Dogs are not a household item.

Are you ready for a dog?

Like a son or a daughter, our four-legged friends have their own place in the family. Not as objects, not as “furniture”, but as a real, living member of your household. Dogs have their own limb on your family tree. In some cases, when a dog is brought into a home it may not be receiving the love and care it needs to thrive. Instead, they are used as props, as items to be used to protect the image of what a “home” is. It is vital for dog owners everywhere to fulfill the emotional, physical, and mental needs of their pets.

What Does That Mean?

Dogs, just like humans, experience a wide range of emotions. They may not be able to express those emotions as easily as we can, Simon Worrall from National Geographic writes “They [dogs] have feelings very much like we do, even though they don’t have words to describe them”. To see the full article click here.

As a dog owner myself, the emotional range my dogs are able to express is self-evident. They express excitement when they see me grab a leash, they express love through wet kisses all over my face, and they even express anxiety when I get ready to leave for work. 

Dogs are emotional creatures with very real emotional requirements. 

How Do You Meet That demand? 

How do you express love when they chew up your favorite pair of shoes?

How do you express patience when they try to knock over your guests at the front door?

How do you express compassion when they tear something up every time you leave for work?

I, myself, have a dog with these very real issues. Moose, my pitbull/lab mix, has torn through the drywall in several corners of my house, every time I leave for work. Each incident has happened next to a door as if he is trying to scratch himself out of the house in order to come to find me. The fear stems from thinking I will never come back, as his previous owners did once. 

It Takes Work

It takes work, but they are more than worth it. Now more than ever we are faced with challenges in our lives that may be hard to cope with. But dogs do not understand the “tough times”. Dogs understand energy. Gillian Scarpino with Off The Beaten Trail Canine Facility writes, “Dogs read body language. They literally read the energy of the room, of people, of other animals, then reflect that energy back”. View the article here.

Simple at-home hacks to try with your dog:

• Our dogs love to “watch” TV with us. Try laying a thick blanket out on the couch (protection against sharp nails and shedding) and snuggle up for a few episodes of your favorite show.

• Dogs require physical stimulation daily. They need on average at least thirty minutes of exercise a day to release pent-up energy. If sticking to a walking routine proves challenging, try out a dog park.

• Invest in good quality chew toys. Dogs also need mental stimulation throughout the day, and waiting for their favorite person to come home can get boring pretty quickly.

 Conclusion

    Dogs experience a range of emotional and physical needs just like humans. Through experience, we understand how negative emotions can have a lasting effect on our dogs. But so can positive emotions. Love is a universal language, spoken by both humans and dogs, and through love, we connect on a truly exceptional level. Before you take home a dog, consider that they will need more than just food and a roof over their heads. They will need a real emotional commitment from you and all members of your family for the next 15-20 years. 

Dogs are just one part of your life, but to them, you are their whole life.

What has your experience been like with your beloved fur babies? Drop a comment below, we love feedback!

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