(2 of 2)
A Woodhouse discovery: commands with "d" or "t" sounds, such as "sit" and "down," will more readily attract a dog's attention. "Dogs particularly love the word 'what,' " she says, accentuating the "t" sound as she says it.
Much of Woodhouse's expertise was applied to the training of her two Great Danes, Juno and Junia, who appeared in more than 100 British films. Until their deaths, she never traveled; she was unwilling to leave her pets. Now she has just returned from a grueling tour of the U.S.: in 21 days, she appeared on 20 television programs and 15 radio shows to publicize Dog Training My Way, recently published in the U.S. (She has also written The A to Z of Dogs and Puppies, The Book of Ponies, and Talking to Animals, all stressing her training methods.) Though her techniques seem tough, Woodhouse insists that her purpose is to train dogs without hurting them. "I automatically feel friends with the dogs," she says. "I hope I sound loving as well as being firm."