See, happy Pattersons can exist and the strip is much nicer because no one is shouting at another character or scowling. I prefer these rare occasions we see the For Better part.
That is not the way John teaches Farley to come toward him. He should not pull Farley with the long leach. John should use a whistle to make Farley get attention or holding a treat to make Farley to come toward him.
I love the look on Farley’s face. It’s the exact look on our last dog’s face when we’d make him come, sit, stay. Sort of like, I have no idea why I have to do this but it makes you happy and gets my ears scratched so ok. lol He looked at us like that till the end of his days but as long as he got loved he seemed to think it was a good trade off.
Having done some dog training once upon a time, I’ll agree with howtheduck–what John’s doing is accepted technique. To those who think it’s somehow cruel to give Farley’s leash a tug, I can only say a dog is not a human. We are built differently, and things that are painful and dangerous to a human are not to a dog (and vice-versa). Look carefully at the art, particularly panel 3: Farley isn’t fighting or resisting; he’s by and large coming of his own accord. He might be a bit confused about John’s verbal command and the tug on the leash, but in time he will come to associate the word “come” with the act and the reward.
An awful lot of people make the mistake of thinking dogs are like humans, and the result is that both the humans and the dogs are unhappy. Dogs are pack animals, adapted to a social hierarchy, and what a dog wants more than anything else is to know his/her place in that hierarchy. A dog is quite content being a subordinate to the pack’s leader (indeed, this is the position most dogs find themselves in). The domestic dog has further adapted to transfer its loyalty to a human “leader of the pack.” A skilled trainer will assume that role, and be rewarded with dogs that are both obedient and good companions.
This cartoon sort of illustrates the idiotic ideas surrounding the training of recalls for your dog. Several of these comments make me want to scream because they are so outdated and rely solely on the concept of man is the master, dog is just an animal. Read Ian Dunbar or anybody else who teaches positive dog training. None of them advocate tugging on a dog’s long line to teach recall. It’s just stupid. Yanking on a longline attached to your dog’s neck hurts–why would he want to come to you then?
Amen, Puddleglum. I am a long time shelter volunteer and dog owner and here is my two cents (I hardly ever post comments). Soooo many people confuse loving dogs with treating them like people. It’s great to give affection to your dogs. But what makes the DOG happiest is having it’s needs fulfilled as a DOG, the most important of which is indeed being part of a stable pack. A pack can be two or two hundred, but every pack needs a strong leader to make the rest of the pack feel secure. And “strong” means strong energy, not physically strong…no hitting. A lot of aggression issues stem from the dog being “babied”. That tells the dog that it is in charge. And when a dog pack leader does not like something, it bites. Now, you could probably baby a dog like Farley without worrying about aggression, but you would never get the behavior you want.
Howtheduck, I don’t mind if you disagree with me about my comment. It is OK to use long leach to pull the dog, but John should not pull TOO HARD, just easy to pull the dog that makes the dog to come toward him. I watched “It’s Me or Dog” with Victoria, the English female trainer on the TV with “Animal Planet” channel. She teaches the owners how to train their dogs better ways that make easier for the owners to handle with their dogs. I don’t care if the people who watch the program disagree with Victoria or not about the trainings the dogs. I wish I could have a dog but I cannot have it because I am an allergic to the dogs. Sorry! Oh well! I live with the allergy. Have a g’day, mate! ;-)
That’s how I trained my dogs. Make them do it, and they learn what to do. Put the puppy on the papers when they’re about to go on the floor, and next time they go to the papers. Push his back end down as you say sit, and they learn to sit, then lay down… Teach them by doing, and make learning a positive experience.
When I still lived at home, we taught our new little ball of fluff (a beautiful Pekingese) how to go on the puppy papers. The next day I came home from school to find a puddle in my TV Guide on the floor in my room. He showed me he learned! I couldn’t get mad, because he did what what he was supposed to do, and he kept doing it for 14 years, whenever I’d forget the TV guide on the floor. He was a really smart dog in SO many ways.
I have to wonder if John knows what he’s doing or not though. He rarely does.
Dog Whisperer mostly uses a leash, and his are made of a piece of rope. I trust Cesar Milan’s humane methods more than the rest I see. How do you blow a whistle all day at your dog? Let alone, who wants to hear that, especially if you live in an apartment?
