Beverly Dog Owner Responsibilities
"He is your friend,
Your partner,
Your defender,
Your dog.
You are his life,
His love,
His leader.
He will be yours,
faithful and true,
To the last beat of his heart.
You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."
- Unknown
Searching Beverly Public Library under the subject “DOGS” results in a mass of information on the subject. Numerous books address topics such as dog behavior, training techniques, and canine first aid. Working and living with man’s best friend requires that we continue to educate ourselves about our responsibilities toward our canine buddies. Raising a new puppy or adopting an older dog presents challenges for any dog-person as dogs are as individual as people.
We all know that dogs are pack animals and most dogs enjoy being with people and other dogs. More importantly, a dog is an important family member. A dog is often in tune with human emotions and seems to know just when to deliver a quiet moment or a prodding push to get going. Dogs are not perfect creatures. They look to their owners for basic needs and obedience training, in return offering unconditional love. They also depend on their owners to help boost their role as canine good citizens. Accepting the responsibilities of dog ownership is one way to improve a dog’s acceptance as a good neighbor.
If you own a dog or are considering a new canine companion, please act responsibly to:
- Meet a dog’s most basic needs for food, water, shelter, exercise, healthcare, training, and affection.
- Train a dog to listen to commands and reward it for socially acceptable behavior.
- Pick up after a dog and dispose of scooped poop properly.
- Try to understand a dog’s individual likes and dislikes, fears and fantasies, with the goal of helping the dog realize its full potential.
- Protect a dog from injury and illness whenever possible.
- Monitor a dog’s activities during socialization and playtime to assure that proper behavior is rewarded and aggressive behavior discouraged.
- License a dog and affix a sturdy nametag to its collar.
- Respect all people by not letting a dog interfere with two-legged activities such as picnics, weddings, baseball games, or Frisbee (human style.) (Unless, of course, an invitation has been extended.)
The life span of a dog is much shorter than that of humans and many dog owners take on ownership more than once in a lifetime. A dog’s life offers us a microcosm of our lives and, if we get in tune with a dog, we are offered a greater sense of what is important in life…that morning walk…exercising in nature…licking up rather than crying over spilled milk…or the need to BARC from time to time.
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