Guest Author - Sandra Eggers
Dogs are a wonderful part of many families. They share your home and sometimes even your bed. Most importantly, they provide love and companionship to everyone in the family.
While we want our household pet to share in all the family activities, they are, after all, not human. They don’t understand the language we speak (well, most don’t) and they don’t instinctively know what is, or is not, acceptable behavior. That’s where you come in.
Puppies are the cutest thing in the world. Some grow into the cutest little dogs, and others just grow and grow and grow, to where at 100 pounds they can be extremely intimidating, especially to a young child. No matter their size, puppies and dogs need training so they know who is boss and what is expected.
Dogs respond to their environment. If you leave them alone, they will find something to entertain themselves with, and that may be your favorite shoes or even the furniture. Just like humans, dogs need companionship. They may be sad (or angry) when everyone leaves in the morning for school and work, and equally excited when you arrive home at night. That’s both good news and bad news.
The Animal Planet series It’s Me or the Dog provides great insight into dogs and their behavior. The host Victoria is an experienced dog trainer and handler who helps families learn how to live with their dog(s).
Each episode of It’s Me or the Dog explores the good and bad behaviors of the family and their pet. Victoria evaluates the existing situation and then suggests improvements to either change unacceptable behavior or engage the family in more effective training.
Owning a pet is fun and rewarding but is also a responsibility that requires time and effort. A recent episode of It’s Me or the Dog featured a family of four with two beautiful greyhound dogs in the home. When Dad and kids left for the day, Mom closed off the dogs in another room of the house, or they were locked outside on the small deck. The dogs had little human interaction and minimal exercise during the day. Behavior problems ensued. Their aggressive nature had turned physical and became a dangerous threat to the children. It was an amazing transformation to see the dogs behavior change once they began receiving the proper guidance, training and exercise.
Dogs behaving badly, even if they are part of the family, can be a serious safety issue which should be addressed immediately. All dogs, small or large, young or old, need your time and attention to grow into the loving pet that your family deserves.