Plus, what happens if say, you’re in an emergency situation, and you don’t have a whistle? The dog doesn’t know what to do. Or what happens if you die, the dog is whistle trained, and nobody else knows what to do with him? I think it puts the animal in an unnatural situation, in which he can’t otherwise thrive without you, and he may be end up getting put down in a shelter rather than being adopted, because you limited his knowledge to something most people are unfamiliar with. Unfortunately, local shelters aren’t these magnificent places full of resources that we see on TV, and dogs have little chance in many of them as it is.
I only know this from the dog shows, but each type of leash, collar and harness has a specific behavioral purpose. Harnesses aren’t for every dog. They’re more for a work breed dog (I think). We use one on our little girl dog though. She has glaucoma, and we do all we can not to add to the pressure in her eye.
It doesn’t look like John was hurting Farley by pulling the leash. Farley was smiling through the whole thing, or you KNOW I would have said something about it. : )
Hey! It’s a cartoon, folks. Get a life for Pete’s sake. Or better yet, go adopt a dog and get a book on training. Or spend a few extra bucks and take yourself and your new found friend to an obedience school, let a professional show you how to train your friend. I don’t believe in hitting or whipping an animal. Scold, yes-but no violence, it is demeaning to both you and the dog. Like I said, it is a cartoon!!!!
Hey, ribbie149, who you talking too? I could use some extra dough.
And, MrsLuke, thanks. Finally someone brought notice to Farley’s big smile. This strip is about a learning curve for everyone. No one was getting hurt.
Did you ever notice how many times its mentioned in the comments, that this is a comic strip. Two comments above, is that you Lynn Johnston? Too cool, if it is.
Look, someone signed up (March 4th, 2010) as Lynn Johnston, who has never ever commented here before.
I hope it’s legitimate, if not they should be removed.
Other artists comment on their comics on other sites. I find it odd that this would be the issue the REAL Lynn Johnston would choose to post her first rebuttal about, or that that would be her choice of a response. Doesn’t anyone else?
After all these years of back & forth about this strip, why would the REAL Lynn Johnston suddenly create an account and tell people to get a life and quit discussing her strip???? I think someone should check it out.
Ya, it’s a comic strip. They all are, but the artists bring up a topic with each strip, which people choose to discuss or not. Why should discussion be such an issue to some people? This IS a comment section, and that’s why it’s here. If these few people have nothing to say but “get a life” and “stop commenting”, it’s not our problem, it’s theirs, until the comment section disappears for all.
Did someone advocate hurting animals? I didn’t see that.
Farley, like all dogs has to learn something sometime, and I don’t see a problem with how he’s being taught today. Why shouldn’t it be part of the strip, and why shouldn’t people comment on it? We all love Farley. He always appeared to be a happy and well cared for dog. Other issues in this strip however….
L Johnston, for Pete’s sake, we all the readers KNOW that it is just a cartoon. Sheeshh! Relax! We want to enjoy reading these strips and comments whether if we agree or not.
Howtheduck, I’d appreciated that you made nice comment. :-)
Hey! It’s a cartoon, folks. Get a life for Pete’s sake. Or better yet, go adopt a dog and get a book on training. Or spend a few extra bucks and take yourself and your new found friend to an obedience school, let a professional show you how to train your friend. I don’t believe in hitting or whipping an animal. Scold, yes-but no violence, it is demeaning to both you and the dog. Like I said, it is a cartoon!!!!
Wait, this is a cartoon? This isnt really happening? Whew, thats a relief….now I dont have to go to Vancouver, to meet the pattersons.
I was aware its a cartoon. I also hope everyone else here is and was aware of that fact.
svspatel about 14 years ago
who says parallel universes do not exist…
AdamsFamily1MW about 14 years ago
See, happy Pattersons can exist and the strip is much nicer because no one is shouting at another character or scowling. I prefer these rare occasions we see the For Better part.
Wildmustang1262 about 14 years ago
That is not the way John teaches Farley to come toward him. He should not pull Farley with the long leach. John should use a whistle to make Farley get attention or holding a treat to make Farley to come toward him.
lightenup Premium Member about 14 years ago
The “Zanggg!” part looks a little painful. I agree with Wildmustang1262. There’s got to be a better way.
lightenup Premium Member about 14 years ago
The “Zanggg!” part looks a little painful. I agree with Wildmustang1262. There’s got to be a better way.
