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Schnapps - an 11-year-old Corgi mix
Comments
from Loralei:
It is not uncommon for people to call me and ask if their 2 year old, 5 year
old, or 7 year old dog is too old to be trained. My answer is always an
emphatic "No". ( I certainly hope that no one has that attitude about
themselves!!) Any healthy dog, regardless of age, can be taught to do
things. Schnapps would have been a little bit of a challenge at any age
because of her tendency to snap and bark at people. Since she was adopted
at middle age, we also did not know what her history was. Her owner, Betty,
was open-minded and willing to find a solution so that Schnapps did not have
to be shut up in the bedroom barking her head off when guests came to visit.
It was such a delight to make my weekly visits with them. Betty was
diligent in her training and Schnapps proved a willing participant. (The
treats helped out a little there). By the time we were finished working
together, Schnapps would take commands without treats, allow me to pet her
and would go into a kennel which we used instead of shutting her up in the
bedroom. The day we finally got Schnapps to take a "down" command
(dominant dogs don't like this position), you would have thought we won the
lottery!! I am so pleased for Betty and know that her love for her dog has
blossomed. Believe it or not, Schanpps actually had the time of her life
too.
Comments
from Schnapps's Owners, Betty and Lloyd:
Our Schnapps was 6 when we adopted her (5 years ago), so we did not know if she knew any "tricks" or not. She has always
exhibited some "aggressive" or "protective" behavior, and at 11 years old, we decided enough was enough! We love her dearly and
want others to at least like her and be able to be around her without feeling threatened. I must admit, we were a little doubtful about
her age and whether we could change the situation much. Loralei has been wonderful. She helped us understand the behavior
pattern of our particular breed of dog and her herding instinct, and now Schnapps is a much better behaved citizen in our household.
She can SIT, STAY, take a DOWN command and will COME when we call. She has reacted very favorably to being in a crate, as
well. We have learned some valuable lessons about handling our dog in situations that were formerly a big problem, thanks to
Loralei's expertise and obvious caring for animals. (Owners can learn new tricks, too!) We are so pleased and could not have done
this on our own. Thanks so very much, Loralei.
Betty and Lloyd Cobb & Schnapps
Previous Months:
July 2001's Pet Of The Month
June 2001's Pet Of The Month
