Loving your dog to death
Reprinted from January, 2009
I have seen this situation happen over and over again. A dog gets adopted, goes home, is the perfect dog for a couple of months and is then returned.The reason is the people can't control the dog. Now, I don't know about you, but my dogs don't pay my mortgage, or the light bill, or even buy their own food. I do. So guess who the leader of the pack is in my home? You're right, me.
When families take home dogs, regardless of what they are like in a shelter environment, it takes them several months to settle in. Once they settle in, they are a lot like a two year old child, and must be taught how to behave. If you give a command to a dog, you must make them mind what you say. If you don't, the dog begins moving up in the heirarchy of the pack.
Now, before you start giving me all the excuses we have heard before: but I love him, but she is a shelter dog, but she had a horrible life before she came here, read what I said. Moving up the heirarchy of the pack. If you don't believe me, watch Cesar Milan, read any book on dog training, or speak to any professional dog person.
Once they move up, they, in their mind, become the leader and as leader, get to make the rules. Unfortunately, the rules they want to follow, may not be the rules of society. Dogs cannot bite people, even when in their mind they are being protective. They should not jump on people, no matter how happy they are. They need to be taught not to do these things.
The reasons are very simple. If you don't control your pet, and the pet hurts someone, regardless of intent, the pet will die. That's right. It will, in most cases, be euthanized. People will talk about what a horrible dog it was and how uncontrollable it became and how it is not their fault. The dog was great to begin with.
The reason I write about things like this is so maybe, just maybe, one person will read this and save their dog. In one person's mind, the lightbulb will go off and they will realize what they are doing or have done to their pet.
Dogs are not toys to be put on a shelf after the new wears off. They must be taught and the teaching must be reinforced on a daily basis. If you take care of the bills in your household, don't allow your pet to be the leader. It is a sure way to end your dog's life.
I have seen this situation happen over and over again. A dog gets adopted, goes home, is the perfect dog for a couple of months and is then returned.The reason is the people can't control the dog. Now, I don't know about you, but my dogs don't pay my mortgage, or the light bill, or even buy their own food. I do. So guess who the leader of the pack is in my home? You're right, me.
When families take home dogs, regardless of what they are like in a shelter environment, it takes them several months to settle in. Once they settle in, they are a lot like a two year old child, and must be taught how to behave. If you give a command to a dog, you must make them mind what you say. If you don't, the dog begins moving up in the heirarchy of the pack.
Now, before you start giving me all the excuses we have heard before: but I love him, but she is a shelter dog, but she had a horrible life before she came here, read what I said. Moving up the heirarchy of the pack. If you don't believe me, watch Cesar Milan, read any book on dog training, or speak to any professional dog person.
Once they move up, they, in their mind, become the leader and as leader, get to make the rules. Unfortunately, the rules they want to follow, may not be the rules of society. Dogs cannot bite people, even when in their mind they are being protective. They should not jump on people, no matter how happy they are. They need to be taught not to do these things.
The reasons are very simple. If you don't control your pet, and the pet hurts someone, regardless of intent, the pet will die. That's right. It will, in most cases, be euthanized. People will talk about what a horrible dog it was and how uncontrollable it became and how it is not their fault. The dog was great to begin with.
The reason I write about things like this is so maybe, just maybe, one person will read this and save their dog. In one person's mind, the lightbulb will go off and they will realize what they are doing or have done to their pet.
Dogs are not toys to be put on a shelf after the new wears off. They must be taught and the teaching must be reinforced on a daily basis. If you take care of the bills in your household, don't allow your pet to be the leader. It is a sure way to end your dog's life.
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