I cannot take credit for this.
I read it in The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook by Kyra Sundance & I liked it so much, I thought I’d reproduce it here.
You owe this to your dog….
- Adequate food and medical care
- A life that is beyond mere survival
- Grooming, ear and teeth cleaning, nail trimming, skin and coat conditioning
- Exercise-not only the option for exercise, but also the encouragement
- Twenty minutes each day of your undivided attention
- Three enrichment activities per day (a walk, a game of fetch, a training session, a car ride)
- Exposure to a world beyond your backyard
- Socialisation with people and dogs outside of your family
- The right to give and receive unconditional love
- Training, so your dog does not become a prisoner of his own misbehaviour
- Fresh air and green grass
- Respect for your dog’s needs needs and wants
- Responsible breeding, or none at all
- Time and space all his own
- The freedom to be foolish and silly, and to make you laugh
- The right to earn your trust and to be trusted in return
- Forgiveness
- The right to die with dignity
- The honor of being remembered well
