Soule: I've Been Thinking Like a Dog

Flora, my mixed-breed rescue dog, looks more and more like a mini-Golden Retriever every day. I doubt there is such a breed, but if there is, she's one. The day she arrived, straight off a plane from the U.S. Virgin Islands, her training started. Some think a young puppy can't or shouldn't be trained but did you know that puppies absorb knowledge and learn new behaviors every day? I love Flora; she is a family member, and I've learned that careful training can go a long way to transforming a nipping, wiggly puppy into a happy, well-mannered dog.

Flora was born on the streets of St. Croix, where it's summer all year, and some dogs roam freely, breeding prolifically. The St. Croix Animal Welfare Center collects the strays, provides veterinarian care, neuters or spays them, and puts them up for adoption. Flora was one of their clients. I found her online, and a friend put 8-pound Flora in a pet carrier that fits under the plane seat and brought her to the States.

A Jumping Nipping Puppy

One habit she and all puppies had was jumping up on people. While it might seem cute to have an 8-pound puppy jumping up on an adult, it's not so cute when she jumps on a toddler, knocking the child down. Biting, another common puppy trait is even worse. Those first days I had bloody hands and sore fingers from her sharp, little puppy teeth. The jumping and biting had to stop, but first, I had to teach Flora I was the pack leader and to be obeyed.

I suppose one approach would have been to sit her down, explain our different roles and ask for her cooperation. Of course, that's silly, but too often, humans think that dogs should have an inborn understanding of spoken words. We allow our Airbnb guests to bring dogs with them to Miles Smith Farm, and one time an untrained rescue dog escaped. The excited dog ran through the yard as his owner yelled his name over and over. For 10 minutes, the dog ignored his owner, who called "Thomas! Thomas!" repeatedly. Thomas was eventually captured with the lure of a food treat.

Who is Top Dog?

My theory is that if a dog does not obey on the first try, stop calling him. Dogs love to hear their names, so if he's doing something wrong, like running away, calling his name only encourages him to keep doing what he's doing.

To get perfect obedience, I had to convince Flora I'm "top dog." Training started with the door.

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Carole Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm, in Loudon, N.H., where she raises and sells beef, pork, lamb, eggs and other local products.