Cuddly Critters
Dog Training Learn to Work Together
By Jackie Byers
We have long understood that dogs descend from wolves. According to fossil evidence, man and wolf/dog got together 20,000 to 40,000 years ago. Through centuries of acclimation, supervised breeding, and fewer DNA exchanges with wolves, the modern dogs emerged, eager and able to become man’s best friend. Today, hundreds of dog breeds and designer dogs serve human needs in many ways. Their keen senses of smell (50 times better than ours) and hearing (more than twice as good as ours) make them able to render all sorts of services. They also have a wider field of vision than humans and, thus, more peripheral awareness. Now fully domesticated, dogs can be trained for multiple roles in humans’ lives. Dogs’ services to humans are as varied as the breeds: pets, herders, hunters, K-9 corps for army and law enforcement, and service dogs, invaluable to humans who face life challenges. Dogs are quite adaptable, but certain breeds do generally excel at certain tasks. Labrador retrievers, German shepherds, and poodles are known
for learning easily. The Labrador perennially wins the American Kennel Club’s popularity contest. No matter what life lies ahead for a dog, training begins with trust between master and dog. Kindness and rewards are the keys. Whether puppy or mature, dogs will respond to the right stimuli. Training can begin immediately with a puppy or a mature dog. It requires a small bit of a treat, as well as lots of praise and petting. The first three commands are come, sit, and stay. Always use one-word commands.
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