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R/£ Discipline is key
October 22, 2007 Edition 1
Everyone who has seen my Holly in action will agree she is a most remarkable dog. Weighing in at 23kg, this little German Shepherd leaves Supernanny Jo Frost way behind in the dust of her "Naughty Mat".
For the past 10 years, this slip of a dog, aka Nanny McPhee, has accompanied me to my puppy schools and watched the little ones cavorting around with great disdain.
Then, one day, on her own initiative, she decided enough was enough, and from that minute on, bad manners, thuggery and hooliganism became history and would never again be tolerated.
So, stepping into the fray Supernanny took a grip on puppies' collars, rolled them over and put her foot down with an iron paw, declaring all learners attending her classes would henceforth behave like little ladies and gentlemen, and uncouth delinquents would no longer be tolerated.
I sat back and watched in amazement as she took over my job and dived into a group of squabbling, young upstarts, restoring order faster than you could say Jack Russell. These former louts, being instantly reformed, grovelled respectfully on their tummies begging forgiveness - I swear she even had them apologising for their bad behaviour.
And in all the many puppy classes Holly conducted, not once did she physically harm any of the little ones. Sure, she frightened the living daylights out of unruly ruffians and, sure, she flipped them over until they begged for mercy, but never once did she draw a drop of blood or harm a hair on their little heads. Although she often got nicked and scratched, and bled, she was philosophical, as always, and, not to be deterred, put her battle scars down to occupational hazard because this wasn't a job, but her calling in life.
Even more mind-boggling is that Holly also keeps order in the adult socialising classes, during which the big dogs are off-lead and interact freely and unencumbered with each other.
It was on one such occasion, when she had her paws full with a particularly nasty individual who turned on her, that she was forced to call for back-up. Immediately, three of my trainers' dogs beat me to it and were at her side dealing with the young ruffian and putting him firmly in his place, never to push his luck again.
So the moral of this story is that puppies must be disciplined and given boundaries . . . and that comes straight from Nanny McPhee's mouth.
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