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pdqsailor1 · 61-69, M
We have four dogs, Chihuahuas. They don't like me, they love me. I love them too..
Why?
There are rules, first thing is they all know I am the boss and If I say something they listen. I take them off lead, and them listening to me is for their safety and they know it. There is a pack and hierarchy - I am the dominant dog. This is the way it has to be.
I respect them - they can do things I can NOT do, I can do things they can not do and they respect me.
I do not castrate my friends, that would seem to be a strange way to treat a friend. I started off with one male, I got him a mate and we bred them several times.. When we no longer wanted them to have puppies, I took him some distance to get a vasectomy - I did not castrate him. These two now "practice" when she goes into heat and have an entirely normal relationship... My Vet says he wants to come back as a dog in my home.. Again I respect them....
I cook for them - I know exactly what they are eating and I must be doing ok because our male is 14 years old and is in perfect health - muscular, great physical specimen, very bright... They are all in perfect health.
I spend TIME with them... they are NOT ignored...
I accommodate them and their needs... and desires... We have a doggy door in our house to our fenced yard and I have one in our boat as well to give them freedom of movement..
I LET them be dogs - I do not dominate them into behaviour that is not natural... That is part of how I respect them..
I recognize clearly the personality differences between each dog... I am not sure if they learned how to speak or I learned how to listen but we communicate at a very high level...
Why?
There are rules, first thing is they all know I am the boss and If I say something they listen. I take them off lead, and them listening to me is for their safety and they know it. There is a pack and hierarchy - I am the dominant dog. This is the way it has to be.
I respect them - they can do things I can NOT do, I can do things they can not do and they respect me.
I do not castrate my friends, that would seem to be a strange way to treat a friend. I started off with one male, I got him a mate and we bred them several times.. When we no longer wanted them to have puppies, I took him some distance to get a vasectomy - I did not castrate him. These two now "practice" when she goes into heat and have an entirely normal relationship... My Vet says he wants to come back as a dog in my home.. Again I respect them....
I cook for them - I know exactly what they are eating and I must be doing ok because our male is 14 years old and is in perfect health - muscular, great physical specimen, very bright... They are all in perfect health.
I spend TIME with them... they are NOT ignored...
I accommodate them and their needs... and desires... We have a doggy door in our house to our fenced yard and I have one in our boat as well to give them freedom of movement..
I LET them be dogs - I do not dominate them into behaviour that is not natural... That is part of how I respect them..
I recognize clearly the personality differences between each dog... I am not sure if they learned how to speak or I learned how to listen but we communicate at a very high level...