THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO FIT THE DOG HARMONIOUSLY INTO YOUR LIFE

As long as he is clear about what to expect—and his needs are considered, too—then a dog can fit into whatever life you have. Dogs have been bred for centuries to accommodate human needs. To put it bluntly, dogs are here mostly for our comfort and delight. Generally we have made dogs into what they are to make us happy. Obviously there are true working dogs who perform useful tasks, but for the most part none of us is a Basque shepherd with an unruly flock of sheep that we could never manage without our devoted little herding companion.

You may really want a dog but wonder if you should even have one—you or those around you may question if it will be fair to the dog. But then you have to ask whether any alternative homes for that dog are so much better or different. Aren’t there millions of dog owners who live in apartments? Have busy professional lives? Are single and go out a lot at night? Are married with  children and have limited time or energy? What makes them so much more deserving or worthy than you are of a dog’s love and companionship—and vice-versa?

Dogs enrich our lives—that’s why they mean so much to us. It’s easy to feel guilty about how the time constraints in our lives seem to shortchange the time we can spend with our dogs. You may look at people who have dogs but don’t have much time for them and be tempted to feel critical, to make a value judgment about the owner for leading a life that may seem selfish.

But the truth is that not all dogs can live in a perfect dog-oriented environment with hours to run free and play and acres to do it on—but nevertheless they are happy and give happiness. Dogs are about their people—and as long as they have the affection and attention of their masters, they can enjoy their lives.

Copyright © Tracie Hotchner – Originally appeared in The Dog Bible: Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know by Tracie Hotchner