The movie Marley is also a bit sanitized… [the] book, though maddening, was better.

Why was it maddening? Well, I have never met a dog that wasn’t trainable, and it bugged me that they put up with this dog’s behavior instead of training him. Proper crate training alone would have solved most of their issues, and though they loved him and never got rid of him for being bad, he didn’t have to be “bad.”

People may think training is hard, and something that dogs would prefer not to have, but this is simply untrue. Training helps dogs immensely because it gives them the structure that they crave, it helps them keep their homes, and it allows them to truly be part of the family.

Do you agree? Are your dogs well-trained? Or have you had nightmare experiences with dogs that you felt were “born to be bad” and couldn’t be trained?

Recently, there was a protest about China’s common practice of trapping and slaughtering domestic cats for human consumption. Most American cat lovers would probably be disturbed and disgusted by the treatment of the cats and the fact that people enjoy eating cats in other cultures. (Some cultures also enjoy dog meat.)

But there are a couple of interesting issues raised here. For those of us that are domestic pet owners and who are meat eaters, wouldn’t it be a bit hypocritical for us to criticize another culture for consuming cat and dog meat when we offend Hindus by consuming mass quantities of their sacred cow? And while one could argue that our slaughterhouses are more modern and humane than the conditions the cats in China face, there are animal welfare agencies like PETA who would claim American facilities are not as civilized as some would like to believe.

Do you think other cultures consuming cat or dog meat is wrong? Would you ever try cat or dog meat if given the opportunity?

Credit: iStockphoto.com

We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Kate Jackson of the Jabula Dog Academy. Consult with AJCpets experts . And feel free to submit questions in the form of a comment today.

Q: I have a 11 month old puppy and still having house training problems. I will take her outside and stay with her and she walks around and sniffs everything and I give her a long time to go. She will usually pee but won’t poop. BUT as soon as she comes inside she will poop in the house. I NEED HELP! I am very frustrated.
A: House training, or lack thereof can be very frustrating! Although the process is quite simple, you need to be very strict with your routine to make it really work! The first thing you need to do is keep a notepad and pen handy to write down the exact time your dog eliminates.

Keep a record of all bowel movements, both urination and defecation. Keeping a time record will help you get a better idea of your dogs elimination schedule to better anticipate when she needs to go. If you don’t already, make sure you feed your dog on a schedule also. Dogs should not have free access to their food, but rather eat twice a day and have only 10 minutes to eat. A big part of making house training successful is crate training.

Your dog should have a crate that is a positive experience for her. To start the potty training process, put your dog on a leash at least 6 foot long to go potty. Don’t be tempted to let her freely run around. Potty time should be a business trip, not a play date. Walk her to the exact same area of the yard each potty trip, stand quietly and calmly repeating the “go potty” command. I would give her 5 minutes at a time to take care of urinating and defecating. If she does not take care of both, she needs to go back into her crate for at least 30 – 45 minutes.

Do not scold her, but rather keep her leash on, lead her back to her crate calmly and giver a treat when she goes in. She will finally defecate on one of these trips. When this does happen, take her leash off outside and let her play. She now gets to stay out of her crate and play. It is really important that you be very consistent with keeping a written schedule, feeding schedule and crate training.

Good luck, and stick with these simple but important suggestions and it will come right!

Both were named before their gender was discovered, but years later “Nick” still suits my co-worker’s cat, and I’m certain “Wolfie” is the perfect name for that kitty.

Yet another co-worker has a dog named Rexie, who originally was going to be called, of course, “Rex,” until someone figured out her true identity.

Anyone have similar stories to share? What’s the funniest pet name you’ve heard of that turned out to not quite fit the bill?

Did anyone go? Like it?

According to estimates Sunday from distributor 20th Century Fox, “Marley & Me” debuted at No. 1 with $37 million in weekend ticket sales and a total of $51.7 million since opening Christmas Day, says AP.

It’s about Newlyweds John and Jenny Grogan adopting a puppy who grows into an handful.

A film critic of the Austin American Statesman writes, “Out of boredom and to stave off creating children, Grogan [The main character] buys his wife a puppy for her birthday. This is Marley — named after Bob, the far mellower reggae crooner — who immediately exhibits an unruly rebel personality. He galumphs and gambols, chomps and devours, smiling the whole time with a flapping tongue the size of a beach towel. He’s infected with doggie joie de vivre, presenting predictable moments of canine slapstick and cartoonish mischief.”

