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Your dog is a social being,
just like you! He/she loves walking in the park with you,
playing ball or chase with you, and just being with you.
Even when he/she’s lying around the house or the
backyard having a snooze, your dog is well aware of your
presence, or absence, and appreciates every minute you
spend with him/her. If you have a family, your dog loves
being part of your family and no doubt has a special
relationship with most, if not all, of the family members.
I have a Rottweiler, Kara,
and a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Jet. They’re both
female and both just turned 9 years. I’ve had them since
they were puppies, and they’re definitely members of my
family. I love them to bits and would be lost without
them.
I’ll bet your dog is much
like mine when it comes to interacting with you.
I know my dogs are always
beside themselves with joy and excitement whenever I come
home - regardless of whether I’ve been away for a week,
or just popped out for 10 minutes! What human gets that
excited to see you? No one? I thought so. I don’t know
any human who’s even half that happy to see me.
Kara often stands and wags
her tail when I walk past her in the house or when I talk
to her. And Jet doesn’t move from her comfortable
position lying down. But her tail thumps up and down on
the floor. Just goes to show that every dog has his/her
own unique personality. Just like us.
And my dogs just love being
let in from outside. They consider their place is in the
house - just like the human members of the household!
And why not? Dogs really
can be a man’s (or a woman’s or a child’s) best
friend. They rarely ask for anything. So long as you feed
them regularly, and show them some love and attention,
they’re happy. And a happy dog is the first step to a
healthy dog. (Don’t get me wrong, dogs don’t have to
be allowed in the house to be happy - mind you, my dogs
would like me to believe that this is the case!)
Consistency when dealing
with your dog is very important. And I’m talking here
about both the initial teaching/training of your dog, and
also the reinforcement of those teachings throughout your
dog’s life.
It’s essential for your
dog’s wellbeing for you to be consistent when
disciplining, playing with and just simply spending time
with, your dog. But it’s also important for other
members of the household (and even frequent visitors) to
treat your dog in a similar manner where possible. This is
particularly so if your dog has any problem behaviours,
such as jumping up at people. If you don’t also ask your
family and your visitors to make it clear to your dog that
this is unacceptable, your dog is unlikely to curb the
jumping altogether. And this may simply perpetuate the
problem.
Dogs who experience
consistency tend to be better behaved dogs, and, guess
what? You guessed it - better behaved dogs are happier
dogs, and happier dogs are healthier dogs!
So you know what to do -
love your dog, spend quality time with your dog, and make
sure you’re consistent.
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About
The Author
(c)
Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs, 2004
Brigitte Smith is a dog lover and owns 2
dogs - a Rottweiler and a Staffordshire
Bull Terrier. Brigitte has a special
interest in improving the health and
possibly extending the life of your dog.
You can subscribe to the Healthy Happy
Dogs ezine - for free tips, information,
strategies and resources for a healthier
happier dog - at:
http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com
Brigitte@HealthyHappyDogs.com |
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