Perfect Puppy Care » Bringing Up Puppy

Bringing Up Puppy Series – Puppy Daze

Jeff Van Dalsum — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:08:44 +0000

I saw a woman with a newborn baby the other day and asked her how old the child was. “Twenty days,” she told me. I laughed to myself. I remember counting my childrens’ age in days, then weeks, months and now years.

It’s very much the same way with our puppy, who really seems more like a dog now, than the itty bitty baby we brought home eight months ago. It goes by fast, and just like with my children, there are things I wish I had done differently.

I certainly wish I had taken more pictures and videos of her when she was impossibly tiny. It seems unthinkable that she once sat on my lap while I typed on my computer. I wish I would have taken a picture of that. I guess I was too busy cleaning up after her to grab the camera. There were plenty of Kodak moments to be had, I just didn’t take the time to document them. There definitely would’ve been more magic puppy moments captured if I could do it over again.

I wish I had been better prepared for the changes she would bring to the house. I didn’t realize how this little ball of fur would change our lives. I know people warned us that she would chew things up and destroy a few things, but somehow I just didn’t expect it. If I knew then what I know now, I never would have dreamed of taking off shoes within fifty feet of her, and my books would have been banished to another room. And I would have been much more careful with the two laptops that got damaged. Who knew?

But I also wish I had been more patient. Just like with my children, I wish I wouldn’t have rushed through each stage. “I can’t wait until they’re done with formula…I can’t wait until they’re walking…I can’t wait until they’re potty trained.” What was the rush, really? It was such a short, short slice of time. Same thing with the puppy. Yeah, she was peeing on the rugs, but I should have just lived in the moment and enjoyed this little creature and all of the troublesome bumps along the road. It really didn’t last that long. (Although at the time, I felt like I would forever be wiping up the floors.)

So here we are with our almost grown up dog. Soon enough, we won’t be able to call her a puppy. It’s like transitioning from saying you have a baby to saying you have a child. But just like everyone says about having kids, enjoy it because it goes by fast. You may have your dog for 12 or more years if you’re lucky. But you only have a puppy for a very short time.

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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.

Bringing Up Puppy Series – Fairy Dog Mother – Part 2

Lisa Scott — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:24:15 +0000

After Hershey chewed up the magical “must-behave” harness, (I guess she really didn’t like it so much, after all) I figured we needed another visit from fairy dog mother. Hershey still isn’t giving up her dominance and is barking at strangers like crazy when we’re outside.

FDM (fairy dog mother) agreed that we had to escalate our training to show Hershey who’s boss. “We’re going to have to pin her down,” she told me.

“Pin her down?” I gulped.

“She needs to know you’re in charge.”

FDM tried it first. We took Hershey outside and sure enough, she pulled on the new harness as FDM took her for a walk. So, FDM gently pushed her down to the ground on her side and held her there. Hershey struggled to get up. Then she tried to pretend she was having fun, by chewing on the grass and ignoring FDM. But eventually, she relaxed under FDM’s hands and behaved a bit better on the leash when they both got up off the ground.

Then the mailman started walking up the street. Hershey went nuts, barking and leaping. FDM kept her on a short leash and tried to block Hershey’s view of the man, who hesitantly walked up our sidewalk.

“Don’t worry, she’s in the hands of a dog expert as we speak,” I tried to reassure him.

“When she’s barking at someone, try to distract her or block her view,” FDM told me, and handed me the leash.

Apparently being pinned down by one person doesn’t mean you’ll give up your dominance to another. Hershey still tried to pull me, and wouldn’t let me be the lead dog.

“Pin her,” FDM said.

I swallowed hard and pushed her on her side. Hershey was not happy. She tried nipping at me and struggled even harder than she had with FDM. Then she started eating the grass again, then she’d struggle again, and when she finally seemed as if she was relaxing a bit, FDM told me to try walking her.

Hershey kept to my side for a bit. Then FDM lined up down the sidewalk, and I was supposed to keep Hershey at my side. But Hershey wanted to rush right over and tried pulling me along.

“Pin her again,” she told me.

I hesitated; I felt kind of bad doing this.

“Don’t feel bad, this is what happens in litters of puppies. You’ve got to show her who’s in charge, and right now that’s not you.”

So I pinned her on her side again, and she didn’t struggle as much this time.

