LongIsland.com

Responsible Ownership

Written by dogtraining  |  08. January 2001

Happy New Year!!! OK... you made a mistake. How are you going to work it out? If you were a Boy Scout in my Troop, you would have heard this from me already. The focus for too many people is who made what mistake and where to place blame. I'm really not interested in that. It doesn't help teenagers (or adults) to lay blame on...well...anything. Save the blame game for politicians. We would rather teach teens to acknowledge their mistake and put their energy into working it out. This philosophy is far more productive and builds much better leaders. Someone you know purchased a "Christmas Puppy" despite all the pre-holiday warnings. If they were not very familiar with dogs, you may hear them start complaining about the pup. "She chews gloves, pee's on my favorite chair, and always needs attention." If you are hearing this from a friend, please print this article and hand to them. One of the worst feelings I get is when I give a free evaluation to a family and one of the family members jokes about the dog... "Do you want her?" Nervous laughter follows from other family members. My stomach turns because I know there is trouble on the horizon for this little dog. The dog's only crime is that she is a dog. She acts like a dog, communicates like a dog and does many other doggie things. The real problem is lack of understanding. New Puppy + New Owner = Confusion. How are you going to work it out? Before you start training the dog for your needs, ask yourself if you even know what needs the Puppy has. The needs of a dog or puppy escape many owners. Once understood, your level of aggravation diminishes and enjoyment increases. The Monks of New Skete have a book "How To Be Your Dogs Best Friend. It's a great start to understanding your dog. In addition, find a trainer who can help you. Training is far more then just how-to techniques. Please invest the time and money needed for your dog. EVERY day dogs die in shelters because their owners never took the responsibility necessary to raise a dog. It's OK if you made a mistake. Not everyone should have a dog. How are you going to work it out? A shelter is not the answer. Copyright 2001,Best Friend's Dog Training Inc, All Rights Reserved

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