This week, we will discuss some simple and practical ways of curing dogs of a few more bad habits.Biting: Dogs that bite are a big menace to everybody. Often, children tend to tease dogs, which can cause even the most even-tempered of the animal to bite.Spoilt dogs are the ones that usually bite. This bad habit is generally acquired at an early age. They begin by growling and snapping, and if they are not checked in time, they move on to their first bite. Once a dog learns to bite a human being, it will bite again and again. So nip this habit in the bud.Children usually copy adult behaviour. If the parents hit the dog, so will they. Children have to be taught not to bother a dog when it is eating or sleeping. When a child is not around, approach your dog while its eating and put some extra food into the bowl and move away. Do this regularly for a few days. After about a week, take its food bowl away gently while its eating. If it growls, pick it up by the scruff of the neck so that its front feet are off the ground.Then tilt its chin upwards saying `No' emphatically. Give it back its food with comforting words. Repeat this till it stops growling or trying to bite. If there are children in the house, dogs sometimes compete with them for top ranking. The dog may challenge children, though it may seldom do the same with adults. To help children win the respect and obedience of a dog under such circumstances, hold the leash and make the child give the command. If the dog does not respond, you should enforce the command. When the dog obeys, get your child to praise it.Chasing cars: Many dogs like to chase cars, or anything moving away from them, which can lead to accidents. Dogs can be trained not to do this in the home driveway if it is long enough, or on the street at a time when there is no traffic. Correction requires the help of friends or family members. Let someone take the dog on the sidewalk on a long leash. Drive the car slowly past it and make another person sit with you holding a squirt gun. As the dog approaches the car, squirt its face with water while saying `No'. Use your own car as the dog usually runs up to it expecting a ride. Another method is to come to a screeching stop. Repeat until the puppy stops chasing vehicles. When it stops chasing cars and quietly watches one go by, remember to praise it.
