Dogs, Cats, and Other People by Matthew Margolis

Three boys in Texas are in a whole mess of trouble. They inexplicably stole, tortured and killed a little girl's dog, Tobey. Almost as disturbing, since being arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, these young Texans — ages 12, 13 and 15 — have shown no remorse. Pending the results of an evaluation to determine whether they are a threat to the public, they may spend the rest of their childhoods in jail or detention facilities. Judging from public reaction, they'd be safer there. You've no doubt heard the motto: Don't mess with Texas. Well, that goes double for their dogs.

Cruel and unremorseful behavior is always hard to swallow, whether it targets dogs, cats, men, women, children, even terrorists. Americans have short tempers with that stuff, which is why at least one camp in Gitmo is now closed.

But with the exception of extreme cases, animal cruelty often slips through the cracks. It's loosely defined, and people are quick to justify their own bad behavior when confronted with the sometimes frustrating process of trying to make a dog do what you want him to do. Sadly, cruelty can creep in during attempts to discipline or train an allegedly beloved pet.

The methods people concoct, the measures they employ — if only they'd use their creative gifts for good rather than dog training. Take, for example, the e-mail below. Sometimes I share e-mails from readers because the problem is universal and my response could help many. Other times, I do it because I know if I didn't you'd never believe me. Here's one of those:

"My 48-year-old daughter's dog has repeatedly attacked one of the other dogs in the house and has bitten her while she was trying to separate them. The dog doesn't stop attacking, even when struck with a fireplace tool. My daughter doesn't want to have the dog removed from her home by Animal Control and is instead considering getting a cattle prod to control the dog. I'd like to know what is appropriate."

Let me start by stating the obvious: A cattle prod is not appropriate.

Nor is a fireplace tool.

Animal Control, should they be called, might be inclined to remove the woman, rather than the dog.

Fear, pain and punishment are not training techniques. No good comes of them. To be clear, this rules out the use of fireplace tools, cattle prods, shock collars, bats, rolled up newspapers, dark closets, burning, spanking, hitting, thumping, sitting on, pulling ears or tail, stepping on paws, starvation, dehydration, chaining, yelling… Unless you're Attila the Hun caught in some kind of time warp, a better way came with the turn of each of the last 15 centuries.

One problem is, many people — even some "dog trainers" — don't think of these methods as inhumane and don't realize what their behavior toward animals teaches kids — until it's too late, as with the three small Texans.

These kids will be in juvie instead of at the prom, in jail instead of at graduation.

Even more pervasive is the problem that too many people rule out professional dog training as too expensive or frivolous before they think it through. They instead call and ask for help once an unwanted behavior becomes unbearable:

I ask, "Has the dog been trained?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Costs too much."

"You take him to the vet?"

"Sure."

"Why should training be less important than medicine?"

"I'm not a vet! I can't make a diagnosis!"

"Are you a dog trainer?"

"Well, I've had dogs…"

Something I tell them right then and there: About 99 percent of people who try to train their dogs fail. It's true.

Something they tell me without saying a word: If it weren't a law, most kids probably wouldn't be in school.

There are as many misconceptions about dog training as there are wigs in Phil Spector's wig room. None, though, is more damaging than the idea that it isn't necessary, that it's frivolous, that it's a luxury.

Au contraire.

It's necessary. It's important. It's a responsibility.

In training your dog, you learn how to treat an animal, how to communicate with that animal. You see how readily dogs respond to the appropriate tone of voice. You see how eager they are to please and how far your love and praise go toward creating a happy, healthy and rewarding relationship. In the process, you create not only a loving and respectful dog, but also a loving and respectful person.

That's a lesson three small Texans could stand to learn.

Woof!

Dog trainer Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis is co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and host of the PBS series "WOOF! It's a Dog's Life!" Read all of Uncle Matty's columns at the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com, and visit him at http://www.unclematty.com. Send your questions to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty.com or by mail to Uncle Matty at P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619.

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