Is your dog up to dirty no good again? Did he eat your socks? Knock your drink off the coffee table? Chew through your favorite vintage record album? Should you invest in Doggy Prozac? Should you think about dropping him off at the local pound? Goodness no. There's a reason why your dog's been behaving badly. It could be that he's not getting enough attention. Remember when he was just a little pup? Oh, you couldn't wait to get home from work each day, so you could tumble around on the rug together, go for a jog around town on a sunny day, show him off to cute girls at the mall. Now what's he get? A five-minute bathroom break with just enough time to get a quick sniff of the front lawn... with you yelling "Baxter, get in here!" at him the whole time? That's no fun! If you were Baxter, how would you feel if you waited around all day for your pal to get home, and then when your pal finally showed up all he did was crack open a beer and throw himself on the couch? Too often, today's busy and distracted pet owner blames their dog's misbehavior on a "nervous condition," hyperactivity, or just plain naughtiness. They pay for expensive dog obedience classes. They consult with pet psychologists. They hand out Doggy Prozac like it was candy. And if all else fails and their dogs are still wreaking havoc at home, they commit the horrendous. They drop their poor pets off at the pound, hoping that "someone else" will be better able to handle them. What a sad situation! If you know you can't devote your time to keeping a pet, why would you ever have one? They're cute? You thought it might be fun? Your girlfriend handed you a puppy one day, and you couldn't resist? These are all terrible reasons to take on the responsibility of being a pet owner, especially if you already lead a busy and full life. Imagine how your dog must feel, lonely and bored all day. If you were cooped up for eight hours with tons of energy to burn, what do you think you'd do? Why, you'd do what your dog does! Go rooting through the trash, tunneling under the rug, barking out the open window and chewing up whatever you could find. If you're a dog owner, maybe it's time to really think about what your pet means to you. Are you giving that animal the love and attention he deserves? See the way his whole body wriggles with delight at the sight of you? See that tail wagging with fierce devotion? Take a good look at him, he's your baby, he's your pal, and he's staring at you with that lovesick look in eyes... now, don't you want to give him that special one-on-one time that he so badly craves with you? Just a 20-minute walk a day can do wonders for your dog's spirit, tucker him out so he's calmer in general, and help him to feel happy and content. Give your pup an outlet to burn off that energy! He can't help being hyper, he's a dog and he's just wired that way. Show him how much he means to you. Teach him some tricks, feed him some treats... bring him with you on your next vacation. There is nothing wrong with the world's "hyper" or "bad" dogs. They don't need therapy, and they don't need medication. They just need our love. Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved. |
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