Dear Matthew: I recently bought a 2-month-old puppy, and I'm planning on having her trained. I'm a little unsure of what I should do, however, since I've heard a number of conflicting things about the different training methods.
While my inclination is to take the time to train my puppy at home, a friend of mine says I ought to sign up for a training class. (He also says it's a good way to meet women, but that's beside the point, right?)Is one way better than another, or does it really matter that much?
- P.J. in Silver Springs, Md.
Dear P.J.: Cruising for women at the local dog-training class, huh? Well, I guess I have noticed that guys with dogs always seem to get more attention. But that's a whole different column.
Right now, I'm afraid the ladies are going to have to wait since a puppy under the age of 6 months hasn't had all of its shots and shouldn't be around a group of other dogs because it might catch something from them. I'd recommend buying a good training book and starting on the basics, like housebreaking and simple obedience.
You might also want to consider hiring a personal trainer to come to your house and work with you and your dog. Of course, this is more expensive than doing it yourself, but the expert advice that a trainer provides can be invaluable.
Still, it looks like you're willing to put in the time and effort to do it yourself - and trust me, it's going to be a lot of time and effort.
Once your dog is old enough, a dog-training class could be a lot of fun. Or, if you want your dog to have a more thorough, extensive training, you can board her at a kennel - doggie boot camp, if you will.
Whatever you do, remember to have patience with your new companion and to always treat her with love and respect. If you do, you'll have a loyal friend for life.
Dear Matthew: My cat has been, to put it nicely, misbehaving. She keeps attacking people - especially strangers - and sometimes she'll even take a swipe at me when she's hungry.
I adopted her from a shelter when she was 2 years old, so I didn't expect her to be perfect, but I can't keep apologizing for her behavior around guests. And I can't keep buying bandages for the scratches on my legs! What can I do?
- Frustrated Cat Owner
Dear Frustrated: First of all, I want to commend you for adopting a cat from a shelter - you may very well have saved the animal's life. She's lucky to have an owner as caring as you.
As for your problem, there are a number of reasons a cat might behave aggressively. The first is it's a symptom of a medical problem - but since you didn't mention any other symptoms, I think we can rule that out in this case.
Another possibility is that your cat gets worked up about something else - another cat, for instance - and you may just be caught in the crossfire. Your cat seems to have a pattern of aggression, however, so I think we can rule this out as well.
Because your cat was adopted, you have no way of knowing exactly what kind of upbringing she had. Cats that don't socialize with humans at an early age can often show signs of fear and aggression when around strange people. I would imagine that this could be part of the problem.
The first thing you should do is make sure your cat is safe and secure in a separate room whenever large numbers of strangers are in the house. The only time you should introduce your cat to new people is in a controlled environment with little noise. Wait until your feline seems relaxed, and then the chances are greatly improved that you won't have any bloodshed.
Now, you also say that your cat is attacking you - especially when it wants something. This appears to be a good example of conditioned aggression. In other words, your cat has learned that if she wants something, the best way to get it is to take a swipe at your legs.
Cats are smart - they can train you as much as you train them. And it sounds like your cat has found the perfect way to control you - by using aggression. So what can you do to show your cat who's boss? The first thing is to stop responding to her attacks. Don't give her positive re-enforcement for her misdeeds.
Second, I'd keep a squirt gun handy and give her a shot of water whenever she goes after you. Instead of being rewarded for her aggression, she's only going to get wet. And I'm sure she won't like that - would you?
Remember that you aren't going to correct your cat's problems overnight - but with a little work, you can help make your cat more enjoyable to be around. Good luck!