"Dog" spelled backward should be "Good"
07:29, 22 March 2009
.. Posted in Personal.. Link
It's the weekend, and that means time for an entirely personal, non-professionally-focused blawg entry (at least that's how I play). This weekend's topic: dogs.
Dogs have given me love and support that has helped me survive the worst times of my life, and made every day worth getting up for. I cannot imagine giving up my dogs in hard financial times -- that's when I've needed them most!
All three of the dogs I've had in my life were adult dogs when I adopted them, and had been rejected by their original owners (and then some): one was living on the streets before I adopted him, one was on his way to the SPCA when we met, and one had been in three different animal shelters in Europe before I came along. I got my first dog when I was 24. That was almost 20 years ago. I will always have a dog or two, and my commitment to my dogs is always for life.
When you adopt a dog, you will probably hear lots of negative comments from friends and family:
- "You'll never find an apartment now!"
"You'll have to give up going out after work!"
"You can't travel anymore!"
"It's going to be so expensive!"
"It's so much responsibility! It's so much work! It's such a huge commitment!"
Yes, it has been a lot of responsibility and a big commitment -- but being a halfway grown up person, I really enjoy responsibility, and feel that this commitment has made me a much better person. That responsibility and "all that work" has positively affected my outlook on life, my human relationships, and my sense of "home." It's made me pay more attention to my surroundings and appreciate whatever moment I'm in. It's brought me into wonderful conversations with other people. No question: it's all been good.
Almost any problem you have with your dog can be addressed. Whether it's your dog going to the bathroom in the house, obsessive behaviors, neurotic behaviors, chewing himself, over excitability, excessive barking, whining, not obeying commands, not coming when called, running off, getting into the trash, destroying things in the house, obsessive digging, chewing the furniture, tail chasing, scratching, aggression towards other dogs, aggression towards other animals, aggression towards humans, snapping, biting, growling -- most problems with dogs can be overcome, if YOU will make the commitment and budget time regularly -- and the results will be not only a better-behaved dog, but a relationship with your dog that will be one of the most precious things you have ever experienced. Don't give up on your dog!
The Humane Society of the United States has a wonderful and much-needed campaign called "Pets for Life." The campaign features a variety of programs to empower pet caregivers to solve the problems that threaten their relationships with pets. Behavior problems top the list of reasons for sending pets to shelters -- where, in the U.S., millions of adoptable dogs and cats are put to sleep each year. Other dogs and cats are given up because of the owner's lifestyle changes, such as the birth of a child, family members with allergies or a family member with a disability. Still others are given up because their caregivers couldn't find pet-friendly rental housing, or because their owners simply had unrealistic expectations about what it meant to care for a pet. The goal of the Pets for Life campaign is to curtail the numbers of animals relinquished to shelters - or otherwise given up on - by helping people address all of the aforementioned issues, rather than giving up entirely on their pets. These resources can also help those considering the adoption of a dog or cat to better prepare for the LIFETIME experience.
If you don't own it already, buy this immediately: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend: The Classic Training Manual for Dog Owners (Revised & Updated Edition)
Also, please, spay or neuter your dog! Around 10 million adoptable cats and dogs are killed every year by governments in the USA. These are perfectly healthy, trainable animals, who have been placed in shelters ONLY because of a shortage of homes and a shortage of committed owners. 10 million. Many dogs (some say up to a quarter of dogs) are so-called "pure-breds." The only way to stop this mass annual killing is for people to spay and neuter their pets NOW. And don't let any of the Myths about Spaying and Neutering stand in your way of doing so!
Finally, enjoy these photos of my dogs and their friends.
