How to Treat Your Dog's Space

  • Added:
    Oct 28, 2013
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How to Treat Your Dog Photo by Raquel Cervera

Dog space is something that many dog owners never even think about. They have their dog, feed it, take care of its health and maybe exercise or play with it. They consider that these are the primary needs of the dog and that is enough.  Well, maybe they are forgetting one little detail. The same as us humans like to have our home, our own space at the working area, our own lockers, desks, bedrooms, etc., so do dogs.


Contrary to us, dogs do not demand. They simply enjoy having a space of their own where to lie down and rest, for example. Snoopy’s house is not the common thing happening, although yes, many do have their little house in the yard.


I was watching a video sent to me the other day in which I saw what was happening in the homes of different dogs and it did call my attention to see how, when their beds were taken by cats in the house, they manifested their sense of possession of the same one way or another. They were defending their space, just like any of us would do if the same thing happened to us. If you are interested in seeing this video, do go to You Tube and watch Cats Stealing Dog Beds. Besides it making you laugh, it will probably reaffirm what I have been pointing out here.


One way a sense of belonging is established is by having ourselves identified with our own space. Thinking about this, you can observe that even in the worst of circumstances, and I am thinking here about a person being in jail, the prisoners each have their personal space, be the same pleasant or not, but it is identified as theirs.


Dogs need a space to manifest their needs. If you are a dog owner, and you probably are if you are reading this article, you may have noticed that your dog chooses certain spaces in the house to lie down, to play and to sleep.


More noticeable is the fact that if there is more than one dog in the house, each will demand the same: space of its own. Perhaps one will choose a corner to lie down for its many naps during the day or a specific area in the yard to relieve itself. If each has its own bed, the other dog or dogs will recognize that and respect it, at the same time defending theirs if by chance, the others forget.
I lost one of my three dogs a year ago and while all were in the house, it was even funny to watch them each having a distinctive space, be that in the room, in the terrace or in the kitchen. Still today, the space Luna, my deceased Siberian Husky left, is not usually occupied by any of the other two.


If you are considering bringing a new dog into your house, let it first roam around and watch if it decides to “adopt” a particular space it likes. Of course, if we are talking about a new puppy here, this really does not apply at the beginning, because the puppy will be inspecting everything around the house all the time until it matures. It is simply learning about this new world, and everything has to have its little nose in it, besides other things.


Certain dog owners allow their dogs to jump on the furniture. Some even let them take their sofas or reclining chairs as their own. Others owners establish these are their private property and do not let them even dare get too close to the same. It all depends on what the owner claims as his or her space.


Once the dog chooses and is allowed to establish a space it likes, please, do respect it. Consider how you would feel if displaced and think your dog may be feeling the same way.


If you have the means to, get your dog a bed of its own at least, if not a house in the yard. Keep it clean and in the place it likes. Recognize this is your dog’s private space and value it just the same way you like others to value yours.

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The author is running a site and a blog related to dog training,grooming and dog care. For more information about dog training and dog care, pay them a visit.


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