Dr. Marty Becker
Q: My dog barks whenever I’m talking to someone else, whether in person or on the phone. How can I get her to stop?
You have a smart dog who has trained you well. If she barks when you’re talking to someone else, you tell her to be quiet. That attention is a reward; even if she’s being scolded, to her it’s better than being ignored.The best way to change her behavior is to ignore it instead of rewarding it. Every conversation can be a training session. Here’s how to start.
Any time you’re speaking to someone, look away from your dog , but stand in such a way that you can still see her. That allows you to quickly reward behavior you want, like sitting quietly while you talk.
If your dog barks, don’t respond. When you first start doing this, expect the barking to get worse at first. Your dog is going to bark louder and longer in an attempt to get your attention. It will take a little time for her to learn that her trick doesn’t work anymore.
At the same time, watch for behavior you can reward. For instance, when the conversation starts, reward if she is near you but not barking. As it continues, reward quietly sitting, lying down or standing, mouth closed. Toss a treat on the floor for this type of calm behavior. You can also encourage silence by looking at her or giving pets or praise.
If you and everyone else in the family are consistent, your dog will learn that barking isn’t rewarded, but settling down and relaxing is. Gradually phase out treats and reward calm, quiet behavior with praise or petting. Positive attention is what your dog really wants. You just need to show her how to get it.
— Mikkel Becker
PET BUZZ
Keep busy with pets this month
The holiday season doesn’t end on New Year’s Day. Pet celebrations for January include Walk Your Pet Month, National Train Your Dog Month, National Bird Day on Jan. 5 and Change a Pet ’s Life Day on Jan. 24. Take your dog for a walk somewhere new every week; sign up for a fun class such as trick training, nose work or a manners refresher; spend some one-on-one time with your bird or buy them a new toy to destroy; or change a life by fostering or adopting.
Skeletal oddities of cats
With a combined 20 thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, cats have more bones in a key part of their spine than humans, who have only 17. The additional bones account in part for the feline ability to accelerate rapidly and leap tall bookcases in a single bound. The small stalk-and-pounce predators can attain speeds of more than 30 miles per hour over short distances and jump several times their height. Another skeletal oddity is a free-floating collarbone, enabling them to squeeze through openings the width of their whisker span — as long as they’re not overweight!
Dogs with a reputation for longevity
The average dog lifespan is 10 to 13 years, but some small-and medium-size breeds have a reputation for longevity, often living into their mid to late teens — or even longer. If you want a best friend who falls into that category, consider one of the following: Australian cattle dog , beagle, Chihuahua, cardigan or Pembroke Welsh corgi, dachshund, Chinese crested, Jack Russell terrier, papillon, Pomeranian, toy poodle, Shih Tzu or silken windhound. The dog who currently holds the record for longest life was Bobi, a Portuguese Rafeiro do Alentejo, who lived to be more than 31 years old. The second oldest was an Australian cattle dog named Bluey, who lived to be more than 29 years old.
— Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker
Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker. Pet Connection is produced by veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, journalist Kim Campbell Thornton, and dog trainer/behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. ©2024 Andrews McMeel Syndication
Source link
