Warning! This is not my typical post. It's a soapbox rant, but I think an important one.
Shaker and I started our second puppy class today. Yes, it's embarrassing but Shaker Baby needs to repeat puppy class. Not because he can't perform all the necessary stations but because he is a butt head with other dogs.
So we arrived at puppy class at 8:45am this morning and I discovered that it was a 4 month old German Shepherd, a very young Australian Shepherd, and the demo dog is a Sheltie. I am thinking this is going to be fun--all herding dogs.
So we went through class and Shaker is getting much better with watch me and leave it when it comes to dogs. ( I can throw treats on the floor and he will leave them until he is released but this is much harder for him with other dogs.) Anyway we get to the end of the class, and the trainer asks if there are any questions. The German Shepherd woman, asks about potty training.
The trainer talks about picking a spot for the dog, crating the dog when she can't watch it...you know the normal potty training stuff. (Here comes the rant!) Then the Shepherd owner says, "I've tried all that and she still won't go outside, and we are ready to drop her off at the pound, because she is ruining my beautiful floors."
So each of us give some more helpful hints e.g. make sure the crate is only big enough for her to stand up in and turn around, take her out more often--(she is only taking a 4 month old puppy out 4 times a day), use and attractor... She was also offered a free potty training seminar which I truly hope she takes it. But folks here's the rub for me...
If she didn't have the time to commit or the stick to it to have a puppy, then she shouldn't have the puppy. Next who bred this dog that would allow it to go to the humane society instead of taking it back?
It just fries my cookies that someone would be so incredibly irresponsible with another life!
Trust me at 8:00 am on Saturday morning I would much rather be drinking coffee and looking out at the river than taking Shaker to a puppy class, but it is the most important thing I could be doing for him right now to help him over his "other dog anxiety." So please don't get a cute puppy for Christmas just because their cute, or for a child who needs to learn responsibility, or any other reason other than you are ready to take on a puppy who will have a variety of need that are your responsibility to meet. Like house training, vet visits, teething incidents, socializing, and sooooooo much more!
I promise my next post will be a caper! Kim
5 comments:
That's a great rant! More than likely the puppy came from a pet store or a BYB who doesn't have the "bring the puppy back" policy. And the sad thing is, if she bought it from the pet store, she probably paid more for it than if she would have bought it from a responsible breeder, plus she gets no quarantees. All in all, it's the dog that gets the short end of the stick.
It is really sad. My guess is that she doesn't have much more time for her children either. The day care workers tell me about how many parents leave their kids until the last minute day after day. People who don't want to take the time shouldn't have animals or kids, both take time and effort. It's too bad they'll never have the warm glow of the successes either.
Amen Joy!
Yes the dog gets the short end either way. Just makes me sick kg
Amen Kim and Joy! Thank you!
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