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Replies to 'Defining Your Authentic Self'
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August 31, 2005, 9:03 am PDT
 Quote From: teri_id This is interesting, as it applies to all sorts of choices made in life.
My boyfriend/mate and I were having a discussion yesterday regarding the property and our future plans for it. We have discussed turning it into a micro-business and marketing our own brand of salsa. (We had a fish taco stand a few years ago and the salsa was a GREAT hit.) We realized that in order to protect crops from the deer, we would have to get a dog.
Now, I love animals. I grew up with dogs and cats, I have a deep appreciation for birds, and goats are just wonderful...but I don't want a dog. I don't want to get attached, and have all of the stuff that goes along with having a dog.
Pros and cons....deciding if I will "hide" in my "bunker" of fear of loving another pet just to lose it, or will the loving of the pet and the experience of having it be something so worthwhile that I won't want to say no. When we got our kitty, I was the same way, but the mice were such a problem that we felt we didn't have a choice...as poison is just not our way. So, now we have an absolutely spoiled sweet little kitty who is temper mental, and plain mental, but knows her people love her and she takes good care of us. I can't imagine life around here without her...would it be the same with a dog?
I know this is not near as deep as the quote Longstory has provided, yet I am trying to learn to draw parallels, so my understanding of concepts spread. I want to be able to apply what I learn across the board, so to speak.
Teri Back in 1991 when I first went suicidal and every summer after that for a couple of years before I could start tackling the triggers, I discovered that the only reason I didn't leave was because of my 4 dogs. If I left this plane, they would be left with HIM! In fact, my leaving him and buying this property was because of the abuse they suffered in his hands.
Now, I'm on another set of 3 (and 4 cats & 1 kitten) - all rescues. I love them and know that one day they will leave me. It will hurt but I know that is the way of life. I even have a cat that's been hit by a car twice now - I know that it's his nature and his choice to go outside and cross the street -- I can't control him. But I have dealt with it. I will cry and I will grieve and I will probaly replace him with another rescue that comes to me.
I say, get a dog. One that doesn't have emotional issues. That may mean puppy -- check with a no kill shelter to see if they have a litter born there. Puppies take about 2 years to work out their babyiness - then they settle down. If you want an older dog, again, check with a no kill shelter or any animal shelter. Try being a foster parent first. Or better yet, ask someone to let you babysit there's.
Puppies require you to take them for a walk whenever they wake up - yep even in the middle of the night. You walk them and when they go Pee/Doo Doo -- you praise them. When they are bad, don't focus on it -- focus only on their good behaviors. That way they don't learn to get attention for bad behaviors/habits.
I have a doggie door -- made my life so much easier and being a single woman - mydogs are great protectors. I put a lock on my fence as well as the neighborhood kids were playing once and ended up letting my 10 month puppy out -- took me 9 days to find him in a city of a couple 100,000 -- I as pretty lucky but I didn't give up! |
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