I am walking towards the kitchen after delivering to Deuce and Rio two hot meals. I cannot help but think to myself, half amused half-serious that at times we become our dogs little “slaves”. They are driven to daycare like children are driven to soccer practices, their muddy paws wiped after playing outside in the snow - now mud. Their beds and blankets washed, and so on.
After amusing myself with the list of “to-dos” for my dogs I begin to ponder about how to accurately describe the role we play in our dog’s lives. What “model” best describes our relationship? This is a question that I have asked myself frequently - always trying to hone in the perfect answer, the all-inclusive answer.
Lately, I have come to the conclusion that the “label” that best describe us in our commitment to our dogs is “pet parents”.
Yes, I know, I cringe too at the sound of it! Too esoteric, too woo woo, too cute, the list goes on. But hear me out, besides the corny connotation of this label I adhere to it because in effect there is scientific evidence to support that due to their ancestral past, our roles to our dogs should be the role of “parents”.
Our dogs, as descendants of wolves, are reminiscent in their behavioral traits to young (immature) wolves. They have inherited infantile characteristics of young wolves such as engaging in play and barking amongst others.
What’s more, despite the popularity of the dominance theory with proponents sustaining that there is a dominant (or alpha wolf/dog or sometimes a dominant/alpha pair) with everyone else in the pack being “submissive” to the pair, the model that best resembles wolves living in the wild is wolves that co-existing in what resembles a [human] family: With the adult wolves in charge of nurturing and protecting their young. There are also “roles” for “wolf-aunts and uncles” who partake in some of the "responsibilities” of caring for the young. Once the young reach maturity they might leave the family group to form their own. To read more about this, visit: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/alstat/index.htm
The model of “pet parent” also “works” for me because it reminds me constantly that it is me who must protect and make wise choices for my dogs. I get to decide what nutritious food they eat and the quantities in order to keep their weight just right. I also decide when they get to be off-leash and when they must be on-leash.
And lastly, this model also puts us in the fun position of dolling out the goods! It’s like Xmas everyday! I LOVE being a pet-parent and can’t but laugh and join in when they act goofy in ways that only John (the other pet-parent) and I get to witness or when I see them romping happily off-leash.
I was talking to some clients this afternoon and I caught myself telling them that when our dogs respond in-kind to us (they come when we call, they snuggle with us, etc.) we are in essence being reinforced by their attention and “love” thus we ask again and again.
What an interesting loop this is: We give and we receive. And isn't this the pivotal point in those very special relationships with our dogs?
After amusing myself with the list of “to-dos” for my dogs I begin to ponder about how to accurately describe the role we play in our dog’s lives. What “model” best describes our relationship? This is a question that I have asked myself frequently - always trying to hone in the perfect answer, the all-inclusive answer.
Lately, I have come to the conclusion that the “label” that best describe us in our commitment to our dogs is “pet parents”.
Yes, I know, I cringe too at the sound of it! Too esoteric, too woo woo, too cute, the list goes on. But hear me out, besides the corny connotation of this label I adhere to it because in effect there is scientific evidence to support that due to their ancestral past, our roles to our dogs should be the role of “parents”.
Our dogs, as descendants of wolves, are reminiscent in their behavioral traits to young (immature) wolves. They have inherited infantile characteristics of young wolves such as engaging in play and barking amongst others.
What’s more, despite the popularity of the dominance theory with proponents sustaining that there is a dominant (or alpha wolf/dog or sometimes a dominant/alpha pair) with everyone else in the pack being “submissive” to the pair, the model that best resembles wolves living in the wild is wolves that co-existing in what resembles a [human] family: With the adult wolves in charge of nurturing and protecting their young. There are also “roles” for “wolf-aunts and uncles” who partake in some of the "responsibilities” of caring for the young. Once the young reach maturity they might leave the family group to form their own. To read more about this, visit: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/alstat/index.htm
The model of “pet parent” also “works” for me because it reminds me constantly that it is me who must protect and make wise choices for my dogs. I get to decide what nutritious food they eat and the quantities in order to keep their weight just right. I also decide when they get to be off-leash and when they must be on-leash.
And lastly, this model also puts us in the fun position of dolling out the goods! It’s like Xmas everyday! I LOVE being a pet-parent and can’t but laugh and join in when they act goofy in ways that only John (the other pet-parent) and I get to witness or when I see them romping happily off-leash.
I was talking to some clients this afternoon and I caught myself telling them that when our dogs respond in-kind to us (they come when we call, they snuggle with us, etc.) we are in essence being reinforced by their attention and “love” thus we ask again and again.
What an interesting loop this is: We give and we receive. And isn't this the pivotal point in those very special relationships with our dogs?
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