Oral Arguments

Steven Maul, 24, of San Francisco, Calif., has been ordered to stand trial on charges of animal cruelty. Witnesses say Maul’s 80-pound Labrador puppy “yelped wildly” on two occasions when he disciplined the dog — by biting it. “There’s no hurting involved,” Maul says. It’s communicating to the dog that you are dominant.” He has lost custody of the dog until the felony charges are resolved. Maul’s attorney argued that “Nothing here was cruel or hurtful. My client in fact has French kissed his dog,” he claimed, adding “My client is very oral.” (Reuters) ...Then he’ll be able to understand when jailers tell him to “Sit! Stay!”