Do unto others...

Many years ago, family friends welcomed a wonderful bull terrier puppy
into their home. He was a friendly and exuberant little guy, and everyone
who met him loved him. I remember marveling at his strong and muscular
frame. Petting him was like tapping a hard, wooden table. As he got a little older, his guardians opted to send him for training, a wise move since a badly behaved bull terrier can wreak havoc on a household.

Unfortunately, the trust this family put in their trainer was misplaced. The trainer used harsh methods and, during one session, dropped the dog. The dog broke his leg and more importantly, lost his trust of humans. His behavior became unpredictable and aggressive and his guardians eventually made the grueling decision to have him euthanized.

It’s a sad fact that most dogs and cats end up at rescues and shelters because of behavioral problems. Problems that, in all likelihood, could have been prevented or remedied with the right resources.

When I think about training, I’m reminded of a phrase my parents repeated many times as I was growing up: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” If you want to be treated respectfully, it only makes sense that you must treat your animals with respect. Screaming, hitting and rubbing noses in doo-doo will only foster fear and anxiety. But as I learned from our adopted huskies (who came with their own set of stubborn behaviors), trust, planning and patience really do work and make everyone feel good.

In this issue, Paul Owens shares his top training tips and I encourage you to review and share them with others. His common sense approach will have you hitting your forehead and muttering “Of course!” If you have a cat, you’ll enjoy our interview with celebrity trainer Bash Dibra on training felines (yes, it can be done!)

As always, this issue is chock full of other important information, such as how to choose the right supplements for your animals as they go from puppies and kittens to seniors, finding the veterinarian that’s right for you and your animals, what to do about fatty lipomas (which are so common among older dogs), animal-friendly household cleaning, and so much more.

We’re also winding up our Amazing Animals photo contest this issue so please get your photos in before our deadline of April 14. We’ve got some great prizes in store for you, and many of our contest entries wind up in the pages of Animal Wellness.

Happy spring to all!

Dana