Story by Mary Green
Q: My Jack Russell Terrier is six years old, and I have never taken him to training. Is he too old at this point?
A: He may be too old to have a long career as an agility dog, or disc dog, but he is not too old to learn! If you follow training methods that use positive reinforcement, such as treats, and you avoid harsh corrections, he may well enjoy the challenge of learning new things. Dogs love to go on a walk – this is more enjoyable for both of you if he isn’t pulling and out of control. As he learns to sit to greet people, he will be more mannerly when you have company. Chances are that he will enjoy the car ride to training class and be happy to see dog friends.
I have not found a dog that was too old to begin training provided that they are healthy, and you find the right motivation. They may not be snappy performers, but older dogs have a good attention span, and retain information well.
Longstanding behavior problems are not so easy to resolve. When a dog has a long history of undesirable behavior, such as aggression or house soiling, he has effectively been practicing and perfecting this behavior. Changing these behaviors can be a lengthy process.
Q: I feel like a failure as a dog owner! In a weak moment, I bought a yellow lab puppy for my 6-year old son. He promised he would take care of the puppy and he wanted him really badly. This puppy chews up my son’s toys, knocks him down, and uses my house as a bathroom. He is so destructive and so big now that I can’t let him in the house. I really didn’t know what I was getting into. At this point, I just don’t want to deal with the dog.
A: As I’m reading your email, I don’t actually hear a question, but certainly a tone of desperation!
In retrospect, I’m sure that you realize that getting a pet should never be an impulse, and that a six year old is generally too young to be responsible for a pet. You also probably know that you missed out on some crucial early training by not attending a puppy kindergarten class, where you would learn about house training and chew training. Hopefully, you are realizing that a dog cannot live a solitary life outside. So if you are looking for options, here’s what I see:
- Contact the person you got the dog from and ask to return him. You should expect to forfeit your purchase price.
- If any of your friends or family has dogs, likes your puppy, have expressed concern about your puppy, or seem interested in his welfare, ask if they would like to have him.
- A local rescue group or shelter may be able to take your dog, but you will need to pay a surrender fee.
How about teaching your child to be a responsible pet owner? Get into a training class, or work with a trainer that can help you teach your dog about crate training, housebreaking, chew training, exercise, and proper interaction with kids and dogs! You might end up with the family pet that you envisioned.
Q: I have adopted a former puppy-mill-breeding-mother … a 4-year old Chihuahua. She
knows nothing about humans, the concept of having a name, freedom in the house, grass, etc. This makes training for a novice complicated. I don’t want to put her in a crate to housetrain her as she has spent years in a small cage. Is there any other effective way to teach her? Right now I have the entire carpet covered in several layers of puppy pads. This poor little mother doesn’t even know about getting petted! She’s learning that part fast though!
A: Congratulations on your new addition! While you do face many challenges with a puppy mill survivor, you also can make a huge difference in the quality of her life, so the rewards are great.
Reliable house training can be achieved without confining her to a crate. You will, though, need to otherwise contain or confine her with a baby gate, or an exercise pen. When you are gone, she should be confined to a small area which would house her dog bed, chew toys, water and ONE puppy pad! By covering the entire carpet, you are actually teaching her that she can go anywhere. When you are at home, take her to the puppy pad area, or outside, and encourage her to go potty. Don’t let her have an opportunity to sneak away and eliminate elsewhere. Supervision is critical to preventing mistakes.
With rescued dogs, we tend to excuse or enable their undesirable behavior because of their past experience. It is much healthier for the dog/owner relationship to be in the present.
Story by Marilyn King
I had a most enjoyable holiday season due to a special little guy I met on December 11th at the City Shelter. I was there for this issue’s Shelter Report and saw the little black dog above who seemed so sweet and affectionate. I kept going back to his pen and talking to him, and when I got back to work I could not get him off my mind. I called to inquire about his circumstances but I didn’t take note of his pen number so they could not give me any details. I raced back – I remember at one point clocking sixty down Yale — to get my name on his list as a potential adoptor, and after waiting the requisite three business days for a prior owner to claim him, I was fortunate to bring him home on December 15th. We’re calling him Elmer.I want to spread the word about a very worthy program. Pet lovers can now donate a Kuranda dog bed at discounted prices to the Tulsa Animal Welfare (city shelter) and a few other local shelter/rescue organizations. Kuranda beds are chew-proof rectangle beds on legs about a foot off the floor, excellent for a shelter environment. For more information, go to 
Pet owners should take time to read and understand Tulsa’s many strict Ordinances concerning their furry little friends since many of the laws carry some pretty lofty fines. This article will briefly examine a few of our more common animal laws. Tulsa’s Ordinances can be read in their entirety at 
is allowed to be unleashed when it is obediently at heel. I presume that if your cat can heel, then the same exception would apply. (Now that would be one talented cat.) In any event, violators of the leash law may find themselves receiving a $200.00 fine and the risk of having their pet impounded. Having your pet impounded will cost you more substantial fines and fees in order to redeem your pet, especially if he/she is is unlicensed and unvaccinated, and unspayed or unneutered. Worse yet, impounded dogs and cats are only boarded for three days before they are euthanized if not claimed by the owners within that time. 
You may wish to also take note it could cost a hefty $200.00 if you violate Tulsa’s Pooper Scooper law. No animal owner shall allow their animal to defecate (without the owner removing the excreta deposited) on public or private property other than that of the owner. The law is not specific to dogs and cats, so I presume the fine would be the same regardless whether the perpetrator is your Yorkie or a pet horse, however I am almost certain your neighbor may not measure those results in the same manner.
The person is, however, the essential rescue unit, and both the mind and the body must be up to the task. The right 
With mind and body ready to rescue animals, let’s now review the hardware that can assist us. Even a jogger or a bicyclist can stash some essentials in a fanny pack:
down as you transport an injured or ailing animal).
was not seen again.
damage and one-sided vision. With his head extended in obvious curiosity, he likes to watch the world from the palm of a friendly hand. 
These two public relations types have met and helped the ranch’s human proprietor, Tracy Hendrickson, tend scores of hurt and recovering turtles during recent years at her home in southeast Tulsa.
teeth. Their shells are cracked or punctured and infections are common. Some have lost a leg, but get along fine once they have healed.
worms, some high-calcium foods like egg shells, lots of vegetables, fruits and greens. Sometimes they soak in nourishing vegetable juice, absorbed through their skin.
It’s not the first time she has opened her animal-friendly home and heart to those in need. About 25 years ago, she founded Tulsa Boxer Rescue, which rescues and finds homes for dozens of dogs annually.
