Saturday, June 28, 2008

Goldston: 'Ugliest dog' contest has freak-show feel this year

HONOR DISABLED DOG FOR COURAGE INSTEAD
By Linda Goldston
Mercury News


I had a terrible reaction to the World's Ugliest Dog Contest this year, an annual event at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma.

Like many people, I smiled at the photos of past winners, usually hairless Chinese crested dogs. One of those dogs won the Mercury News' first Dog-Person Look-A-Like Contest.

But when I heard about the ugly dog winner this year, I knew the contest had gone too far. There's something wrong with naming a disabled dog - in this case, a dog named Gus from Florida - as the winner of such a competition.

Gus is a Chinese crested who has no hair. One of his legs was amputated because of cancer and he lost an eye in a fight with a tomcat. His owners brought him all the way from Florida for the contest and took home the top prize of $500.

The little guy apparently was rescued from a bad home and his current owners are devoted to him, but I think there are better ways of showing it.

We humans came up with freak shows years ago to display people who looked different through no fault of their own. We stopped having those and maybe it's time to take disabilities out of the equation for winners of ugly dog contests. I know the owners love their dogs; I'm not as sure of the crowd on hand when they're judged.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Getting Your Newly Adopted Dog off on the Right Paw



Dogs constantly try new behaviors to see what will pay off for them. This is how they learn to fit in with their new family. Dogs carefully note the results of their behavior, and re­peat what works to their benefit. That’s why it’s essential to control their first weeks in your home, and teach them to behave on your terms.

If you feed scraps from the table, you will have a dog that begs. If you allow him to roam free through the house, you will have a dog that is not housebro­ken. First, supervise your new dog. You can prevent a mistake, and not have to punish it: thus creating a more loving bond. Do not let your new dog roam freely.

Watch him, and let him know what’s okay and what’s not. Let him know where he can relieve him­ self (by giving praise for going outside), and cor­rection for an error (if he lifts his leg, say “no” firmly, and walk him outside). If you can’t watch your dog, limit his area to a small bathroom or laundryroom, placing a potty area on one end, and a comfy bed and toys and chewies on the other end. It’s easier to teach good behaviors than to correct bad ones. Never hit your dog. Teach him that your hands are never a threat. Yes, it’s work to supervise your new dog, but the effort you make will pay off with a lifetime of good behavior.