Your Dog is a Social Animal - and Needs You!
Brigitte Smith
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 behaviors, 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.
(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
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