So Many Reasons

There seems to be a theme lately with people having problems with their dogs. They’re just bad in general, or going to the bathroom in the house, cranky with other dogs, in-house destruction, etc. Sometimes I’m even hearing the words ‘if it doesn’t stop we’re getting rid of him/her’ or ‘some days the dog’s just not worth it’. Guess what, dogs don’t come with owners manuals. You shouldn’t get to return them for a better model when you think they are defective. Have we forgotten that they think and feel? I don’t care what anyone says, you cannot ever 100% control something that thinks. They are also not human so our rules don’t always apply. When you make the decision to adopt, you make a commitment to a life, and a life should never be taken lightly.

Before Chili was even 3 she already gave me many reasons to doubt our decision:

• The times she walked around the house chewing on everything with a crazy look on her face.
• The times that I sat and cried because I just didn’t know what to do with her anymore.
• The time we thought she was finally house trained and she pooped on our bed.
• The time she chewed a chunk out of the new baseboard.
• The time she dragged me off my feet and through the mud.
• The other time we thought she was house trained and she peed 5 times in a row on the new carpet.
• The time she chewed a hold in the love seat.
• The times she ran through the garden and wrecked a bunch of new plants.
• The time she jumped on the table and spilled coffee on the computer.
• The time she ate the roast off the counter.
• The time she ate a hole in the other love seat.
• The other time she dragged me off my feet onto the sidewalk and I ended up with ripped jeans and bleeding knuckles.
• The time she broke one of the new blinds.
• The time she went right through the screen to get to a squirrel.
• The time she was tied to the truck and knocked her daddy to the ground when she saw another dog.
• The time she ate the stuffing out of her bed.
• The time she ate a hole in her other bed.
• The time she dragged me across a field trying to get a chicken.
• All the times she’s lunged at another dog and caused an altercation between me and the other owner.
• All the times she stomps on me before work.
• And, I could go on, but I’ll stop

Even though the list is long and incomplete, I never once considered getting rid of her. I looked at myself and thought about the things I needed to change. It was work, but it was worth it. Chili is the absolute greatest thing that ever happened to me. She made me change and she made me be stronger and challenge myself. Just because you don’t have an easy dog, doesn’t mean you need to take the ‘poor me’ road. Yes, I’ve felt like that but I’ve always come around. I had no choice. I made the decision to adopt Chili and it’s my responsibility to find the solutions to these problems. Chili, well, she’s just doing what she does. She’s a dog.

So, embrace it. Easier said than done? Yes, in the beginning. But you will learn soooo much about yourself and you will be soooo proud of what you’ve accomplished. The connection that you’ve made with your dog will be kind of surreal. It still makes me say 'wow'. It’s a feeling of accomplishment that you will love. Remember, you don’t have to do it alone, find a good trainer, or connect with someone else who has a challenging dog. It does help to talk to someone who understands.

Most importanly, enjoy it, and have fun!