I could write a 6 minutes now past 11. Today's programming is made possible in part by The Advocates of Minnesota Public Radio contributors include Minnesota Power always at your service and Piper jaffray companies foundation on behalf of Piper. Jaffray Incorporated. Good morning, and welcome to mid-day on Minnesota Public Radio coming to you live today from the Minnesota Public Radio booth at the Minnesota State Fair. I'm Gary Ogden and we've got what should be in an entertaining and informative program lineup today. It's a ask the vet day today on. Midday. Ask the vet in for that matter. Ask the dog trainer day joining us this morning from the Carver Lake Veterinary Center. And what berry is veterinarian k'tan Hunter and John is from The all-breed Obedience and behavioral school for dogs located at the carpet like shutter is dog trainer Deb Snyder. And of course, we invite you to join our conversation as well never seems to be a shortage of questions here when it comes to our our little friends and if you have a question or comment for our red or for our trainer or both give us a call if you listening on the radio to 276 thousand to 276 thousand outside the Twin Cities. You can reach his toll free at one eight hundred two. 422-8289 Lowe's of you in the audience here without a mic setup for you. So don't be shy if you got a question come on up and speak right into the microphone would love to have your questions as well. Now. We should also introduce. I don't think Edgar will be participating in the conversation. But Edgar the star dog. He is here kid and dog is a pug Yorkie mix pug Yorkie mix 3 and 1/2 years old a Canine Good Citizen. What does that mean that the test that Edgar past good citizen test is a test put together by AKC and has 10 separate tests and truly there just common sense. Nice manners kind of testing to see if the dog walks while on a leash interacts. Well with people interacts well with other dogs can be handle being left alone for three whole minutes without screaming for Mama and they need to Pass each one of these tests in order to earn this title. And so the Canine Good Citizen title is recognized by AKC and it really is a nice title to put on a family dog and you can train your dog to do this at home or you can come to school and we can help you do it to a cute little black dog for the most part. He's a delight. He was actually on the radio over the winter when dr. Hunter was in and it was the best behaved guest we've ever had on our midday broadcast. He will be tested the later today. Debbie were saying one of the criteria's at the dog needs to be able to interact properly with other dogs, I think about later today for sure. We're going to be joined by a member of the Saint Paul police department K-9 unit and I'm pretty sure that the officer will have dog and toe so that should be interesting. Fair. And again if you're coming out to the fair to make sure you stop by our booth here. At the corner of Judson and Nelson right across from the NBA jam session this year. One thing that's conspicuously absent we have no cap Trainor on the program. Is there such a thing as it possible to train a cat or only dogs have a lot of Behavioral issues that come with owning a cat that that we hope if we're lucky that we can train a cat out of dead. Why don't you train cats eat? They have their own individual approach to life, but there are people out there that you specialize in that. So if your behavior will help you with these issues and I assumed they would I got some time for dogs for a lot of families on one of each any idea what they're not natural enemies. You always here would like to give it give up a AC. Be happy to run after it. Is there a do we know what's in third place in terms of pets are rabbits for Hattiesburg bird veterinarian Kate and Hunter and dog trainer Deb Schneider. If you'd like to join our conversation to 276 thousand Twin City area number to 276 thousand out side the Twin Cities. You can reach us toll-free at 1 800-242-2828. And again those of you who gathered around here at rmp are both just step up to the microphone and get your get your animal questions answer. Great opportunity later this hour. I think it will be this our next hour. We'll be hearing from the official state fair veterinarian. The canine folks will be coming by so lots of activity for Scholars on the line from Fridley Pico headlights. I have a 2 year old male Weimaraner that seems to be fairly intelligent. He learns quickly and in obedience class and all that but we have a fenced-in backyard, but I was just wondering is there any way to train a dog to stay in his front yard without one of those electric or invisible fence is a lot of times for in the front and a working cutting the grass that are sometimes he will in a run across the street to see a neighbor or if there's somebody walking down the street something like that. It's a real good question. And before you can ever trust a dog to be out of his confinement you need to be You are that he is very very secure on his recall that if you haven't done your obedience to the point where you can call your dog back from wherever he is you need to work on that. I'm in between time. Would I always suggest to my folks is that we do what we call boundary training and that is if you're going to introduce them to a new area I-80 the front yard put a leash on him take him out walk the boundaries and use a word like I use stay home. Stay home. Stay