Can you be too nice to your dog?
Hey Everyone,
We love our dogs, and want the best for them in every way possible. They are our best friends and part of the family. Loyal and kind, without a doubt the best companion you can ask for! For these reasons we want to show gratitude and kindness to them. Shower them with treats, gifts and affection. However is it possible to be too kind? Can you really overdo it with your niceness?
In general I fully believe there is no such thing as being too kind to them. However there are some areas where you have to be careful. You have to know what being kind, nice and treating them with love and affection actually means.
For example many times we can cave in seeing those deep mysterious eyes and give them treat after treat. However this isn’t really being kind, if we know the effects. Many people give too many treats and it is not necessary. Especially when training their dogs, it is a good idea to treat them on successfully following commands. But giving too many treats can make the training ineffective and needlessly cause other problems in your dog such as obesity and laziness.
Other times there can be some behavioural issues and these need to be dealt with in a timely manner. If not addressed they can lead to more severe problems, so you need to learn when to put the foot down and take control. This is not being unkind, but rather helping the dog in securing long-term happiness. Just like with children, we might have to be stern at times and may not fully like it in our hearts, but it’s what’s best for the future.
Being kind to dogs means the following to me:
- Keeping them healthy
- Providing a stimulating environment for them
- Provide structure to their lives
- Give them a loving home
If these are followed then you have truly been kind to your dog, so if these things are kept in mind, there can be no excess. So it is important to remember what true kindness is, and not mix it up with emotions or look for shortcuts such as giving too many unhealthy treats! It will require effort but the results will be a more fulfilling and loving relationship between you.
