Man’s Best Friend
The bond between a man and his dog is primal to the core. There’s something about looking into your dog’s eyes and feeling the unconditional love behind them. I’ve grown up having dogs my whole life, and I’d never want to be without one. But all good things must come to an end, the feeling of heartbreak when a member of your pack passes on.
Pet? More like Family!
Dog owners around the world will tell you until they are blue in the face, that their dogs are just like their kids, part of the family. Dogs offer their support anytime your family is in need. Guarding, alerting, snuggling, and even working, any dog aims to please it’s owner. There are many stories of dogs risking their lives to save their families. It’s instinctual to them, when you take care of a dog you become their pack leader, and the whole pack works together and plays together.
Teaching rather than Training
The failure of most dog owners is taking the word “training” too seriously. Training basically implies that your dog is stupid, malleable, and will bend to your every whim. The true way to get your dog to do what they should is TEACH them. Dogs are incredibly smart and habitual animals, so if you are expecting them to know exactly what you want right off the bat, you’ve also got a lot to learn. I’ve found the best way to teach my dogs is through small repetitions. I’ll work with them for 10-15min at a time trying to accomplish one “trick” or a sequence. Obviously, teaching them their name is a crucial first step, try to avoid calling them anything other than their name. Try to get there attention by only calling their name, if that doesn’t work then pat your legs or clap your hands. Only as a last resort do you use treats, because the dog will smell the treat and then if they don’t smell the treat they won’t do what you want. Like I said, dogs are really smart! So teach them with love and affection, if they do what you want reward them with happiness and cuddles, and if they refuse do nothing. Under no circumstances should you scold your dog while teaching them a trick. Teaching a dog takes mutual respect and believe it or not, some dogs have real attitude problems and reject authority.
The Pack
All dogs will protect their pack, from Chihuahuas to Great Danes and everything in between. Some dogs are better suited for children or social gatherings. Every dog, even in the same breed, has a different attitude and demeanor. Whether you have a giant 200lbs dog that’s snuggly and couldn’t hurt a fly or a 5lbs dog that barks at anything that moves, find the best dog for your situation and think about the lifespan of the dogs compared to your future plans! So do me a favor, research your dogs thoroughly before getting one. It would save thousands of dogs from ending up at a shelter every year.
Saying Goodbye
This part is not easy to write because, it was my inspiration to make this post. Today my parents Labrador, Daisy Mae passed on, and my sister-in-law’s Pomeranian Cosmo passed on Wednesday. Losing part of your pack is devastating and every member feels it. Their memories live on forever and are told by the remaining pack members.