home. Stay home, and I walked the yard with my new dog's couple times a day for a good month. And then when I'm out there I let them be loose but they're on like a 30-foot lead. So if they step onto the street one paw, then you can take that 30-foot lead give them a little tug and say I stay home stay home. Stay home. And so you kind of do it in stages. Just don't go out there take the leash off. Hope the dog knows where his territory is so great question. You need your obedience to be a little little strong. And then you need to start doing it slowly. But for sure you can teach the boundaries dogs are very territorial. They understand that once there once they're showing it others would they rather just hang out and do dog stuff or do they like to have people show him what they're supposed to do San Juans day, they feel that they're really happy to be trained and and the way you approach it. Also, we like to keep it real fun and upbeat and the dog is wearing any hardly knows that there's that we have a person here at a microphone at our state fair Booth with a question. Go ahead sir. We have started training yet who in a fenced backyard barks at everything that goes by is there some way to control a barking and the other question is for training. We have heard that they say Can dogs with an electric collar with sort of sounds like a painful way to go? Is that the typical way to train my dog as far as the Barking issue? How long is he out before he starts to bark? Do you know dogs are pack animals and their very favorite place to be truly is with their pack, which is you and so being outside is cool. But the, you know after about 10 or 15 minutes gets pretty boring. So you start looking for things to do IUI bark at the people walking by that's a stimulus it gives them something and soap for the first thing I do is limit his time outside if he barks you're going to need to work on a no bark command. I assume he barks in the house to outside. You can have a squirt gun ready and when he barks go over no bark give him ask or tell him. He's a great dog. When he quits some I use for my own Bassett an approach of where she's barking I go out bring her in the house and say sorry hun. Your fun is over and follow through with your nail command. Don't just say no bark and then stand there follow-through. Don't try to Bluff a dog Corrections can be squirt gun can be timeouts. Maybe he too is on a leash so that you can go over it take the leash and say that's enough sit. Oh, what a great fit. I'm proud of you much better than barking. So those are good ways to turn him around and get him back. It will help when you start obedience training because you're going to start working that Bond and getting him listening to you more and hear what you said about the electric collar Simon a little barbaric and and we're finding there's another wonderful tool out there for barking that I personally really endorsing that is the citronella spray and it Set of shocking a dog with that when they bark the citronella spray sprays up under their chin and goes and it it smells to me like Lemon Pledge and the. Goes. Whoa, what was that and they stop barking and they figure it out. So that's a much more humane way. If you if this parking issue continues to help him be quiet during a dog's bark. What they bark when you want him to bark then sell it. Let me know as a watchdog. See when something out of place or something's not quite right. They know the difference between the neighbor that takes their walk at 5 p.m. Every night and somebody that's just out of place and and I know and a good story I have on that citronella spray and that goes with this is my dog had it on and she won't Park when it's on but we did have someone try to get in the backyard and the stimulus was so great that it she didn't care that it was squirting her. She just said note. This is Ron. So, yes, they will. Thank you. We have a border collie and several cats and she loves to keep those cats in her second story. So how can we train her not to do her job? So well, that's tough one. I have a border collie. And her favorite thing is to go to doctor Hunters clinic and watch her Clinic cat and they have quite the staredowns going on. You may want to get her busy doing other things. I I don't know what else she does in the house. But Border Collies need to be busy and perhaps if you could divert some of that into may be doing more obedience with her getting her to to to lay over here and teaching her that you can't just stay there at the stairs. That's you can and for my my border. Collie. I tell her you know, that'll do and I take her away and I put her in a Down's day. It takes pork because they they are so focused and but give her something else to do and in think if maybe it could be something as simple as you need to come over here by the door and stay by the Look for my child to come home or something easy, but work with something else exactly with her that will help with channeling some of those energies other places than your cat's thanks take my call. I've got a two year old Border Collie mix and he's quite a few T&T. I can get them to walk off leash with me. He'll long way and he's quite playful with the problem I have is that when he's put into a playgroup with dogs on the moment toy or a stick is introduced. He can become quite aggressive with the other dogs when they try to take the boy away the dogs that is and he can get into a rage where you actually starts