A Pet Owner's Journey (Pt. 8)

There is rarely a dull moment when you have a pet in your life. They are a constant source of entertainment and comfort, which is likely the reason that so many of us seek to own them. Pets simply make life better.

I know that my life has definitely been interesting since Roxy joined it. It's been almost two full years now since she joined the family and every day we learn something new about her. She becomes a little bit more of a member of the family and we understand her a little better.

When I first got Roxy I took on the nobel mindset that I wasn't going to let her eat "human food". I didn't want her to beg or eat off of plates. I didn't want her to be treat-centred. I wanted her to be content with her dog food and enjoy treats when they were given.

And this worked, for the most part, for a few months. However, when you are bringing a new dog into a multi-person environment you don't always have the best control over what happens with them. I may not have been feeding her or giving her treats, but other people were.

It wasn't long before I was putting a great deal of time into re-training Roxy not to be in the kitchen when we were cooking and not to beg for food and not to ask for treats. These were all things she learned from other people. She didn't come to the house knowing these things. But it really was a losing battle.

For the most part, Roxy is really good when it comes to food. She will lay down and not beg all throughout a meal. She stays away while you're cooking and only looks for treats in her dog food bowl. We've made small compromises on her eating habits, but she's still fairly well behaved.

This was all true until the last six months or so when Roxy moved to yet another environment with yet another influence on her life. And let me just say, she is a spoiled puppy dog.

It started out gradually. Perhaps some food was dropped on the floor and it became a Roxy treat. Perhaps there was a fatty piece of steak that would be better suited for Roxy than for the person eating the steak. Perhaps someone couldn't finish their dinner so the rest went to Roxy.

It began as little things and now it has escalated into a regular event. Although Roxy still stays out of the kitchen, for the most part, while we are cooking she knows that there is usually something for her in every meal that is made. She is never forgotten. She is spoiled.

Now perhaps I've caved when it comes to the whole "human food" argument or perhaps I've just accepted that it is a losing battle. She doesn't eat anything bad for her. She doesn't eat anything she doesn't like, which is apparently fish. And if she has a bad reaction to something, such as throwing it up, then it's never fed to her again.

I didn't have Roxy from a puppy. I didn't get to train her for the first three years of her life. But I like to believe that she does pretty well considering the training and love that she's received in the two years she's been with us.

She may not be the best-behaved dog in the world. She may need to be reminded to leave the kitchen. She may need to be watched with plates low to the ground. She may be a little rough around the edges. But overall, she does her best.

You learn from your pets every day that you spend with them. You learn what they like and what they don't like. The other day I learned that Roxy will eat carrots and yet she won't eat most fish (raw or cooked). I will forever be perplexed by her choices, but they are hers to make.

Pets are with us for such a short period of time when we consider the span of our lives. We have to cherish them, enjoy their company, and we have to spoil them.

It is often said that we do not deserve pets. We do not deserve the unconditional love and loyalty that most of them offer us. The least we can offer in return is to give our dogs a steak every now and then or toss them a cut of salmon. They may even love you more because of it.

Thanks, as always, for reading another edition of "A Pet Owner's Journey". I hope you'll find us next time for more adventures with Roxy as we continue on this crazy journey called life.