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Wednesday,May 3, 1989 TERRACE BAY/SCHREIBER NEWS Makin By Alice Scott Before starting to teach your dog to sit and stay, you must understand how a dog thinks and how to use his intelligence to your advantage. Never underestimate your dog's ability to learn. The only question is whether you have the patience, interest and persistence in your training. If you have, training can be worthwhile and enjoyable for both you and your dog. A dog learns through two things; pleasure and displeasure. Praise your dog when he per- forms an exercise correctly. This is what your dog is working for - your praise. Correct your dog firmly when he fails to perform. Firmly does not mean hitting him with your hand, Icash or anything else. Only give a firm "NO". Use your lead and collar correctly. This will be in an upcoming column. Think like a dog. Put yourself in your dog's shoes, and train him accordingly. Do not correct your dog until he understands what you expect from him. Have patience. If you lose your temper you'll do more harm than good. When you feel frus- trated put your leash away. Get your dog's attention when working with him. Talk to him with enthusiasm. Never call your dog to you and then punish him. He will think he is being pun- ished for coming. Consistency is the name of the game. Your dog will not learn right from wrong if you allow him to do something one day and not the next. For example, if he isn't allowed on the bed, don't € give in and let him up. Remember you must be the "Alpha" and leader of your pack. A dog understands that you are the leader if you tell him what to do, don't ask him. A dog will happily obey an owner he loves-and respects. He will not perform if he fears you. To teach your dog "sit" place your dog on your left side. Always have your dog on this side. Put your right hand on the back of the collar and use your left hand to slide down the back and tuck the legs in. This action must accompany the word "sit". Never apply pressure to his back or hip as a dog's back is much more sensitive than a humans and you can cause per- manent damage. By tucking in his legs and pulling the collar back gently he has no choice but to sit. This way you are showing him what the action is. He feels very much like you do when someone comes up behind and tucks the back of your knees, you automatically bend your knees into a sitting action. Remember to praise him and say the words "sit, stay". A First Aid Practice Test was given to nine ambulance personnel last Saturday as part of the St. Johns Ambulance Advanced First Aid course. Above, a "victim" is placed on a stretcher. Look for the full story in next week's Terrace Bay/Schreiber News. Photo by Dave Chmara g your dog sit Dear John: John Deere Answers Your Lawn and Garden Woes Much Ado About Lawn Care Dear John: Our community Shakespeare group has been discussing renovating the lawn around the summer theatre. We can't agree whether to plant seed or lay sod. Can you settle this feud? Dear Romeo and Juliet: To seed or not to seed, that is the question. While a lawn by any other name will grow as green, both sod and seed have their good and bad points. Sod pro- vides a new lawn instantly and is especially useful on sloped areas, where grass seed risks being washed away with the first rain. However, sod is consider- ably more expensive than grass seed, and the soil underneath must be properly prepared for the sod to take root. Grass seed takes longer to pro- duce a lawn and requires regu- lar watering and fertilizing for the first few weeks after planting. Whichever method you choose, you should soon have a- lawn right out of a Midsummer Night's Dream. Dear John: When my teenager was born, I promised to offer every opportunity in life. This year I'm providing the opportu- nity to mow the lawn. What safety tips should I include? Dear Providing Parent: It's a good idea to help your teen learn about mowing before even touch- ing the steering wheel or handle- bar. Start with the operator's manual. Reviewing the informa- tion with your teen will provide familiarity with the various con- trols and features on your par- ticular model. Point out tricky areas in the lawn such as slopes or tight spots that need extra attention. . Explain the importance of proper clothing--slacks, a tucked-in shirt and closed-toe shoes with good traction. Recommend a walk around the lawn before mowing in order to remove any sticks, rocks, bones or other objects that could be thrown by a mower blade. Dear John: I'm anxious to get a jump on my garden this year. How soon can I start planting vegetables indoors? Dear Headstarter: You can plant broccoli, cabbage, cauli- flower and head lettuce about 10 weeks before the last frost in your area. Plant tomato, eggplant and pepper seeds seven weeks before this date, and cucumber and squash, four weeks. Give the seedlings plenty of warmth and moisture in the ini- tial stages. Once they've begun to sprout, be sure they get plenty of light: about 16 to 18 hours daily. When the seedlings have developed strong sprouts, pre- pare them for the garden by gradually exposing them to out- door temperatures. are committed to the service of our community. If we can serve you; let us know. We're at your service. The Terrace Bay/Schreiber News 825-3747 Give us a call!