11/25/2023
My dog is not my child. My dog is not my furbaby.
I am not his mother, I am his trainer. The word trainer is not a bad word, it means leader, supporter,disciplinary.. and friend.
My dog is my friend. He is my partner and my companion. To treat him like a child, to infantilize him and make it seem as though he needs my constant coddling or protection, would be unfair to him.
He is an adult carnivore that I have brought into my human world. Because of that it is my responsibility as his owner:
1) To communicate with him in a way he can understand.
2) To provide leadership, discipline and mutual respect.
3) To understand his instincts and needs, and provide appropriate outlets for them.
4) To train him and provide him the skills to function effectively in our human world, including acceptable manners and behaviours including the veterinarian.
Our dogs deserve to be given responsibility and allowed to be adult creatures, not perpetual babies.
Please, don't try to make them tiny humans, they aren't and they don't want to be. Dogs are wonderful because they are dogs. Let them be dogs.
Teach them to be good ones.
Katherine Carter 4/8/19
"Dog Trainer Unpopular Opinion of the Day:"
