Doggone Etiquette—

Resolutions

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:  

It may come as a surprise to you, but this is the moment when people make what they call “resolutions.” It means making up a list of their good intentions to do things better in the future than they did in the past. If that sounds complicated to you dogs, it is! I’m sure you would make some good resolutions if only you knew how. Here are three suggestions to start you off: 

*Love — Show it by being faithful and trustworthy.

*Honor — Make your people proud of you.

*Obey — Well, you do know what that means! Work on it.

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:

There are many possible resolutions each of you might make concerning your particular dog. How we show our feelings for the dog is not the same as the love we show toward a fellow human being, but at times it comes close. So, beyond showing a fondness for the dog, there are a few things to put on your New Year’s “Resolutions for Rufus” list. If you’ll be a first-time dog owner in the New Year, your list will be a mile long!

Relax. Help is out there. You have only to ask.        

Here are some possible resolutions to get you all started:

*Protect — Secure fencing, correct (maybe new?) collar and lead; adequate and prompt veterinary care.

*Teach — Obedience school (beyond the basics) ,especially if you skipped it last year; stimulate your dog’s brain with new words and activities.

*Be Fair — Prevent bad behavior and 90 percent of the need for your correction and punishment will be eliminated. Being fair benefits you both.

*Be Understanding — Don’t expect more from your dog than he is able to give. Rufus can’t tell you he has a headache or just isn’t feeling up to par. Read his body language, and cut him some slack.

Dogs vary every bit as much as people do. Just as family members invariably differ one from another, dogs within the same litter (or in the same breed) are never all the same. They may look alike physically, but nothing else about them results from a cookie cutter.

Take a step back and consider how 2009 went for you and your dogs. If all was wonderful and you wouldn’t change a thing — lucky you, and very lucky dogs! But make a note of things you might undertake to do differently to make your dogs’ lives even better in the year ahead.

To all dogs, and to all dog owners, here’s wishing you

 A HAPPY and HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

—Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years, during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog Fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me!, which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award in 2008.