[nagdu] What do you do when you're angry with your dog?

[Jenine Stanley]

Lisa brings up a good issue here. What do you do when you're angry with your
dog? 

 

I'm sure just about all of us have had those moments when we were incredibly
angry with our dogs. Whether they chewed up a favorite possession, went
after some food for the millionth time or just went seemingly brain dead
during a guiding task, I'm sure we've all had pause to consider just what to
do. Sometimes we don't pause and that can lead to all kinds of problems. 

 

One of the things that really hit me when I got my first dog was that I was
now responsible for another being, not only its care but its actions, and I
couldn't always control those actions as well as I'd like. 

 

I wonder if this is what new parents feel like with toddlers? OK, all you
parents, am I close? <grin> 

 

I'll pose the question here. Do you talk about anger and frustration during
guide dog class? Did it surprise anyone when first encountering anger toward
your dog? Do those of us who have had many dogs over time still feel angry
and frustrated with the current dog over things or does that lessen like it
seems to with kids, the youngest getting away with more things because the
parents are either tired, or have just relaxed a bit with experience? 

 

If you were to craft a class lecture about anger management, what might you
say? We can't all be Buddha all the time just for our dogs' sakes. 

 

We've all, I'm sure, seen someone whom we feel is over correcting his/her
dog. How do you handle that, especially if you can tell it's out of
frustration? 

 

It's a good topic to discuss. Lisa, I feel for you here. My last dog was a
champion at destroying things when out of harness. She chewed up a Braille
watch, numerous bits of paper, including a dividend check for over $500, and
the insoles of many a pair of shoes. I did everything to keep her from these
exploits, but when allowed freedom, she exercised her superior Poodle
intelligence and Labrador tenacity by redecorating my house. I'm almost
pleased to hear that in her new home, when thoroughly bored, she's been
doing the same things. 

 

Jenine Stanley

jeninems at wowway.com