A couple of months ago, we got a couple of puppies. Yes, a COUPLE! You see, our dog Bear, whom we’d had for 14 years, died last year of cancer. Husband Bob said we should replace him. We looked for weeks, but there were no dogs available that caught our eye.
One day, on a whim, I checked out craigslist, and there was a photo of the cutest little puppy! AND the people offering him lived in our town! We decided to go check him out. When we arrived, the owner was holding the little cutie in his arms – and then, his wife came out with the puppy’s sister. We looked at one another: that was that – we had to take them both! How could we separate them!?
Mick and Ebbie were 10 weeks old when we got them. Babies. And of course, babies need training, just like human babies!
The first thing was to train them to use the outdoors for a bathroom. That means taking them out every hour until they get the idea. Kind of like potty-training a baby! They got the idea fairly quickly, and now, at 3 months, they are doing well.
Other things they’ve learned are how to sit, lay down, stop barking, and when it’s time to eat!
They have personalities all their own, just like children. Each one is different, and it takes a learning curve to understand their wants and needs. We’re still learning to communicate, but it’s not difficult to understand when they want something. One thing they know, though, is from the tone of my voice, whether they are pleasing me or if they are doing something wrong. Teaching them to do what is right at this young age will bring a lifetime of joy for all – both dogs and owners. This lesson applies to children, as well – teach them to live right, to love God, to think of others and be polite – will bring much joy in their lives and to those around them.
Pets are a joy when they are trained to obey. Like children, they can become spoiled, or they can be “brought up in the way they should go”, to understand there are parameters and expectations for behavior in society.
Too often, I see a man or woman with their dog, where the dog seems to be in charge of them, not the other way around. Likewise, some children are always pushing to get their own way, to the chagrin of all around them, as they throw temper tantrums until the parent quickly gives in to keep them quiet. Those actions will often last a lifetime, and wreaks havoc on not only individuals, but society as a whole.
Puppies and children have several things in common: They are loved, and they need to be trained so they will be a blessing to others around them, not a burden.