“You’re going to have to keep doing this, you know. She’ll get the idea soon enough.”

Once she gives up the power to me, my husband and kids might have to take a turn doing the same thing. But if it means a well-behaved dog that doesn’t drag us around the neighborhood and bark at everyone in a half-mile radius, I’ll pin the dog no matter how lousy I feel about it.

I guess it bothers me more than it bothers Hershey; she still laps my hand and sits at my feet as usual. I just hope I don’t have to do this too many more times. It may not be mean, but it feels mean.

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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.

Bringing Up Puppy Series – Who is the Boss?

Lisa Scott — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:04:53 +0000

Fairy Dog Mother (FDM) made it look easy when she commanded control over Hershey. Now that I’m trying to show her who’s boss, it’s a lot harder. This little pup doesn’t want to give up. And actually, she’s not so little anymore, which is part of the problem.

My shoulder was aching for days, and I tried to remember what I’d done to hurt it. The next time I took Hershey out I pinpointed the cause. Trying to keep ahead of her, or at least keep her at my side is really hard; and my shoulder had the wounds to prove it. Hershey is 45 pounds of very determined dog.

For a while, being the first one out the door did the trick. She was a lot more willing to let me take control if I went out first. But it’s really hard to go down the stairs first, and close the door behind me. So it doesn’t always work out. And sometimes, she REALLY has to go, and dashes for the street ahead of me no matter how hard I try to stay in control.

Often, I still find myself being pulled around. Clearly, this is still a work in progress.

Like FDM said, Hershey’s the “worst Lab she’s ever seen” in terms of her stubborness. (FDM later called me to rescind that declaration, and named Hershey the second worst Lab she’d ever seen when she remembered one pesky Lab who would jump on FDM’s back.) So, there’s that at least.

And Hershey has developed a new habit as I try to be in control of her. Instead of jumping all over strangers who walk past, now she barks her head off like a scary beast when they walk by. So instead of seeming super eager to meet them, now she seems like she wants to attack them. Sure, I’m holding her between my knees so she can’t jump, but I’m not sure why her answer to this is to bark like crazy.

I’m so envious when I see other well behaved, calm dogs. Will Hershey ever be like that? We’re going to work with FDM a few more times. She did warn us it would take time and a lot of work. I just didn’t know how much.

Some things have gotten better. Knock on wood, she hasn’t chewed up anything super important lately. And she’s been very good about letting us know when she really needs to go out. I felt confident enough to steam clean the carpets, hoping that phase is behind us. (Man, were those carpets filthy.)

So, we’ll focus on the positive, and hope Fairy Dog Mother can send some magic dust our way and let Hershey know she’s man’s best friend, not the Queen of the castle.

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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.

Bringing Up Puppy Series – The Worst Lab

Lisa Scott — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 02:49:53 +0000

So finally, we’re going to get some help for our stubborn little Hershey from a woman who loves to help people with their pets. Yay! We made an appointment with this Fairy Dog Mother (FDM) and she set up some ground rules: don’t hold the dog back when I come in and don’t talk to her. I’m going to completely ignore her when I come in and see what she does.

Good luck with that. And sure enough, when FDM came to the door Hershey went wild, jumping all over her, desperate for some attention—and even more desperate when she wasn’t getting any. But FDM would have none of that. She totally ignored Hershey and eventually, Hershey gave up and stopped whining and barking.

“Let me see how she is with you when she’s on the leash,” FDM instructed. So I took Hershey outside; or, you could say that Hershey took me outside.

“She thinks she’s the lead dog,” FDM told me. “You have be the one going in and out of the door first, showing her you’re in charge.”

Guess what? That’s a really hard thing to do. It’s so much easier to let her out first and follow, but that’s what I end up doing the entire time we’re out—follow her. But when I did go out first, remarkably, Hershey was much more manageable. I couldn’t believe it! Not that she wouldn’t give up without a fight. She wrestled to get the leash in her mouth so she could get back control. I think she knew what was going on.

We decided to take her back inside, so FDM could try to show Hershey who’s boss on the leash. FDM walked her round and round, trying to get her to stop and sit when FDM wanted her to, but Hershey didn’t want to relinquish control. Hershey would just flop to the ground on her back, with her legs in the air.

“She’s so stubborn,” FDM said. “I’ve never seen a Lab this bad.”

