Frank Finger, winner of ABC's Master Dog program, knows a thing or two about training working dogs and preparing them for life on a farm.
A cattle farmer from Clermont, Queensland, moved to using working dogs on his property outside Emerald in 1996 and hasn't looked back since. He has been training working dogs for years and ensures the health and well-being of all his working dogs, declaring, “If you don't have a healthy dog, you can't have a dog.”
Here are Frank's tips for keeping your working dog healthy.
diet
To keep his dogs healthy, Frank feeds them bones, boiled meat, rice, and vegetables once a day. “I also use dry pellets as a back-up, but dogs get bored with too much of this, just like a person would eat dry Weet-Bix for breakfast every day.” Overweight dogs Frank points out that dogs have short lifespans and overeating is a problem that all dog owners should be aware of. “Feeding your dog once a day is enough to keep it healthy.” It's important to regularly remove tapeworms once a month and remove raw sheep meat and internal organs from your dog's diet. Being able to control tapeworms.
sleep
To ensure your dog gets a good night's sleep, it's important to remove potential distractions. Frank's kennel is partitioned so that the dogs cannot see each other, and the view of the cows, house, and wildlife is also blocked from the kennel to remove distractions. “This allows dogs to get a good night's sleep. When dogs see cows or other animals, they immediately start thinking about work, which you don't want in the evening.”
disease prevention
Research shows that dogs have a 1 in 11 chance of contracting parasites, so invest time, guidance, and care in your working dog to ensure it is well-trained and healthy. is what taking care of your partner is all about. Frank protects his dogs from deadly heartworms and treats and controls fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites using his trio of monthly tasty chews, Simparica. “Simparica Trio is a very convenient once-a-month treatment. I give it right before feeding and the dogs don't mind it at all.”
barking
Minimizing distractions is also important to reduce your dog's barking, both in the evening and during the day. His one piece of Frank's advice is to keep the radio on. “I let them listen to music, and the dogs love it. That's all it takes because it gets the dog's attention and making a little bit of noise might make the dog not bark as appealing.”
communication
Communication is also important in raising a healthy and well-trained working dog. “Speak to your dog as gently and calmly as possible to make him happy,” says Frank. “They have great hearing so their owners and trainers don't have to shout.”