fighting and when I try to pull him off the other dogs, you'll actually Try to bite me but all other times he's quite gentle and playful and with no other problems. I just wanted to have any advice about that. Sounds like he's got some power issues and when that comes up, we typically think about that. He's not sure who's boss. And and for some dogs there may be a particular toy or or chewy or treat that overwhelms them so much that they did it's really hard to train them out of of being so intent on that thing that that they aren't risk of hurting others on the other hand the way that dogs settle a dispute can sometimes look pretty scary to us and and often times if there's no Bloodshed, I'd prefer to let the dogs work it out so that I don't have to break it up. Every time I head that Mia is getting neutered dogs just in general play Then object is introduced to play with them if there's nothing them to fight over some of these behaviors Dog behavior and it's his behavior to manage that that would be a human's job and you know, your job will be to make sure that there aren't any toys out that he can get into with that. I mean at this point because sometimes we can extinguish a behavior by simply eliminating it now if the be hit if we can make the behavior not happened they sort of forget. Maybe he will maybe he won't you also need to control your COPD and started me to be able to say to your dog cool it and they do no matter what's going on. I mean if my dog's going to get into a scuffle I want to be able to step right in and say that's enough and stop now without putting your hands up put in your hands in there. Exactly. And so you may want to brush up a little bit on that obedience a little tighter than you thought and work on some leave it command. So if he's out playing and there's a ball you tell him leave it that's not yours leave it and he says, oh it's not mine and then he gets direction from you. That's interesting how many questions? Tell me about Border Collies. It is clear to me that that people are attracted to high energy High intelligent breed. These dogs were bred to work and we've selected for them to be extremely intelligent working working working long 18-hour days. No, we asked him to lay at home all day and be quiet and be good and it's it's not very much fun for us and it's really hard for the dogs. It's very stressful for a dog whose internally wanting to learn and work on to ask him to lay around he's going to look for trouble and get into it and I don't mean just going for a walk for some dogs. They need they need some serious mental stimulus and hard work herding sheep obedience Trials of agility something that really uses them to their full potential in the same way that you can't expect to put your kids in front of the TV for the weekend and they won't get into trouble in a few minutes. We're going to be talking with a fellow who works with dogs are real working type dog of the member of the Saint Paul police K-9 unit. Turn our if all goes well, we'll have a nice report on the stock dog competition out here including are you I suppose some border collies were involved in that dogs that herd and we'll hear from the state fair official state fair veterinarian. So lots coming up during this edition of midday. We're talking animals and our guests this hour vet veterinarian keep track during the two-hour period of how many times I miss pronounce the word veterinarian veterinarian k'tan Hunter with a Carver Lake Veterinary Center is with us and also with us Deb Snyder who operates The all-breed Obedience and behavioral school for dogs, which is located at the Veterinary Center Edgar is here Kaden Hunters dog, the prize-winning Radio Star Edgar is also with us if you'd like to join our conversation to 276 thousand or one 800-242-2828. Go ahead man. I should ask my own veterinarian. I know but as long as you're here, my dog just had stitches in his side and then bought five of them. Do I have to go back and get the stitches out or where they disappeared depending on the type of suture. That was used. Although even with a dissolvable suture. Sometimes skin is too dry a tissue for them to dissolve. I like to see my incisions come back to remove stitches mainly so that I get a chance to take a look at it make sure that there's been no infection or reaction to the suture. It was okay, but I would check with your van to find out what kind of suits are they used. Che you're a question, please that was asked earlier, I've got a Siberian Husky that's about 4 years old and she's really good when she's in the house but when she's out of the house all the rules go out the door she becomes real stubborn. She doesn't get enough exercise because of the cuz he let her outside the door. She'll just take straight off and keep on going and I was wondering with a four-year-old we got her from the Humane Society when she's about one and a half to two and a half years old and is it too late to be able to train her or is there still some hope yet Lotsa home absolutely really really loves to run and love to get out there and they're very independent. So you should be doing obedience with this. Just to start that Bond and get it stronger and then there are some really fun things you can do with your husky there. Ski or gene they can do sled pulling. They can pull you on the roller on your rollerblades. If you're an outdoorsy kind of guy that I'm not so I couldn't do any of that. I couldn't have a