PETS AND THE HOLIDAYS
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For example, there's no better gift for a dog, in my
opinion, than a training program that teaches proper social
behavior. In today's world pets must be well
mannered, for their own health and safety and for the sake
of the people (and other pets) around them.
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At the very least, Bowser needs to learn to respond
properly to "sit," "stay," "come," and "heel"—and he
needs to know how to do these on command, no
matter what the distraction. These are the basic behavior
lessons; you can teach him tricks later, such as fetch,
shake hands, play dead, and roll over.
Many communities sponsor obedience classes that are
inexpensive, if not free-check with your town's parks and
recreation department or a local kennel club or pet store.
Or ask your veterinarian.
Or, you be the teacher. There are any number of fine books
that'll show you how to instruct Pooch in the basics of
good behavior. Browse through the pet section at a
bookstore, or peruse the 636s and 639s at the library.
And that brings me to my next gift suggestion: Give your
pet a more capable, more understanding, more involved owner
by educating yourself about animals and their care. There
are literally stacks of informative books on pets. You can
learn about specific breeds of dogs or cats, about the
proper care and keeping of reptiles or rodents or birds,
about pet exercise and animal psychology. If you like to
cook, you might be interested in one of the many pet-food
cookbooks on the market. There are even books on animal
astrology for those who are interested in that field. The
selection is virtually unlimited.
To help you choose, here are some of my favorites:
How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend: A Training Manual for
Dog Owners,
by the monks of New Skete.
The Invisible Leash: A Better Way to Communicate With
Your Dog,
by Myrna M. Milani, D.V.M.
Good Dog, Bad Dog,
by Mordecai Siegal and Matthew Margolis.
When Good Dogs Do Bad Things,
by Mordecai Siegal and Matthew Margolis.
No Bad Dogs: Training Dogs the Woodhouse Way,
by Barbara Woodhouse.
Pet Aerobics: How to Solve Your Pets' Behavior
Problems, Improve Their Health, Lengthen Their Lives and
Have Fun Doing It,
by Warren Eckstein and Fay Eckstein.
How to Have A Healthier Dog. The Benefitsof
Vitamins and Minerals for Your Dog's Life Cycles, by
Wendel O. Belfield, D.V.M., and Martin Zucker.
