Dogs are like toddlers. They sometimes get over-excited and have to be calmed down before they injure themselves, they sometimes rebel and need to be brought into line, and they sometimes like boundaries and routine.
A friend of ours inherited his dog when his dad died. The dog is old and has certain ways she likes to do things.
When our friend and his wife sit down to dinner...
- the dog has to be let out the back door,
- spend a few minutes in the yard,
- be let back in and
- be given a treat.
In that order.
Every night.
Puppy Dog has his own routine. I don't know if it started with his previous owners, came from his time in the pound or if he just invented.
- He wakes us up in the morning,
- one of us gets up and puts out his food so he can eat,
- we open the back door so he can go out,
- he does his business
- he comes back in and comes into the bedroom
- he jumps on the bed and lies with his pack
- he moves when we get up.
If, like this morning, we have to go the gym and we jump from No. 3 right to No. 7, he is pissed. Then we had the audacity to go out the house and leave him behind!
Boy did we get the pouty lips when we got home!
Do not mess with the process!