husky but they can do a lot of of their natural things with us and it's a sport and fun for us. So you may want to think about that in the in the winter coming up here to do some of those things. So when she does get out, she's got a place that again Channel all that energy which really makes everybody happy. So is it safe to get an animal from a shelter from the Humane Society? You don't really know the background of the animal and is that okay? I think so at all the dogs I've ever had have been mixed breeds that came out there from a shelter or Edgar was found by a friend of mine in a parking lot with a little note asking for anyone to take him and maybe maybe that's just part of who I am. I like that bit of unknown. There are unfortunately just literally millions of dogs and cats in this country that don't have homes. People who don't breathe don't neuter or spay their dogs or let their animals breed indiscriminately contribute to that problem. And if it's really sad, there's just as way too much supply for the demand and those animals need homes. If you're right. It's a risk. You don't know what you're getting. I agree with Deb that that regardless of the age of the dog dogs in particular or so malleable. That's why they've been domesticated for thousands of years and why many of us will never be without one because you really can ask them to do what you want them to do. Ask him to be who you want and you can you can change your mind about anything dogs are so cute into what's around them how the people treat them how the people interact with each other what kind of physical environment they have and by manipulating those things you can work with any age of dog. The other issue would be the health issues and that's that's a little tougher now certainly even on a physical examination. You're not going to know about congenital problems or Internal disease, but I think with any animal unless you know something about their their Heritage back seven or eight Generations. You're always taking risk question, please. A question is a dog barking question. Also. I am surrounded by dogs around our home and the second they get on the first step outside. They start barking and they bark until the owner comes to get them. I just don't understand why they don't know how they can stand the sound and what can I do go to talk or to enter play with my neighbors? But that's a good question and that and that in comes in with no hat responsibility and the good owners that are out there and correcting their dogs. I guess that's why the cities have ordinances in place and you know, if In fairness you've talked to them and said, you know, maybe you like to meet the dogs. I don't know if you're comfortable doing that. Sometimes by just making friends with the dogs. They're going to be happy to see you in that barking at you like you're a stranger and if you're comfortable doing that that may be a good starting your dog. Let me give him a cookie. He's he's you know, I'd like to like to have him know. I'm okay. The other thing is is that you call your city and in you maybe perhaps to make a complaint because even though it may sound like a bad neighbor to do that. You're probably helping them out. If In fairness this. These dogs need more training or they need to you know, maybe they're not getting the care. They should have it will be taken out of and something will have to be no. Just not true at all that some dogs just bark a lot to be be talkative. But as much as I love dogs, I cannot stand the sound of barking dogs and they can be a part of their job but it doesn't have to be something that all the Neighbors in joy and in any dog could be asked to be quiet and I think I think In fairness when you think about a barking dog ordinance is out. There are some of the cities are any guy that bought fireworks longer than 5 minutes. That's very fair. But if I had a neighbor's dog barking more than 5 minutes, I be going crazy. Now what happens when you hear this a lot and I bet that this is going on in Marilyn's neighborhood. You have what I call it barks vest that starts one one dog starts upset her happy about something and then of course they all chime in everybody's got to get there. What is that all about a talking to each other or is that what is that? That's part of it is particularly when there's something disturbing and one dog sends out the alarm and they all get into it which can be a nice thing if there's something going on. But again at Douglas parking for more than 5 minutes either there's there's a problem that needs to be addressed in the neighborhood or something's going on with the dog that needs to be taken care of its its board. It's hungry. It's Thursday. It's hot being being picked on or ignored it take a break for a walk every day. And usually at some point we'll come across the baseball field or a football field and tell letter off lead and we'll run around and play and it's it's real enjoyable for me, but she's she's pretty rough. She gets rough with me once in awhile, and it doesn't bother me, but I know like with my wife or with someone else it might be a little too rough for them. I want to know just How are how? Rusty should be I guess I'ma chill chill chill. She won't bite me but you'll actually touch me with your teeth and you know it for me it doesn't bother me, but I think maybe with some other people at my right now, that's a good point because that that can really be illegal in liability issues