now THAT'S a couple of good lookin dogs! wow! thanks for posting!
honestly that book is great - all good thoughts that WORK.
i kinda like The Dog Whisperer too. one of the things he does - which i think is a great idea - is the food ritual. i just fed my pups so i was thinking of it. i mix up their food (today it was bagged dry food, with scrambled eggs, and cooked pig parts); tell them to sit in their Good Dog Spots (different corners of the deck), then stand in front of them and make them look me in the eye, i tell them good dog (or momma loves you), then i put down their food.
the order is always our old lady Shady first (and since she only has one eye i dont make her look at me), then whoever found their Good Dog Spot first and sat there in what the Dog Whisperer says is the passive state, eyes on me softly, ears DOWN, and alert. no wiggling, no ears forward, quietly and calmly.
i like his idea on this - that it emphasizes the bond between us, and also that i'm the keeper of the food - shows that i'm the top dog (well next to The Big Man). and it shows an important part of our day - we work first THEN eat. all part of the job they have.
we also have enforced that their food comes from my hand or magically appears in their bowl. NO ONE is allowed to feed them snacks or treats or feed them. mostly is is for security reasons (easiest way to get rid of a dog is poison it, right?). this also keeps the hierarchy emphasized, and frankly i dont want anyone feeding my dog potato chips or whatever. (this, btw, completely sends the MIL into fits).
it also helps then understand that cant just eat whatever they find, or whatever they can snarf off the counter.
Lucky was incredibly food aggressive when he first got there. the family who originally owned him had the mistaken belief that they should only feed a puppy once a day - and that strategy just didnt do well with Lucky. now if he growls or has the 'prison stance' of hunching over the food we take up his food and stand over him. he learned pretty quick. now not only can we (and we do!) take his food away if he is naughty - i sometimes i'll take food out of his mouth.
some people think this is 'too strict' but remember dogs dont have a sense of 'fairness' like people do. they love a hierarchy and having a place in it. if they dont they make up their own rules like, hey lets go thru the garbage! or lets jump up on that little kid with the hot dog - wont that be funny? but its not funny if you have a 100lbs of dog pushing a little kid down.
anyway - just more thoughts.
