Two-day workshop from dog trainer offers hope to dog owners
By Nancy Malcom
Nevada Daily Mail
When it came to Gunther, Jean Maxwell's huge Rhodesian Ridgeback, things had gotten out of control.
A small woman herself, Maxwell had been pulled off her feet several times by Gunther, a member of a muscular breed that was originally bred in South Africa to hunt lions. Once, she even suffered a concussion.
"I just couldn't handle him anymore," Maxwell said. "Friends had told me to get him under control. One suggested I make him afraid of me, teach him who's boss. I just couldn't do that."
At the end of her leash, Maxwell was near giving up hope on her good-natured but ungainly hound. Then she saw a story in the newspaper about Judy Moore, an international dog trainer who made house calls.
Not holding out much hope that a well-known dog trainer living in Colorado would make a trip to Moundville, Mo., Maxwell gave Moore a call.
Luckily, Moore was going to be in Kansas City and agreed to swing down and help Maxwell and Gunther.
During a two day workshop, Moore presented tips from her book, "Dogs Deserve Dialogue -- Rover Should Hang on Your Words, NOT on Your Leash," and the accompanying video. Step by step she explained her theories concerning dog behavior. Holding an undergraduate degree in zoology and a master's in technical communications, Moore's techniques uniquely combine the two.
"I grew up with lots of animal friends," Moore said. "What I know about animal behavior, I've learned by watching them."
An animal activist and rescue worker for abandoned and mistreated dogs, Moore feels that all dogs are trainable.
"There aren't any bad dogs," she said.
She explained that dog behaviors stem from actions driven by instinct, and reactions to human behavior. She also feels that dogs truly do like humans and want to be with them. The problems lie in communication. The human way isn't the dog way and learning how to live with humans isn't easy.
"A dog is born into a human world," Moore said. "He is innocent and has no idea of the rules humans live by. He usually learns the rules by trial and error. Being scolded for not knowing the rules just brings on anxiety. Anxiety leads to all kinds of inappropriate behaviors."
Moore has found that addressing the anxiety -- and lessening it by helping the dog understand human rules -- is the best way to bring harmony between humans and dogs.
Her methods insist on consistency and dependability.
"I stress that the owner has to be responsible for the dog's behaviors," Moore said. "When the dog misbehaves, it is the owner's fault, not the dog's fault. They both have to learn how to communicate with each other."
The most fascinating aspect of Moore's training is perhaps the one owners find most difficult to do. Praise. "You have to talk to your dog," Moore said.
Based on her belief that dogs want positive interaction with humans, Moore is confident the dogs will relax and lose their anxiety when they hear praise from their human.
"It takes all the stress off the dog when they know the situation will always be the same, the human will always like them, and their reactions will always be praised, not punished," she said.
Moore slipped a training collar and 6-foot leash onto Gunther's expansive neck and led him around the yard.
A small wisp of a woman herself, Moore had no trouble with being pulled or tugged by the long-legged dog. She talked to him constantly. Using tips and exercises covered in her book, she soon had him walking calmly at heel, stopping when she did, sitting on command, and remaining calm and quiet until given his release signal -- a big hug.
Gunther apparently enjoyed the lesson and quickly caught on to what seemed to be a memorable learning experience.
Maxwell was more than pleased.
"Looks like there's hope!" she said, as a now calm Gunther wagged his tail.
For more information about Judy Moore's dog training see her Web site at www.helpyourdog.com.