Now there’s an honor every dog owner is looking for.

FDM tried a choke collar on Hershey, but it just seemed to agitate her even more. So FDM ran out and bought a harness for the dog and we practiced a bit more trying to be in charge when walking her. The harness collar really helped. It didn’t choke Hershey’s neck, which she hates, and the harness gave me control over a bigger portion of her body.

The kids were given instructions not to talk to her or look at her when they come home from being out. They can rile the dog up without realizing it. If we get all excited when we come home, then Hershey’s going to be all excited whenever anyone comes in.

“This is going to take time and work, but you can be in control and have a wonderful calm dog. She’s very sweet, but right now, she’s ruling this house,” FDM said, promising to come back in a week or two.

So, armed with a few tools now, we’re trying to get our little doggie to behave. It’s hard to believe just one visit could make such a difference, but it did. Now we have to put these lessons in practice every day. That’s going to be the real test. But there’s no room for error for the worst lab FDM has ever seen.

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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.

Bringing Up Puppy Series – The Fairy Dog Mother

Jeff Van Dalsum — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:33:06 +0000

Yes, Virginia, apparently there is a fairy dog mother and she’s going to help us with Hershey! My neighbor, who’s fretted over my troubles with this headstrong dog, passed on the name of her dog sitter to me. “She’s kind of a dog whisperer,” she told me. “She comes right to your house and works with you and your dog. She did wonders for our dog.”

Private training? “That sounds expensive,” I said, knowing I’m running out of options here.

“Oh, she doesn’t charge anything. She just loves dogs and loves helping families. She just asks for a donation to the local SPCA. She’s on the board of directors there. I’m sure she can help you,” she told me, as Hershey tried to drag me down the sidewalk.

I took the phone number from her, like it was Santa’s personal cell phone information. Could this too-good-to-be-true woman really exist?

I called her and left a message. Would she call back? I already had one trainer not call me back. But later that night she called and we set up an appointment for her to come over when the whole family is here. (A short sliver of time in the middle of the day.)

So now I’m excited and nervous for her visit. Maybe some dogs aren’t trainable. Maybe Hershey would be the one dog she couldn’t help. The one she’d talk about at dinner parties. “Oh, this one dog I tried to work with was impossible….” Maybe she’d come once and never come back!

She explained on the phone that this is going to be about behavior not obedience. Call it what you want, just get my dog to calm down and listen! She set up some rules for her visit. We aren’t supposed to hold the dog back when she comes in the door. She’s going to totally ignore the dog and not talk to her. This should be interesting. Hershey’s main goal in life, besides getting food, is getting people’s attention.

So what’s on my wish list for improving Hershey’s behavior? I suppose number one on the list is to stop jumping on people when we walk, and to stop pulling me. That would be huge. Number two, if we could keep her off the furniture, that would be wonderful. Oh, and what we can do about all the chewing? Is it a dream to believe we could have a basket of toys for her and teach her that she can only chew on those things and not furniture, shoes and kid toys? Oh, oh! And what about stopping her from barking at 5am every morning?

It’s a big task for one woman, I know. We’ll see how much of a fairy dog mother she really is. But at least we’ve got someone to help. Life could be getting a lot easier around here. I hope.

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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.

Bringing Up Puppy Series – The Furs Flying

Lisa Scott — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:43:55 +0000

I know this sounds stupid, (remember I’m the woman who hasn’t had a dog since she was a girl) but I kind of forgot that at some point Hershey would start shedding. Yep, the brown fur is flying in our house.

I guess I thought since she’s a short-haired dog, it wouldn’t be a problem. That’s one of the reasons we got a chocolate lab instead of a golden retriever. All that long yellow fur—everywhere! It seemed a bit overwhelming. But short brown fur is a problem now. Her fur is showing up all over the place.

So, being the proactive girl I am, I bought a deshedding tool to pull off as much fur as I can before it hits my furniture, floors and clothes. I thought Hershey might enjoy it. We haven’t actually brushed her before, because she didn’t need it. It sort of seemed like brushing my son’s hair after he gets a brush cut. Pointless.

So, I was excited to brush her. I thought she might like it. Not so much. She tries to run away from me. So I follow her. Basically, I’m brushing her as I chase her around the room. Kind of hilarious. Then she tries to eat the hair I’ve combed off. Then she tries to eat the deshedding tool. (Is there anything she won’t eat?)

