Question 11: When will my
dog be able to go to the park without a leash and stay close to me?
Answer: In many states, this is against the leash laws. Also, there are many loose dogs in
parks that could attack your dog. It’s not a good idea to walk your dog without a
leash.
| Question 12: How soon
can I teach good behavior at the door when people come to visit? |
|
 |
Question 13: If I train my dog, will it lose its
personality?
Answer: If you teach your child manners, does it lose its personality? No, and if you
don’t train it, it could lose its life.
Question 14: When will my adult dog stop acting like
a puppy?
Answer: Hopefully, it will always have the great attitude of a puppy. You can’t teach
maturity. Go to a group training class to teach your dog to settle down.
Question 15: I’ve read lots of training websites
and they sound great, but when I try to do the things they say, it doesn’t work as
smoothly for me.
Answer: Websites can’t take the place of a good trainer.
Question 16: I have two dogs, and they don’t
listen to me when they’re together.
Answer: Work with them individually, and use different commands for each dog. Instead of
"no" for both dogs, use "stop" for one. Make sure they both know their
names, and say the dog’s name before you give it a command.
Question 18: I’m in training with my dog now and
I’m enjoying it, but how long will I need to use all these training techniques?
Answer: Use them the same way you use training wheels on a bicycle – until
you don’t need them! If in future months or years you start having problems, go back
and use them again.
Question 19: I feel sorry for my dog when I have to
correct it or go to the training classes.
Answer: If you are using humane, effective corrections and training techniques,
relax. Don’t feel too sorry for the pet; instead, compare its lifestyle to yours. It
has free room and board, free beauty treatments, free medical care, no job and no taxes
– rough life, isn’t it? We will work our entire lives and never acquire
circumstances like those!
Question 20: I’ve tried everything on my dog and
nothing works. He’s untrainable!
Answer: When people say this to me, they usually mean, "I’ve tried
everything everybody has shown me or told me or that I’ve read, for at least two
days." Remember that you have to use any method for at lest three weeks, every day,
before you can know if it works or not. It’s like going to the gym: Two days of
working out doesn’t accomplish much.
Question 21: It takes my dog ten to fifteen minutes
to settle down when I get home from work.
Answer: When you’re showing a dog in competition, there are about 2,000
other dogs around (many are females in heat) and about as many people and the dogs must
settle down at a moment’s notice. They do it because the owner makes them do it. They
would not be allowed to compete if they didn’t concentrate and pay attention to the
owner’s commands. Always correct your dog for being out of control as though
you’d already been home for several hours. In other words, your dog doesn’t
settle down because in your mind you don’t believe it can. Let me tell you, if
someone came up to you and bet you a very large sum of money that you couldn’t make
your dog settle down immediately when you come home, I’ll bet within a week
you’d have that dog behaving beautifully every time you walked through the door. It
all depends on your expectations and effort.
Question 22: My dog doesn’t like to sit when
we’re walking on the leash and I stop.
Answer: I live in Arizona and I don’t think it’s always comfortable for a dog to
sit on the sidewalk or asphalt when it’s 90 degrees or warmer. I just want the dog to
stay in the heel position and stop when I stop. (If you’re in obedience competition,
then of course the dog must sit every time.)
