It Could Happen

Some dogs have issues that their owners have learned to live with. I know people (trainers) who have dogs with such severe separation anxiety that the owner hasn’t taken a vacation in years because the dog would fall apart if they left. I know a family who didn’t go to dinner for two years for fear of leaving their tiny dog home alone.

There are others who have dogs who require lots of management. Some dogs have a complicated ritual that must be performed every time they meet a new person. There are dogs who can only meet other dogs under strict circumstances that must be set up by the owner in advance.

All of this is fine and dandy, especially if the dog is lucky enough to have an owner who is willing to make these efforts.

But what happens if something happens to one of these special owners? Where do these dogs go? How do they begin to adjust if no one around them knows about all the special protocol they require in order to function?

I know an elderly woman who has a dog that only she could live with. He doesn’t like other people, resource guards on a regular basis, has been rushed to the vet many times for swallowing all sorts of things, doesn’t get along with other dogs and has bitten his owner on several occasions. She loves her dog and chooses to live with all of his flaws.

If this dog outlives this woman, I’m afraid it won’t be by much. Because nothing has been done to modify this dog’s behavior, I don’t think he could be safely adopted to any other family.

Have you ever thought about what would happen to your animals if something happened to you?