Moksha McClure Special to the Garden Island Is your pooch a mooch? Does your keeshond earn his keep? Is your Spaniel spoiled? When we think of working dogs we may think of dogs bred to herd, guard, retrieve and rescue.
Moksha McClure
Special to the Garden Island
Is your pooch a mooch? Does your keeshond earn his keep? Is your Spaniel spoiled?
When we think of working dogs we may think of dogs bred to herd, guard, retrieve and rescue. Although having a canine that will bring you a cask of brandy or herd your cats may seem ideal, even Pomeranians can contribute.
Unfortunately, all too many dog owners find themselves doing all the work in their canine/human relationships. Alas, as any parent can tell you, being a pushover won’t get you any r-e-s-p-e-c-t. No worries; even if your bulldog bulldozes you at the door, there’s an easy solution.
Although most of our pooches live lives of ease, it’s okay to make them work for the things they want. Almost everything your dog desires (besides the neighbor’s cat), is within your power to bequeath. Food, toys, affection, praise and pets (the tactile kind, still not the neighbor’s cat) are all great bargaining chips. You may hold more cards than you realize: Going outside, coming in, going for a walk and getting to greet a guest are all winning examples.
It’s no great trick; simply demand something in exchange for that which your canine covets. By establishing and enforcing these guidelines, you’ll not only get a better deal, you’ll also get a better behaved pet. That’s because you’ll be regularly reminding your dog that you’re the alpha rather than the Sherpa.
So in order for Fido to earn a long walk, his job should be to walk nicely on a leash next to or behind you. If he wants outside, ask him to sit and stay and allow you to go first. If he wants to play fetch, insist he retrieves and releases the Frisbee (yes, he’s supposed to be the one fetching). If Fido wants to greet a visitor, he should wait calmly until he’s invited to do so. A deal is a deal so when you establish the arrangement, stick with the program and (eventually) your dog will too.
Your solutions don’t have to be too creative. Some of the first commands learned in puppy school are also the most effective. Before you give away the farm, make your pup sit and stay or lay down.
Meal time is a prime time to enforce who the boss is. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, don’t free feed or use a kibble dispenser. Do insist on a sit and stay before allowing your pup to eat. Not so long ago, dogs had to track and down prey: Giving us a simple sit and stay before being served is child’s play.
No bones about it — dogs need jobs too. Don’t gamble on bad behavior. You don’t have to cope with the hand you were dealt. Giving your pooch guidelines to follow does not make you mean. But it will give you a little well-deserved R-E-S P-E-C-T which may prove useful the next time your neighbor’s cat is around.
Moksha McClure is the founder of Whiskers Resort, a pet hotel in Lihu‘e offering doggie day care, training, grooming, and overnight boarding for cats and dogs for more than a decade. Prior to owning Whiskers, Moksha hiked multi-dog packs off-leash “dog whisperer” style in the mountains of Santa Fe, N.M.
An animal lover since an early age, Moksha became vegetarian when she was age 8 and has been pet-sitting most of her life. She has cared for a smorgasbord of animals from bunnies to burros, pigs to parrots, and reptiles to racehorses.
Visit www.WhiskersResort.com or call 241-PETS.
