The Westie Pledge
Bringing a dog into your family creates great joy all around. Making a commitment to a dog is much like making a commitment to a human being: Both relationships require daily care and nurturing in order to flourish.
As you embark on this new commitment, here are some promises to consider making to your dog:
1.) I promise to have realistic expectations of the role my dog will play in my life. I will remember that he/she is a dog, not a furry little human; he/she cannot satisfy all my emotional needs.
2.) I promise to learn to understand my dog’s body language. If he/she starts to show me that she is uncomfortable, I will remove her from that situation for her own protection and well-being as well as that of the people and dogs around her.
3.) I promise to protect my dog from dangers, such as traffic and other creatures who might want to hurt him/her.
4.) I promise to keep him/her well dressed with a collar containing up-to-date I.D.
5.) I promise to learn relationship-based training methods so that he/she can understand what I am trying to say.
I promise to be consistent with my training, since dogs feel secure when daily life is predictable, with fair rules and structure.
6.) I promise to match him/her loyalty and patience with my own.
7.) I promise that my dog will be part of my family. I will make a commitment to schedule time every day to interact with him/her so that he/she will feel loved and will not develop behavior problems from a lack of stimulation and socialization.
8.) I promise to seek professional help from a relationship-based trainer if my dog develops behavior problems that become unmanageable.
9.) I promise that my dog will have opportunities to exercise and honor some of his/her instincts. He/She will have walks and runs outside of his/her daily territory, so he/she can sniff and explore.
10.) I promise to provide veterinary care for her entire life. I will keep her healthy and watch her weight.
11.) I promise that if I move, marry, have a baby, or get divorced, he/she will continue to share my life, since he/she is a beloved family member.
13.) I promise that if I absolutely must give him/her up, I will find an appropriate home for him/her that is as good as or better than my home or return him/her to the breeder, Carrot Tails LLC.