How to Teach Your Dog to Talk

Informationen zum Autor Captain Haggerty  has trained thousands of dogs and is the author of the dog-training section of the  Encyclopaedia Britannica.  He lives in Los Angeles, California. Klappentext If you think you can't teach an old dog new tricks, think again.Captain Haggerty -- hailed by The New York Times as "the world's most experienced dog trainer" -- proves that every dog can indeed have its day.Not your everyday obedience or dog training guide -- designed for dogs who are ready for new challenges -- this presents instructions for 125 tricks, ranging from simple "bits" to spectacular acts worthy of a show business agent.Safety tricks -- Cute tricks -- Retrieving tricks -- Healthy tricks -- Balancing tricks -- Jumping tricks Tricks emphasizing a dog's sense of smell -- Magic tricks -- Tricks for the Show Biz dog -- Tricks for the multidog family -- Useful tricks -- Tricks with propsThere's even a selection of tricks ideal for kids to teach the family pooch as well as notes on the breeds that excel best at specific activities. Leseprobe Chapter 1: How To Teach Your Dog To Talk Do you want a dog with whom you can have a light conversation over coffee? Or perhaps, during a quiet evening meal, you'd enjoy an in-depth debate on American foreign policy? Though you can certainly commune with your best friend now, you still lack the exciting give-and-take of a profound discussion of some arcane topic. Without the proper training, it's just not going to happen! Hey, even with the proper training you're not going to get that in-depth conversation. When you converse with your dog in a relaxed fashion, even if you're dead wrong, he'll still look at you with adoring eyes. This unquestioning adoration is the communication you'll receive from him. That's why dogs are better than people. First of all, you need to understand that there's a difference between speaking and talking. It's easy to teach a dog to speak. You say "Speak!" and the dog barks. But I'm here to tell you how to get your dog to talk. To actually form words. The theory is this: The reason the domestic dog barks -- as opposed to wild dogs, which merely whine, whimper and howl -- is because the dog is trying to mimic our speech. The Basenji, for instance, is a domesticated breed closer to the wild than most. These dogs are incapable of barking. Basenjis are so close to wild dogs that they, like the wild dog, come into season (estrus) only once a year. (The domestic dog normally comes into heat twice a year.) Interestingly, while this African breed is referred to as the "No-bark dog," I once trained one to speak (not talk) on command. With a little more time I'm sure I could have taught him to talk. Talk? Why bother? Well, to be honest, it's mainly for you. But along the way, it helps you to understand and to bond with your dog. Any time I can assist someone to do that I want to sign up. In contrast to the Basenji, breeds such as the Rottweiler, for example, are more vocal than others. In general, dogs with a high activity level are better at speaking. When selecting a breed for talking we are interested in three main factors: the dog's activity level, the predisposition to vocalize and the head type. The most important factors for success are your relationship with your dog and your willingness to work with your dog for short periods throughout the day. We're going to give your dog a lot of chances to mimic your speech. Even if your dog's mimicry is off by a country mile, it's still an attempt to talk! The trick is to encourage any nondoglike sound. You encourage with praise, applause, touching, petting, cheering, clicking, jumping up and down, smiling, grinning and even aroma rewards to tell your prideful pooch how wonderfully he works. Food? What about food? Well, maybe food, but you know what your mother said about talking with your mouth full. We are cautious a...

Product details

• Authors: Captain Haggerty, Arthur J. Haggerty, Captain Haggerty, Haggerty Captain
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2008
• EAN: 9780684863238
• ISBN: 978-0-684-86323-8
• No. of pages: 340
• Subjects: Guides > Nature; PETS / Dogs / General, PETS / Reference, Reference works, Dogs as pets