By Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis

Dear Uncle Matty: We got BeeBee from a breeder when she was 10 weeks old. Now she is a four-year-old Alaskan Malamute that is destroying our lives. She doesn't listen to us, for one thing. We can yell at her or speak quietly, and she just won't pay attention. The other day, she was barking up a storm at some workmen who were in front of our house. I said, "Stop that barking, BeeBee. No! No! No!" And she just wouldn't stop. Whenever she is out in the yard and it's time to come in, I tell her to hurry up and get in the house, and she just keeps wandering around the yard. She uses the den as her bathroom, but not all the time, thank goodness, only about two or three times a week.

Yesterday I caught her chewing on one of my husband's best loafers. I swatted her on the nose, which I have had to do before, and she actually growled at me. I couldn't believe it! It's not something she has ever done before. We didn't have her trained because she should have grown out of these problems. This dog has a lot of faults and we don't know what to do. R.R. White, Tampa, FL.

Dear R.R.: First and foremost, stop swatting or hitting your dog. There is never a reason to do that. You don't benefit and neither does the dog. The dog just told you that if you don't stop, she could bite you, and you should not take the risk unless you want to get bit.

Forget the misconception that dogs grow out of their bad behavior. Instead, as dogs grow up, so do their problems, until they become big bad habits. After ruining the house, causing lots of expense and driving you crazy, you are now at your wit's end. And it didn't have to be this way. All you had to do was educate the dog (and yourself), solve problems when they were little ones, learn to communicate and live happily ever after. And this can be accomplished in a few short weeks instead of living in chaos for four years.

I'm glad you sent this e-mail, because there are others out there, quite a few, who always blame the dog. Common phrases are: "My dog doesn't listen." "My dog is getting even with me because I left him alone." "He's mad at me." "He is spiteful." "The neighbor's dog taught him." "He is still a puppy at heart." "He isn't very smart." "He doesn't do it all the time." These comments reveal that the owners have not taken responsibility for their pets and have not trained them, and they honestly think the dog is the problem.

By the way, telling a dog what to do in sentences is like having someone speak to you in a foreign language you are not versed in. Doesn't work. The dog doesn't associate a rambling bunch of words with stopping the unwanted behavior. There is a big communication gap between dog and owner. Dogs don't speak English, and you don't speak "dogease." You have to learn how to communicate through qualified training. Educate yourself. Get some valued books and videos. Learn about dog behavior.

I trust BeeBee has never been housebroken. Granted, some dogs learn more quickly than others, but housebreaking the average puppy can be as short as three days to a week, sometimes longer. It relies on proper scheduling and a consistent effort of your part. You just didn't get the help that could have ended the problem in days rather than years.

Dogs should start training when they are from seven to 10 weeks of age, before little problems grow up to be big bad habits. The good news is, you can train older dogs with a little more time and, of course, money. Find a really qualified professional who rewards the dog with love, praise and affection, and does not intimidate. Good luck, BeeBee.

Woof!

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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 http://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.

Copyright 2006 Creators Syndicate Inc.

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