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Basic training Teaching dogs the fundamentals of obedience not only makes owners happier - it keeps more pooches alive and in loving homes By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Want a good argument for dog obedience classes? Laura Ormsby's got more than 1,200. That's the number of dogs euthanized last year by the Jackson County Animal Care and Control Center, a statistic the Medford dog trainer is dedicated to reducing. "A dog that is well-trained will never be homeless. That's the only reason I do this," says Ormsby, who reaches more than 100 dogs each week through classes at the Medford PetSmart store. Sure, that's only a fraction of the 19,000 dogs licensed in the county, but it's a start, say Ormsby and other trainers working toward a world where every pooch is well-behaved. "Walking through the shelter, we can almost tell what the history of each dog is," says Barb Velasquez, who trains hearing assistance animals at Dogs for the Deaf in Central Point and runs a private business, Positive Approach Training. "Usually they were bouncy and cute as puppies, then they got bigger and started jumping on the kids and it was, 'That's it - outside,' " she says. "Then the dog creates its own rules - digging and barking - and then it's to the pound." That sad cycle easily could be broken, trainers say, if only more dog owners realized that with a small investment of time and money, common obedience problems are easily extinguished. "Every dog needs a job," Ormsby says. "If you don't assign a dog a job, it will self-employ. They might be in charge of barking at the neighbors or chewing up the couch." Jumping, barking, chewing, housebreaking, not paying attention: Those are the most common complaints of dog owners like Ann Warren, whose 2-year-old dog, Tucker, had a cluster of behavior problems. "He jumps on people and he pulls when we're walking with a leash," says Warren, who owns two soft-coated Wheaten terriers. "He's a show dog, and he was shying away from judges." After several lessons with Velasquez, Tucker has calmed considerably. At dog shows now, he's a winner, Warren says. "It's so rewarding when you can feel like a team," she says. Achieving that feeling can take as few as four or as many as 10 hourlong lessons, held privately or in groups, trainers say. Basic obedience classes are just that: lessons in fundamental commands such as "sit," "down," "come" and "stay." More advanced classes add tricks - "shake," "roll over" - and even more advanced sessions stress agility: running through tunnels and jumping low bridges, for instance. Ormsby tries to work a little agility into even her basic classes. "I just can't stand drilling a dog for eight weeks on 'sit' and 'down,' " she says. "When they sit and stay and come through a tunnel for you, it's more fun." There was a time when dog obedience meant firm commands and sharp pulls on a choke chain, the trainers say. Today, the emphasis is on positive reinforcement of positive behaviors. "The jerking, hanging and hitting - that's a thing of the past," Velasquez says. "Now it's about teaching your dog to want to do the behaviors for you." To that end, modern trainers focus on fostering the relationship between dog and human. Tasty treats, generous praise and consistent effort help both bond, Velasquez says. "If your dog knew nothing other than to pay attention to you, you could teach them anything," she says. Whether it's better to teach a dog alone or in groups depends on the owner and the dog, trainers say. Group lessons allow dogs to learn within an atmosphere of distraction, says Ormsby, who conducts sessions in the middle aisle of the busy store. "Will he sit when my back's to the dog and when I'm jumping up and down and squeaking a toy?" says Ormsby, whose eight-week classes run $89. Private lessons are better for dog owners who have hectic schedules or who want one-on-one instruction for difficult behaviors, says Velasquez. She offers four private sessions for $120, or seven-week group sessions for $75. More than a half-dozen Rogue Valley businesses advertise lessons in the local phonebook. Finding the right one requires some research, trainers say. Ask other pet owners for referrals and interview several teachers before settling on one. Once lessons are started, owners should expect to spend perhaps 15 minutes a day putting the dog through his paces. "Even five minutes once or twice a day will do it," Ormsby says. "Have the puppy sit and stay while you brush your teeth. Have her lie down while you do your hair." The reward, the trainers say, will be a dog who's an integral member of the family pack. "The worse thing you can do is take a dog and tie it up," says Ormsby. "You have to remember what they're born for." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.