Great Dane attacks poor defenseless puppy!

Well, at least that is what it would say on the headlines in The Canine Times! I mean I understand that Pa do not want me to accidentally hurt a puppy, and would prefer me to play with bigger dogs....

but GREAT SCOTTS! a Great Dane??

Tall and big you might be....but wait till I grow up and lets see if you can make me yelp like that when you accidentally step on me again!

Humph.

Pa has been reading up a lot about doggie issues and problems...and sometimes he is amazed at the solutions people come up with.

Take this article for example...

Why is the dog barking?

Breed - Some dogs were bred to bark, such as hounds and
guarding type dogs. However, getting a sporting dog is no guarantee against a barking problem. Almost all breeds have some tendency to engage in alarm barking, although there is a great variation among individuals.

Physical need - The dog is hot, cold, hungry, thirsty, or
has to eliminate. Barking is the dog's way of requesting that you accommodate one of these needs.

Emotional need - The dog is bored, anxious, or excited.
Barking can be a request for attention, or a compulsive behavior resulting from a frustrated need for social and mental stimulation.

What can you do?
Barking is one of the most difficult canine behaviors to modify. It is a "self-reinforcing" activity for the dog, which means that the act of barking is its own reward in many instances. But there are steps you can take to minimize barking. Analyze the conditions in which the barking problem occurs and try some of the following techniques:

• Don't park your dog in the backyard. Dogs are highly social
  animals and have an intense need to be with their "pack." Dogs left outdoors are very prone to developing barking problems.

• Make sure your dog's physical needs are met.

• Increase play and exercise so your dog will be less bored and may sleep more. Enroll in a training class to build your dog's confidence and emotional control.

• Do not reinforce anxiety-induced barking or whining by
  comforting the dog or talking to him in a soothing voice. Talk to him, take him out of his crate, pet him, and play with him only after he is quiet for at least a few seconds.

• If you have been "giving in" to your dog by letting him out
  of his crate when you can't stand the barking any longer, be aware that you have strongly reinforced him to bark to be released from his crate. This behavior will get worse before it gets better, as the dog now thinks he need simply try harder to get what he wants. If you hold out, eventually the dog will give up. Wait for a lull in the barking and praise him quickly before opening the crate.

• Do not try to correct or punish your dog for barking. This
  would only increase her anxiety.
  
• Prevent the dog from seeing or hearing things that trigger barking. This is actually the simplest solution. If your dog barks at passersby or vehicles, find some way to block your dog's view (keep the drapes closed, confine the dog to another part of the house, etc.). The goal is to modify the environment so that you remove the stimulus to bark.

• Socialize your dog to new experiences. Take her lots of
  places and praise her for appropriate behavior. Expose her very gradually to sights or sounds that seem to cause her to bark. Reward her for being quiet and relaxed.

• Train an incompatible behavior, so you can give your dog a
  command to do something else instead of barking. Your dog could fetch a toy or come to you and sit when the doorbell rings, for example. Consult a behaviorist or trainer for instructions.

Pa would like to say that these are some really strange advise, though Pa himself is no expert.

Pa agrees to the reasons why a Dog Barks...but trying to resolve the problem seems very strange. Like this particular point...

and play with him only after he is quiet for at least a few seconds

What use is THAT?? And also this part...

block your dog's view (keep the drapes closed,

confine the dog to another part of the house, etc.).

The goal is to modify the environment so that you

remove the stimulus to bark.

Then what else next? Wear a blind fold before going out?

Train an incompatible behavior

That one is so funny Pa is just wondering how idiotic they think a dog is?

But mainly Pa is convinced that if a family is going to be out ALL DAY, and then spend 5mins patting their Pet Dog's head a night while the dog eats, then it would be a totally strange if the dog didn't have any behavioural problems to begin with.

When Pa read this...

Use of Prozac in Animals for Selected
Dermatological and Behavioral Conditions

By Steven A. Melman, VMD

He was speechless.