Let Dogs Be Dogs

I posted this on Facebook yesterday because I am so tired of seeing the negative effects this 'dog as little people' is having on our dogs. We are rewarding fear and increasing dependency, creating a whole lot of neurotic dogs while trying to fulfill our own emotional voids. Let's love them by respecting them for who they are and providing for their needs, not ours.  I am the mother to three beautiful young women. I am the owner of three amazing dogs. I love them all. But I love them differently. And I will do serious damage to anyone who hurts any of them. But I love them differently… (Oh, and by the way, Happy belated Father's Day to all the amazing dad's out there).

I HATE this message because of what it implies. To me, it is so wrong, dogs are not our 4-legged children or furbabies. They are dogs…and should be honored and respected for what that means. This message from Cesar Millan, love him or hate him, is so true - "The best way to be a “parent” to your dog is to be a calm, assertive Pack Leader, fulfill their needs with Exercise, Discipline, and Affection, in that order, and give them Rules, Boundaries and Limitations. This is probably also the best way to be a parent to your human children, but don’t forget the big difference. Most human children will grow up to become adults. Your canine pack is dependent on you for life.
The best thing you can do for them is to let your dogs be dogs. They’ll be calmer and happier for it, and so will you — and they’ll thank you for it every day in their own way." Sorry, just needed to vent