August 2023
S.P.R.E.D. — Five Essentials Every Dog Needs
August 3, 2023
I organized a system I had already been using for years. I call it S.P.R.E.D.
Structure
A structured life. A leader and rules. Who is in charge and who is there to love them. Even stray dogs pack up. Lone wolves do not stay lone.
Purpose
A job. Love you, comfort you, keep the mailman away — something to do and a reason to do it. If you do not give a dog a purpose, they will invent one.
Routine
They thrive on knowing when the walk is, when you come home. They will keep you honest. Brandon’s dogs don’t eat on a clock; they eat when the humans finish. If the bowls are late, Oreo — the spokesdog — brings his bowl while the other two stare.
Exercise
Walk them every day. Small dogs too. Cabin fever becomes behavior. A tired dog is a happy dog.
Discipline
The least favorite, and one of the most important. This does not mean hitting, spanking, or electrocuting. It means the rules get enforced. Dogs will bite, nip, tackle, or muzzle each other to do the same job.
I could say how to keep each piece in place. I am saving that for a book.