Our first dog that we named Jedi was admittedly a spoiled dog. Her breakfast for many years was roasted hotdog which we hand feed her. When a friend dropped by and saw what we were doing, he remarked that we just leave the hotdog in the dish and the dog would definitely eat it when it gets hungry. That's true for an ordinary dog but for a spoiled dog like Jedi, she would rather get hungry.
Now our youngest dog is Barbie, admittedly my favorite. But I'm not the guilty party. It was our housemaid who started hand-feeding her for breakfast. With lunch and dinner, there's no problem for Barbie eats her meals like our other 2 dogs. But she got used to the spoiling of our housemaid that she wouldn't eat when not hand-fed. Now it is a weaning period because my husband had reprimanded our housemaid. She is now teaching Barbie to eat by herself. For 3 weeks, the coaxing did not bear fruit and more often than not, Barbie did not eat her breakfast. Let her go hungry, my husband said. Now on its 4th week, Barbie is eating her breakfast after much coaxing. But at least she eats by herself.
I hope this serves as a lesson to pet owners. As what dog trainers say, train your dog and don't let your dog train you.
Thats a serious case of spoiling a dog which paradoxically would spoil its chances for longevity and vim. This kind of pampering is not uncommon with those people who hire pet sitters and give generous gratuities to the practitioners of this vocation. There is nothing inherently wrong with the practice only that the implications are less than flattering. You see, dogs are like little kids, they learn through positive reinforcement until a certain action crystallizes in their mind as the norm. To get a dog to change such a habit is a similar process in the opposite direction, that of unlearning the habit. Pampering has made some dogs complete wrecks and they can stay for days on end without feeding, brooding and generally irritable until their choice indulgence or delicacy is provided. I think we should accept the fact that dogs and other domesticated animals for that matter retain an element of their wild selves which is manifest in their dentition and quadripedal motion and trying to change them into humans would be denying them a crucial aspect of self expression. Hardy animals are happier and appreciate the small things of life especially the periodic treats and this yields a positive dividend with regard to their lifespan. Scientists have found that even exposure to germs by men and pets alike is beneficial since it preps the body's immune system and memory to be on alert and its not likely to be taken by surprise by marauding pathogens.
I agree with this. If you do the things that the dog wants, then, you'd realize that you are slowly becoming the "pet" in a way -- the dog telling you to do things. Fortunately for me, I've watched some documentaries and read some books about dogs before getting one, so I was already quite acquainted with it beforehand. So now, I am very satisfied with my relationship with my dog because she understands where she should stand.
It's really hard not to spoil a pet, actually. The reason is because they look so cute... so fluffy and round and they learn how to do tricks with their faces to make themselves look even more adorable. Before long, (like about five minutes) you find yourself waiting on said pet hand and foot, giving him treats and carrying him around so his cute little feet never touch the ground. Animals learn all of your weaknesses very quickly and are smart enough to play on them with gusto. My cat used to try to drink right out of my glass of water all the time, and usually when my back was turned, she'd manage to up-end the glass and there'd be water everywhere. I finally gave in and held the glass for her because she was going to do it anyway, and that way I could at least save myself from having to clean up the mess. Well, it took a while, but I finally broke her of the habit of trying to drink my water. For one thing, I switched to a bottle, which had a cap on it and was impossible for her to get her tongue into. For another thing, I finally started scolding her for drinking my water. She always has fresh water of her own so there's really no reason for drinking mom's, but it was so much fun that she wanted that game to continue. Now she drinks her own water exclusively but still eyeballs my water glass from time to time. I just give her a firm, 'NO', and she walks off to find other mischief to get into.
