[PyrNet-L] Let pups be pups

[MagEBroD@aol.com]

   I know I'll get a LOT of flack over this one, but I'm sorry but I believe
in letting my pups run and jump and enjoy life!  I'd never tell them they
couldn't because they may injure themselves. I really don't think that makes
me uncaring or careless with my pets. I've had a house and yard full of pets
all my life (40+ years) and never had a pet get hurt from playing!! Therefore
I wouldn't take that fun away from them for anything!  I'm not saying everyone
needs to feel same way, but I'm letting mine have a full life of fun & games. 
   It reminds me of people who don't let their kids ride bikes or rock rappel
or rollerblade or climb trees or go out for sports because they might get
hurt. I do believe in protective gear for my kids, but let them follow their
hearts as far as good clean fun. Intend to do same for my pets. Sure it may be
possible that one may have an injury doing things, but the years of fun -vs- a
few weeks of recovery are worth it. And with 4 kids living life to the fullest
we've only had one serious injury ever (from skiing - he started skiing beyond
his abilities - showing off for girls!! And he recovered and suffered no
permanent  damage and still skiis every year! Little less of a show-off now
though! )  Most of my kids injuries were on playground eguipment, yet no one
would say don't let them on that big toy or swing! But usually there are no
injuries. Can't live our lives in fear and never get around to really living!
One of my 4-H kids used to call our family "The Fun Family" and loved to be
with us! I thought that was a real complement. Plus I'm the clumsy one in this
family and most likely to get hurt!! My Dr. knows he's always in for a chuckle
when I come in! Knows I've been acting like a kid again!! Innertubing,
rollerblading, something! He also knows better than to tell me to live
sedentary life, too. And he lets us take his kids with us mt. climbing and
rock rappeling and rollerblading and iceskating and canoeing and dirt biking
and spelunking!! He even goes mt. climbing with us! So if my DR, doesn't mind
and encourages living your life this way, who is to say we are wrong?
   Same goes for my pets! Sure my cat could get hurt climbing a tree - does
that mean we crate her and remove her claws? NO! Sure my dog loves to run and
jump and play - does that mean we don't allow it? NO! Yesterday we took Albert
for a short hike in woods along a river even though he's not completely tip-
top shape right now. We knew it would cheer him up immensely and it did!! His
eyes lit up!! He loved it!. When we came to a fallen tree across the path, we
stopped to help him over, as it was nearly as high as he was. He bounded over
it, pack & all! Cleared it with ease! Should I yell at him and correct him?
NO! I beamed that he felt good enough to try it and felt great that he'd done
it! Did he injure himself? No! After being concerned about him since Thursday
(he's recovering from eating things he shouldn't have) it did my heart & his a
lot of good going on this hike!! His eyes were a lot brighter and he was in
7th heaven! I did have to hold him back and say NO! when we saw a whole litter
of river otters - at least 6 of them only about 8 inches long (not including
their tails), though. They were so cute! Of course my camera was in his pack &
missed the photo opp. They were in their den on return trip. 
   I know a lot of you won't agree with me on this as a number have already
expressed how they wouldn't let theirs run on wood floors and how you should
never let them jump. Although I really admire these people and know their
hearts are in the right place, I have to follow my heart also where my kids
and pets are concerned. And I believe in living life to the fullest! That's
you and this is me, is all. If one of mine do get injured I'll care for them
until they recover and still let them have their kind of fun! If one suffers a
pulled muscle in 40+ years of raising numerous pets and I don't know how many
years of pets lives (usually have 2 - 15 at a time!) it will be a risk worth
taking I feel as we've had so many years without an activity-related injury to
our pets. (except for a few bonehead things Trooper the rescue cat did - but
they were not related to having fun. He was just dumber than dirt, though
lovable as can be. He did dumb things like walking along roof while we were
roofing porch and falling through hole in roof! Also jumped in fires twice
thinking maybe something we were burning might be edible! Like I said: dumber
than dirt!)
   I've found that the people in my life that worry about my kids the most &
fear they will get hurt themselves, those very people get hurt in their own
homes just falling! And just walking. You can get hurt anywhere, doing
anything, but most accidents are either in the home or car accidents. You
wouldn't think of never entering your own home again or never going in a car
again though!! So why live in fear and miss out on so much fun and good
exercise?!!! Go for it!
   Let me reitterate that I really respect and admire the people on this list
and am not trying to criticize them. Certainly don't want hem as enemies as I
consider them valued friends. Just can't always keep my mouth shut! Everyone
should be able to raise their pets the way they see fit, within reason. I
don't think we are abusing our pets at all and have never caused them an
injury yet in over 40+ years and probably well over 300 pet years, maybe more.
So this what I base my decisions on.

:)  &  :)```   (me grinning & Albert grinning & drooling!)

Janice Vocke
MagEBroD@aol.com
Shelton, WA.