Doggone Etiquette —

School’s Out!

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:           

Now it’s really summer vacation for dogs! No more waiting for the school bus to bring the kids home, and no more moping about all day waiting for those kids to come home and lighten up your life. You may have to play at being ‘teacher’ again so they will remember to include you in their active summer fun stuff like swimming or hiking. Going on Facebook, or YouTube, or playing computer games is definitely boring for you dogs. For one thing, those gadgets require fingers, which you don’t have. But be careful how you handle it. Don’t try chewing up the remote or the cell phone or any other of those tricky hand-held items. That could get you into a whole lot of trouble!

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:            

Summertime tends to be casual and somewhat disorganized, so be sure to keep Rufus (and his needs) included and involved in whatever plans you do make. Being outdoors is great for most of us, especially after the dreadful winter and crazy spring we’ve had, but sunbathing is not for dogs! A few minutes in the early sun, lying on dew-damp grass may be okay, but sunscreen for humans does not work on a fur coat! Besides, dogs don’t sweat so they suffer from heatstroke far more easily and quickly than we humans do.

Most dogs do enjoy water, whether it’s for swimming, wading, or just running around under the sprinkler. However, there are also some dogs that think getting wet is for fish – and maybe for some foolish humans. To each his own. You’ll discover your dog’s take on getting wet.

For many reasons, perhaps due only to computers and similar electronic gadgets, kids today tend to be less interested than their forebears in outdoor activities with their dogs. Since both the dogs and the kids lose out, a bit of parental encouragement and involvement would help. You might even consider combining the kids’ computer distractions with the dog’s mental and physical needs by looking into some of the e-books on teaching dogs tricks. Caution: start at the beginner’s level, keeping the capability of both the dog and child firmly in mind so neither one loses interest. Success is the key to maintaining motivation.

Then there are all the maintenance jobs such as walking the dog, feeding, grooming. Divide up the jobs between the kids and perhaps the days each one is responsible for doing which. No big deal, just one small lesson in responsibility. Where, when, and how Rufus is walked depends on the capability of the walker, the dog’s obedience, and the site. A jog around your property may be it. Feeding is easy because a dog’s meals don’t vary much from one day to another. Grooming (routine stuff, not a professional attempt) may require a bit of instruction from the dog’s Lord ‘n Master to avoid any catastrophic reaction from Rufus to yanked combing or harsh brushing. Checking for ticks and burrs go along with that comb-out.

We’ll get into some of all the summer things to do with and for Rufus now that school’s out, including vacation trips.

Until next time – BE GOOD!

- Bardi