Re: [PyrNet-L] Let pups be pups

["Mitzi Potter" <Pyrs-R-Us@popline.com>]

I believe in all those things, too, Janice. My dogs can run and jump
all day long for hours on end if they want-outside. I've got too many
dogs and a 2 yr old-the rule here is no running, jumping or tearing
around in the house.
Mitzi Potter (who'd dogs greatly enjoy life-in the fresh air of the
outside)

On Mon, 13 Jul 1998 17:49:37 EDT, MagEBroD@aol.com wrote:

>   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.
>