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The Huron Expositor, 1998-06-10, Page 3Obedience class is for the dogs Pet owners learn proper training for well-mannered, behaved dogs BY SCOTT HILGENDORFF Expositor Editor Jazz doesn't always come when asked. Rupert is a little too high strung. Max and Cloe need help with their house manners. Detentions are never given out and the students in this classroom don't necessarily suffer from discipline problems but they can be a handful They arc the students enrolled in Anita and Alex Hansen's dog obedience school. "If you don't tell the dog the rules, he'll never know the rules," said Hansen. She teaches the class through the Seaforth Recreation Department on Tuesday nights. "All we want people to do is enjoy their dogs," she said. Most of the lessons learned are directed toward house manners; keeping the dog out from underfoot. not jumping on people and not chewing things. "Dogs chew. Dogs dig. Dogs bark. Dogs bite. A lot of people forget, that's the nature of a dog," she said, adding it's hard to teach people how to train their dogs. Dog owners tend to spoil their pets, whether it be letting them have a favorite chair to sit in or lick the dishes before they are put in the dishwasher. That can lead to possessive hehavior and some of the unfortunate incidents that have heen reported in the media lately of dog attacks and children being killed by normally kind pets., After a dog has been allowed to sit in:a favorite chair, it may growl or kite when someone else sits their unexpectedly. In the incident involving loading the dishwasher, Hansen said there was a situation where a child was helping the dog owner load the dishes and a jealous dog bit thc girl. She said people have to remember that dogs are animals and have to be treated cautiously. The Nansens have three Akitas and watch them all the time whenever children are around. If one of them seems to be acting stressed or agitated, the dog is taken away from the child. Shc has seen dog owners who praise how well their dogs arc with young children because they tolerate the child climbing on it, pulling its ears or poking it in the eye. "I don't care how wonderful they arc. a dog can do something unpredictable," she said. Her own son was not allowed alone with their dogs until he was 14. Shc said the dog begins getting angry 'and stressed until it becomes stressed any time a child come near. Eventually that dog is going to feel a need to defend itself and Hansen said, "Dogs can only defend themselves by biting." While she said it can be a mental disability that causes a dog to become aggressive, most of the time it can be linked to training. With the Hansen's dog owners are taught basic elements from "sit -stay" where the dog is given a command to sit and 'Men remain there while the owner walks away. `All we want people to do is enjoy their dogs' —Anita Hansen Dogs . are taught to heal at their owners' sides and to ignore distractions such as other dogs. They stipulate, no anger or hitting. "Anger breeds anger;" she said. Instead, the dogs are rewarded, quickly, for the right behavior but not scold it when it makes a mistake. , For example, one of the exercises is for the dog to come to the owner when commanded. But if the dog doesn't come right away and the owner yells at it when it does come, it is going to learn that when it comes, it's going to get yelled at. "They cannot give their dog heck for something it didn't know it'cobldn't do," she said. Hansen said owners can ruin their training by doing that. "All we want people to do is enjoy their dogs. If you don't tell the dog the roles, he'll never learn," she said. Two of the Hansen's dogs, Kuma and Kylie have certificates in a competition level for obedience and Sasha; their youngest, is going for it soon. , Elaine Harris is taking Hansen's class for a second time, taking her dog, Jazz to another level of training. "We're pushing her further. She has to sit longer. Alex will bounce balls past her, throw toys at her," Harris explained. Jazz has to learn to avoid those distractions. Jazz is a Rottweiler, known for its aggressive behavior and one of the reasons Hams is making sure she is properly trained. Harris first started taking obedience school when Jazz was four months. "She's still got a lot of the puppy left in there," Harris said and at nine months, Jazz is back for more training. "It takes a year to a year - and -a -half to get the puppy out of them," Hansen said. The "puppy" is the energy and spirit and the chewing and biting tendencies. ' "Everyone would like me to wave a