Re: [PyrNet-L] Let pups be pups

[Joan Ziehl <joan@ziehl.com>]

Janice, 

I think you missed the point here.  What was said was that letting a
puppy run on a slippery floor was dangerous.  Not that they could not be
puppies.  

I know of 2 puppies that seriously injured themselves sliding on a
ceramic tile floor after coming in from the rain.  It cost the owners
lots of $, the puppy pain, and even more pain over the 'what if's'.

Joan
> 
>    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.
>