Living with our dog is a long-term relationship. From the dog’s point of view, it can be a few square meters of slavery on chains, but it can also be a quality, meaningful, real dog-owner relationship.
A quality relationship does not involve cuddling, whining, and treating the dog like a child.
When choosing a puppy, consider the temperament of the dog you can keep up with in everyday life. If you don’t have much time for the dog during the day, don’t choose a very agile, task-hungry dog that requires a lot of exercise.
Living with a dog
Mentally exhausting your dog is just as important as feeding it the right food, if not more.
Physical exercise alone does not suffice! Many people find that even after a three-hour walk, the dog behaves for about twenty minutes, then becomes just as agile and excitable, sometimes even more out of control than before the walk.
Putting a dog on the treadmill and letting it get tired is not enough.
A dog needs a job, rules, ranking, and authority. Establishing authority works best through consistent rules and joint work, not through intimidation.