Why the resistance? I’d think it would feel good to get that extra fur off her. I envisioned her curled at me feet while I leisurely brushed her; not chasing her around the room to torture her. I guess I won’t be painting her toenails. Hershey doesn’t want to be a pampered pooch.

And I don’t know if it’s because of new fur growing in or because of the old fur coming off, but she’s got a new white spot on her side. At first I thought the kids dripped paint on her or something. Did a bird poop on her? I wondered. But then I realized our chocolate lab has some sprinkles on her. She’s got that tiny white stripe on her chest and this new little spot. I’m curious if it’ll be a seasonal thing, or if its here to stay.

So, six months later there are still surprises to be had with our new puppy. Some of them are good—she’s potty trained! She sleeps through the night! Some not so good—she’s leaving a trail of fur in her wake.

I suppose we’ll get used to it and I won’t even notice the fur until some well meaning friend picks it off my sweater for me. And it’s not a year round thing, so that’s good. I just wonder what surprise is waiting for us next. Life with a puppy is one big adventure.

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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.

Bringing Up Puppy Series – Chew on This

Lisa Scott — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:08:22 +0000

Hershey has developed a taste for shoes. And I don’t mean she’s longing for the latest designer doggie booties. But if she were, she would probably be ogling Jimmy Choo’s, because that’s what she’s been doing—chewing our shoes.

Last week, she destroyed my favorite sandals. My favorite wear them everywhere sandals!!! And I’m not even a “shoe girl,” so that’s saying something. I thought about burying them in the backyard with a special ceremony, I was so sad. The next day, she chewed up Riley’s perfectly-good-they-still-fit sneakers. We had to run out that night and buy her a new pair before gym class the next day. And then she chewed those up a few days later.

Luckily, we grabbed the neighbor kid’s sneakers just as Hershey started chowing down on them when he kicked them off after running in through the back door.

It’s hard to be mad at her, because I know we shouldn’t leave our shoes where she can get them. It’s totally our fault. If they weren’t there, she wouldn’t have devoured them. But sometimes it’s so hard to remember you can’t just kick them off when you sit on the couch. We’ve been doing that for years, and it takes a while to change old habits. But there is just no room for error with this dog. And it’s hard to live, when there’s no room for error.

And it’s also very frustrating, because I buy her oodles of toys and chews. She should be the happiest dog on the block. So why does she keep chewing all of the things she shouldn’t when she has great stuff she could be chewing on?
It’s not just shoes, either. I had jokingly thought about keeping a running tally of all the things she’s destroyed. I’m glad I didn’t. I think I’d be overwhelmed by the total. And she’s chewing on things I couldn’t really anticipate: our wooden electric fireplace, my book box that sat on the floor next to our recliner, and on and on.

Is she ever going to stop doing? Is there anything I can even do to stop her? Do I have to put her in the crate every time I leave the room? It’s something for me to chew on. I feel sad for both of us. I feel like something’s come between us. Now, I’m looking at her wondering what she’s going to chew up next. I feel like I can’t trust her. I feel sad about it, really.

I know, I know. I was warned that puppies, Labs especially, are chewing machines. But it’s a different story when it’s actually happening. It’s definitely pushed back any plans to let her out in the rest of the house.

So, I guess we’ll have to keep one step ahead of her—and keep our shoes out of sight.

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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.

Bringing Up Puppy Series – Lost

Lisa Scott — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:34:31 +0000

The signs are posted all over town: “Lost Chocolate Lab, beloved family pet.” There’s all the contact information and a picture of the dog, a full-grown chocolate male. A chocolate lab, just like our little Hershey. I’ve seen the ads for weeks, and spotted them in the newspaper, too. My heart aches for the family knowing that most lost pet stories don’t end well. Do the kids rush home from school every day, wondering if their pet found its way home? How many hours did their parents spend driving around looking for the dog? What would I do if I lost one of my animals?

Well, I found out the other night when our cat was missing. No one had seen Spencer for hours. He never hides on us, and it was a busy night with lots of people tromping in and out of the house. He could have easily slipped out. And this is a kitty that longingly stares out our windows tracking squirrels and birds.

