Trick is to know why he’s barking
Question: I love Halloween, but my dog, not so much. He barks every time someone comes to the door, creating a racket. I’ve confined him to a room and put him in the backyard, but he continues to bark and scratch and dig. He’s not crate-trained, and even if he was, I’m sure he’d still bark. Any good suggestions?
Answer: Paint two paper-towel rolls brown (trunks) and attach several pipe cleaners to the end of each one (branches). Leave one as it is, and attach Snausage bits to the end of the branches of the other. Place the Snausage tree close to the front door.
When trick-or-treaters knock and your dog reacts, open the door and dangle the bare paper-towel craft in front of your dog.
Then say, “This is my dog ... barking up the wrong tree.”
Halloween gold. And our most useless advice of all time.
Because you’re seeking help rather than sight gags, you must determine whether your dog’s bark is warning you to a threat or is the higher-pitched yap of excitement, according to trainer JoAnn Bluth (dogtrainerphoenix.com).
If your dog’s bark is a danger-infused “Get out,” he’s likely insecure and could use professional training before the bark becomes bite.
But if he’s just excited, distract him with his favorite toy, tossing it down the hall as you open the door, Bluth said. If he doesn’t fall for that trick, toss a treat (not recommended for overweight canines).
If your dog refuses to fall for the carrot, there’s always the stick (we’re speaking figuratively for anyone with images of Adrian Peterson dancing in your head).
Interrupt his barking with a loud, abrupt clap, or shake a can filled with a handful of coins, Bluth said. Dogs hate unexpected noises. If all else fails, squirt him with a light stream of water. Dogs hate water in the face even more than sudden noises.
Roughly a half-century ago, in and around Virginia, raccoons were both abundant and difficult to tree. The answer was the breeding of the Treeing Walker Coonhound, dogs that excelled at locating raccoons and, as the name implies, chasing them up a tree.
Given there are so few raccoons to hunt in the desert, Hunter the Treeing Walker Coonhound has a lot of energy for other things, and his exuberance was too much for his previous owner.
The 10-month-old waits for a more suitable home, one that’s as active as he is. Know first that a breed able to outsmart a raccoon is clever enough to learn a variety of tricks. With time and effort, Hunter will be an obedient and respected member of the family.
He also loves the outdoors, whether it’s a brisk walk to the park or an adventure along hiking trails. Hunter would enjoy a home with a spacious backyard, giving him room to run, explore and seek imaginary raccoons.
Hunter, as with other Treeing Walk- er Coonhounds, is a bit of an optical illusion. His color and markings suggest an overgrown beagle.
Hunter is available for adoption at noon Sunday, Oct. 26, at the Arizona Humane Society Campus for Compassion, 1521 W. Dobbins Road, Phoenix. His adoption fee is $110, which includes his neuter surgery and vaccines. Details: 602-997-7585, ext. 1045. See other adoptable pets at azhumane.org.
Update: Coraline, the feline featured last week, was adopted by a Sun City family.