Reading Work Sample Practice
Susie Smith
How to Train a Dog
Among the many important responsibilities dog owners have, training a dog is among the most important. Well-trained pets are easier to care for and love, cause less damage to your home (and theirs), and live happier lives. In this article, we cover many of the basics of dog training. But we also cover some important facets of dogs themselves -- which you need to be familiar with in order to communicate with your pooch.These include how dogs communicate to you through body language and noises. Dogs send myriad messages with their bodies and their voices -- this is one reason why they're so fascinating and beloved. The more you understand their messages, the more you understand them and how your own messages are being understood. Read this entire article carefully -- there are three sections after this one -- and then put the wisdom into practice. Here's what we'll cover:
Understanding a Dog's Body Language
Dogs use their entire body to communicate. Their eyes and ears are especially dynamic, and they give sure-fire clues to dogs' emotions and impulses. How dogs tilt their heads, move their legs and torsos, wag (or raise or drop) their tails -- all these things contribute to the messages being sent. In this section, we cover many of the silent messages your pooch will give you, from his nose to his tail.
Interpreting Dog Barks and Noises
Dogs are probably the most "verbally" expressive of all domesticated animals, and this only adds to their charm. From the whine of a puppy to the angry growl of an adult, dogs mean what they say. The more you understand these signals, the happier you and your dog will be. At the same time, it's important to know which noises constitute an annoyance, and how to train your dog to stop making them. We'll offer suggestions on teaching a dog to stop barking in this section.
It's important to know not only how to train a dog, but what to train it to do. Puppies have no sense of correct behavior, so they offer a million things you could correct; which should you address? In this section, we'll cover what to correct as well as how to train a pooch. We'll also discuss dog obediences classes -- also known as puppy kindergarten -- and specific thing you can teach your dog if you plan on traveling with it. Life tosses up myriad challenges to a dog's sense of obedience, and the more he's trained to understand, the happier you both will be. Finally, for fun and practical benefit, we'll cover a few basic tricks you can teach your dog. They're a wonderful way to bond with your pet and to entertain the both of you, while teaching it how to behave and react to your commands. Everybody wins!
Fortney, William. "How to Train a Dog." Animal Planet. Discovery Communications, Web. 29 May 2013. <http://animal.discovery.com/pets/how-to-train-a-dog.htm>.
Questions
- If you were trying to summarize this article for someone who had not read it, what would you say? Include main ideas and supporting details.
- Describe the messages that dogs show with their expressions.
Interpretation
- Do you think dog ownership is for everyone? Provide details to support your opinion.
- If a person is looking to adopt a dog from a shelter what are some things they might want to take into consideration? What evidence helped you reach this conclusion?
Evaluation
- How does the author view dog training? Cite specific evidence to support your opinion.
- What is the author's purpose in this article? Provide evidence from the article to support your answer.
Answers
- The main idea is _______. Additional important points are __________, __________ and _____________.
- There are many messages dogs show with their expressions, for example when a dog _______________ it means __________________. Also...
Interpretation
- I do not think dog ownership is for everyone, there are two primary reasons. First...
- Adopting a dog from a shelter is a good thing to do, but some things you will want to consider are ______________________.
Evaluation
- Dog training is very important to the author. He believes that ______________. He also says that ________________.
- The purpose of the article is to show not only the importance of training your dog but it provides basic details on how to train your dog. For example ___________. The author then also says ___________________,