Look Beyond the Ears for Cause of Infections

Apple Valley, Minn.

Your veterinarian needs to either retire or go back to school. No dog as old as yours needs such a vaccine cocktail. It's a waste of money and an unwarranted health risk bordering on malpractice.

Heartworm preventive pills are called for after a blood test has been done to be sure your dog is not infested.

Dear Dr. Fox:

Reading about the shepherd mix that chewed on everything reminded me of our first dog that had the same problem. I bought one of your books. In it, you mentioned a problem with a dog that killed chickens. You suggested attaching the damaged goods to the dog's collar to make the point that the chewing is offensive.

Our dog had damaged a third shoe, and we attached it to her collar while we were home and made her carry it around for a few days. Every time we thought of it, we pointed out the chewed part and how it offended us. She never chewed on anything again.

I have also used a cowbell on her collar to discourage her from digging. She hated the noise it made when she dug, so she stopped digging.

My friends and I also like your idea of "shake cans" -- cans with coins inside. The dogs hate the noise of the can and generally stop the offending deed.

T.G.

Naples, Fla.

That old-school method of conditioning a dog not to kill barnyard chickens by tying a chicken the dog had killed around the dog's neck is indeed a tried-and-true remedy.

Some dog owners and trainers might find your training methods inhumane. But a little discomfort can go a long way and be justified when applied consistently. The dog's behavior can be modified quickly. This is far better than yelling and hitting, common human reactions to undesirable canine behavior. These serve only to confuse and frighten the dog and can lead to more behavioral problems.

Michael W. Fox, author of a newsletter and books on animal care, welfare and rights, is a veterinarian with doctoral degrees in medicine and animal behavior. More pet care information is available at Dr. Fox's Web site, www.doctormwfox.org. Write to Dr. Fox at United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016.

Copyright 2008 United Feature Syndicate Inc.