By Patti Hermes
Have you seen the saying, something like “I want to be the person my dog thinks I am”? Well you can be if you really try. It's not that difficult.
First of all, I understand it's cold out. You really don't want to go all out for your twice daily walks when the temperature dips. We all have our personal thresholds of what's too cold, but most people will forgive you if you cannot make yourself go out when wind chills dip below zero. Most people don't need you to take them outside to pee.
Your dog(s), on the other hand, most definitely needs to go outside, no matter how cold, several times a day and usually early in the morning. Sure, if you've got a safely fenced-in backyard, all you have to do is open the door and let them out. For the sake of your freezing dog, please do not walk away from that door. Do not go get yourself a cup of coffee, do not go out front to retrieve your morning newspaper, do not even think of getting into the shower while your dog is left outside in the cold. Remember, it's freezing outside and he probably didn't even put on a sweater!
Just like when you are walking the dog, you are on duty. You are the responsible dog owner, attuned to the dog's needs and comfort, and must be at the ready to welcome him back into the warmth of your home as soon as he indicates that he is ready. That is how you become the person your dog thinks you are, the most wonderful human on the face of the earth.
Any child can learn this trick easily, and parents are strongly encouraged to take the time to teach responsible pet ownership as early as possible. For the parents who haven't learned such skills, it takes time to unlearn old easy habits. But it CAN be done!
If you truly have no clue, please don't just try to wing it. In order to prevent your adorable new puppy from becoming the home-wrecker he certainly has the potential to be, find a professional. Any family can be trained to be responsible pet owners, and any dog can be trained to become the loving family companion pet you've always dreamed of. It's not magic, it's training.
A good place to start in your search for obedience training is the Association of Pet Dog Trainers . You can get advice on how to choose the right trainer for your situation. If you've been through training before, or have experience in training pets, you might just want to check out How to Train A Dog At Home for updates and new information to guide you.
Having a well-trained dog is not only good for the family, easy on visiting friends and relatives, and conducive to good neighbors, but it's best for the health and wellness of the family dog. A resolution for the whole family that makes everybody happy.
