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I am Your Puppy | ||
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I am your Puppy, and I will love you until the end
of the Earth, but please know a few things about me. I am a Puppy; this means that my intelligence and
capacity for learning are the same as an 8-month-old child. I am a
Puppy; I will chew everything I can get my teeth on. This is how I
explore and learn about the world. Even human children put things
in their mouths. It's up to you to guide me to what is mine to
chew and what is not. I am a Puppy; I cannot hold my bladder for longer than
1-2 hours. I cannot "feel" that I need to poop until it
is actually beginning to come out. I cannot vocalize nor tell you
that I need to go, and I cannot have "bladder and bowel
control" until 6-9 months. Do not punish me if you have not
let me out for 3 hours and I tinkle. It is your fault. As a Puppy,
it is wise to remember that I need to go potty after: Eating,
Sleeping, Playing, Drinking, and around every 2-3 hours in
addition. If you want me to sleep through the night, then do not
give me water after 7 or 8 PM. A crate will help me lean to
housebreak easier, and will avoid you being mad at me. I am a
Puppy; accidents will happen, please be patient with me! In time I
will lean. I am a Puppy I like to play. I will run around and chase imaginary monsters, and chase your feet and your toes and 'attack' you, and chase fuzz balls, other pets, and small kids. It is play; it's what I do. Do not be mad at me or expect me to be sedate, mellow and sleep all day. If my high energy level is too much for you, maybe you could consider an older rescue from a shelter or Rescue group. My play is beneficial, use your wisdom to guide me in my play with appropriate toys, and activities like chasing a rolling ball, or gentle tug games, or plenty of chew toys for me. If I nip you too hard, talk to me in "dog talk," by giving a loud yelp, I will usually get the message, as this is how dogs communicate with one another; If I get too rough, simply ignore me for a few moments, or put me in my crate with an appropriate chew toy.
I am a Puppy; hopefully you would not yell, hit, strike,
kick or beat a 6-month-old human infant, so please do not
do the same to me. I am delicate, and also very
impressionable. If you treat me harshly now, I will grow
up learning to fear being hit, spanked, kicked or beat.
Instead, please guide me with encouragement and wisdom.
For instance, if I am chewing something wrong, say,
"No chew!" and hand me a toy I can chew. Better
yet, pick up anything that you do not want me to get into.
I can't tell the difference between your old sock and your
new sock, or an old sneaker and your $200 Nikes. I am a Puppy, and I am a creature with feelings and
drives much like your own, but yet also very different.
Although I am not a human in a dog suit, neither am I an
unfeeling robot who can instantly obey your every whim. I
truly do want to please you, and be a part of your family,
and your life. You got me (I hope) because you want a
loving partner and companion, so do not relegate me to the
backyard when I get bigger, do not judge me harshly, but
instead mold me with gentleness and guidelines and
training into the kind of family member you want me to be. I am a Puppy and I am not perfect, and I know you are not
perfect either. I love you anyway. So please, learn all
you can about training, and puppy behaviors and caring for
me from your Veterinarian, books on dog care and even
researching on the computer! Learn about my particular
breed and its "characteristics," it will give
you understanding and insight into why I do all the things
I do. Please teach me with love, patience, the right way
to behave, and socialize me with training in a puppy class
or obedience class, we will both have a lot of fun
together. I am a Puppy and I want more than anything to love you,
to be with you, and to please you. Won't you please take
time to understand how I work? We are the same you and I, in that we both feel hunger,
pain, thirst, discomfort, fear, but yet we are also very
different and must work to understand one another's
language, body signals, wants and needs. Some day I will
be a handsome dog, hopefully one you can be proud of and
one that you will love as much as I love you. Love, Your Puppy Copyright 2000, by J Ellis - Southern Shadows Rottweilers.
In memory of our baby boy puppy 3/15/01-3/16/01. Our little Squeeker. Dogs are not my
whole life...but they make my life whole! Reprinted from the Journal of the American Holistic
Veterinary Medical Association, Volume 20, No I. April 2001.
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