My Pet World: Helping a skittish dog go for a walk – and safety during the solar eclipse
It's also important to note any specific triggers contributing to her skittishness. By identifying these triggers, you can work on desensitizing her to them over time by gradually exposing her to new people or environments in a calm and controlled setting.
I know dealing with a skittish dog can be challenging, but with patience and consistency, you can help her feel more comfortable exploring the outdoors.
Dear Cathy,
I read your advice to the lady whose dog would not "poop" in her yard, and I am writing to suggest an alternative phrase. I always think of my very proper father, who cringed whenever he heard some of the more typical words used to encourage dogs to do their business. I'm not prudish, but I do think about who is around when I might be giving such a command to my dog.
I live in a community with many retired folks, and some are probably slightly offended by the exact words that made my father cringe. An alternative phrase is "get busy." It is far more polite.
My own Doberman always responds reliably to this command before the lights go out every night. There is a cookie after she "gets busy," and we both go to bed for a comfortable night's sleep. Somewhat amusingly, she will squat and produce mere drops if that is all she has at bedtime, but she still gets a cookie for having tried.
— Mari, Tucson, Arizona
Dear Mari,
"Get busy" is a polite and considerate word choice so long as it is not something the person would typically say in general conversation. The phrase I generally use is "go potty," so I'm not sure why I chose "go poop" on that particular day.
But please feel free to adjust any training phrases I suggest to accommodate language, culture, or personal preferences, so long as they are limited to one to two words. Pair whatever command chosen with the desired behavior every time, and the dog will eventually learn and understand what the command means. This “get busy” command is something every pet owner should train their dog to do.
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