By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT
I'm often told it's easy for me to have perfect dogs because I work in the field. This couldn't be further from the truth. My dogs are not perfect, actually, I've never met or owned a perfect dog. Period. My female dog has (through a series of unfortunate attacks from other loose dogs) dog-dog aggression issues. My male, well, let's just say he's shovel crazy.
From the outside, it might look like my dogs are perfect, but in reality, I work hard every day to perfect their skills, just like you do. The perfect dog is a myth. In fact, the definition of the perfect dog is different for everyone. What might be considered acceptable behaviour for one person may be intolerable for another. While I don't like dogs in my bed, you might find it enjoyable, which is perfectly fine.
Picture Perfect
If you're older you'll remember the following television series, Lassie, Littlest Hodo, Fraser, and Wishbone. If your definition of perfect is based on these dog star characters, you must understand that more often than not, dog stars are accompanied by full time trainers. If you wish to have a dog that can make intellectual decisions on his own and pull through with solutions, you'll need to train, train, train, and train some more. In dog training there's no right or wrong answer, there's only what works for you and what you're ready to work for.
Planed Choices
If you want the perfect dog, I suggest you plan out what you expect from your canine companion before you adopt or buy him. These criteria will make your human-dog relationship more enjoyable because you will recognise in advance what works and/or doesn't work for your family. If you need help to make the right choice, you can start with our Getting a Dog; Where to Begin article.
On a final note, your idea of the perfect dog might only present itself once in a lifetime; consequently, I urge you to never compare your dogs to one another. Each animal brings his own set of unique characteristics that make him the perfect pet for you, at that specific moment in time. Remember, their imperfections are what truly makes them perfect.
I'm often told it's easy for me to have perfect dogs because I work in the field. This couldn't be further from the truth. My dogs are not perfect, actually, I've never met or owned a perfect dog. Period. My female dog has (through a series of unfortunate attacks from other loose dogs) dog-dog aggression issues. My male, well, let's just say he's shovel crazy.
From the outside, it might look like my dogs are perfect, but in reality, I work hard every day to perfect their skills, just like you do. The perfect dog is a myth. In fact, the definition of the perfect dog is different for everyone. What might be considered acceptable behaviour for one person may be intolerable for another. While I don't like dogs in my bed, you might find it enjoyable, which is perfectly fine.
Picture Perfect
If you're older you'll remember the following television series, Lassie, Littlest Hodo, Fraser, and Wishbone. If your definition of perfect is based on these dog star characters, you must understand that more often than not, dog stars are accompanied by full time trainers. If you wish to have a dog that can make intellectual decisions on his own and pull through with solutions, you'll need to train, train, train, and train some more. In dog training there's no right or wrong answer, there's only what works for you and what you're ready to work for.
Planed Choices
If you want the perfect dog, I suggest you plan out what you expect from your canine companion before you adopt or buy him. These criteria will make your human-dog relationship more enjoyable because you will recognise in advance what works and/or doesn't work for your family. If you need help to make the right choice, you can start with our Getting a Dog; Where to Begin article.
On a final note, your idea of the perfect dog might only present itself once in a lifetime; consequently, I urge you to never compare your dogs to one another. Each animal brings his own set of unique characteristics that make him the perfect pet for you, at that specific moment in time. Remember, their imperfections are what truly makes them perfect.