My kids were sleeping, so they didn’t know Spencer was gone. My husband and I were panicked. We had to find him before morning when they woke. We searched everywhere in the house. Even Hershey seemed sad and worried without Spencer. Those two are tight. He’s Hershey’s favorite playmate. And he’s my daughter’s greatest love. Riley was always going to remember how this story ended. Did we find her kitty? Did someone return him to us or take him to the pound? She still cries over the beloved stuffed kitty she lost. What would she do when she found out we lost the real kitty? I so wanted a happy ending, for everyone’s sake.

I grabbed a flashlight and walked up and down our street, shining the light under cars and bushes and saying St. Anthony’s prayer for help finding lost things. “St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please look around, something’s been lost and it must be found.” I wondered if Hershey would be easier to find if she got lost. She’s a lot bigger.

When my patrol yielded no signs of the cat, I jumped in my car and drove around the nearby streets. It was after midnight and Spencer’s light fur would show up in the dark if he were running around. But I didn’t see anything. I started to cry. When people find beautiful pets like Spencer or Hershey or the missing chocolate lab, they very often keep them. We’d never find him. How could we ever replace Spencer? Would Hershey accept a new cat in the house?

I drove home with tears in my eyes, and a heavy, heavy heart. Pets certainly bring a lot of joy into your home, but they bring the potential for devastating heartbreak, too. I tried to remind myself of the happy endings I had heard about. My aunt once told me they had a puppy long ago which ran right out their front door, and across the street into the woods. They couldn’t find him. But months later, a full-grown dog ran right back into their house. Their little pup had grown up and come back home!

My friend’s little pooch was stolen from her front yard. Months later, her husband spotted someone walking their dog. He actually chased them down and demanded the dog back and called police. It was like something out of a movie. Maybe we’d have an ending like that, too.

I crawled into bed plotting out my plans for the next day. We’d have to put up our own missing pet flyers and check with the pound. Maybe we’d find Spencer on the back porch in the morning. Maybe he’d find his way home.

When my husband crawled into bed later that night, he had surprising news. Spencer had been in the house all along. He wandered into the family room while my husband was watching TV. We have no idea where he was because we tore the house apart looking for him. He must have found himself one heck of a hiding spot.

At least we won’t have that problem with Hershey. She’s just too big to disappear in our house. But having Spencer back made me realize how much I love these animals. And how devastated I’ll be if we really do ever lose either of them.
I just hope the family with the missing chocolate lab gets their own happy ending. Now I know how badly they feel.

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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.

Bringing Up Puppy Series – There Until the End

Lisa Scott — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:15:46 +0000

Even if you never watched the show Lost, you probably know the whole series wrapped up recently. I was a total Lostie, and cried through much of the final episode, especially at the very end. And even all these weeks later, I still get teary eyed thinking of the final scene—all because of a dog.

(*Spoiler Alert*) In the final moments of the series, one of the main characters, Jack, collapses on the sand to die after saving the island where the plane crashed, and in turn, basically saving the world. (Long story, one I still don’t totally understand.) Anyways, as he lie there alone, Vincent, the yellow lab that roamed the island after crashing with the rest of the survivors, comes running out of the jungle. Vincent snuggles next to dying Jack, and Jack smiles, even though he knows he’s heartbeats away from dying. It’s just such a heart wrenching moment. The scene parallels the beginning of the entire series when Jack awakens to the lab licking him as he lay in the sand after the plane crashed. Really kinda cool story telling, I think.

I’m not sure why that scene is so powerful to move me to tears. Sure, it’s sad to see one of your favorite characters sacrifice themselves for the greater good. But when that dog showed up, call a plumber, because those waterworks started flowing. Certainly, it was comforting to know Jack wouldn’t die alone. Did Vincent know he was dying or was he just happy to see his old friend?

Lots of folks in online forums have pointed out that DOG is GOD spelled backwards, and that Vincent’s appearance was really symbolic. Others talked about how many ancient cultures believed dogs escorted the dead safely to the underworld.

Maybe this was all part of the writers’ symbolism for the story. But I think the idea that Vincent knew Jack was dying, and that he was there for Jack to help him pass on is what makes it so moving. I’m in love with the idea that animals know more than we give them credit for. If I’m having a bad day and Hershey gives me a little extra loving, it really warms my heart to think she somehow knows and wants to help. It’s wonderful to know animals are there for you no matter what, even when you’re dying and no longer any use to them.

