GoDogma

Baby your baby, not your teenager! :)

The Good Dog Tip: babying your teenager

Babying a baby is exactly what you should be doing. Babies shouldn't have rules, accountability, any of that stuff. It's baby time! But babying a teenager is a very different story. Imagine what you might get if you treated them the same way you treated a baby.

With all that allowing, enabling, and coddling, you'd likely get a bratty, spoiled, entitled teen - when everything is given to you, you quickly begin to expect and demand it. But wait, there's more! :) That's the obvious stuff. You'd also get an insecure, unsure, dependent, and nervous teen. Why? Because they've never had to learn to do life on their own. They've never had to develop the skills and prove to themselves they can handle stuff - the proving that creates confidence and self-certainty/trust. You'd have a teen that would resent you for disabling them, for not prioritizing their real needs, for not giving them the tools they need to survive and thrive. Their insecurity, uncertainty, and nervousness would ripple out all over.

And so it is with our dogs. It's not the caring and loving them that creates problems, it's how that caring and loving is shared.

Baby your dog and watch the bratty and entitled stuff come flying out. Baby your dog and watch the insecurity and nervousness snowball. Baby your dog and watch them actually resent you, disrespect you.

When you don't provide the appropriate care and love for your child or your dog, the fallout can be extreme, and ugly. We need to remember that care and love aren't about what makes us feel good, they're about what helps those in our care to thrive, succeed, and live happily.

Biscuit loves our little kitten buddy. He is such a sweet dog, doesn't quite know his size but wants to give lots of slimy dog kisses! Carolina Boxer Rescue

Our new buddy Biscuit is settling in really well. Having a former outdoor dog added to the pack can be a little like having a puppy around the house - tons of wild energy and some p*e sprinkling! Biscuit is doing great with the dogs and cats, he is excellent in the crate, and he's very respectful with food and treats. He gets neutered on Thursday and will be ready for his new home soon. A good one like this will go fast!

There are so many reasons why crating is best for an unsupervised dog, stop feeling guilty and do what is in your dog's best interest.

Crating a Dog. Why You Should Stop Feeling Guilty Crating a dog when you leave, travel or have company over may cause feelings of guilt, but is the safest place for your dog to be.

Ally was out for a trail run. No excuses when the weather is this nice, go walk your dog! :)