TRAINING A DOG

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 53, 31 August 1939, Page 22

TRAINING A DOG

RESPONSE TO TEACHING

A French philosopher once remarked that whenever a man was lonely God sent him a dog, writes the kennel correspondent of "The Times." Apart from companionship, men and women have no better friends than their dogs, yet few realise their responsibilities to animals that are dependent upon them for their happiness and well-being. The commonest mistake is to be over-fond, to allow the dog to have its own way, to pamper it with food that is bad for its digestive organs, and allow it to become the master. A spoilt dog is as objectionable as a spoilt child. If we are to make the most of its friendship it should be made to realise from the beginning that we are superior persons who should be respected. Then it will become really attached to us, looking to us for guidance and amusement.

I once saw a man standing in a hotel garden while his terrier lay on the path. "What are you doing?" I asked. "I want to take Peter to the stables, but he will not go," was the reply. "Nonsense," I said, "he must be made to go," and taking the lead I soon had Peter moving. Can anything sillier or more undignified be imagined, yet such incidents are of common occurrence. "Man has his will —but woman has her way," wrote the poet. So it is frequently the case with man and his dog. It is the dog that calls the tune while its master pays the piper. Most dogs are responsive to kind but firm teaching. A quiet "No" when anything is done that is not allowed is soon understood, and the command "Here!" is quickly obeyed if a little fuss is made of the dog as it comes to heel.

A dog is of more use indoors than out at night if it is required to guard the premises, and the hall is as good a place as any, commanding as it does most of the ground floor. For some years there has been an epidemic of burglaries in the outlying districts of London. One cannot help thinking that many of them could have been prevented if vigilant dogs had slept on the ground floor of the houses. Halls are often draughty places, so a box or basket raised a few inches off the ground should be provided for the dog. As for bedding, a cushion with a washable cover, straw, which must be renewed frequently, or a rug will do very well. Dogs should not be allowed on chairs or settees, although they will do their utmost to get there unless they are taught that this is forbidden territory. They soon find out that chairs are out of the draught as well as being more comfortable than the carpet.

Cleanliness in the house dog is taken as a matter of course. A daily brush will keep the coat in decent condition and is beneficial in every way. A combing several times a week is necessary for those that have long coats, but care should be taken not to break the hair, the idea being to prevent matting. After the brushing wipe the dog down with a cloth that has been dipped in a mild disinfectant and wrung as dry as possible. Then give a final polish with a dry cloth or hair glove. With such treatment washing will seldom be necessary. Powdered chalk rubbed into the coat thoroughly and afterwards brushed out is a useful dry-cleaning agent that is favoured by exhibitors of wire-haired terriers.