Many people are said to have cried during the movie.

Did the film resemble a pet owner’s life? Thumbs up or thumbs down, dog lovers?

(Photo of Marley: AP)

Raven, an 11-month-old spayed Labrador retriever mix, is a happy dog who will be a loyal friend. She is very energetic, and loves to go outside and run around in a fenced yard, especially with other dogs. She will play hard for hours and then crash on the couch. Raven is a smart girl who really wants to learn and be a companion. She already knows how to sit and do some tricks. Like all young dogs, Raven will need structure and confinement when she’s not being supervised and gentle but firm guidance on how to behave in your home. Come see if this jet-black, medium-sized dog is the right pet to help you ring in the New Year! He will be available today at the Atlanta Humane Society, 981 Howell Mill Road N.W. Adoption will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Howell Mill Road NW. The Atlanta Humane Society is open seven days a week. Meet some of Raven’s friends who also need a forever home. Or check out the cute pets available for adoption at Clayton County’s Animal Shelter. Also, consider adopting from an Animal Control location near you. Photo by ALISON BEARMAN / Atlanta Humane Society

This week’s Pet Tale comes from a comment by Pat:

My cat, Kasey, loves to dig her way to China each and every time she’s in the litter box. I have no clue why. And, she turns into an absolute angel when I take her to the vet, he can trim her nails in about a minute flat, and it takes me about three minutes to get her to settle down, so I can trim her nails.

It doesn’t hurt, so I don’t know why my cats (all three of them) hate to have their nails trimmed!

What about your pets? How do your pets behave for other people, but not for you? Or do they refuse to behave, period? 

It’s that time of the year again– the holidays! And that means traveling with Diesel.

With family in both New York and North Carolina, my boyfriend and I have taken to driving the highways with our puppy in tow.

In some ways I’m lucky –I’ve heard horror stories of pet owners tranquilizing their dogs so they can travel quietly and peacefully. And then there are the horror stories of pets who suffer from motion sickness and end up vomiting in the car.

Diesel, my nearly-one-year-old pup, does neither. But he does bark. That’s right. Anytime the back windows are even slightly down, Diesel rips into a harmony of woofs that’s enough to give any traveler a headache. While we hate depriving him of his fun, the barking makes for agonizing travel (after about 10 minutes, we can barely hear ourselves think yet alone, the radio).

Do you travel with your pet? If so, what are some tricks you use to ease their travel-fatigue? And can you help me with my issue?

We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Kate Jackson of the Jabula Dog Academy. See all AJCPets experts. And feel free to submit questions in the form of a comment today.
Q: We have a Dachshund that was 11 months old when we got a new dachshund puppy. Since the day we got the new puppy she refuses to play. We have a house full of toys, and she won’t even look at most of them. When the puppy starts to play with them she dominates her and won’t let her play either. Is there a way to change this behavior? We’ve tried getting identicle toys, and presenting them at the same time, but that does nothing.
A: Introducing a new puppy into a family will often take an adjustment period. I am interested as to how long it has been since your new puppy arrived in your home. In some cases it can take a few months for a dog to adjust to a new addition to the pack.

In many cases, a dog finds it difficult to share when they received all the attention, toys and resources in the home for a long period of time. She also realizes that if she began to play with her toys, the puppy would want to join in, and she would have to share. Even with 2 identical toys, dogs always want the one the other has.

If there has been no aggression in the way she dominates the toys and ends the play, there is a higher likelihood of her adjusting and hopefully begin to enjoy her little sister and relax and play. In the mean time, you need to teach her that she cannot dominate your puppy’s playtime and bring it to a stop. I suggest attaching a lightweight leash to her collar whenever she is in the house and the puppy is free to play.

When the puppy begins playing and your dog begins to interrupt, quietly pick up the leash and direct her away. Do not scold her when you do this, it is merely a way to interrupt her behavior and redirect her attention back to you. Once she has moved away, give her a treat and tell her “good dog.”

Over time she will learn not to dominate and end the puppy’s playtime. When she has learned not to end the puppy’s playtime, she will hopefully remember how fun playing was and how much fun your new puppy is having, she will want to join in on the play and not dominate.

If you have not noticed a marked improvement in her attitude and play after about 4 weeks, you may need to seek out professional help.