at the definition of what a dog bite is can be can be pretty Broad and just a little bit of a tooth on a person can can be construed as a bite. Yeah, I think as humans we we expect our dogs to be to be able to make really unrealistic choices. You know that he can chew and bite on me but not anybody else and in the dog world you either can't or you can't and therein lies the line. So if that's not a behavior, that's good, then it shouldn't happen with anyone and the dog will understand better. So we're broadcasting live from the Minnesota Public Radio Bullet at the Minnesota State Fair Gary. I can hear our guests this hour veterinarian Kate and Hunter and Dog trainer Deb Snyder both from the Carver Lake Veterinary Center in Woodbury, we got lots of callers on the line if you'd like to join them with a question to 276 thousand or one 800-242-2828 special to our addition today. So we we've had so many questions in the past. We thought we would spend a full two hours. So talking about our friends. We're going to take a quick break here and then we're going to be joined by a member of the st. Paul K9 unit actually two members of the same. Paul canine. Let's take a break. Do you feel safe on the streets of your neighborhood do lawmakers do enough to keep criminals Behind Bars should citizens be allowed to carry a gun day to end all this week is Minnesota Public Radio news takes a close look at the issue of crime and the governor's race, which candidate has the best solution for the safety of you and your family explore the issues know the candidates this week on Minnesota Public Radio panel W FM 91.1 in the Twin Cities. By the way tomorrow at 11 we'll be talking with another of the gubernatorial candidates part of our continuing meet-the-candidates series Mark Dayton will be in our Studios programming a Minnesota Public Radio is supported by Ecolab supplier of cleaning and sanitizing products and services than it is out of here at the fair today sunny and Breezy all across the state high is mid-sixties in the north to near 80 in southern Minnesota. Twin Cities partly cloudy winds are expected to pick up later this afternoon high temperature reaching the upper 70s right now. It's partly cloudy and 72 degrees in the Twin City metropolitan area. We're talking animals least two hours of our mid-day program. And again, if you'd like to join our conversation to 276 thousand or one 800-242-2828 those of you listening out here. We've got a microphone setup and would love to have you asked your questions as well. But let us go now to 2 guests who have just arrived here at Are both officer Mark Beck identity is that rights are very good. Yes, it is and type type two members of the award-winning Saint Paul police K-9 unit the police dogs that we see around and officer. Thanks so much for coming by today. Thank you, sir. I mr. Tyco Miss Dyke, mr. Eyes. Mr. Are they are they all males? Yes, sir. They are takis a 9 and 1/2 male German Shepherd dog and currently in St. Paul and predominately through the police service dog area. Will you strictly male German Shepherd dogs a white lie just males. Well, there's a couple of different reasons why we use males someday though. I'd like to just dispel some of the myths of the female but quite As it stands right now. One of the biggest issues regarding females are there too protective of the Handler the really Bond quite closely and when we send a dog into a building or out into a search such a scenario like this. We want the dog to go out to find the individual an alert to the handle of his presence females as a rule. They come back to the Handler check on the Handler. Make sure you okay if you don't range out as far so that's that's one of the issues surprisingly enough. They say depending on the dog that females aren't as forgiving as males are we guarding training? Sometimes females have a tendency to hold a grudge. I know that's kind of hard to believe isn't it directly donated dogs from the community and we take pride in that fact, and I'm sure there's a good female candidate out there somewhere and Gary someday. I hope that we find her in Trainor now are these dogs your pet store or simply working partners? Primarily. This is a working dog. And it's difficult for handlers. Particula new handlers to understand that. Yes. In fact these dogs May assimilate into the family as pets but more importantly, they're working. Fortunately Tyco. He's been doing the job since he was approximately 11 months old now, he's 9 and 1/2 and he's assimilated real well into the family. You'll see his disposition is quite mild. However, we do have a little more ornery police dogs. And as long as the dog and Handler have an understanding, that's all that's necessary. You leave me alone on my off-time and I'll work for you on my on time if they can assimilate in the family is Pat's which most of them dual then that's that's for the betterment of the program for the dog the family and the community as well. What happens or is it okay for people to come up and pet your dog when you're when you're on duty or is it shouldn't people do that? Well as with any dog, you don't want to approach strange dogs perfectly for the children. The children should know that and when a police officer is working and you see his partner out in the street, it's best if to stop look and listen a little bit see what's going on and then ask the police officer if you may approach his dog and pet his dog and depending on the