The human/canine connection
When a puppy joins your existing family, much changes. Over the weeks and months with the new member of your family, things will typically grow into a flourishing and mutually beneficial relationship. But, in the very beginning things can be very one sided.
Our side -
Cleaning up after the puppy.
Feeding the puppy.
Training the puppy.
Going without sleep.
Buying lots of new dog stuff.
So what does your puppy offer in the beginning? A fuzzy little face that offers hope for a great future.
At the inception of your relationship, it can seem very one sided indeed. It is give, give, give and give more. So what does the puppy offer to us? Cuteness, right? They are adorably cute and it is a good thing sometimes; especially those days when we want to pull our hair out over that little cutie.
During the weeks when your relationship is new, puppies don’t tend to care what you think about them. I clearly remember yelling across the backyard at Riggs…”Get out there,” as he turned around loking at me like “just chill dude.” The relationship isn’t there yet; he actually did not care if I was mad that he was stomping over all of my flowers.
Over the next few months you and your dog in the in the fledgling stage of your relationship. Your connection grows as does the “caring” meter. What was once a “dude relax” moment for your dog as you lost your cool will be replaced with “oh oh, Mom’s mad.” This is what I wait for and when it happens it is a glorious day. Verbal error markers can lessen, volume goes down and frustration decreases. The puppy then longs to hear the mushy, gooey stuff that means they are such a good dog.
“He doesn’t even care that I’m mad,” says dozens of new canine guardians. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard it over the years. And then there comes a day that they do care and we rejoice. If and when this happens you will know that you have done a great job to grow your relationship. And I’m not talking about fear or forceful punishments; it is about respect and growth of a relationship. As rules and regulations are set in place and enforced; your dog learns that following in line works in a pack. There will be harmony when you listen to a follow the rules. It is as simple as that.
Let your dog get away with murder and do what they please? Harmony tends to fly out the window.