Keeping Your Dogs Happy
Dogs are hard work. Unless, of course, you are fortunate enough to be the proud owner of one of these tiny little creatures which is so immaculate, so clean, so well-behaved that you could almost be forgiven for supposing that it brushes its teeth.
For the rest of us – the owners of often scruffy, reliably loud and inexhaustibly energetic animals – there is often as much exhaustion to be had from owning a dog as there is fun to be had, and companionship to be enjoyed and valued.
Of course it's all worth it. And, if you ever have one of those moments where you wonder whether or not you have the energy for your dog, here are a few tips for how to keep your dog or dogs happy when you are low on energy and motivation yourself.
One thing is that wonderful old industrialist idea that blossomed with the most virility during England's industrial revolution: the division of labour. It is likely that you have kids with steam to burn off, neighbours who you know like to go for walks anyway (and are favourably disposed towards your dog or dogs), family members who live near by and are less run-off-their-feet than you are. Why not suggest, gently, that they might like to try walking your dear little doggie ("...oh, isn't he sweet? And so much fun to walk…") one of these days.
With a little bit of sympathy-inducing whining on your part, and the compliance of your dog in giving them that "aren't I lovely? Yes I am. Do you have any biscuits?" look, you might be able to offload some of the most exhausting tasks onto others.
Another great innovation of the nineteenth century was the raft of great advances that were made in diplomacy at that time. The carrot and the stick were slowly outgrowing the old gunboat diplomacy of the then British Empire ("you want that, do you? Well, you see, we have enormous guns. Are you sure you want that?"). This is as useful a tool – diplomacy, not the gunboat – now as it was in the eighteen hundreds.
Why not bargain a little? If your other half, kids or even close family and neighbours are willing, you could spell out in a word the most important information that you need for
dog walking and, after some reassurances about running off and pooping (namely that your dog is likely to do neither) they might well be persuaded to walk your dog if you will take care of the washing up or take on their cat for a week sometime. It is worth asking.
Finally, if these methods should fail, there is the slightly easier method. Hire a professional dog walker. He or she will take long walks with your energetic four-pawed friend. I have some friends working in this pet care company http://www.dogwalkinginlondon.co.uk/wimbledon-sw19.html and they really know how to "squeeze" every dog's energy!
For the rest of us – the owners of often scruffy, reliably loud and inexhaustibly energetic animals – there is often as much exhaustion to be had from owning a dog as there is fun to be had, and companionship to be enjoyed and valued.Of course it's all worth it. And, if you ever have one of those moments where you wonder whether or not you have the energy for your dog, here are a few tips for how to keep your dog or dogs happy when you are low on energy and motivation yourself.
One thing is that wonderful old industrialist idea that blossomed with the most virility during England's industrial revolution: the division of labour. It is likely that you have kids with steam to burn off, neighbours who you know like to go for walks anyway (and are favourably disposed towards your dog or dogs), family members who live near by and are less run-off-their-feet than you are. Why not suggest, gently, that they might like to try walking your dear little doggie ("...oh, isn't he sweet? And so much fun to walk…") one of these days. With a little bit of sympathy-inducing whining on your part, and the compliance of your dog in giving them that "aren't I lovely? Yes I am. Do you have any biscuits?" look, you might be able to offload some of the most exhausting tasks onto others. Another great innovation of the nineteenth century was the raft of great advances that were made in diplomacy at that time. The carrot and the stick were slowly outgrowing the old gunboat diplomacy of the then British Empire ("you want that, do you? Well, you see, we have enormous guns. Are you sure you want that?"). This is as useful a tool – diplomacy, not the gunboat – now as it was in the eighteen hundreds. Why not bargain a little? If your other half, kids or even close family and neighbours are willing, you could spell out in a word the most important information that you need fordog walking and, after some reassurances about running off and pooping (namely that your dog is likely to do neither) they might well be persuaded to walk your dog if you will take care of the washing up or take on their cat for a week sometime. It is worth asking.
Finally, if these methods should fail, there is the slightly easier method. Hire a professional dog walker. He or she will take long walks with your energetic four-pawed friend. I have some friends working in this pet care company http://www.dogwalkinginlondon.co.uk/wimbledon-sw19.html and they really know how to "squeeze" every dog's energy!