Kaytebb about 14 years ago
I love the look on Farley’s face. It’s the exact look on our last dog’s face when we’d make him come, sit, stay. Sort of like, I have no idea why I have to do this but it makes you happy and gets my ears scratched so ok. lol He looked at us like that till the end of his days but as long as he got loved he seemed to think it was a good trade off.
NoahsMama about 14 years ago
Hey Fish Stix, I thought the exact same thing when I read it! LOL!
bald about 14 years ago
too bad that dog whisperer wasn’t around back then
puddleglum1066 about 14 years ago
Having done some dog training once upon a time, I’ll agree with howtheduck–what John’s doing is accepted technique. To those who think it’s somehow cruel to give Farley’s leash a tug, I can only say a dog is not a human. We are built differently, and things that are painful and dangerous to a human are not to a dog (and vice-versa). Look carefully at the art, particularly panel 3: Farley isn’t fighting or resisting; he’s by and large coming of his own accord. He might be a bit confused about John’s verbal command and the tug on the leash, but in time he will come to associate the word “come” with the act and the reward.
An awful lot of people make the mistake of thinking dogs are like humans, and the result is that both the humans and the dogs are unhappy. Dogs are pack animals, adapted to a social hierarchy, and what a dog wants more than anything else is to know his/her place in that hierarchy. A dog is quite content being a subordinate to the pack’s leader (indeed, this is the position most dogs find themselves in). The domestic dog has further adapted to transfer its loyalty to a human “leader of the pack.” A skilled trainer will assume that role, and be rewarded with dogs that are both obedient and good companions.
William A Short Premium Member about 14 years ago
This cartoon sort of illustrates the idiotic ideas surrounding the training of recalls for your dog. Several of these comments make me want to scream because they are so outdated and rely solely on the concept of man is the master, dog is just an animal. Read Ian Dunbar or anybody else who teaches positive dog training. None of them advocate tugging on a dog’s long line to teach recall. It’s just stupid. Yanking on a longline attached to your dog’s neck hurts–why would he want to come to you then?
William A Short Premium Member about 14 years ago
Check out www.dogstardaily.com
terra.cripe about 14 years ago
Amen, Puddleglum. I am a long time shelter volunteer and dog owner and here is my two cents (I hardly ever post comments). Soooo many people confuse loving dogs with treating them like people. It’s great to give affection to your dogs. But what makes the DOG happiest is having it’s needs fulfilled as a DOG, the most important of which is indeed being part of a stable pack. A pack can be two or two hundred, but every pack needs a strong leader to make the rest of the pack feel secure. And “strong” means strong energy, not physically strong…no hitting. A lot of aggression issues stem from the dog being “babied”. That tells the dog that it is in charge. And when a dog pack leader does not like something, it bites. Now, you could probably baby a dog like Farley without worrying about aggression, but you would never get the behavior you want.
Wildmustang1262 about 14 years ago
Howtheduck, I don’t mind if you disagree with me about my comment. It is OK to use long leach to pull the dog, but John should not pull TOO HARD, just easy to pull the dog that makes the dog to come toward him. I watched “It’s Me or Dog” with Victoria, the English female trainer on the TV with “Animal Planet” channel. She teaches the owners how to train their dogs better ways that make easier for the owners to handle with their dogs. I don’t care if the people who watch the program disagree with Victoria or not about the trainings the dogs. I wish I could have a dog but I cannot have it because I am an allergic to the dogs. Sorry! Oh well! I live with the allergy. Have a g’day, mate! ;-)
mrslukeskywalker about 14 years ago
That’s how I trained my dogs. Make them do it, and they learn what to do. Put the puppy on the papers when they’re about to go on the floor, and next time they go to the papers. Push his back end down as you say sit, and they learn to sit, then lay down… Teach them by doing, and make learning a positive experience.
When I still lived at home, we taught our new little ball of fluff (a beautiful Pekingese) how to go on the puppy papers. The next day I came home from school to find a puddle in my TV Guide on the floor in my room. He showed me he learned! I couldn’t get mad, because he did what what he was supposed to do, and he kept doing it for 14 years, whenever I’d forget the TV guide on the floor. He was a really smart dog in SO many ways.
