My dog and I went for a run this morning on a popular wooded trail. I was struck by the different management styles of dog owners and wondered if it might parallel with their parenting styles.
Running on the trail, there were some owners who walked their less obedient dogs off to the side of the trail so as not to disturb the people passing. Some owners continued to walk while maintaining some control over their dogs. Other owners had no control over their dogs and actually looked to their dogs as the leaders (mind you, these are not guide dogs).
This became particularly illustrative to me as I was finishing my run with my dog properly controlled (close to me on my left side) and an oncoming dog owner stopped in the middle of the trail. Her dog was pulling on a retractable leash toward us and she was allowing this weak game of tug-of-war to occur without effectively controlling her dog. The owner was pleading with her dog in a questioning high-pitched tone, “Come? Come?”
I think it is a universal understanding (or should be) that if a dog is out in crowded places, then the owner needs to be able to command control of his dog. I am not the type of runner or dog owner to stop my momentum for dogs to sniff one another. So, I continued running with my dog on my left and quickly had to scramble so as not to fall on the other dog, who was now under my feet.
In the end, no person or animal was injured and the offending dog was even rewarded with a “good boy!” once he finally returned to his owner. Who was in control in this situation? Obviously the dog. Do you know parents who also seem to have their kids on the proverbial retractable leash and submit to this weak game of tug-of-war?
In the same way that dog owners are taught to act as the pack leader (the alpha dog), children also seek this authority from their parents. Children crave these limits and want clear boundaries. It helps them to feel safe and secure and gives context to an often confusing and overwhelming world.
Interesting and related parenting articles:
Becoming the Alpha Dog in Your Own Home
Borrowing From the Dog Whisperer
I think I was definitely a better parent than dog-owner…