situation you certainly can't it's no different than the horse Patrol a lot of people walk up to them likewise and say, can I pet your horse as long as it's an appropriate time and place? Absolutely. He loves to be pet. How long how long Play sir before they they retire. Well, it depends on the health of the dog. He was like I said approximately year. So if we had our druthers we take dogs 18 months of age and work them up until the age of 11. the dog of work until literally cannot climb in and out of the car or until he's incapable of chasing down a bad guy, but they work we retired a dog approximately two years ago. That was nearly twelve years old and it tips tips for the most part particularly in German Shepherd dogs. Everyone knows there are I think most people can understand the the sense of loss that you guys experience when when a dog is killed in the line of duty, but there are other people who were dismiss it as simply say while I just a dog. What's the big deal? What is the big deal? Well, we have to maintain a perspective on things. This dog is been a member of my family now for nearly 10 years and like when when officer killed when officer Lionel lost his can I park in Callahan last me May 26th to look at the big picture? They're closed. We love them to death, but they're working dogs. And if the occasion arises what we need to send the dog, and maybe it may be to his death. We realize that we realize that that's why we use dogs that simply the reason we use dogs. We just dodged we wouldn't want to use police officers. Fortunately. We as handlers we have to go with the dog and direct the search, but it's it's a great sacrifice for a dog to make them my opinion Gary it is well, we had an organization Animal Ark They contributed to her through a little fundraising Organization for a vest outfit. One of our dogs was a generous donation, and we appreciate it. We're evaluating at the present time at other people have asked if they may donate funds for other bulletproof vest but at this time it's not real practical for a dog to perform his duties everyday with a with a tactical vest. Yes. There are situations that the tactical vests may be quite useful and we will use that and we will continue to evaluate it but on a day-to-day function, it's not it's just not a practical application for the dog if people have a dog that they are thinking maybe you guys would be interested in what I can donate the dog would have been just call the police department. All please do the same pot Police Department is one of the only K9 agencies in the country. Virtually the world that uses donated dogs from the community. We Scar the dog pounds. We started Humane Societies, but we rely on people calling us on the phone and saying that got this male German Shepherd dog for this that or the other reason are always interested. We're always interested no contrary to popular belief or what people may believe about Police Service Dogs we don't need nor do we want vicious dogs. We want dogs that have social that enjoy running playing with balls little tug of war and a dog that I can bring into a crowd just like this a nursing home Cub Scout Pack Girl Scout Pack and have the dog interact. Those are the type of animals were looking for The door the selection process I believe is about 1 and 17. We lose the dog heater the hips and it's not even critical that the dog's hips are good or what's a good will even take to take dogs that are mildly dysplastic as long as the expert at the University of Minnesota. The dog is quite capable of working. So please if you have a candidate that you believe might suit our purposes, not only that. We also look for Labrador and other Retriever dogs for detector dog program again, very highly motivated dogs. That'll work. Something that will motivate them. Thank you, sir. Appreciate your coming by. You're welcome. Thank you officer. Take preciate your Comin by. Thanks for having us officer Mark that he who is it with the st. Paul police K-9 unit assistant trainer with the unit and his police dog. Hike and Edgar who is a veterinarian k'tan Hunters dog who has the goods of the canine Citizenship Award in part because he is so well-behaved around other dogs has been very well behaved around tight. No no issues here today. Actually German Shepherds are his favorite breed. Yes. I have a dog who I think would have been a good candidate for the Service Unit, except it is so she is a girl a female dog and is not very forgiving. He's right about that. Let's go back to the questions for veterinarian. Guardianship, you'd like that step up to the mic and get your questions about your animals answered do so, please Bruce your question. Please call a question. I have a wonderful very responsive very receptive. However, I have a couple of problem behaviors that I've had no luck addressing one is that when he sees a squirrel or even suspect that there's a squirrel in a tree easy really wants to get those squirrels. So he did sometimes leads to just uncontrollable pulling on his leash and likewise. Under a couple of dogs are neighborhood. One of which is a small white terrier. They just goes crazy when he sees and I was wondering what if anything I can do about these behaviors. Well, I got you know, I guess the first thing that's wanting is Border Collies are very good at and that would be the watch command and I don't know if you and your obedience classes. They taught you how to teach how to have your dog look