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“He’s pulled my husband into the road.”
“Who has?”
“He’s pulling all the time, he’s dislocated my shoulder.”
“Who?”
“Toto, he won’t stop pulling.”
It was only my promise to call round the same day that finally calmed this lady dog owner.
I arrived at the front door to a barrage of barking.
“He’s pulling,” the demented owner screamed.
“Yes, I gathered that, Where is he?”
“He’ll pull you over, he never stops pulling.”
“Can I meet him now, please.”
She opened the kitchen door as if it was a tiger’s cage and standing there in all his glory was Toto, a huge Siberian husky.
“He pulls all the time.”
“You don’t say.”
It clearly had not occurred to Toto’s owner that a seventy-pound sled-running husky just might be inclined to pull.
Most dogs today are acquired as family pets with scant regard to their breed. They are chosen because they look ‘cute’, ‘cuddly’ or they don’t shed hair. This may be good enough for their owners but not for the dog.
Forcing dogs to deny their genetic programming is asking for trouble. Toto now has a springer attached to his owner’s bike and runs for miles along country lanes. His behaviour is much improved.
You can bury titbits in the garden for terriers to hunt and lay scent for hounds to follow. Most herding dogs love chasing a ball and many guarding breeds excel at agility.
Satisfy your dog’s primal instinct and obedience work is easy.
As for Toto’s owner: don’t take him out in the snow. You could end up in Norway.
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