No two dogs are the same. It follows that training techniques that work on one dog, might not work so well on the other. A detail that had me somewhat frustrated, because the one way I had learned to teach puppies not to bite, only seemed to increase Abu's aggression.

So, against my better judgement, I looked it up on Google. "Teach puppy not to bite." Clicked on the first result. It's about talking to your puppy in her own language.

I'm reading this article as Abu is lying on her back on my lap, chewing on my hand. The article wants me to give a loud, high pitched "ARP!!" This is the sound that puppies in litters make when play is getting too rough and they want the other pup to lay off.

I don't believe it'll work, but I give it a try anyways. I look down at Abu, and "ARP!!"

She dropped my hand like it was on fire, and froze. She stared at me, perfectly still, with a look of shock and wonderment. I cracked up laughing, and still she just stared at me. I played with her paws, and still she didn't move. I could swear she was thinking "Holy crap, the human can SPEAK!" I imagine my reaction would have been the same had she adopted a child's voice and asked me for a bowl of ice cream.

All day long, the memory of that moment made me laugh out loud. It continues to be effective, and her biting has become less frequent, and gentler.

It reminds me of what I learned in Multicultural Ministry, in bible school. Learning to communicate in such a way that you'll be understood. To be a teacher.... I must first become a student.

It also reminds me of when I was a teenager, and chased a pair of rottweilers home by barking and snarling in a doglike fashion. Dogs are fun. I love mine.