DOG TRAINING AND BEHAVIOR

Katie Helf of Chickasha, Oklahoma, is very angry about something we said in the article on big dogs attacking little dogs in the August issues lead story.

Do you have a dachshund with a moderate or severe spinal cord injury? Texas A&M Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, about 90 miles from both Houston and Austin, wants to study your pet to better understand the illness and begin to figure out ways to treat it.

Who among us hasnt been slapped on the proverbial wrist because weve treated our dogs too much like people, imbuing them with human emotions and feelings and thereby breaking scientists cardinal rule not to anthropomorphize animals?

Has your dog developed a fearful or anxious reaction to loud noises that she didnt have before? Consider getting her to the doctor rather than the trainer.

You've probably heard that with their keen sense of smell, dogs can sniff cancer on their owners and even be trained to warn of a hypoglycemic attack in someone with diabetes because of changes in the odor of the persons breath. Now, researchers are learning that dogs can also protect our food supply - in a big way.

Youre in the middle of sharing anecdotes about how your dog simply adores your new baby, licking him every chance she gets, when your brother-in-law chimes in that youre anthropomorphizing again. That is, he says youre attributing human motivations and emotions to your dog when she is licking the baby solely for dog reasons - the taste of salt on the babys body or the reaction the dog gets from delighted humans - rather than to express affection. You feel, once again, silly, maybe defensive, for your unscientific thinking that your dog is somehow like a person.

I have two Scottish Terriers, 4 months apart in age and both under 1 years old. The male Scotty wants to chase cars that make loud noises, whether he is in the back yard or when we are walking. He also goes into a barking or snapping frenzy when approached by any dog on a leash. I have tried a training aid that emits ultrasound when he pulls on the leash or a button is pushed, but it does not faze him. Any suggestions, please?! I am hesitant to take them walking, which is a shame because they both love to walk.

Frances Fineberg of Oviedo, Florida, is worried for her two-year-old golden retriever, Amos, and for good reason. He hates going in the car, but the Fineberg family is about to take him on a vacation that involves an 8-hour road trip. They cant board him while they are away because he is a service dog. Ms. Fineberg believes its not the heat of the car thats causing the problem.

Emotional remove, repetitive (sometimes self-injurious) behaviors, unexplained and often aggressive outbursts, trance-like staring. These are some of the hallmarks of autism, a disorder currently identified in one in 59 children, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We are about to make a big move across the country, and I am concerned about the emotional well being of my six-year-old American Eskimo dog, Bibi, who has never known any other home. Whats the best way to help her make the transition?

Alabama-native Maegan White loves traveling with her husband and their dogs, Maui and Dexter. Maui, the couples boykin spaniel, is so friendly that he helped neighbors from India overcome their fear of dogs and even adopt one of their own.

Joan Gullets Old English Bulldog, JuJu, was raised with two kittens when she was a puppy. They got along great, says Ms. Gullet, of Victoria, Texas. But something has changed for JuJu, now seven.