magic wand," said Hansen but training a dog THE HURON EXPOSITOR, JUNE 10, 19E16-3 takes dedication and patience. She said some students would like to come to class the first week and leave with obedience issues resolved. Once they realize it takes times, even after the classes, she said the students gradually see tesults in their animals. "I've owned dogs before but never really knew how to do it," said Harris. "As a responsible dog owner, I wanted to do it right." Harris taught her own children not to pet a strange dog without asking the owner first but knows other parents haven't and watches Jazz closely, like Hansen advises. Harris remembers an incident when she was walking. Jazz and a young girl came running up, suddenly, to pct Jazz. Jazz has been trained that she is not allowed to have attention from anyone unless she is sitting down. Being vigilant, Harris was aware the girl was coming and had Jazz sitting. She was gentle with the girl and obeyed her training. But Hams said if she hadn't been paying attention, Jazz could have lunged at the girl knocking her over in the sudden excitement. While teaching basic skills to thc animals, such as not jumping up in excitement, Hansen still works with the individual owncrs and breeds, helping solve individual "As a responsible dog owner, I wanted to do it right' —Elaine Harris SDHS Grade 8 night postponed pending • administration approval Seaforth District High School still needs you. The message remains for Grade 8 students who are being invited to attend a special high school event, postponed from June 9 to June 19. Original plans were to show Grade 8s how great SDHS can be by inviting them to a fun Summer Olympics and barbeque. It was supposed to have taken place yesterday. SDHS Principal Bruce Eccles said the June 9 date was tentative for the barbeque. At the time of the May 27 edition of the Expositor final plans bad not yet been approved by administration. Since May 27, plans have changed, partly because of an art show held last night at the school among other conflicts present on the originally proposed date. Details of the revised June 19 day remain in the planning stages. Anything beyond a tour of the school that is held annually for Oracle 8s has been approved by administration, said. Linda Doig, of Guidance, Students' Council, Peer Mentors and the PUMPED Group are working to iron out plant for administration's approval, Which may include a barbeque, a club fair, and other fan possibilities to encourage involvement in helping keep the school viable. By lane Powell PSH CO.OPFA 'S cEt SWIMMING LESSONS July 6 - 17, 1998 Aug. 10 - 21, 1998 All levels of the aquaquest program are available. Including Parent & Tots. Transportation to and from the Centre is available. Cost -'37.00 per child Private & Semi -Private Lessons are available Call 527-0682 ASAP .prdblems. , She said students often come to her with problems she's never seen before. With a dog that's high strung, Hansen will Igok at its diet to sec if it's 'getting the right food. Harris said that's part of what impresses her about Hansen; each breed of dog reacts differently to training and Hansen's instruction reflects that. "You really have to get in their heads to figure out what they're doing," Hansen said. Hansen's own dogs, Akitas, arc a hrced that doesn't like to be told what to do, adding to the success of doing so well at a competitvc level. Different breeds will lead to different results in training. "You have to remember what kind of dog you're buying. Poodles are bird dogs, Hounds sniff. That's what they're bred to do," she said. She said when there is a discipline problem. they try to figure out what is happening at hotnc that might Icad to the inappropriate behavior; anything from chewing up furniture to growling. With Jazz, Harris has found the more she works with Jazz. the mote the dog has bonded with her. After training, Harris said she can enjoy walking with Jazz. Shc is looking forward to training Jazz with Hansen at a third level where they work on agility tasks. But Harris is going to wait until Jazz is about 18 months old and the puppy is all gone before she takes that step: Neil Mitchell and Yankee must get past Joyce McLure and Mackenzie without getting distracted while Elaine Harris gives Jazz some deserved attention after allowing Harris to walk away while she remained sitting and then came when called. HILGENDORFF PHOTOS Complete Automotive Repair "Class A Mechanic" TIRE SALES, SERVICE & REPAIR ARCHIE'S Sewe a Bute e ® 527-0881® 24 Goderich St. E. 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