Hey there thanks for reading another one of my blogs!

This post focuses on giving your dog choices in their lives, and why.

But Katie, won't they will learn to be naughty?

O.K. so what does naughty mean? It’s a human concept to label behaviours that dogs and other animals do that are normal, but that our human brains with their ethics and morals are different to theirs, so we call them naughty but the dog doesn't know they are naughty, because he's a dog!

So why would I let them make choices Katie?

Because I think it's too easy to forget that things we do with them or to them, are FOR them.

Take their walks for instance, who is the walk for? You or them? Truthfully would you be walking so often if you didn't have a dog? We make so many of their decisions for them and control literally their entire lives, such as when, where and what they eat, where, when and how they exercise, where and when they sleep or rest… 

You won't create a naughty monster who instantly forgets their training the instant you let them make a decision, actually you may find it improves your relationship if you give them a day off now and then, just like we enjoy a day off responsibilities now and then!

One of my dogs, Cassini, was fearless in terms of exploring. She would scale a sheer cliff effortlessly, loved rock climbing, gazelling through long grass (they all did) and would leap into the sea with happy abandon. Koda would ask to walk along low walls or fallen logs and watch the trains from a local bridge above the tracks. Tallulah loved lying down and rolling in the grass on walks mostly.

Jellybean used to screech with excitement at seeing a blade of grass and liked to jump for joy at just being out with us and rolling down the hillock at the bottom of our road. Our cat, Lego, would often come with us…much to the often complete surprise to other people who saw us.

So go ahead, give them a day off or some daily down time and be prepared to let them act silly just once in a while, using your judgement regarding safety of course! Let them choose which direction to go in on their walk, explore all the sniffs along the way, walk along a low wall or watch a train, or launch into a pile dry leaves or whatever they seem to have fun doing. I love observing my dogs when they are given a bit of freedom to decide to be a dog, enjoy life because they are alive and live it like it was the best day ever. Such good fun watching and being goofy with them!

Like this one? Let me know and share the love with your friends and hit subscribe!