Operation Freedom Paws

24 hours ago

Mentoring Monday: My next-door neighbor has a dog that barks incessantly whenever it’s outside (NOT the dog in the photo). My home office is six feet from the fenceline, and I’ve got an entire library of music to help drown out the sound. It’s annoying to have to deal with the noise, but what’s really distressing is listening to this poor agitated dog’s bark become increasingly frantic as it runs from one side of the yard to the other while the owners continue to ignore it. I tried talking to my neighbors about training when they first got the dog several years ago, but they told me it was too young to be trained (it was about 7 months old), and I knew there was no point in bringing it up again. During that conversation, they repeatedly told me how much they loved the dog---as if training was not a loving act. The very BEST way to show our dogs love is to train them (and ourselves). Whether we do it on our own or with a professional, putting in time working with them and getting to know them as individuals is an act of love. While we’re training them, we’re creating consistent rules and routines that provide them a sense of safety and security. We develop mutual trust knowing that we will take care of them as well as they take care of us. Dogs deserve that if we’re going to have them be part of our lives and our families. ... See MoreSee Less