How often have we seen a situation involving others and thought "if that were my child, my dog, my etc. I would handle it so differently", when the truth is that things are always different when it comes to our own children, dogs etc.

Just as when we hear of a disaster somewhere in the world, we probably feel sad but quite quickly get on with our lives, unless we know someone there or involved in some way and then it becomes personal and our care level immediately rises.

We never want to think that any being associated with us could possibly do anything, or be involved, responsible for anything other than perfect. We often see these dog owners who insist that their dog 'only wants to play' whether or not the other party involved, dog, cat etc. want to play too.  We tend to hear that "my dog has its little ways', or my favourite 'My dog doesn't pull on the lead he just likes being way in front'.

How easy it is to forget the millions of years that it has taken for all dogs to learn to react in very specific ways to certain situations. We believe that because this is our dog, the dog that we love and share our lives with, by some magic this dog is separate from all of what is normal for the species.

I have discovered the easiest of approaches to deciding whether or not I am simply making excuses for the behaviour of my "own" and that is 'would I accept this from anyone else, another dog, etc' and if the answer is yes, then fine but usually it is no and I am able to accept the truth and follow the philosophy of 'physician heal thy self'.

So next time you hear yourself making an excuse for those in your care, remember we have to share this world with others and we need to take responsibility for the actions for those we care for.

Jan Fennell

12th April 2012