I was never much of a dog lover to start with, but that’s changed quite a bit these days.  Too be totally clear, I never minded dogs, cats or other pets, it’s just that I had the mentality of “Not in my house”.   My wife was of pretty much the same disposition, so when our kids started bugging us about getting a dog, it was pretty easy for us both to say no.  We both had pets growing up, with limited degrees of success.  My family had a somewhat deranged poodle for a while, the we eventually gave away to the family he kept running away to.  The dog was smarter then we gave him credit for.  We also had a cat for a while, and he was OK, but eventually he found a better place to live as well.

So, my track record with pets wasn’t all that great.  Not horrible, but not all that memorable either.  So when my kids started asking for a dog they were around ten years old.  We resisted for a long time, but they really seemed to want one, and after a couple of years of relentless pleading, we eventually caved in and got them one.  Just a small shi-poo, that they could all handle, and one that would fit in well with our lifestyle.  We’re avid boaters, so we didn’t want one too big or one that would shed all over the boat.

Her name is Zoey, and it’s been an interesting learning experience for us.  We were quite adamant that the kids would continue to be the primary care givers for Zoey, and even after three years, that is still the case.  She’s also been a pretty well behaved pup until recently.  By the age of three, most dogs hit their prime dominance years, and even the small friendly ones are no exception.  She started biting small kids, including the youngest of our family.  It’s remarkable how dogs intuitively know who’s who in the pecking order.  Eventually, we brought in a very qualified dog trainer, that set both us and Zoey straight.

She’s a much improved dog, and a large part of that is how we control her around the house.  She no longer stares out the front window, thinking she’s the alpha dog guarding the entire property.  She now has to ask permission to go into certain parts of the house.  For instance, she won’t go up or down the stairs of any level unless she is invited by someone.  She has been trying to cheat on this one lately, but a few reminders quickly get her back in line.  It’s all about control.

All in all, I must say that it’s been a pretty good experience, and I’m grown to become quite attached to our little pet.  It’s amazing what bonding with an animal can also do for your appreciation of all animals, and the planet we live on.  I really do believe, that if everyone had a pet, we’d be taking better care of our planet.  They are a gateway to more holistic thinking about ourselves, our neighbors and our world in general.