After their youngest child went off to college, Kenny’s owners decided to downsize.
They sold their big farmhouse with its 25 acres, bought a two bedroom condominium in a nearby city, and breathed a sigh of relief that they would no longer need to rake, shovel or otherwise maintain a yard. Having to walk Spaniel mix Kenny every day seemed a small price to pay for enjoying weekends free of property responsibilities.
Kenny was not consulted about this decision.
Had he been, he would have objected with every ounce of his furry being.
“What nightmare have you introduced into my lovely little life?” Kenny might say. “And you took away my turf because….? Now I have no territory to explore, no trees to sniff, no chipmunks to chase AND you expect me to do my intimate business transactions ON A LEASH? Guess again!”
And so, Kenny is compelled to patrol the windows of the condo. On walks, he pulls over to every vertical object and sniffs it with rigid attention. He chases his tail. Despite long galvanizing leash walks, he waits until he and his owners come back into the house, then calmly urinates on the foyer rug. Right in front of his appalled owners.
Is this spite?
Willfulness?
The doggy equivalent of a dead fish in the mailbox?
I hate to spout cliches but… you can take the dog out of the country but you can’t take the country out of.... you get the drift. Kenny’s owners upended their dog’s happy routine, the room he had to bound and play, and narrowed his world into a walled and limited existence.
It would have helped Kenny make peace with condo living if his owners had followed the guidance provided in LeBron Leaves, George Arrives.
Here are some other ideas for Kenny’s owners to help Country Dog Kenny get Citified:
1. Play dates! Dog parks! Doggie day care! Anything to give Kenny an outlet for his energy.
2. Rally obedience! Flyball! Agility! Anything to engage Kenny’s need for mental stimulation.
3. Walks for toileting versus walks for exercise. Take Kenny to the same area every time and wait there until he eliminates. It should be a location that other dogs have used, so Kenny will get the olfactory message. No walking in search of the perfect potty place.
4. A Kong, a Buster Cube, a Canine Genius – get out those food–based puzzle toys and USE THEM! Kenny can’t stuff them with goodies every day so his own so his owners will have to attend to this task regularly.
5. Hide treats or toys throughout the condo and encourage Kenny to search them out. Since he has a thing about chipmunks, get stuffed ones to satisfy his critter-chasing impulses.
6. Arrange to take Kenny on visits to friends and family who still reside in the country. He may be
a City Dog now but even the briefest taste of his previous life will be a fond reminder of his Country Dog past.
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