Hi readers, Dog Lady published the letter (below) and the pithy answer in March ’11. Dog Lady doesn’t believe dogs can Skype because sleek techno-gadgetry goes against everything a dog is. Skype doesn’t smell and has no mutt-resonant affect. A dog can’t relate.
The letter writer sent this update, with a techy link:
No, Schoodic has still not learned to Skype but he is as handsome and charming as ever.
Sincerely,
Kate’s Mom
Dear Dog Lady,
We have a seven-year-old black lab named Schoodic who is a dog lover’s dream come true. He is smart, funny, handsome, loyal and loving. He is extremely close to our daughter Kate who left the nest for college this year.
When we talk to Kate on Skype, she will often try to talk with Schoodic. We place the laptop close to him so he can see her but he doesn’t seem to be able to recognize Kate on the laptop. We have tried holding a dog biscuit close to the screen. He loved the treat but went back to staring into space. Do you have any suggestions for teaching dogs to cross the great technology divide?
Kate’s Mom
A: You have a Lab Luddite. Dogs bark but they have no byte. They are techno-nothings, digital innocents. They understand technology only as far as you can throw a tennis ball. If they can’t smell it, Skype doesn’t exist. They can’t taste it. They can’t relate to it in any way – except through the TV when some dogs get overly excited at the sight of other animals. They bark and jump at the screen because they presume the doggy through the looking glass is real. Alas, their hissy-fit is folly.
When Dog Lady is away and calls home, the dog refuses to listen to the telephone when Mr. Dog Lady holds the receiver up to his ear. Heck, our dear and sorely-missed pet gets downright huffy — or confused — and walks away. He may hear a familiar voice but he makes it known that the procedure is bothersome and he’d rather not be a part of it. Sounds like Schoodic and Skype.
Dogs are present in the present – not the far-off and illusory. They don’t do holograms or ghosts in the machine. When Kate shows up in person, Schoodic will be all over her. For now, a dog biscuit near the laptop screen will have to sustain him. Don’t force your Lab to interact with something or someone he does not know or care about. When you talk to Kate on Skype, just let your dream dog wander about without forcing him to care about air.
Here’s the best link Dog Lady has found that gives you all the pees and cues of potty training for pups. Sure, it’s an unseemly subject — and putting your dog in a cage, hmm, crate may seem inhumane — but once your dog is properly trained, the bond becomes stronger, the joy more palpable. And Dog Lady didn’t believe this at first but now knows dogs trained properly learn to love their cages, err crates, and may even choose to use the containers as a safe house for their entire lives.
Dear Dog Lady,
What would you say to dear friends who carry their little dog, a miniature Dachshund named Dolly, everywhere? It’s almost as if Dolly has a fish flipper and can’t move on her own. Fortunately, the dog does have four legs and when she’s put down on the ground, she runs like mad and has a fine time. I believe my friends mollycoddle the dog because they don’t have children of their own. How can we encourage them to treat Dolly like an animal and not a Baby Stella doll?
Gretchen and Peter
A: Whether Dolly runs or sits in someone’s arms should be no big whoop to you. And exploring the psychological reasons for why people clutch their dog is a gossipy game of no Freudian significance to anybody else.
Dog Lady believes it is rude to make chiding comments about the way your friends choose to live with their pet. Sure, it’s annoying when people constantly lug a four-legged animal – bad for the people and for the dog. But dotingly toting Dolly is their choice.
Your role as a friend does not allow you to question or criticize that choice when you are in their home. However, if you all go for a walk outside on a beautiful spring day and your friends persist in carrying Dolly, you might make a sprightly suggestion that they release the dog so she could feel the grass under her paws.
Dear Dog Lady,
I adopted Aggie, a four-year-old female black Labrador retriever mix (possibly pit bull) from a co-worker’s daughter. The dog had been with the ex-husband for about a year and was neglected. I have two mixed breed dogs that she gets along with pretty well. The problem? I have five cats.
Aggie had no previous exposure to cats. She was OK for a few days and then started chasing them and not in a playful way, although ometimes the cats can walk right past her and she doesn’t bother them. I can’t leave her alone in the house so she is caged when we leave. Is there anything else I can do? Giving her back is not an option. Outside of the cat chasing, she is a lovable and sweet dog. Will I ever be able to trust Aggie completely?
Sue A: Even the best-behaved, feline-friendly dog could have problems living with five – count ‘em – five cats. And a dog that has not been socialized around cats from the very beginning of its life would have a bigger problem than most. – especially a dog from a dicey, neglectful background.
You were very kind to give Aggie a home. However, you knew exactly what kind of home you were giving her – hello, five cats. Don’t expect miracles. Do expect mash-up potential and do not leave her alone. How nice she gets along with your other dogs. They are probably a comfort to her. Their influence will probably be more instructive in dealing with the cats than your murmurs of encouragement.
Cats are shrewd and wily. They know how to get along on their own (hence, scant work for “Ask Cat Lady”). You must trust those feline instincts in avoiding Aggie. You also must provide safe separate areas for the dogs and the cats to chill out
Kim Ogden, an animal communicator, leads a room full of music critic huskies as they listen to new songs from the Laurel Canyon Animal Company. Ogden, who appears happily normal, intuits what the dogs think about the new songs and relays the information back to the record producers. The original Songs To Make Dogs Happy contained such smash hits as “Squeaky Deaky,” “You’re A Good Dog” and “Cookies.”
If your pet is sick, consult a veterinarian — a medical professional. If you do not have a veterinarian, please call your local humane organization for a referral. Animals with aggressive behavioral issues should be seen by a professionally trained canine behaviorist. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers provides referrals.
