Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Understanding Bad Behavior
Today was one of “those” days. The phone didn’t stop ringing, the hours passed much too quickly and before I knew it, the clock read 8:00 p.m. and I was just getting home.
Unlike normal evenings, my little guys didn’t seem too pleased to see me…. they were oddly distant. I was about 2 hours off schedule at this point, and they were ready to get out of their gated room, get outside to “do their business” and settle in for some serious playtime. Unfortunately, because of my tardiness in arriving home, I was unable to give them the attention they wanted, immediately when they wanted it.
Instead, I took them out, let them prance around the yard and brought them back inside. To my utter shock and horror, they BOTH then went into my daughter’s bedroom and defiled her belongings and carpet!
Why did this happen? What did I do wrong? Both of my boys have been potty trained for, what seems like, forever, and neither one has had accidents in the house since puppyhood. Clearly, they were trying to tell me something.
As I thought more and more about it, I realized that they were merely using their only tool of communication. While their actions were unacceptable (and they were appropriately reprimanded), they were intended to get my attention, express their dissatisfaction and make themselves heard. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty certain that they must have made some sort of pact while I was running late!
As we coast through our lives, juggling parenthood, pet ownership, jobs and more, it’s important for us to remember that the little voices (or barks) need to be heard. If your animals are used to getting dinner and attention at a certain time each evening, any little adjustment may not be so easily comprehended by them. If all they want is a little extra attention when you’ve disappointed them, is it really that hard to give?
-Mary
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