NAIJA PETS

In 1999, five years before the TV show starring Cesar Millan appeared, Paul Owens published his book, "The Dog Whisperer." It sold more than 300,000 copies and has been translated into several languages. Two more books and several DVDs later, Owens is a leader in positive, non-violent training methods.

He began training dogs using traditional methods in 1972, before switching to a peaceful, positive-reinforcement philosophy. Today he is in high demand, working with veterinarians, clients and at Humane Society shelters. He is also the founder and director of the children’s after-school, violence prevention program Paws for Peace. He lives in Burbank, California.

eHow spoke to Owens about positive house training without punishment for puppies.

Australian cattle dogs love to bark, chew, chase, dig and nip at your heels. Without training, they can be an absolute terror in the garden and living room. However, it's this same gusto and energy that these dogs take to training, meaning they learn quickly and respond well. If you take the time to train your Australian cattle dog the right way, he or she will actually enjoy doing your bidding.



Rottweilers are devoted, obedient dogs. They are confident and fearless, and even though their self-confident attitude means they are less likely to befriend you immediately, they make great long-term companions. Fun fact: Rottweilers are named after the German town, Rottweil. They earned their name during the time of the Roman Empire when passersby would stop in this town -- it was once a large cattle farm -- and tie their dogs up before doing business. Eventually the town became so full of these sleek, black dogs that they were named "Rottweil-ers."

This tiny dog has a lot of spunk.Papillions are energetic, highly intelligent, great with kids and they learn new tricks quickly. Despite being so small, Papillions need a lot of exercise, but after a day's walk, they are very happy to sit and relax with their owners.

 

Shetland Sheepdogs, or "Shelties," are still very active in the sheep-herding world. Small farmers use the dogs and their natural herding instinct to round up chickens, sheep and cattle. Overall, they are excitable dogs who are eager to please and work hard.

Dobermans are working dogs and thrive on training and exercise. Because of their intellect and sense of smell, Doberman Pinschers are frequently used by police department personnel to sniff out criminal suspects.