Bark Busters Media
10 JULY 2007
A Current Affair, Channel 9
Brady Halls
How to be Top Dog
Link: http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=277847
VIEW VIDEO ON NINEMSN HERE
Does your dog bark every time the doorbell ring? Sick of the neighbour's dog barking for hours on end? Fear no more, help is on the way. Bark Busters are here to help you bring the vocal pet in your life, under control.
Many dogs still have a pack mentality, according to Bryan Edwards from Bark Busters. "It's their natural instinct for survival," he says.
"The biggest mistake is to try and treat them as humans. People don't treat them like other dogs treat them and this confuses them."
Dogs can end up training their owners. For example, if you dog like to fetch and you constantly throw balls it retrieves for you then the dog is determining how you interact and not the other way around.
"They learn by association, when they (dogs) are allowed to do something all the time then it becomes normal behaviour," says Bryan.
What to do to get your pet under control
Never let your dog eat before you: "The leader always eats first," says Bryan. Even if you are just giving them a treat, pretend to eat something before you give them anything.
Treats should not be taken directly from the hand, particularly if you have young children in the house. "If a dog learns to associate eating with hands and then they see a kid eating they (the dog) will just take the kid's food. They consider it fair game."
Scatter food : As dogs are natural foragers, it's a good idea to scatter their food. "It's a good form of entertainment for the dog," says Bryan.
Scattering food can also determine where the animal goes to the toilet. "Dogs won't go to the toilet where they eat,' says Bryan.
Toys: dogs get bored with their toys very quickly. Buy two of every toy your dog likes and let it play with each toy one at a time. As man's best friend associates more with smell, if you wash a toy you can recycle it as the animal won't know it's not a new toy.
Food motivational toys are also a good idea for many animals. "You put dry food into them and then the dog has to roll them around to get the food."
Shelter: Give your dog it's own place either inside or outside to sleep. As long as it's away from the weather and raised above the concrete floor, it's fine for the dog. In fact, collapsible dog crates covered over with blankets are all the rage in the US.
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About Bark Busters
Bark Busters dog behavioural therapists are renowned authorities in the area of correcting dog behaviour. The Bark Busters’ training system can successfully train any dog, even puppies. The company’s natural training technique leverages the same communications methods - body language and voice control – that dogs follow as part of their instinctual pack mentality. About 80 per cent of Bark Buster clients require only one two-hour home visit from a licensed dog behavioural therapist, if they continue with just 10 to15 minutes a day follow-up exercises for several weeks. All training takes place right in the home where the problems generally occur. Bark Busters is the only international dog training company that offers a lifetime guarantee. Therapists will provide future sessions free of charge if problem behaviors recur, or if any new problems develop.
For further information:
Bryan Edwards (Director)
Bark Busters Australia
Phone: (02) 4262 0783
Fax: (02) 4262 0793
Email: bryan@barkbusters.com.au
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