DIVA DOGS

We look at celebrities in the media and we think “What Diva’s”. Spoilt rotten. But I bet they didnt start out like that when they were kids. As children they most likely were quite normal. Going to school, playing out in the yard, nice manners, ‘normal’. But they get a bit of fame and before you know it they become demanding, self centred, obnoxious and down right rude. Over the decades I think we have done the exact same thing to dogs. They have become pampered, demanding and yes down right rude in their behaviour. Some to the extreme extent where they bite. But how has this come about? If you ask a lot of owners of dogs today they will tell you their dog understands what they are saying to them. We treat them as our best friends, and sometimes take it personally when they ignore us or quite literally “bite the hands that feeds them”. Most people now live in nice warm houses with central heating. Furniture is less expensive than what it was several decades ago. In the past homes were heated by a single fire in the main living room, usually coal. Furniture like a sofa cost the best part of two months wages. Dogs were most definitely not allowed up on them. Who would want a smelly wet dog up on their nice new sofa? Today we tend to confuse our dogs, one day we invite them up onto the sofa with us and the next scream at them for being stupid enough to go up on the sofa after having just come in from the rain.
When I was young my mum would take me and my brother up to our nan’s every morning. This was roughly a half hour walk. As we left our house mum would open the door and let our quite large dog out to make its own way there. As we entered our nan’s street 30 minutes later sure enough our dog would be coming down the street form the opposite end. I have no idea where he had been or what route he took to get there. Sometimes he would come in to the house at that point but most times he would stay out until it was time for us to head home again.
Nowadays with the changes in attitude and the advent in the changes in the laws, dogs are not allowed to roam the streets, which by and large is a good thing, however now fido sits in the house for most of the day. Before we had a nice tired out dog who had spent all day out running around, now we have a dog that sits around all day positively bored and looking for something to do hence the reason many get up to mischief. Our family life has changed somewhat as well, before we would wait till the we had children and they were grown up a bit before we thought about getting a dog. Now a lot of families are leaving having children to later in life whilst they pursue careers, but decide to get a dog as a kind of surrogate child. And treat them accordingly. We expect them to come as puppies completely conversant in human speak and if they dont respond when we give a command then we scream it a little louder, ‘because that always works’. Its a bit like when we go on a foreign holiday with total arrogance that where ever we go the local people will completely understand english, and if they don’t we will say it louder. “THE WAY TO THE BEACH”. And get really upset when they shrug their shoulders and walk off. Sound familiar? It happened to me in Paris.
Is it any wonder when we do the same to our dogs. “Come......I said COME”. then we get really upset when they walk off and ignore us. Dogs are the most selfish animals on the planet, and will only do something if theres something in it for them. Your job as owner is to find out what that something is at that moment and use it to get the dog to do what you want it to do. Shouting at it is not one of those things.
We have to be leaders and be dominant (nasty word). But that does not mean punitive measures. I mean we have to set rules and boundaries and let the dogs know when they cross those boundaries. If we don’t then as I said above they will assume they can do what they like. Sit and beg for food, go up on the sofa when they like, don’t come when we call. We discipline our children when they cross those boundaries by grounding them, or taking away some privilege. Dogs are no different, withdrawing resources like toys, treats, affection or social contact are all very potent weapons in disciplining your dog and used sparingly can be extremely effective. But this is only when things go wrong. By far the best way to deal with situations like these are to prevent them from happening. By engaging with them, giving them a role and a purpose in the pack and ensuring they are not isolated from social contact with their pack for extended periods of time will ensure we have a happy content tired out dog. If we start understanding our dogs better and go back to treating them like dogs and not little children we can get back to having the kind of relationship we used to have with them and maybe some of these horror stories reported in the media can be reduced. Lets give it a go.

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