at your face and be able to walk while the dog is looking up at you and saying yeah, what you and the watch command gets the takes the attention from the dog back to you where it belongs. So when you go out on your walks, I would bring some treats and some goodies and I would try to divert that attention. Now, maybe you're going to tell me I can I can read your mind won't work. He's so focused on it. But Daddy and again says, you know, you need to firm up your obedience if I have a dog that ignores me, that's a challenge and I need to to work a little harder. Excuse me, no matter what is out there, especially if I'm holding a hot dog and telling my dad that watch good. This is a hot dog for you and the squirrel goes up the tree and the dog never sees it or you teach this dog that every time he sees ask Or that little white terrier, he gets a cookie for being good and looking at you and these dogs are so smart that I would say that by the time you've done this over and over one of these days when he sees a squirrel he's going to turn to you and say, where is that hot. I so feel free to use some food and reward him for good behavior. But get that attention back on you it's hard because once they've had the opportunity to chase. It is such a self-satisfying thing had to chase a squirrel up a tree that you just can't beat it in and if you're going to ask the stomach not to get excited about squirrels that has to mean unfortunately every time you see a squirrel, what are your at the park off leash on leash in the car and that can be tough that consistency is so important of dogs. They see the world as black and white either I can do it or I can't do it and it's real hard to ask them to to that. It's okay to do it here but not there or we had a question from a staff member about the cancer. Chasing and hunting interest of the question was the can't Tiger Woods I believe is the name of the cat track down a mouse in the basement delivered the mouse to the living room. Do not eat the mouse just presented the mouse. Now, what's that all about? The cat is well fed didn't need to eat them out and hasn't grown up eating fresh meat and so it didn't occur to that cat that it was something to eat. It was much more of a toy and most play behavior in carnivores is related to hunting behavior on the presentation. We think again is if you got a litter of kittens you would you would bring the food to them and perhaps even within the loose pack of I can't you would present your kill to the Head member of the family dog, whatever actually tracked down and other Should you take the the Critter away or let the dog or cat do its thing in most cases? I think I would take the steak also because I don't want the dogs to get so much satisfaction from completing that hunt that this becomes a real issue and I was just talking to a client on the phone this morning. There are a lot of an awful lot of diseases that both our pets and we ourselves can pick up even for the wildlife in your backyard. And so we don't recommend that that the animals that are pets be allowed to chew on wildlife. Yes, ma'am. You're a question for dr. Hunter and Dan Schneider and we don't let her out because we don't want to run the risk of her running so she doesn't get much exercise. She's a family can't we pet her we play with her a little but is that healthy for her to to not get exercise or should we make an effort to find out to do something with her? Yeah, I think exercise is really tough to get cats to participate in you have to get the search out great toys and a new cat new toy every week but it's really important weight-related diseases can be quite lethal, especially in cats liver disease diabetes and sometimes for a very inactive get the amount that we can feed them to keep them with in good shape can be so tiny that it's not satisfying for them. So Chase toys are great and not only physically but mentally as well. Can cats be declawed? Should they know they shouldn't but that doesn't mean that we won't do it. Certainly it's a tough surgery. It's not a very nice surgery on. We're actually amputating the last part if you look at your finger amputated get that last knuckle in order for some people to live with cats. That's that's extreme that must be done. And if it's the only way to preserve the relationship between the cat and its family we will do that surgery the best way to handle that is just a trim the nails every week. But that requires the cooperation of a cat which sometimes it's a lot to ask especially when cats are young. We recommend start a mother little dirt every week trimming those toenails make sure that the cat gets a little reward at the end of it maybe not so much food but a special toy so that that can be just part of the normal maintenance of that cat. There are some interesting alternatives to decline as well. They make soft acrylic cats that are actually glued onto the nail on those at least be soft. They work real. Well, except they have to be replaced as at nails. And another surgery we do where we sever a tendon that allows the cat to bring that nail out. And that's very very nice. It's an easier surgery on the cat the disadvantages. Then you still have nails that grow and now the cats not able to do any Klein to shorten the nails and so it's even more important that those Nails be cut on a regular basis the tail or the ears of a dog. No, it's strictly a fashion statement in the days when these dogs were working for