Sunday, June 3, 2012

Learning to Become Better Pet Owners


I began this blog so I could reach a larger audience.  I want to help people to learn things that are important for their canine companions so they can become more informed, better educated, be pro-active, and enabled to assist in the quality of their dog’s lives. I’ve learned, studied and researched on my own for many years now, and I don’t want to keep that to myself, that would only benefit me and my dogs.  Domesticated pet ownership has come a long way in the last several decades, and the number of people with dogs (and cats and various other animals), has grown tremendously over that same time period.  We obviously love to have them in our lives and share with them our homes and families and build experiences from time spent together.  We value their unconditional love, protection and adoration they give so freely.  They become a part of our family.  Personally, I feel very blessed to be able to share the environment with these loving creatures.  Many times they are what preserve my sanity, they temper my emotions and get me through tough times and hard days.  I don’t know what I would do without them, and I truly believe it would not be worth coming home if they were not there waiting to greet me….and with such excitement!
I have begun my studies on advanced canine nutrition, and I am very excited and in much anticipation of what I will learn.  Disease and nutrition play a close role in health, for dogs and people.  I want to learn all about these connections, but would like to specialize in treating various cancers from a nutritional standpoint.  As I have mentioned before in my blogs, this is our first line of defense.  If this is overlooked, then it is quite possible trouble is looming down the road.  I want to address it before it gets that far…I don’t want it to reach the point of no return for anyone. Dealing with disease on any level can be stressful.  Trying to find the right answer and what will work can be overwhelming.  Our dogs are as individual as we are.  What works for one, may not work for another.  There are options, and those need to be discovered.  It’s not a ‘one size fits all’ solution.  In order for me to work with such diseases and find answers, then I need to understand the cause of the disease, that means learning about genetics, which I find to be fascinating.
It’s a big world out there, and a lot can go wrong.  We live in a toxic environment within our cites, and that poison has spread to our suburbs, and no doubt will even touch upon more remote areas in the years to come.  The choices we make today can have an impact on our tomorrow…not only for us, but for those around and with us in our homes.  We are responsible for the well-being of our pets…it is up to us to make important choices for them.  That may require extra effort and maybe even sacrifice on our part.  If we are not willing to do that, then perhaps we should reconsider owning a pet.  It’s not for everybody…and most times it is a long-term commitment.  It is not uncommon for most dogs to live 15 or more years.  They are not a toy that we can shove aside when we don’t want to play with them anymore.  They are a living, created being that requires proper food, fresh water, exercise and necessary health care.  They have emotions and feel pain.  They are not to be abused, neglected or carelessly watched over. Things can happen, and situations change, and there are unforeseen circumstances that cannot be avoided.
We need to train our children proper behavior around our animals.  As adults we need to monitor our pets and get to know them when conditions are normal, so if something goes awry we can be on top of taking care of the problem when it arises.  Pet ownership should be a joy, not a burden.  It is a relationship that is well worth the effort necessary to make it work.

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