Perhaps that’s it. What was in it for Vincent? It was a selfless act from a dog. Dogs never really want any more from you than to give and get love. It’s nice to know you have a creature like that in your life. A sweet little soul that will be there for you in your final hour—even you’re not alone on a desert island after saving the world.

It was an incredibly moving moment on television; one that didn’t need any words to speak so many. One that reminded me how amazing dogs really are.

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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.

Bringing Up Puppy Series – Enhanced Pet Radar

Lisa Scott — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:29:14 +0000

I noticed that once I had children, other people’s children suddenly showed up on my Mommy-worry radar. You can hear the prolonged cry on the playground of a child who skinned their knee and needs help, and you can instantly spot the wide-eyed terror of a child lost in a store. You become aware of other children like you just weren’t before when you have kids.

It’s the same thing with my dog. Now that I have a dog, I can’t believe how many dogs live on our street. Did everyone suddenly just get a dog? Nope. I just didn’t really notice them before. Now, I’m aware of dogs everywhere. Kind of like when you’re pregnant, suddenly you spot every pregnant woman in a ten-mile radius.

Now, when I’m out taking a walk, I worry about the dogs barking while no one’s home. Are they ok? Hungry? Thirsty? Lonely? There’s not much I can do about it as I walk by. If a neighbor consistently left a dog outside to bark all day, I’d politely inquire and make certain they were providing adequate water. But this weekend my mommy-doggy radar picked up a real distress call. And I froze. My heart hurts just remembering it.

It was day three of our street wide garage sale, and I sat in my garage working on my computer while people perused what we had left out in our driveway. I wasn’t paying people much attention as they came and went. The crowd was light, but people were walking around, the day was sunny and warm and I had a project to finish up. I was in my own little work world, really.

That’s when I heard a car pull up and park in front of our house. I saw two older people get out, while their little dog yipped away in the car. The old woman wobbled on her cane up the driveway, while the older man scowled at the car.

“I’m gonna give her a few good smacks,” he said. And he went back to the car and I could hear him hit the dog several times. She stopped barking. The woman didn’t even take notice. The older couple wandered into my driveway.

Did he really just do that? I wondered. Really? With all these people around like it was no big deal? It was no heat of the moment anger, just an everyday way to quiet the dog.

My heart was in my throat. That poor little dog. As I sit here typing, I can’t believe I didn’t set down my work and rush out and yell at him. That’s what I would have thought I’d do, especially now that I have a dog.

But I sat there, frozen and uncertain about what I even could do. Was it my place to tell him not to whack his dog? Was it my place to tell him he was a mean idiot? He was at a distance and wouldn’t have heard me even if an instant reaction slipped from my lips. I would have had to march out and challenge him. (Please keep in mind that years ago, before we had kids, when my husband and I thought we heard someone in the house, he jumped out of bed to investigate, and my involuntary instinct was to hide under the covers. Seriously. I freeze in a crisis, which is only helpful if trying to avoid detection by a Tyrannosaurus Rex, as I learned from Jurassic Park.)

Scolding a mean dog owner seems a lot more likely when you’re just contemplating the situation, not confronting it. I’ve seen parents hit their kids in public, and I felt the same kind of conflict. Is it really my place to call someone out for rough handling of their pets and children? Tears welled in my eyes as I wondered what to do; and as I realized I wasn’t doing anything.

The man did a quick glance over of my tables and shuffled off to the next sale. He didn’t get close enough to talk to, and even now I’m not sure what I would have said.

Jerk? That wasn’t nice? Don’t bring your dog with you if you don’t want it to bark? How would you like it if I’d hit you? Sorry, I’m not going to let YOU buy any of my junk?

I kept thinking about that little dog the rest of the day, and wondered if she loved her owner despite his rough treatment, or if she cowered in fear. Was he mean to her often? Was he nice to her sometimes?

When the sale was over, I went inside and wrapped my arms around Hershey, and thought about the animals that are on the receiving end of a violent hand more often than a loving one. Once you bring a pet into your life, be prepared to worry about other animals. Be prepared for enhanced pet radar. I was not. As I hugged Hershey, I promised myself next time, I’d say something. I just hope there isn’t a next time.

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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.