The Charlotte Observer, N.C., Glad You Asked Column: `Dog Whisperer’ Tells Us Why Those Pooches Won’t Shut Up
By Jeff Elder, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.
Nov. 19–Q. Do dogs ever get laryngitis? If so, how does it happen? If not, how many times do I have to let that dog bark before I can yell at it? — Deborah, Milwaukee
Good luck with the laryngitis, Deborah. A dog trainer in Florida named Rena Murray told me she’s worked with dogs that’ve barked until they passed out. But she’s never seen one lose its voice just from barking.
Maybe we’d do better to find out WHY those dogs are barking. I got a really great source to “whisper” to me.
Oops, wrong column.
The expert I turned to is famous for whispering to dogs. It’s Cesar Millan, host of the program “Dog Whisperer” on the National Geographic Channel. He can get inside dogs’ heads as well as anybody.
He says that, over the centuries, human beings have actually rewarded dogs for barking.
“When humans first started domesticating dogs, one of the things we liked most about them was their barking. They could warn us of dangers, and when hunting, they could let us know from far away if they had found our prey.”
Today we don’t appreciate the barking so much. That dog in your neighbor’s fenced-in back yard might drive you crazy! Millan says the fence might be one reason he barks. “When dogs live behind walls — whether those walls are a one-bedroom apartment or a 20-acre estate — they store up a lot of nervous energy that makes them more likely to bark at little things.”
What can dog owners do?
Millan recommends “exercise, discipline, and affection — in that order.”
How you take your dog for a walk is important, he says.
“A vigorous, 45-minute walk — done correctly, with you in front! — every morning is crucial. This represents a primal migration with the pack leader. So it becomes both a physical and psychological exercise. … Well over 50 percent of all barking cases are caused by lack of exercise.”
You also have to take charge.
“From the first time your dog begins barking at a time you don’t agree with, you need to let your dog know firmly that you don’t agree with that behavior. Only once your dog begins to understand and obey your rules should you reward with affection or treats.”
How can we ordinary people become dog whisperers?
Leadership, he says. Good training brings your dog’s respect. Then comes great communication. Glad You Asked Frontal Lobes of the Week
Could you find out what these people have in common?
On Friday we asked you to name what the trios of famous people below have in common. Here are some people who solved the quiz. Paul Bellamy, Virginia Bryan, John Morgan, Barbara and Guy Snow, Bruce and Patricia Nims, Don Poe, Lynn Smith and Steve Stout, Dave Bachmann, Eric Banks, Dan Wiley, Richard Cosgrove and Liz Nichols.
1. Shania Twain, Alex Trebek and Jim Carrey. They’re Canadian. 2.
Halle Berry, Adam Morrison and B.B. King. They’re diabetic. 3.
Pamela Anderson, Bob Barker and Thomas Edison. They’re vegetarian. 4.
Steve Largent, Bill Bradley and Heath Shuler. They’re pro athletes who became politicians. 5.
Peter Jennings, Cher and Richard Pryor. They’re high school dropouts.
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HAVE A QUESTION?
E-mail Jeff Elder at glad@charlotteobserver.com or call him at 704-358-5032.
Jeff
Elder
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.
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