Tuesday Topics #27 - Who Meets Your Dog's Needs?
Here is Cabana playing with 8-year old Schute. Schute's owner brings him to the dog park almost every day--but for some reason, Schute rarely plays with other dogs. When he sees Cabana, though, Schute becomes a different dog--romping and running and enjoying himself like a young pup! It gives Schute's owner so much pleasure to see his dog playing like that--and it makes me feel so proud of Cabana, that she somehow knows how to charm an old dog like Schute. Aww, Schute!
Recently, I signed up for Family Dog I at the local Humane Society. So far, we've had one orientation class without dogs and one training class with dogs. It's all very basic stuff, but I'm excited about it. I feel like my dog training knowledge is very piecemeal, so it's great to get it all step-by-step from ground zero.
At the first class, though, the instructor said something that has me pondering. She asked how many of us (12 students) bring our dogs to dog parks. About half of us raised our hands. Uh oh. I knew instinctively that the instructor was probably going to tell us that dog parks are a bad idea...and I was right. But the reason WHY she said they are bad really surprised me.
She said that taking your dog to dog parks creates a situation where his/her physical needs, mental needs, play needs, and to a degree, emotional needs, are all being met by other dogs, rather than by us. Allowing their needs to be met by someone/something other than us deteriorates our relationship with our dog. They won't need us as much, won't love us as much, won't want to be with us as much.
Although I can see her point, I just don't think it's possible for me to meet all those needs EXCLUSIVELY or even PRIMARILY for Cabana. She is a dog's dog, and if given a choice, she'd much prefer playing with another dog than with me. I believe she loves me and enjoys being with me--but she's never going to find me as fun as another Labrador puppy. I could try playing her favorite game of "bitey face" with her, but I don't think it would have the desired effect.
If I had a dog that was more like Bucky, the dog we puppysat last week, I could buy the instructor's viewpoint much more easily. But to take away Cabana's playtime with other dogs would, in my opinion, deprive her of one of her greatest joys in life. She is simply hardwired to love other dogs. Heaven only knows I tried to train that out of her for a year, to no avail.
Also, even if it were possible for me to be the "be-all end-all" for Cabana, is that something I'd even want? That's a lot of pressure to put on any relationship. I'm grateful that Cabana is happy being with other humans and playing with just about any dog, knowing that she brings joy to them, as much as they bring joy to her.
I'd love to know what you all think about this subject.