whatever reason the Terriers their tails were cut because you couldn't be dragging a big tail through a hole chasing Vermin but these days it's it's considered much more a fashion statement in Europe. It has been completely banned and we look forward to seeing that in the future. But if we still do it, it's still done in many breeds of dogs. That should we get a couple more questions on ma'am quick question. Hope you can help me with barking dogs. They are not mean dogs. My neighbor has three dogs. Now I suspect they're lonely mostly and they're outside and they bark incessantly and since we have a screen porch where we like to eat and relax now a neighbor in our area said they should do what I do. I put some kind of on the collar it something is it like a chakra static? It doesn't she said I tried it myself first to be sure it wouldn't harm my dog. And this will help them stop some of the Barking that's called a shock collar. And yes, it's when they bark they get an electrical current that runs through the collar that we have their Studies have shown that works about 40% of the time the other alternatives to that as we talked about it with a citronella collar that sprays a citronella under the chin when they bargo's and it smells really bad. It smells like pledge. It smells bad, but it's no big deal and it stops the dog and they realize that the parking is causing this, you know, and we had a question on this before and I did say something to the effect that you also have some rights here. I mean number one. Maybe they you need to make a call to your city. If you can talk to them first. That's great. But dogs that are left out is how long do they bark out there? Well, they go on for quite a length of time. I've gone out right and I'm friendly with my neighbor and I just don't want to take the dog from her know you don't need to do that. But you certainly need to let her know that this is troublesome to you and she might not be really truly aware of that. And if you can talk to her or make her aware of that then there is no reason for a dog to bark more than you know, three to five minutes is because other neighbors have complained, but this is really Justified, but I want student in a good way. Certainly suggest if you talk to her say there's some wonderful training collars out there. They're available through sometimes through your Veterinary. Are you can go through the catalogs. I'm or she can call a trainer, but we can sure help her with that his thank you. Let's get one more call her on here before we wrap up this first hour of our program Sarah free before I ask a question. And then when I leave the dogs in the neighborhood are barking they down to because they aren't supposed to so you can train him not to do it. My question is about I've got a Shepherd cross with a rod crust with a Husky and I got her when she was six weeks old and she has this thing where she just lick, you know, you turn around she likes you tell her no, she stopped while you're looking at her and then her tongue comes out she get you again and again and again, she can't seem to stop it. And I'm wondering if there's anything I can do cuz it's kind of a disgusting habit. Well, you know what it is to us not to dogs. It isn't there. She's trying to be very friendly you may want to get some bitter apple and set her up for this and spray some bitter apple on your hand. I think you may know what that is. You can get that at your pet stores and put your hand down and when she licks it say no lick and she's not going to like what she tastes. She's probably going to go and you're going to say no like and when she stops make her sit tell her good girl, that's much better and show her your hand Stacy There's a sticky stuff on it you I don't think you really want to look at that maybe a start to give her an alternate but I I would like to for you to find some way for her to express herself differently to you. So maybe with this start then make her sit or make her lay down and give her the attention. She wants that way that there can also be a sign of medical problems and particularly seizure type disease or or something in the mouth. Sure want her to have a good Veterinary exam to check that out. Good idea. We're going to stop now for this hour of the program, but the don't go away those of you interested in Animal Care animal behavior in the rest veterinarian k'tan Hunter and dog trainer Deb Snyder and Edgar the Wonder Dog will be along during the noon hour as well. Also coming up over the noon hour interview with dr. Mark yorklyn who is the official state fair veterinarian and I think we're going to have a report on the stock dog competition as well. Follow that coming up during the second hour of midday. Hello, I'm Brian new house with an invitation for you to meet the people at Minnesota Public Radio at the State Fair. Join us this coming week at the corner of Judson and Nelson at the NPR booth for the NPR radio. Maker's series does daily meet and greet Series starts Monday and goes through Friday every day from 1 to 3 in the afternoon. We'll have a handful of folks available to answer questions and give their insights into the on-and-off fair workings of Minnesota Public Radio meet the folks. Then PR the state fair during the daily radio Maker's series not a day at 1 senior director of news. Mr. Nose bill muizenberg. I'll be out here to talk with you about news on Minnesota public radio right now. It's time for The Writer's Almanac.