job of training people than others.

We are raising a dog. Sometimes I think the dog is training us. My daughter has no less than five books on dog raising and is going to a class with the dog and my wife. The books, the vet, and the class don’t agree. For example: the vet says that if the dog tries to bite you grab his nose , push her to the floor, and say no. The book says that you should cry out like it hurt you ( as if a dog bite doesn’t hurt) and it will feel bad and stop. The teacher of the class says that those things only make the dog want to bite you more . So instead you should distract it . I guess if its biting your right hand offer it your left that will be a bit of a distraction. I suggest that we slap it one across the nose and that will distract. My daughter thinks that’s a horrible idea, as does the book, the vet, and the teacher. I did that when the dog first tried to bite me. I’m the only one it never bites.
They are also training it to sit, lay, jump through a hoop , and shake hands. It will do all those things if you offer it a treat. No treat no shaking hands, no treat no sitting on command, no treat no jumping through the hoop. Sometimes I wonder who is being trained, the dog or the treat dispensers.
Then there is the peeing thing. The books, vet, teacher all disagree how to accomplish this so the dog continues to pee and poop in the kitchen. The latest idea is to take it out every fifteen minutes and keep it out until it goes. The dog was out yesterday for her second fifteen minutes. She pooped and peed. Then came back in and peed on the kitchen floor.
I think what they need to do is train the dog to read. Then give the dog one of those books so it can learn what it is supposed to be doing. If it doesn’t work I know from experience it likes to chew books. Perhaps it can digest the information.

@@@@ News From Pigeon Falls– the little town in my garage where the trains still run, dragons fly, and people dream a common dream– At two this morning Pigeon Falls entered The Dream. Everyone that was sleeping found themselves as part of the old town of Oiseaux Morts . Each person had their own role to play. They did not remember Pigeon Falls. Instead they were in the middle of a crisis. They had sent riders North and discovered that the Blue Plaque had hit a town just three towns to the North of them. It was coming. Petrovich the Wizard claimed to be able to protect the town but he wanted all the gold they had to do so. Father Moe, the town priest said to trust the church. They should all gather in the church and pray. Petrovich said those other towns had churches and they did them no good. Father Moe said perhaps they were lead by crooked wizards to not trust Mother Church.
At this point one of the children cried “ The dragon will save us! The dragon will save us”. Nobody paid any attention because what can a dragon do against the Blue Plague?
At this point Petrovich said they had one day and then if they hadn’t given him the gold he was moving on. Let them see if Mother Church could protect them.
Then The Dream ended.
*****

Today's Link-The Practical Chick- Some advice on how not to lose weight.- Please leave a Dr. John in the comment.
I didn't do much today. I did a little blogging. I worked on a children's sermon for tomorrow. I watched Heroes on the scifi channel. I played canasta with Betty and Pennie. Betty won and I was low man. Now I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

12 Comments:

Blogger Janets Planet said...

Pigeon Falls is not a wealthy community. Eino, who is logical, should nogotiate a deal with Petrovich. A licensing deal would be much more lucrative than all the gold in Pigeon Falls. Petrovich could make a lot more $$ on t-shirt royalties. He could get started now with one that says "The dragon will save us!? White letters on an appropriately blueberry blue tee.

5:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a dog that wouldn't potty train. We spent months, tried the advice of several books, several trainers and a couple of vets. Finally we built it a very nice house of it's own and rarely allowed it to come inside. (We lived in a place of mild summers.) As winter approached (those were not so mild) we had to allow her inside at night, she went to the bathroom on the floor only once.
In the morning when I found her "accident," I scolded her and took her back outside. That night and every night there after she was very well behaved and spent as much time in the house as she desired.

If she is very social, banishment might actually be a more effective punishment.

6:36 AM  
Blogger Margaret said...

I agree with you. Hitting animals isn't nice but a flick on the nose or quick snap with a stern "NO" works. But you have to do it right away so the dog can relate the punnishment to the action.

It's natural. That is how a dog determines his/her place in a pack. The Alpha Male and Alpha Female are quick to snap at the others when they are younger. Nothing too terrible, but the pups soon learn their place and respect the Alpha's.

Give the potty training some time. She'll get it soon enough.

8:00 AM  
Blogger Lone Grey Squirrel said...

Dr. John, that was a funny post. Everyone claims to be a dog expert but unfortunately few are. I'd go with the trainer's advice....probably had more practical experience.

8:10 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I wish I could get a dog under 35 lbs!

2:26 PM  
Blogger Cherlee's said...

I love your thoughts on the dog. It's so true what you say. Good luck with your dog they can be such a joy but yet a bit nerve racking at time.

But they bring so much laughter in this day and age we can all use more of. Have a great weekend.
Cheryl

5:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Seriously when people realize that a dog has a lot to teach humans, they are both off to a great life together. No book or expert can tell you how to raise a dog or a child.

6:03 PM  
Blogger .Tom Kapanka said...

Is that a Springer? It looks like a dog from my past. We named him "Property."
Nice comment at Josie's. You have the gift of saying in very few words what I tend to ramble on about. =)

7:00 PM  
Blogger Jo said...

Dr. John, my neighbor is going through the same thing right now. She has the cutest puppy (aren't they all?) but she is having an awful time training her to "go" outside instead of in the living room. It's a good thing puppies are so cute isn't it? I think that makes us more patient with them.

(Yours is officially the cutest puppy I have ever seen!)

Josie

7:51 PM  
Blogger Alpha Dude said...

I personally agree with your tactics.

If you ever get the dog training thing figured out, please let me know, we are having the same problem.

Blessings.

8:02 PM  
Blogger Neoma said...

Now I remember why it was that I was a bit reluctant to get a little puppy. I had forgotten, but you brought it all back into focus for me.....it is like having a baby, without the diapers. Have you tried diapers? Actually I don't think you can train a dog to do much of anything, they just do things on command because they like to see the silly looks on our faces when they please us........

I had one dog that was easy to housebreak, but I had to take her outside every two hours, if I forgot, she just peed on whatever was most convenient, which says I was trained to take her out every two hours.......

But that is sure a cute puppy......which makes me want a new puppy.......man I wish they weren't so cute...haha

9:36 PM  
Blogger -atomik kitten said...

I love Canasta! Thanks for making me a link! :)

7:52 AM  

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