The Unreal Expectations That We Set For Dogs
Great expectations
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When I think about the kind of things that we ask of our dogs I feel real empathy for them. There can often be such a sheer lack of respect and consideration towards them and who they are as an individual in addition to overall breed tendencies. To be fair, we humans often don't even realize the pressures that we put onto our dogs, but that doesn't excuse the fact that we should be aware and really assess what we are asking and if it is realistic especially given the dog's personality, the breed and the environment.
All too often we expect our border collie to spend hours in front of the fire place even if they have not been walked for several days because we were too busy, never herd the grandchildren, absolutely not to alert and bark with a sudden change in the environment such as a man appearing from around the corner.
We expect our puppies not to have an accident on the living room rug within days of their arrival in our homes, to be fine being alone for hours at a time in a strange new place away from everything that they have known from the day they were born and definitely not to chew on those delicious cords plugged into the wall.
We are shocked when our guarding breed dog growls or barks at the neighbour who stares intently at them for extended periods of time.
We have got to start putting more thought into what breed we are bringing into our homes and if our lifestyle is going to be a good match for meeting the breed needs. I love cattle dogs, they are amazing animals but there is no way my lifestyle would be a good match for that breed. We have to understand how a busy environment or a new place might be a struggle for a dog who is shy or prefers the comforts of home to an outdoor patio or how a young puppy is going to need a lot of support and patience to feel safe when being left alone. Taking the time to choose carefully with breed, understand the dog before you and asking yourself are my expectations realistic for this dog in this situation?