Responsible and Courteous Dog Owner Behavior

1. Clean up after your dog if he poo's in a public place. Yes even at the dog park! That is why they provide poop baggies otherwise bring your own for the sake of the people who like walking in the grass without stepping in yucky dog doo 0_o

2. Don't let your dog jump on strangers. It's dangerous for the elderly and children getting knocked over.

3. Pay attention to your dog at the dog park. If your pup is misbehaving or being overly aggressive in any way remove your dog immediately. Safer for you, your dog and everyone else around.  Nobody likes a dog fight =(

4. Don't let your dog bark constantly especially late at night -_- In which case usually this happens if a dog is left outside for hours on end without getting any attention or just maybe you have a talkative dog. Either way be courteous and respect your neighbors. Train your dog not to bark or bring your pet inside please. There is no excuse for a noisy, obnoxious pet!

5. Never hit your dog in the face or body period. This will just create a fearful dog and it is also animal abuse. If you must scold your dog do it in a fashion where your dog actually understands. If he has a accident in the house take him outside immediately. If you don't want your dog to get into something put it up or doggy proof it.  Use the word "No!" in a firm voice. Please don't yell at your dog he won't understand why your being loud.

6. Don't let your dog run lose in public areas excluding dog parks. A lose dog is a accident waiting to happen. Not to mention there are leash laws and you can get ticketed.

7. If your dog is sick take him/her to the veterinarian. No one likes seeing a animal suffer. If you can't afford it you should not have a pet. Sorry but that is the harsh reality. A animal is a commitment and so are the expenses that come with them. If you love animal so much you would care for them properly. Improper care for a animal is animal abuse Nuff' said.

8. Spay and neuter you pets please! There are to many shelter animals in need of homes. Why add to the overpopulation explosion? Not to mention do you really want issues with a roaming male dog  or a female in heat attracting every un-neutered male dog in a 5-10 mile radius?

9. If your going to breed your pet please breed responsibly. Breed only registered, full-blooded, healthy animals. Have good breeding practices i.e. please breed and produce a litter maybe once every other year if not just only a one time affair would be even better and make sure both parents get a full health checkup to make sure there will be no hereditary health issues. Always have good homes pre-planned before you even produce a litter! There is no such thing as a "designer" dog breed. These dogs are mutts plain and simple. I don't care if both parents are registered, purebred whatever once you mix to different breeds they are just that mixed breeds...mutts.

10. License and keep your dog's shots up to date. In other words keep your dog legal. Microchip, ear tattoo or name tag on the collar are important in case your pet ever gets lost or stolen.

Raising Children with Pets

So I have a beautiful 3-year old little girl whom I have come to find loves her pets. Bandit was the first to meet my daughter when she was born. He was  a little hesitant at first but surprisingly for being such a hyper, slightly neurotic dog he did wonderfully with her. Even when she started walking he never bumped her over. In fact he stayed clear from her unless my daughter was sitting in my lap and he was allowed to give kisses or she wanted to pet him. 

Now Milo with him being a little rambunctious puppy is still learning not to be so jumpy and hyper around my daughter. Luckily my little girl is was already three years old when we got Milo so she has some sense of what dogs do. She tries to plays with him whenever she gets a chance and even gets on all fours and acts like a puppy to get his attention. She likes giving the puppy snacks both human and dog treats. 

I do have my limits though between the interactions of my daughter and Milo. If either of them get to hyper and start bouncing off the walls they have to be separated. Also trying to get across to my daughter not to feed Milo table scraps. Milo also likes to be a little mouthy. I have to pretty much nip that in the bud. Whenever he tried to use his mouth I grab him by the muzzle firmly and tell him "No!" He is slowly but surely getting the picture.

Scratches and bumping into your children are to be expected if you have a super hyper, jumpy dog. All you can do is train your dog properly how to act around children and teach your child how to react around hyperactive pets.  

All children of all ages should be taught to treat animals with respect and how to be responsible when caring for and interacting with any type of pet. Never allow your child to go up to strange dogs and try to pet them! Tell your child to always ask the owner if you can pet the dog first. As for stray dogs/cats tell your kids to stear clear from them no matter how friendly they may seem. Do not allow your child to ever hit or pull on fur/body parts of your family pet. Have your child interact quietly (no yelling around) with pets if your pet is prone to shyness or extreme  hyper-ness. Otherwise these things can create fear even possible dominance issues  in your dog.

All children of all ages should be instructed to NEVER:

-approach a strange dog

-run away from a dog they are afraid of

-hit, kick or poke a dog

-tease a dog by withholding food

-chase a dog

-pull a dog's tail or ears

-reach through a fence to pet a dog

-try to help a injured dog (get a adult instead) 

-take a toy, food or treat away from a dog

-wake up a sleeping dog

-tease a crated dog

*A child needs to know a dog can feel pain, can feel scared and to some extent has feelings in some sense.

*Pets need food and water daily.

*Pet's living areas and the yard need to be cleaned daily.

*Pets need to be loved not abused in anyway.

*Teach your child the right things about pets and you and your child will always have a *happy, healthy relationship with the family pet/s.