Back Yard Dogs are Sad and Lonely Dogs

Dogs are pack animals. That means they are social and need interaction with others. They are not hard wired to be all alone day after day trapped behind walls or fences they can't escape from.

If we are going to have dogs in our lives we should learn about and understand them so that we can care for them just as we would any other family member. When we bring pets into our lives they become part of our family. Therefore, we are responsible for their well-being in all respects. That means their emotional well-being as well as their physical health. It breaks my heart everytime I see one single dog who lives in the back yard all by itself. I guarantee you that is a very sad and lonely dog. I don't understand why people who banish their dogs to their back yards even bothered to get them in the first place, if they aren't going to have them be part of their family. Even if they are loved, they certainly aren't getting the time and attention they would if they were living in the home with the rest of their pack.

Dogs need socialization and interaction to learn and be healthy and happy members of the pack. They learn from each other and they learn from us. When they are quaranteened out back they miss out on the interactions and opportunities to learn and grow. They are disconnected and isolated and therefore not really part of the pack. They are more like a frustrated prisoner who is forced to witness a pack they long to be part of but aren't accepted in. They are trapped with nowhere else to go, so they make the best of the situation and eagerly accept whatever scraps of attention are thrown their way occassionally. Really! That is no way to treat a dog. They are far too deserving a creature of love than that.

Dogs deserve to be loved like a fmily member and therefore treated like a member of the family pack. When they are they reward us with protection, loyalty, companionship and unconditional love like no other could master. Dogs are social, intelligent, pack animals who are hard wired to be part of a social community so please invite them inside and let them stay. You will love the results and so will they!