Imagine taking your car to a mechanic to find out what was wrong with it and having a discussion like this-
Mechanic: When did you get it?
Car owner: Six months ago?
Mechanic: When did you notice something wasn’t right?
Car owner: Not long after I got it.
Mechanic: Tell me what’s wrong.
Car owner: It doesn’t work the way it’s suppose to.
Mechanic: Does it have enough gas?
Car owner: Gas?
Mechanic: Did you check the oil?
Car owner: Oil?
Mechanic: How about transmission fluid, anti-freeze, brake fluid?
Car owner: I’m not sure what you’re talking about.
Mechanic: Ok give me the keys and I’ll have a look.
Car owner: Keys?
I confess that I fried my beloved 4Runner’s engine when I drove it with no oil. Wasn’t a light suppose to come on? Guess I could have been better about checking it in between changes. I paid for a new engine. In my defense I would add that humans have only been interacting with cars for a few hundred years, and just over 100 if you only count the time since Henry Ford brought the Model T to the public.
Imagine having a similar conversation with a trainer about your dog and admitting to being completely unaware that puppies need to meet other dogs, be exposed to the world they are expected to live in, and require exercise and training in order to develop physically, mentally and emotionally.
People have been living with dogs for thousands of years. It would seem that we have not done a very good job of sharing information about what they need in order to become good pets. If you screw up with a car you’re out transportation and some cash. Too bad for you and the car won’t know the difference. The stakes are much higher for the dog.
Stop by my Facebook page Giving My Dog a Life and enjoy the pictures of happy pets. Post a few of your own while you’re there.
