Respect Thy Neighbor

Being a dog owner is not all that different than being a parent in many ways. One of those ways is seeing the faults in others parenting skills, while your children are perfect. I would have to admit to a little of this myself. My spoiled creatures are certainly allowed to get away with things in my home that other people find unacceptable. This can be difficult when asking others to accept your dog into their home whether it be during a visit while you are present or to watch your dogs while you are away. That is where good training can come into play. A dog that knows what “off” means, can be told not to get on the furniture in another home and usually will quickly learn the rules of that home. A dog that tends to bark when nervous can be taught new ways of coping with fear of strange places. Not only is this better for those around you, it is better for the dogs overall well being.

Too often, dog owners are not clued in to actions or behaviors that they may find perfectly acceptable (or cease to even realize are happening) while the behavior is unacceptable to others. Barking, for example, is a big one. I know a lot of dog owners who have simply tuned out the noise of their dog. They will carry on a conversation or about their business while their dog is barking incessantly in the background. Incessant barking is not really acceptable under any circumstance. A happy, content dog does not bark incessantly. Even if the dog is barking out of extreme happiness, it does not go on and on and on. Yet, many owners do not know how to handle the barking and simply choose to ignore it. If your dog barks constantly, chances are, someone else is hearing it too.

Another important behavior to watch out for is a dog approaching another dog. Not all dogs like to be approached by other dogs, even when neither dog is aggressive or means harm. Some dogs just like their space and will come toward the other dog when they are ready. As an owner of a dog who likes what I call a “controlled” introduction, I have to be on alert at all times that another dog is not invading Luey’s space before he is ready. Having the finicky dog, I accept this as part of taking him places and I am very aware, but I can get distracted. Often times, Luey is accepting of a new dog, but every now and then, Luey will need to tell the dog off and how the other dog and owner react is always a guess. I must take responsibility for my dog in these situations, but just as a child is taught to first ask permission to pet a dog, owners should follow this same advice when allowing their dog to approach and make contact with a new dog.

There are many other examples and I am sure those who know me and my dogs could say a thing or two about my habits, but that is not the point to all this. The point really is to try to be aware of how you and your dogs are affecting others. What might be okay to you, might not be to other people. Be aware of your surroundings and the people in them. When I am invited to someone’s house and they say I can bring my dogs, I fully disclose the personality of my dogs. Sometimes people are okay with it still, other times they change their minds about inviting the dogs. I respect that. I never want my dogs to be someone else’s problem. All I ask is the same respect in return.