I have to wonder if John knows what he’s doing or not though. He rarely does.
mrslukeskywalker about 14 years ago
Dog Whisperer mostly uses a leash, and his are made of a piece of rope. I trust Cesar Milan’s humane methods more than the rest I see. How do you blow a whistle all day at your dog? Let alone, who wants to hear that, especially if you live in an apartment?
Plus, what happens if say, you’re in an emergency situation, and you don’t have a whistle? The dog doesn’t know what to do. Or what happens if you die, the dog is whistle trained, and nobody else knows what to do with him? I think it puts the animal in an unnatural situation, in which he can’t otherwise thrive without you, and he may be end up getting put down in a shelter rather than being adopted, because you limited his knowledge to something most people are unfamiliar with. Unfortunately, local shelters aren’t these magnificent places full of resources that we see on TV, and dogs have little chance in many of them as it is.
I only know this from the dog shows, but each type of leash, collar and harness has a specific behavioral purpose. Harnesses aren’t for every dog. They’re more for a work breed dog (I think). We use one on our little girl dog though. She has glaucoma, and we do all we can not to add to the pressure in her eye.
It doesn’t look like John was hurting Farley by pulling the leash. Farley was smiling through the whole thing, or you KNOW I would have said something about it. : )
lauradeane about 14 years ago
Hey! It’s a cartoon, folks. Get a life for Pete’s sake. Or better yet, go adopt a dog and get a book on training. Or spend a few extra bucks and take yourself and your new found friend to an obedience school, let a professional show you how to train your friend. I don’t believe in hitting or whipping an animal. Scold, yes-but no violence, it is demeaning to both you and the dog. Like I said, it is a cartoon!!!!
mroberts88 about 14 years ago
MrsSkywalker, dog whistles are quiet to the point to where humans cant hear them.
littledutchboy about 14 years ago
Hey, ribbie149, who you talking too? I could use some extra dough.
And, MrsLuke, thanks. Finally someone brought notice to Farley’s big smile. This strip is about a learning curve for everyone. No one was getting hurt.
Did you ever notice how many times its mentioned in the comments, that this is a comic strip. Two comments above, is that you Lynn Johnston? Too cool, if it is.
mrslukeskywalker about 14 years ago
Look, someone signed up (March 4th, 2010) as Lynn Johnston, who has never ever commented here before.
I hope it’s legitimate, if not they should be removed.
Other artists comment on their comics on other sites. I find it odd that this would be the issue the REAL Lynn Johnston would choose to post her first rebuttal about, or that that would be her choice of a response. Doesn’t anyone else?
After all these years of back & forth about this strip, why would the REAL Lynn Johnston suddenly create an account and tell people to get a life and quit discussing her strip???? I think someone should check it out.
mrslukeskywalker about 14 years ago
Ya, it’s a comic strip. They all are, but the artists bring up a topic with each strip, which people choose to discuss or not. Why should discussion be such an issue to some people? This IS a comment section, and that’s why it’s here. If these few people have nothing to say but “get a life” and “stop commenting”, it’s not our problem, it’s theirs, until the comment section disappears for all.
Did someone advocate hurting animals? I didn’t see that.
Farley, like all dogs has to learn something sometime, and I don’t see a problem with how he’s being taught today. Why shouldn’t it be part of the strip, and why shouldn’t people comment on it? We all love Farley. He always appeared to be a happy and well cared for dog. Other issues in this strip however….
Thanks Littledutchboy for noticing.
Wildmustang1262 about 14 years ago
L Johnston, for Pete’s sake, we all the readers KNOW that it is just a cartoon. Sheeshh! Relax! We want to enjoy reading these strips and comments whether if we agree or not.
Howtheduck, I’d appreciated that you made nice comment. :-)
MrsLukeSkywalker, Amen! :-)
mroberts88 about 14 years ago
L Johnston said, about 7 hours ago
Hey! It’s a cartoon, folks. Get a life for Pete’s sake. Or better yet, go adopt a dog and get a book on training. Or spend a few extra bucks and take yourself and your new found friend to an obedience school, let a professional show you how to train your friend. I don’t believe in hitting or whipping an animal. Scold, yes-but no violence, it is demeaning to both you and the dog. Like I said, it is a cartoon!!!!
Wait, this is a cartoon? This isnt really happening? Whew, thats a relief….now I dont have to go to Vancouver, to meet the pattersons.
I was aware its a cartoon. I also hope everyone else here is and was aware of that fact.