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Show B4 The Emery County Review, Tuesday, September 2, 2008 ANIMAL LIFE Pet & Livestock Health, Training Tips and Information DOG TALK Expectations: More Realistic, Less Great Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis You can take the dog out of the wild, but you can’t take the dog out of the dog. No matter how hip his clothes or immaculate his pawdicure, your dog is a dog with all the instincts that come with. It’s your job to know the difference between an instinct and a problem. For example: Dogs dig. This is the dog’s natural denning instinct. In the wild, the holes dogs dig serve myriad functions: as sleeping quarters that are out of the elements and protected from extreme climates; as a warm, safe nest for the birth of pups; and as a storage place for hunted food so that other predators can’t steal their loot. To dismiss a dog’s backyard digging as mindless or as a spiteful revenge against you is to misunderstand one of your dog’s deepest instincts. Dogs bark. Another instinct, this one is derived from the need to communicate with other dogs and pack members. It’s as natural as our need to talk to one another, to express our needs and desires. It also can be as annoying as that person yapping into a cell phone on a crowded elevator. But that doesn’t mean your pup’s barking should be met with a cold stare or a stern lecture on etiquette. Save it for the cell phone culprit. Dogs jump. This instinct has its roots in love, war, play and the claim for dominance. You’d be surprised how much wild dogs do while standing upright. Canine courtship involves a hug-like position between a male and female wolf, with both standing on their hind legs. Dogs often rear up like horses when playing with other dogs. And wolves fighting over matters of mating, feeding and dominance will stand on their hind legs and paw at each other. In the end, the dominant wolf positions himself with his front paws on top of the opposing wolf’s back. Dogs also undergo natural bodily processes, such as teething and the elimination of waste. Recently a client called, distraught that her puppy was chewing her furniture and wouldn’t stop. It sounded like a classic case of teething. She was shocked. “Dogs teethe?” As dog owners, our job is not to work against our dog’s instincts and natural processes, but to understand and prepare for them. Basic research and obedience training help tremendously. If your pup is busy obeying your Down/ Stay command, he won’t be able to jump. If he’s occupied with your Sit/Stay command, he is unable to tear out the front door and down the street as if he’s chasing tonight’s dinner across the frontier. A child’s wading pool or a dog run can help soften the effects of the denning instinct, which, like all instincts, will be stronger in some dogs than others. And some safe and effective products are now available to help you calm Fido’s barking in your absence. The citronella collar, voice-activated and nontoxic, releases a citronella spray whenever your pooch barks. This is a decent peace-keeping option among neighbors, but should not substitute for ADOPT A PET We Aren’t Related These kittens are looking for a place to call home. They can be yours for $62.50, which includes spay and rabies vaccination. An AVID Chip is also available at the time of the adoption for $12. This pet and many others are available at the Emery County Animal Shelter in Castle Dale, 490 West, SR-29. Call 381-2539 for more information. Animal Hospital Large & Small Animals and prevents long-term housebreaking problems. With your diligence, your pup can be housebroken in as few as one to three days. And the natural pain of teething can be allayed with frozen washcloths offered as a chew toy in lieu of furniture legs. We can curb canine instincts and teach them to Kritter Klips animal grooming (435) 637-5797 or 1-800-718-5797 Working with animals for over 24 years We Carry Science Diet Pet Food A MeMBer of The AMericAn AniMAl hospiTAl AssociATion training. Ideally, your dog is able and allowed to bark under certain circumstances. Many a barking dog has saved a sleeping human from fire, flood, natural gas leaks and the intrusion of ne’er-do-wells into the home. Crate training teaches a pup where and when you’d like him to eliminate live in our households and neighborhoods, but we can’t erase those instincts entirely. A dog will always be a dog, and our expectations should be realistic. As Henry Pockett explained to Pip in Dickens’ “Great Expectations”: No varnish can hide the grain of the wood. Woof! (Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Copyright 2008 Creators Syndicate Inc.) •Grooming •Dog Training •Pet Boarding •Pet Photos J. Boyd Thayn, D.V.M. 1989 Airport Road Price, UT “I will Match or Beat Anyone’s Prices!” Jackie Barney Groomer/Trainer 385 W. Main Ferron, UT • 435-609-1007 Sequoya Boarding & Grooming ASSA Member Cheryl Sorensen Alisha Roberts Have a Smarter Puppy with Science Diet Pet Foods! Science Diet Contains DHA Fish Oils. In clinical trials, DHA has been proven to increase trainability in puppies when compared to puppies that don’t have DHA in their diet. Glen Jensen, DVM Hand Scissoring & Shaping 28 Years (435) 384-2665 100 East Rock Canyon Road, Clawson 7 miles South of Castle Dale Specializing in training, handling and exhibiting of AQHA horses in Halter and Western Performance. Hal & April Schiffner www.risingsunqh.com Sharmon Gilbert, DVM 490 West Hwy 29 Castle %BMF t 435-381-2539 Quarter Horses and Arena, LLC (435)749-7120 (cell) • Castle Dale, UT |
