Owning a dog is expensive, no doubt about it. Food, veterinary expenses, vacation care, equipment and toys -- they all add up, sometimes to more than you'd like to think about.
But one of the most important elements of keeping a dog happy is free, in limitless supply and never used enough. That element? Praise!
On almost any summer evening you can find an obedience class in your community, full of eager beginners and excited dogs trying to master the rudiments of correct canine social behavior. The skills of a dog trainer are pretty tough to learn, and for most beginners, learning to walk with the dog at heel without tripping on left turns, the leash or the dog is quite an accomplishment.
But they're working at it, anyone can see. Sit nearby and watch, and you can see them recite the steps as they go through the exercises. By the time they get to that last step -- praise -- it's forgotten or glossed over with a quick and cursory "Good dog." And that's too bad.
A dog trainer told me once that teaching new dog owners to praise their pups is the hardest part of her classes. Another trainer makes it part of his lesson plan to teach people not only to praise their dogs, but also how to play with them. He does it for a reason: All praise is good, but praise specially tailored to connect with the dog's way of reacting is 10 times more effective.
So how do you get through to your pet in a positive way? Here are a few tips:
-- Use the right tone of voice. Dogs communicate with each other through sounds easily duplicated by humans. If you're unhappy with your dog, for example, dropping your voice to a low rumble will closely approximate the growling of a dog. For praise, use a sweet, high-pitched crooning voice -- "Goooooooood doooogggg. Aaaren't youuuu a gooood doooog?" Try your new crooning voice on your dog, and if his tail isn't wagging within five seconds, go up another octave. "GoOOOoood dooooog."
-- Tap into your dog's body language. Eye contact is one of the most important areas of communication for dogs, and mastering eye contact, dog-style, immediately strengthens your relationship. Catch your dog's eye by swooping your hand under his chin, bringing your fingers back up near your eyes while you make a clucking noise. The upward motion and the sound will orient your dog's eyes up so he's looking right into your own. When they lock in, praise. "GooooOOOOOoooood dooog."
-- Tailor your petting style to your dog. Some dogs go crazy when petted; others hardly notice. Keep the petting -- a little chest pat, or a chin scratch -- light for the most touch-sensitive, and a little more boisterous for the inattentive. Don't let the dog take petting as an excuse to go crazy -- lighten up on the pats, but don't correct him -- and let your eyes and voice do most of the praising.
-- Smile when you say that, pardner. Dogs understand many of our facial expressions because they use similar ones to communicate with each other. A smiling face is understood in both species, but if you really want to get through, make it as wide-open a smile as you can. You're trying to approximate that big panting grin a happy dog has. Panting is optional, but fun.
You'll probably find that you were doing most of it right. If you weren't, don't despair -- consider how hard it is sometimes to communicate with our OWN species! Practice praise often. Your dog won't mind, because to a dog, praise is payday and thank-you all rolled into one. Plus, it'll strengthen the bond between you.
PETS ON THE WEB
What would you do with your pets in a disaster? If you don't have a plan, a good place to start is with the American Red Cross page of disaster planning tips for animal-lovers (www.redcross.org/disaster/safety/pets.html), prepared in conjunction with the Humane Society of the United States. What's really impressive about this site is its thoroughness: Instead of limiting the discussion to dogs and cats, the Red Cross and HSUS offer suggestions for those with any animal companions -- birds, reptiles and small pets such as rabbits and hamsters.
PET TIP
How old is your cat in "people years"? Some suggest a guideline of one "cat year" equal to four "people years," but it really doesn't work out that neatly. You can see the problem from the beginning: A 1-year-old cat is nearly mature, but you can't say the same thing about a human 4-year-old.
A better way to figure it is to count the first year of a cat's life as comparable to the time a human reaches the early stages of adulthood -- the age of 15 or so. Like a human adolescent, a year-old cat looks fairly grown up and is capable of becoming a parent, but is lacking in emotional maturity.
The second year takes a cat to the equivalent of full adulthood in humans -- a 2-year-old cat is roughly equivalent to a person in the mid-20s. After that, the "one equals four" rule works pretty well. A 6-year-old cat is nicely middle-aged, as is a person in the early 40s.
Oh -- and forget the "one equals seven" rule for dogs. Figure the first couple of years for a dog as you would for a cat, and then add five "people years" for every "dog year" thereafter. Except that small dogs generally mature early and live longer, and giant breeds mature late and can have relatively short lifespans, which throws things off even more.
Confused? Remember what's most important when it comes to keeping those years adding up: working to prevent accidents by keeping your pets contained, as well as ensuring good health through proper nutrition, exercise and preventive veterinary care.
QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK
Q: We have a 10-week-old Lab/shepherd mix. She's a very calm puppy who has a few energetic bursts every day. I was wondering if you have any suggestions for helping us to get her to explore a little more. We don't mind her being calm, but we don't want her to be extremely scared or nervous of new things and people. Will getting another dog help? She is very interested in watching other dogs when we take her to the veterinarian or when they appear on TV. -- E.K., via the Internet
A: Assuming she has checked out OK healthwise, you've probably got a perfectly normal pup who is just a little on the shy side, a situation that may be temporarily made worse by the uncertainty of a new home and the brief natural periods of shyness all pups go through.
I wouldn't suggest another dog, but getting your pup into the company of other canines is a great idea. The best thing you could do for your pup is to enroll her in a puppy class. Usually offered for puppies starting as young as 3 to 4 months, these classes are about play and socialization, and set the stage for more serious training later. Check with your veterinarian, recreation district or pet-supply store for classes.
In your daily routine, be careful to avoid rewarding shy behavior by accident, such as soothing her when she's acting scared, which sends the wrong message.
Let your pup take her time in working through her shyness. Show her by your attitude that there's nothing to fear -- and praise her for being brave!
Q: We have a chow with a very thick coat, and she gets really hot in the summer. Is it a good idea to shave her down?
A: If you keep your dog well-groomed and ensure adequate shade and water -- or bring her inside -- there's no reason to shave off her coat. Long-haired breeds really aren't as bothered by hot weather as dogs with dark coats (such as Rottweilers or black Labradors) or short muzzles (such as pugs and boxers).
If your pet's coat isn't in the best of shape, though, you might consider a haircut after all. The most humane way of dealing with a badly matted coat in long-haired dogs or cats is to cut it short -- not a close shave, though -- and then work to keep the coat mat-free as it grows out again.
I'm guessing you have a chow at least in part because you like the look of the coat. Do your part to keep it taken care of, and you'll be able to enjoy seeing it year-round, without your pet being miserable.
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Giori(at)aol.com.
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