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PLAY
1. Do you play with your dog?_____
2. Do you rough-house (wrestle, push and shove)
with your dog?_____
3. Do you play tug-of-war with your dog?_____
4. What games do you play?_________________________
_______________________________________________
Playing with your dog is an excellent way to build a
good
relationship, but you must play the right games in
the right
way. As the leader, you should always "win."
Some games
actually encourage behavior problems and
should be avoided. Others teach good behavior and
should be taught or
encouraged. |
FEEDING
1. Is your dog on a feeding schedule?_____or
self-feed (food left our at all times)?_____
2. Do you ever feed your dog "people food" from the
table?_____
3. Does your dog ever growl or act protective of the
food when eating?_____
4. Do you have any behavior problems associated
with feeding the dog?_____
Feeding is a leadership, or relationship, issue. It becomes
a training issue if the dog is not motivated to try
to learn for a treat - which happens if he isn't hungry.
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GROOMING
1. Do you brush your dog?_____
2. Does a groomer groom your dog?_____If "yes,"
have they ever mentioned having a problem
with the dog?_____
3. Does your dog wiggle, toss his head, or struggle
when
you brush him or handle his ears, mouth, feet,
or any
other part of the body?_____Does he
growl or snap?_____
4. If your dog needed medicine in his ears, eyes, on a
cut,
or in his mouth, could you treat him without a
struggle?_____
This management and leadership issue is very important
in everyday handling of the dog. You should be
able to
brush the dog withnot a struggle, rub his ears,
individual
toes, or any other body parts. You should also
be able
to open his mouth, rub his gums, lift his eyelids
without
any head tossing. Teaching your dog to accept
this
handling will pay off down the road if he becomes
sick
or injured. |
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
1. Where does your dog sleep at night?_____________
___________________________________________
2. Where does your dog stay if you are gone during
the day?___________________________________
3. Do you have a fenced yard?_____A dog
pen?_____
Is your dog chained?_____Does he run loose or
unsupervised
in an unfenced area?_____
4. Is your dog in the house all the time?______Part
of
the time?____Never?____
5. Do you have other dogs?_____How many?______
Where your dog sleeps and lives is very important in
how he, perceives his status in his human "pack".
How you manage these things is very much a leadership issue.
Giving the dog the freedom to choose will lower
your status in his eyes. Instead, control his environment
until he learns obedience commands and your rules. His
freedom is something he must earn, not something that
is his right.
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