Changing Breeding Tactics Has Shaped Dog’s Behavior
Changing Breeding Tactics Has Shaped Dog’s Behavior
By Doni Burt
Herald Contributor
If you are a dog lover then you must realize that there is an injustice in a dog’s world. We have forced them to live in our world without understanding their world.
How cruel can humans be? Don’t get me started on that because the words coming out of my mouth aren’t printable.
Let’s start from the beginning. Man developed, wolf lives in man’s world, just on the outskirts of their villages. Man watches and studies wolves. He sees how they hunt in packs and watches them take down a beast three times their size. Wolves are leery of humans and keeps their distance, but knows that they are there. Man comes upon a den of wolf pups, steals some and takes them back to their village, watches them grow up. If they are aggressive, he gets rid of them but keeps the mild-mannered ones.
Man breeds them with other mild-mannered wolf pups and six or seven generations later we have the domesticated dog. Man teaches him to hunt with him, bark for warning signs of danger and protect the village. Man feeds dog, walks side by side, not fussing over him, dog accepts this and knows that man is good. Dog is an animal and man allows dogs to be dogs. Man understands that dog is smart.
Now, many centuries later what have we done to this animal. Rebreed him to our special needs. From lap dog, hunting, working, policing, medical assistance, guard, show and silly. Humans have changed the size of this once great animal to accommodate themselves. They spend billions of dollars on food products, clothing, toys, bedding, training and dog houses. They are now house broken, do tricks, live with us, some sleep with us, travel with us and watch television with us. They depend on us for their health, food and water. We have taken them into our hearts and they are cherished. I am talking about the honest to goodness dog lover, not the ones who will chain up a dog, thinking this will keep them safe. Chaining up a dog only destroys them little by little. Their once friendly spirit is diminished. Hitting or yelling is another offense that is cruel. NEVER HIT A DOG. If you don’t have a fenced yard and want to jeep your dog safe invest in a dog run or make a pen outside and in a shaded area where he can stay while you are gone for the day. Cover the pen against the elements and buy or make a dog house for his/her protection.
When you come home don’t greet dog with excitement, that only intensifies his/her behavior. Don’t talk, just let dog calm down then let him/her out of pen. Exercise is a major key in keeping the dog fit, go for 30 to 40 minute walks. This is also important in the bonding process with human and dog. Remember in the beginning dog walked side by side with human.
Being a K-9 Behavioral Consultant I can understand why dogs have so many problems. Humans forgot what a dog was originally intended to be for us. I train people on how to bond with their K-9 buddy and what a dog’s world should be. I train them how to have a balanced life in a K-9 world and learning to understand your K-9 body language. It’s important to have calm, assertive energy that the K-9 understands. I learn from dog.
If you have any questions or concerns pertaining to your K-9 buddy, please contact me through The North Mississippi Herald and I will try and answer your questions to the best of my K-9 knowledge.
