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Attention, love and stability

An essential obligation you have as a dog owner is to provide a happy, loving, stable home for your pet. A dog deserves and needs to be part of the family – not stuck outside in a kennel or shed – where he will be devoid of attention and away from the members of the family.

• Dogs crave attention and physical contact with the other members of their family and withholding this completely can be just as cruel as physically hurting them. Of course, it isn’t healthy to let your dog demand attention all the time and it should only really be given on your terms, but ignoring your dog all of the time will make him absolutely miserable.

• Don’t leave your dog alone for long periods of time (longer than 4 hours at a time) as he may become very bored, distressed and possibly destructive. If you must leave your dog on a regular basis, then try to find a local dog walker or pet sitter to walk or spend time with him, or ask a family member or friend to pop round to check on him and let him out for the toilet. You will also need to provide him with plenty of things to do to prevent boredom.

• It’s okay to let your dog sleep in your bedroom if that’s what you want him to do, but make sure that he’s in his own bed to prevent possible disputes over space! You could also get bitten by a half asleep dog, if you accidentally roll over during the night.

• Don’t shout at your dog; it achieves nothing, will confuse him and may make him fearful of you. This may lead to behaviour problems and will spoil your relationship with your dog. If you have family problems, try not to argue in front of your dog. As with children, loud arguments and uncomfortable tension between members of the family can be very distressing for your dog.

• Dogs like routine in their lives. They like to have their walks, eat and go to bed at around the same time every day - so try to stick to this as much as possible.
If you cannot provide attention, love and stability for a dog, then perhaps you should reconsider having one, at least until your circumstances change. It just isn’t fair on the dog, which may develop all sorts of behaviour problems. Pet ownership will not be a pleasurable experience for either of you.