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Less Worry… More Happy… Please!

By KatyBeth Jensen For The Dog Files

I was visiting with some new dog owners the other day, and they were worried. 

Were they feeding them the right food? Did they buy the right crate? Was their pup getting enough of the right kind of socialization? Were the pup’s collar and leash appropriate? Had they chosen the right trainer offering the right kind of training? And by the way, at what age did I feel it was important for the pup and family to meet with an animal communicator? Their prime concern was finding ways to make their pup happy. 

Here is a suggestion for a happy, healthy pup: Stop worrying about their happiness and well-being, and let them worry about yours. 

My Jack Russell, Rascal’s purpose in life is to make ME happy and she does it very well. And the happier I am, the happier she is. I feed her steak from my plate because it makes me happy to offer her something she will enjoy. I insist she walk on a leash without pulling me because it makes me happy when we have a pleasant walk together. She sleeps with me because sleep would be impossible without her cuddled up next to me. I keep her safe and healthy because it makes me happy to take good care of those who matter to me. 

Buy the dog food you feel comfortable buying, and the crate that will work well with your household decor. Crate your pup so you can both be happy to see one another when you get home. Take your pups to the places you feel comfortable going. I have one client whose happiness does not include trips to parks or beaches, and I doubt she has ever picked up a slobbery ball. So what does she do? She snaps the leash onto her pup’s collar and they take off to window shop down Michigan Ave, where doormen enthusiastically greet her pup with biscuits and a handshake while my client murmurs pleasantries and sips her Starbucks. Owner and pup are happy. How do I know her pup does not miss the beach, chasing a ball, and hanging out with dog friends? Besides speaking fluent dog, I know that when a dog’s owner is happy, the dog is happy. 

Rascal has manners because happiness, for me, includes being able to invite friends over without having them pawed and jumped on. On the other hand, when she recently stretched out on the dining room table to sunbathe, I was both amused and happy. Trinket, my mother’s Doberman, counter-surfs with gay abandonment. When my mother offers only a mild, “No,” I know in my heart it’s only for my benefit. My mother forgives Trinket the stolen bagel because Trinket makes her happy and the bagel was mine.

By the way, I know I’m writing to the reasonable dog owner or perhaps even the reasonable “dog person.”  I know you are not going to comment, “Well, it makes me happy to fight dogs, so are you saying I should go ahead and do it?” or “It makes me happy to let my dog run free down busy streets, so he can fully experience who he is.” or “It makes me happy to let my dog outside to bark at midnight.” If you think this is what I’m writing about, I will have to doubt that you have the common sense to happily own a dog. 

A pup’s greatest pleasure is to make you happy.  What could be better than having a happy owner? Go ahead and let your happiness wag the tail of the dog, and if I’m wrong, you can always work it out with your dog communicator. 

Pats for your pups!

Katybeth

KatyBeth & Rascal

Katybeth is a professional pet spoiler, living in the Chicagoland area, running her own business, Camp-Run-A-Pup. Camp Run-A-Pup spoils other people’s pups, and they do it really well. Katybeth lives with and loves three dogs of her own, Rascal, a Parson’s Terrier (AKC recognizers her as a Parson’s; you might recognize her as a Jack Russell), Skippy, a Schipperke with a personality disorder, and Scooby, a beagle that might belong to a neighbor. Katybeth’s newest family star is Soquel’s Last Souvenire, or as they like to call her, Trinket, a show-stopping Doberman pup. Katybeth co-owns Trinket with her mom because she likes being on the winning side of the dog show arena and wanted the rights to tell the real unabridged stories of the oddities of dog showing. the movie Dog Show did not even come close to telling. Katybeth also enjoys writing her blog — My Odd Family. Dogs, dog people, dog shows and owning a dog business combined with hearth, home and family never leaves her at a loss for material to write about.

Katybeth Jensen,PPS
Professional Pet Spoiler
http://www.camprunapup.com/
http://www.deerantlersforpups.com/
http://myoddfamily.com/